About this role
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 PROGRAM / DEPARTMENT / TEAM
The humanitarian crisis in Syria continues to have a profound impact, with widespread needs for both immediate assistance and recovery. In line with global guidance to enhance integrated programming, Early Recovery and Livelihoods (ERL) approaches are now mainstreamed across all humanitarian sectors within the coordinated response. This strategic evolution underscores the critical importance of ERL principles for building resilience. We are seeking a qualified Syrian national to Co-lead the ERL efforts, providing deep contextual understanding and leadership to ensure the strategic coherence, quality, and visibility of ERL outcomes across this mainstreamed framework.
THE POSITION
The ERL Sector Co-Coordinator is responsible for providing strategic leadership and technical guidance on early recovery and livelihoods within the evolving humanitarian architecture in Syria. The role focuses on ensuring the quality and strategic direction of mainstreamed ERL activities, leading cross-sectoral coordination, monitoring, and advocacy. The Co-coordinator will work to ensure ERL principles are effectively integrated, gaps are identified, and the sector is positioned to support durable solutions and the resilience of conflict-affected communities.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Oversight, Mainstreaming & Quality Assurance (35%)
• Provide technical guidance to ensure ERL principles and activities (e.g., livelihoods, rehabilitation of basic services, social cohesion) are effectively designed and implemented within other sectoral programs (WASH, Education, Shelter, etc.).
• Develop and update tools, guidelines, and standards to support the consistent and high-quality application of ERL approaches across sectors.
• Ensure all ERL-related interventions adhere to international standards and are conflict-sensitive, gender-responsive, and environmentally sustainable.
• Lead or contribute to strategic analyses, including gap analyses and situation analyses, to inform the overall humanitarian and recovery strategy.
Coordination, Representation & Monitoring of ERL Outcomes (35%)
• Act as the sector primary focal point for ERL coordination within the humanitarian system.
• Cross-Sectoral Coordination: Proactively coordinate with other sector leads (WASH, Protection, Education, etc.) to monitor the integration and reporting of ERL activities, ensuring coherence and avoiding duplication.
• Technical Working Group Leadership: Facilitate and provide strategic direction to relevant ERL technical working groups (e.g., Access to Basic Services, Livelihoods and Job Opportunities, Social cohesion).
• Inter-Cluster Engagement: Actively participate in Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) meetings at the national level (Damascus) and support field-level coordination to ensure ERL is represented in broader humanitarian planning.
• Cross-Cutting Themes: Serve as the ERL focal point for collaboration with AAP, PSEA, and Gender focal points to ensure these are integrated into ERL programming.
Advocacy, Analysis & Future Planning (20%)
• Lead advocacy efforts to highlight the critical importance of ERL for resilience and durable solutions, aiming to secure its strategic position as a defined pillar in future Humanitarian Needs and Response Plans (HNRP 2026/2027).
• Analyze data on ERL activities reported by various sectors to produce consolidated reports, identify trends, and advocate for addressing critical gaps.
• Contribute to analysis on conditions for returns, including supporting assessments that mirror ERL conditions for IDPs in surrounding countries to inform programming and policy.
Program Support & Capacity Building (10%)
• Provide technical support and capacity building to partner's teams across sectors on integrating ERL approaches.
• Contribute to donor proposals and reports, ensuring ERL outcomes are clearly articulated and measured.
• Foster a community of practice for ERL within the sector and with stakeholders.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY
• Reports Directly To: Mercy Corps Director of Programs (administratively)
• Works Directly With: local authorities, Sectoral leading agencies, OCHA, partners INGOs and civil society associations
MINIMUM QUALIFICATION & TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
• Advanced university degree in Economics, Development Studies, Agriculture, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of proven experience in early recovery and livelihoods programming in the humanitarian/development context in Syria.
• Demonstrated experience in sector/cluster coordination, inter-agency collaboration, and working within mainstreamed or integrated programming models.
• Deep understanding of the local governance structures, and the humanitarian coordination architecture within the country.
• Proven experience in advocacy, strategic analysis, and policy influencing.
• Experience in proposal development and reporting for major donors is an asset including but not limited to GIZ, FCDO, SDC, ECHO …etc.
• Excellent coordination, diplomacy, and representation skills, with the ability to influence without direct authority.
• Strong analytical, strategic planning, and synthesis skills to monitor cross-sectoral outcomes.
• Ability to navigate complex coordination environments and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Proactive, flexible, and solutions oriented.
• Fluency in Arabic (written and spoken) is essential.
• Professional proficiency in English (written and spoken) is required for reporting and coordination with the international community.
SUCCESS FACTORS
The successful candidate will have demonstrated their effectiveness not merely through activity completion, but through tangible influence on the strategic direction and operational quality of the early recovery response in Syria. Success will be evidenced by their role as a recognized and credible leader within the humanitarian architecture.
The Co-coordinator will need to establish himself/herself as the definitive expert on ERL mainstreaming in the Syrian context. This will be visible through a consistent invitation to contribute to other sectors' strategic planning, ensuring ERL principles are integrated from the outset. The greatest strategic impact will be measured by concrete progress in advocacy efforts; s/he will have contributed compelling evidence and analysis that shifts donor and Humanitarian Country Team dialogue, placing the reinstatement of ERL as a distinct pillar in the 2026/2027 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan under serious consideration.
Operationally, s/he will have moved coordination beyond passive meeting attendance. s/he will have implemented a practical system for tracking and deduplicating ERL activities across all sectors, providing the response with its first clear, consolidated picture of ERL coverage and critical gaps. Under the guidance, the ERL Technical Working Groups will evolve into dynamic communities of practice, producing shared tools and guidance that are actively utilized by partners, thereby raising the quality and coherence of ERL programming field-wide.
The Co-Coordinator deep national expertise will be a cornerstone of their effectiveness. s/he will build a robust network that bridges NGO and UN actors with relevant national authorities and local economic actors, fostering more sustainable and contextually grounded approaches. Internally, s/he will have strengthened organizational capacity by mentoring staff across sectors, leading to a marked improvement in the design and reporting of ERL components within projects.
Ultimately, success will be defined by a demonstrable shift: from ERL being a fragmented set of activities reported by others, to being a strategically prioritized, well-coordinated, and visibly impactful component of the resilience and recovery agenda for Syria, championed by a trusted and influential national professional.
ONGOING LEARNING
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we em-power 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.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
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 based on 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 come into contact with 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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 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.