Senior Liaison Officer At Search for Common Ground

Search for Common Ground
In a world often divided, Search for Common Ground stands for the power of bringing diverse
people together to find solutions. By meeting this moment with Search, you join a powerful global
peace movement that believes in the profound impact of courageous multipartiality – that all voices
should be heard and respected in shaping a better, more connected world and collaborative vision is
essential for lasting peace.

Position Summary:
The Senior Liaison Officer will be an intermediate and the liaison with the institutional bodies in
Syria for the tasks that are required to establish the mission and operations in Syria. He/she will
work under the direct supervision of the Country Director and in close coordination with the heads
of departments/projects in Lebanon office. He/she will work according to Search’s standards, with
ensuring compliance of all processes with both Search and donors’ regulations.

Responsibilities:

• Representation and coordination:

– Serve as the interface between local authorities and Search for Common ground in all matters related to the planning, programming and coordination of the activities and presence in Syria.

– Organize and participate in meetings with relevant authorities
– Serve as translator during meetings in Arabic
– Represent organization towards UN clusters, INGOs and local partners in coordination with the program team.
– Communicate and collaborate in accordance with the communication channels defined for the mission
– Attend and take part in key meetings necessary for passing on information for the smooth implementation

• Administration, Finance, and Logistics:

– Ensure compliance of Search for common ground mission in Syria with all requirements of the organization, donors regulation and local administration (local labour law, local laws and regulations and administrative and financial requirements).

– Prepare documentation to obtain required approvals and contribute to the report consolidation

– Support the logistics, Admin/Fin departments on other tasks on request (meeting with tax consultant, banks, lawyers based on the request from the Country Director).
– Assist with Syria recruitment process with support of HR Manager, Procurement,
and Country director.

• Humanitarian response programming and partnership:

– Take lead and ensure follow-up for any pending authorizations /permissions to conduct programme activities and ensure access the areas of intervention when needed
– Advise teams on specific regulations defined by the authorities and donors
– Support the opening of the new offices/bases per request
– Coordinate with local implementing partners their activities in line with the SFCG
global standards

• Security:

– Act as organization focal person for all access and security related issues.
– Ensure daily monitoring of the security situation in the areas of intervention and provide documentation and security updates to the Country Director.
– Update security manuals and provide security briefings to all employees, organize security and safety training based on the request
– Senior Liaison Officer will be in charge of security and safety management,responsible for all the implementation standard operations procedures, safety management and follow up on the mandatory security and safety training for Common ground teams.

• Competency Behavior Indicators (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities):

– Initiates brainstorming or problem-solving meetings. With time in job, develops skills for
analyzing and communicating program successes and failures; reports lessons learned to the team
and other members.
– Represents Search at local and international events and meetings for professional organizations,
vendors, partners, and funders. Develops skills to independently initiate and maintain relations
with vendors, partners, and funders. Articulates Search program/project goals and objectives
within Search and to external audiences.
– Demonstrates appreciation for diversity of thought. Builds cross-functional relationships with
other functional departments.
– Demonstrates ability to be adaptable and willing to confront and change own ideas and
preconceptions with the resiliency and flexibility to make changes based on hearing a diversity of
thoughts.
– Drafts team documents, briefing materials, and presentations. Articulates program/project
objectives and how they fit into a team’s goals and/or Search’s mission and adapts to the
communications setting.
– Applies standards, identifies areas for standardization, and coordinates across functions from a
multicultural perspective that reflects consideration of other cultures, other viewpoints, and other
ways of doing things.

-Takes into account the environmental landscape, assesses one’s own and others’ viewpoints in their environment, and proposes solutions from an ethical perspective.
– Recognizes the options available for solving problems, conducts analyses, and calculates metrics
and other technical tools to support informed decision making.
– Conducts Quality Control of team documents, briefing materials, presentations, and systems data.
Carefully reviews and checks the accuracy of information in work reports, management
information systems, or with other individuals and groups. Checks the accuracy of one’s own and
others’ work. Proactively informs management of potential risks and concerns; suggests
resolutions.
– Independently prioritizes time to reach deadlines and reaches end results of assignments with
ability to accomplish multiple steps with limited to no supervision.

• Other details:

– Safeguarding: Remain alert and responsive to any safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge
and skills that will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the safeguarding
– policy and procedures, and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Safeguarding Policy.

• Type and Nature of Contacts:

**-**Interacts with others and handles problem situations with tact.

• Education and Experience:

– Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or similar fields, with minimum (7) years of experience,
preferably in NGO sector.

• Language:

– Fluent in English and Arabic

• Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

– Full time contract with office attendance.

• Supervisory and Budget Responsibility:
  None
  Reporting: to Country Director

Application Instructions, for screening purposes:
– CVs to be submitted in English version
– Candidates to clearly clarify in their CVs each job period by following template:
From (day/month/year) – To (day/month/year)
– Candidates to add on their CVs their geographical residence area.
– The position is opened for Syria nationals only

• The recruitment process will be done on a rolling basis.