Background/Context:
The IRC has operated in Syria since 2012, providing protection, health, economic recovery, and early childhood development programs in Idleb, Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa, Hassakeh, and Deir ez-Zor, with new programs expanding into Hama, rural Damascus, and Homs. With a team of over 700 members, the IRC has established trust and strong community relationships, ensuring access and effective service delivery. It plays a significant role in Syriaโs NGO, donor, and coordination forums, holding key positions and adapting to the evolving context.
With the new realities under the new government, as of December 2024, the IRC has deployed a team to Damascus to set up operations and engage in coordination structures for newly accessible areas across Syriaโincluding parts of NES, NWS, and other previously unreachable locations in South and Central Syria, adjusting operations to maximize coverage and efficiency.
Protection
The IRC has been delivering protection programs in the northwest since 2013 and in the northeast of Syria since 2014, focusing on Protection/Rule of Law (PRoL), Womenโs Protection and Empowerment (WPE), and Child Protection (CP). These efforts include specialized case management, PSS, protection monitoring, service mapping, and advocacy. Collaborating with partners, IRC improves access to protection services, raises community awareness, and strengthens referral pathways. Protection capacity building, community outreach, and rapid response through mobile protection teams have also been provided since 2017.
Job Overview/Summary:
As part of its Syria response, the IRC has programs to support women and girls throughout Al-Hasaka, Deir Ezzor, and Ar-Raqqa governorates in Syria. The WPE Community Mobiliser in collaboration with ERD sector plays a key role in implementing IRCโs Economic and Social Empowerment (EA$E) initiative, which empowers women through financial literacy, economic skills, and social empowerment discussions. The mobiliser will be responsible for mobilizing communities, engaging with women and their partners, and leading structured group discussions that challenge harmful gender norms, promote healthy relationships, and enhance women's decision-making power in their households and communities. Moreover, WPE Community Mobiliser will be leading all information provision, outreach, risk mitigation and community mobilization efforts. Core activities include dissemination of information, assessment of risks faced by women and girls in the targeted communities and development of response strategies, capacity building of community committee.
Responsibilities:
Lead structured discussions with women business owners, focusing on the impact of gender roles on entrepreneurship, household dynamics, and business decision-making, using the EA$E toolkit to address gender-related barriers and promote gender equity. Engage women in discussions on power dynamics in personal and professional relationships, helping them to identify and overcome gender-based challenges, with a focus on enhancing their agency and leadership within their businesses and communities. Lead and facilitate gender discussion sessions as part of the EA$E toolkit, with a focus on addressing gender roles, power dynamics, financial decision-making, and healthy relationships within households. Ensure that sessions are inclusive, participatory, and held in a safe space. Work closely with the ERD team to integrate economic empowerment discussions (e.g., budgeting, savings, income generation) into the EA$E sessions, ensuring a holistic approach that combines both gender and economic elements for participants. Provide basic Psychological First Aid (PFA) to participants who disclose distress or GBV experiences during sessions. Ensure safe and confidential referrals to GBV case management and other relevant services for survivors, following the established referral pathways. Collaborate with ERD to support Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA), encouraging womenโs participation in savings groups. Actively engage with community members and leaders to mobilize participants for the EA$E sessions and support the formation and strengthening of community-based committees that can lead local efforts on gender equality, protection, and economic empowerment. Keep detailed records of discussion outcomes, participation, and feedback, while ensuring the confidentiality and safety of all participants. Collaborate with local womenโs groups, menโs groups, and other community-based organizations to raise awareness of EA$E activities, promote the involvement of men in gender discussions, and enhance the long-term impact of the program through sustained community engagement. Provide ongoing mentorship and guidance to local partner staff, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to effectively implement the EA$E discussion series, ensuring a smooth transition. Organize opportunities for local partner staff to shadow during EA$E discussions, allowing for practical, hands-on learning. Support in gathering data on the impact of EA$E gender discussions and VSLA integration, contributing to regular reports on program outcomes, challenges, and success stories. Engage in mobilization and awareness-raising activities with local leadership and community groups on EA$E group process and other GBV related topics. Actively participate in field-level coordination meetings with self-administration and other relevant agencies.Other duties and responsibilities
Complete attendance sheets for relevant activities and contribute to monthly activity reports, according to guidance provided by the WPE Officer, and supply information on a weekly basis to the WPE Officer in line with deadlines. Maintain positive coordination and relationships with partners and other sector staff.Required Experience/qualification/Skills:
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
A commitment to IRCโs mission, vision, values, and IRC Way โ Professional Code of Conduct. Credible written, presentation, and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information optimally and proven experience providing training and staff development Validated a sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to handle sophisticated situations subtly and to effective resolution. Excellent management and communication skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive collaboration, in a cross-cultural context. Validated ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional patience. Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior-level management and all other partners to improve collaboration and productivity. Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop. Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to sophisticated matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies.Language/Travel:
Arabic is required, while Kurdish and English will be added advantages. Travel: 100% to field sites in 100% as well as attending regional and global workshops and meetings.Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: WPE Officer
Position directly supervises: None
Indirect Reporting (If applicable): None
Key Internal Contacts: N/A
Key External Contacts: N/A
Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way โ Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the country where this position is based and are currently residing outside of your home country, you may be eligible for an attractive relocation package. Eligibility is determined based on IRC's operational needs and specific role requirements. IRC strives to attract, motivate, and retain qualified national staff in our programs.
Accountability to Clients: IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery.