About this role
Position: Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) Officer
Location: Dana, Northwest Syria (NWS) with frequent travel to Hama and south Idlib.
Position Status: Full-time, Regular
Salary Level: As per salary scale
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.
The NW Syria program has been providing emergency food, non-food assistance and unconditional cash to communities affected by the ongoing conflict. Besides addressing the basic humanitarian needs of the newly displaced population, Mercy Corps NWS is also working in an early recovery response with the vulnerable communities to strengthen their livelihoods, self-reliance and reduce negative coping strategies through agriculture and livelihoods assistance, improving their shelter conditions and providing WASH assistance.
Program / Department Summary
The Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) Program Officer's role, under the supervision of the FSL Program Coordinator, aims to support the management of Mercy Corps NWS' FSL to conflict-affected communities. The position holder will work closely with the broader FSL team, FSL Program Coordinator and Mercy Corps' partners to ensure smooth, efficient and effective implementation of the program. The FSL Program Officer will be responsible for assisting with the implementation of the activities, in addition to monitoring, capacity development, analysis and reporting. The FSL Program Officer will have strong engagement with all aspects of the program cycle, including assessment, planning, project design, implementation, monitoring, capacity building of local NGO and CSO partners, reporting, and evaluation of the program and preparing periodic reports. The position also involves understanding how the collection of projects fits within Mercy Corps' grant and Mercy Corps wider strategy, with support and guidance from the coordinator and the Program Manager and considering new opportunities for programming.
The programmatic scope of the FSL portfolio includes but is not limited to support: in-kind Assistance, provision of food assistance, support to agriculture sector, and MSMEs, etc. Programs are implemented through a combination of in-kind- and grant-based modalities.
General Position Summary
The FSL Officer will be responsible for the field-level implementation and monitoring of all Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) activities under Mercy Corps' interventions in rural Hama. Working under the direct supervision of the FSL Coordinator, the Officer will ensure that activities supporting farmers, herders, and small businesses are implemented on schedule, to high quality, and in line with technical standards and community priorities.
The Officer will coordinate closely with community committees, local authorities, and sectoral partners to ensure transparent participant selection, effective delivery of agricultural and livelihood inputs, and continuous technical follow-up with participants. S/he will supervise FSL Assistants in day-to-day operations, maintain accurate documentation and data collection, and support monitoring and reporting in collaboration with the MEL team.
This position requires strong technical knowledge in agricultural production and rural livelihoods, excellent organizational and communication skills, and a proactive approach to problem solving and community engagement.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Project Implementation.
• Lead day-to-day implementation of FSL activities in target communities, including farmer and MSME support, agricultural input distribution, and follow-up visits to ensure activities meet objectives and quality standards.
• Conduct field assessments and verification exercises to identify participants, validate needs, and collect technical data that informs implementation and reporting.
• Support community engagement and coordination by maintaining strong communication with community committees, local authorities, and the Directorate of Agriculture to ensure transparency and collaboration.
• Supervise and guide FSL Assistants during field activities, ensuring proper documentation, participant attendance, and adherence to Mercy Corps' Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Monitor participant progress and activity outcomes through regular visits, interviews, and spot checks, and report findings or emerging challenges to the FSL Coordinator promptly.
• Ensure that all field documentation (lists, reports, photos, delivery notes, and attendance sheets) is accurate, complete, and submitted in a timely manner.
• Support technical trainings and awareness sessions for farmers, herders, and MSMEs in collaboration with the FSL Coordinator and local consultants, ensuring quality delivery and participant engagement.
• Identify and report field-level challenges related to logistics, coordination, or community dynamics, and propose practical solutions to ensure uninterrupted implementation.
• Ensure that all activities adhere to Mercy Corps' Do No Harm principles, protection standards, and gender-sensitive approaches.
• Participate actively in internal coordination meetings and contribute to lessons learned discussions to improve program implementation and effectiveness.
Coordination and Representation
• Participate in and support internal office coordination and planning meetings and workshops.
• Provide support to the design and development of new proposals as
• As required by the supervisor, represent Mercy Corps at donor meetings, or government and sectoral coordination for
Accountability to Stakeholders:
• Ensure that participant communities are adequately informed about programs, are aware of their entitlements, are comfortable to give feedback and that feedback is used to improve the quality of our programs.
• Draft CARM responses for the Program Coordinator review.
• Help with the implementation of a Community Accountability and Response Mechanism appropriate for the FSL interventions.
• Ensure all activities are gender sensitive and follow Mercy Corps' Gender Equity Policy.
• Apply Do No Harm standards to ensure activities do not have detrimental effects on vulnerable communities.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission or put the team, assets and mission at risk.
Other:
• Assist in any other task or duty assigned by the supervisor.
Supervisory Responsibility: Food Security and Livelihoods Assistant
Reports Directly To: FSL Program Coordinator.
Works Directly With: FSL department; Program teams, Mercy Corps Syria FSL Technical Advisor; MEAL department; grants department, and staff from partner(s) organizations.
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
• University Degree in Agriculture, Economic, Trade or relevant field or a Diploma with extended experience in FSL programming.
• At least 3 years' experience working in a non-governmental organization (NGO) focused on humanitarian assistance, relief, or development work; experience with cash transfer programming is a plus.
• Arabic and English language written and spoken is essential, with professional level fluency in English required.
• Demonstrated direct experience with project design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation and donor reporting for humanitarian programming, ideally in a highly insecure context.
• Strong data management abilities.
• Experience in implementing, designing, or monitoring FSL program.
• Experience with emergency market mapping, value chain analysis, and other relevant market assessment tools is preferred.
• Experience in FSL training packages is preferable.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate closely with a broad range of stakeholders in different geographic locations, experience with remote monitoring a plus.
• Proven capacity to work cooperatively with colleagues from other departments in a team environment, and to engage with and lead a diverse group of people.
• Understanding of participatory methodologies for project design, implementation and evaluation preferred.
• Active knowledge of humanitarian standards and codes, including SPHERE and HAP is an asset.
• Familiarity with the MS Office software (i.e., Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) is required.
• Knowledge of the Syrian conflict context a plus.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.
Team Efficiency and Effectiveness
Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work.
We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we encounter through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
Employees Commitment towards Safeguarding:
• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work including with external stakeholders and direct reports if applicable.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps as detailed in the Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies including respecting the dignity and well-being of community participants and fellow staff members.
• Holds themselves accountable for making appropriate decisions that impact community members and team members.
• Takes responsibility for their personal and professional behavior.
• Encourages openness, transparency, and communication in their team; encourages team members to make any reports if they have any concerns using internal reporting mechanisms (i.e., Integrity Hotline, HR etc.)
• Demonstrates a high level of integrity and treats others with respect.