Technical Advisor – Gender and Safeguarding Specialist At Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development

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About ACTED

“ We go the last mile. Founded in Afghanistan, against the backdrop of a forgotten crisis, Acted’s mission is to save lives and support people in meeting their needs in hard-to-reach areas. Millions of vulnerable people around the world need humanitarian assistance today, and hundreds of millions will need it tomorrow, in the face of the growing threat of climate change. We believe that our assistance must be conceptualised and delivered within the framework of people’s natural environments, and the territories on which they depend. Therefore, Acted pursues a triple mandate as a humanitarian, environmental and development aid actor, contributing to the relief, stabilisation, and recovery of crisis-affected people in fragile areas. This vision is guided by the motto “Think Local – Act Global” – reflecting the need to rely on a deep understanding of local territories and contexts to develop and implement actions based on local knowledge, structures and capacities. This local thinking contributes to a global response – running through all Acted programming and operations – as we work together towards the building of a 3ZERO world: a world with Zero Exclusion, Zero Carbon, and Zero Poverty”.

Greening strategy:

Acted’s greening strategy aims to tackle environmental degradation and climate change while meeting the needs of the most vulnerable who are often those most affected by the deepening environmental crisis. Each Acted employee will adhere to these principles through key green programming responsibilities:

  • Contribute towards the adherence and development of the greening strategy plan.
  • Explore innovative green programming opportunities and/or solutions within your realm of responsibilities and roles
  • Encouraging and promoting environmental safeguarding processes and environmental programming standards in accordance with SOPs and technical guideline notes

Acted PSEAH Policy:

The Logistics Assistant has the responsibility to adhere to the PSEAH Policy (Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment). The Logistics Assistant has the obligation to complete all mandatory trainings related to the Code of Conduct and the PSEA policy and report any safeguarding concern such as breaches of organisational policies or codes of conduct according to Acted’s procedures. The Logistics Assistant carries out work duties in a way that does not harm children, vulnerable adults or other staff or volunteers.

Work Location: Damascus – Syria
Start Date: ASAP
Contract Duration: 6 Months

Job Purpose

The Technical Advisor for Safeguarding, Protection and Gender is responsible for providing strategic, technical and operational support in the areas of gender, Safeguarding, Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH), and the protection of crisis-affected populations. He/she ensures the effective integration of the principles of protection mainstreaming, gender and safe programming across all of Acted’s activities and departments, with a particular initial focus on Acted’s climate portfolio. He/she also ensures the technical quality of the gender and protection interventions implemented, supports the development of projects in line with international standards and Acted’s institutional commitments, and contributes to strengthening prevention mechanisms, risk mitigation, and accountability to affected populations, including vulnerable groups.

Objectives

  1. Ensure gender, safeguarding, and protection mainstreaming across Acted Syria’s portfolio, with an initial focus on the climate portfolio
  2. Strengthen technical quality of programme design and delivery by embedding gender, safeguarding, and protection considerations into proposals, workplans, and monitoring, and building staff and partner capacity.
  3. Support Acted’s PSEAH commitments through field-level technical advisory, contribution to the annual PSEAH Action Plan, and promotion of a zero-tolerance culture.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. External Positioning and Strategic Development

1.1. Representation and Coordination

  • Represent Acted on all matters related to Gender, Safeguarding, and Protection vis-à-vis authorities, donors, partners, within Sectors, working groups and other coordination platforms – including the Protection Sector, and the PSEA network.
  • Strengthen linkages with local/international NGOs, UN agencies and relevant state institutions to promote sectoral coordination, synergies, and prevent duplication across protection, gender and PSEAH initiatives.

1.2 Project development

  • Conduct contextual, sectoral and risk analyses to inform Protection, Safeguarding and Gender programming and develop mitigation plans for projects.
  • Identify the needs and risks of vulnerable populations through community consultations, surveys and secondary analyses, and in coordination with MEAL teams.
  • Actively participate in the drafting of proposals and ensure the integration of Safeguarding, Gender and Protection mainstreaming considerations into the design, planning and budgeting of all projects.
  • Ensure the compliance of activities with gender markers where relevant.
  • Contribute to mobilizing funding, in collaboration with the PD department, for projects related to protection, PSEA and Gender ensuring strong technical design.

2. Safeguarding, Gender and Protection Mainstreaming

2.1. Definition of the technical strategy

  • Harmonize approaches, methods and tools across projects.
  • In relation to Acted Syria’s climate portfolio, lead the implementation, monitoring, and regular updating of the project’s Gender Action Plan (GAP), ensuring that GAP activities, targets, and indicators are delivered on schedule and that responsibilities assigned to the position are fulfilled.
  • Lead relevant Gender and PSEAH baseline integrated into project baselines and workplans, establishing disaggregated baselines on women’s participation in governance/project activities, empowerment and workload indicators, perceptions of women’s participation, and PSEAH risks and referral pathways and ultimately validating and/or adjusting GAP indicators and targets as needed.
  • In relation to the GAP, systematically integrate findings from consultations into implementation; identify gaps and inform updates to Logframe to ensure that perspectives of previously underrepresented vulnerable groups are embedded in planning and results frameworks
  • Organize and facilitate regular technical meetings with programme teams.

2.2. Quality monitoring and cross-cutting technical assistance

  • Provide technical support to all departments and projects to ensure the quality, relevance and compliance of activities carried out across all projects and support departments.
  • Develop, adapt and disseminate the tools needed for the cross-cutting integration of Gender, Safeguarding and Protection across all relevant projects (SOPs, guides, monitoring tools, reference documents, report templates, etc.).
  • Conduct technical reviews, field missions and targeted mentoring activities with the teams.
  • Report against GAP indicators in project reporting, in coordination with relevant Acted teams – including focus on inclusion of vulnerable groups in community feedback and monitoring mechanisms of current projects.

2.3. Capacity building

  • Promote an organizational culture of zero tolerance towards abuse and the effective application of Safeguarding policies.
  • Develop learning modules and contribute to strengthening the skills of programme teams on Safeguarding, Gender and Protection topics.
  • Train, support and monitor implementing partners (local NGOs, service providers, etc.) to ensure ownership of Safeguarding and Protection standards and their application in field interventions.

2.4. Monitoring, capitalization and dissemination

  • Produce recommendations, lessons learned and good practices related to the protection, safeguarding and gender risks identified.
  • Ensure monthly monitoring of the integration of protection mainstreaming across relevant projects, in coordination with the PMs.
  • Ensure monthly monitoring of the integration of safeguarding and gender considerations into the procedures of the support departments, in coordination with the HR Manager.

3. PSEAH technical advisory role

  • Serve as a technical advisor at field level, monitoring preventive actions, developing awareness sessions and providing technical support, and reporting monthly to the Country Director and HR Manager (PSEAH focal point) for trend analysis and risk identification, based on field observation and coordination with teams.
  • Ensure understanding of Acted teams in how to ensure safe referral of Safeguarding cases to specialized protection services and and appropriate first response, including initial psychosocial support, with the safety and dignity of survivors at the centre.
  • Jointly develop the annual PSEAH Action Plan with the Country Director and the HRM, translating Acted’s four operational pillars – deterrence, prevention, identification and response – into concrete, measurable actions with defined processes, expected results, indicators, responsibilities, deadlines and implementation status.
  • Contribute from a technical perspective, through any necessary review of AFM and PSEAH sensitization materials used with communities at project inception and throughout implementation, as recommended by relevant internal focal points, for such processes.
  • Conduct technical reviews, field missions and targeted mentoring activities with project protection teams, and other technical teams in mainstreaming PSEAH considerations.

Key Performance Indicators

  • % of active projects with an effective Gender Action Plan in place, with GAP targets and indicators developed.
  • % of GAP indicators reported against in interim and final donor reports
  • % of GAP targets met or on track at relevant reporting deadlines
  • % of new proposals incorporating safeguarding, gender and protection risk analysis and mainstreaming measures at design stage
  • Adequate level of integration of Safeguarding, Gender and Protection Mainstreaming considerations into projects and into the procedures of project implementation teams.
  • # and quality of technical tools developed, harmonized and in use at base and project level (SOPs, guides, modules, monitoring tools, risk analyses, etc.).
  • Regular and active participation in inter-agency coordination mechanisms, Sectors, working groups and PSEA networks, where relevant.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Protection, Sociology, Psychology, Gender Studies, or another related field;
  • Fluent English and Arabic (written and spoken);
  • Excellent writing and communication skills;
  • At least 5 years’ work experience with an INGO in an emergency and/or development setting.
  • Demonstrated experience contributing to gender and protection programming, safeguarding, and/or gender equality programs – including developing relevant monitoring tools.
  • Demonstrated experience working with an I/NGO on relevant programs, including those with a gender focus.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders
  • Demonstrated experience conducting gender and safeguarding assessments.
  • Willingness to travel to Acted office and project locations across Syria.
  • Ability to work under pressure in a high-pace environment;
  • Good organisational and prioritisation skills.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel and Publisher;
  • Strong interpersonal skills.
  • Strong analytical skills.

How to apply

Interested and qualified applicants should apply by filling out the application form through this link

Technical Advisor – Gender and Safeguarding Specialist 26/08/2026 – Fill in form

We reserve the right to shortlist candidates before the closing date, as the position needs to be filled urgently

Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply

Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

By applying for this position, you certify that all the details of your current application, are true to the best of your background and knowledge. You accept the legal mentions of www.acted.org and authorize the automated processing of your personal data by ACTED for recruitment, HR management and administrative compliance control purposes, in accordance with European regulations for the protection of personal data.(http://www.acted.org/)

ACTED is committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse in the framework of its programs in Syria. The successful candidate will be required to adhere to ACTED Code of conduct and ACTED Global Policies, especially regarding the protection of children and the protection against sexual exploitation and abuse. A rigorous reference and background checks will be undertaken, and information will be requested from previous employers about any disciplinary action of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, and/or sexual harassment during employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

ACTED is committed to gender equity and to have a balanced and diverse workforce. ACTED strongly encourages qualified women, persons with disabilities, and persons from under-represented groups to apply for the position.

ACTED offers a variety of arrangements that enable women to excel in their careers, including flexible working hours for work-life balance, maternity leave, and career coaching.

ACTED never uses external recruitment agencies and recruitment is always free of charge.

The necessity of ensuring the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity, with proper attention to promoting diversity, is the most important concern in the recruitment and employment of staff at ACTED.

Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision, or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided.

ACTED reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.