Job ID
43411
Job Title
Sub-National Protection Co-Coordinator (Internals Only)
To work for
International Rescue Committee
Country
Syria
City
Aleppo
Field of Work
Humanitarian/Disasters
Job Type
Full time
Military service
Not Specified
Minimum Education Level
Bachelor/ License Degree
Responsibilities
Job Overview/Summary:
The Protection Cluster Sub-National Co-Coordinator will work in partnership with UNHCR, as the Cluster Lead Agency, to provide leadership and facilitate the processes that will ensure a well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective response across the northwest of Syria. The Co-Lead will have specific responsibility for ensuring that the position is informed by the NGO perspective, including, importantly, that of local partners. The Co-Lead will also be responsible for ensuring that the NGO membership is contributing to and sharing Cluster responsibilities and will play a lead role in developing the active engagement and technical capacity of members of the working group. The Protection Cluster Sub-National Co-Coordinator together with the UNHCR Protection Cluster Coordinator will be representing the Sub-National Protection Cluster for northwestern Syria, based in Aleppo, and raise protection issues affecting Syrians across northwest Syria within the centralized Protection Cluster system which will be operationalized from July 1st, 2025.The position will report to the Protection Co-Lead at the National Level (hosted by IRC).
Main Responsibilities:
- Co-chair regular coordination meetings of the Sub-National (Aleppo/northwest) Protection Cluster. Actively identify, make contact with, and offer technical and operational support to new and existing protection partners, including both large and small Syrian organizations; lead follow-up with prospective Cluster members.
- Provide leadership and strategic direction, reflecting the NGO perspective in particular, within the context of core Cluster processes, including those related to the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP); otherwise support coordination so as to enable coherent and timely responses to protection and humanitarian needs.
- Support Technical Working Groups, where needed, and operational working groups to facilitate emergency responses and to strengthen emergency response capacity and coordination.
- Support in developing periodic and ad hoc protection analyses to inform strategy development, as well as operational responses and advocacy; likewise, in collaboration with UNHCR, develop periodic response analyses to further assist in identifying response gaps in relation to identified needs;
- Support the other Clusters and their membership with protection mainstreaming initiatives and promote analysis and integration of protection risks into their strategies and accompanying responses;
- Support representation of the Cluster in interagency fora; otherwise support protection mainstreaming through engagement in interagency and direct support to protection and non-protection actors;
Other Core Responsibilities
- Work with UNHCR Coordinator, the Protection Monitoring Task Force and Protection Cluster members to ensure that key protection (including CP and GBV) concerns are reflected in OCHA or NGO led multi-sectoral assessments, as well as other protection specific sectoral assessments;
- In collaboration with the Cluster’s Information Management Officer, support the Cluster’s data collection efforts, helping Syrian partners to submit accurate and consistent data; Provide analysis back to the Cluster and other inter-agency fora;
- Provide direct training in protection for key stakeholders, in line with agreed upon Cluster priorities;
- Work with protection and non-protection partners to promote understanding of and adherence to humanitarian and protection principles and standards according to international legal frameworks.
- Serve as the representative of the Cluster in key cross-sector working groups, such as the MHPSS Technical Working Group and Family Tracing and Reunification Task Force.
Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development
- Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies.
- Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths the teams in Syria.
- Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
- Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
- Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team, and providing guidance on career paths.
- Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
- Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
The Protection Cluster Sub-National Co-Coordinator will work in partnership with UNHCR, as the Cluster Lead Agency, to provide leadership and facilitate the processes that will ensure a well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective response across the northwest of Syria. The Co-Lead will have specific responsibility for ensuring that the position is informed by the NGO perspective, including, importantly, that of local partners. The Co-Lead will also be responsible for ensuring that the NGO membership is contributing to and sharing Cluster responsibilities and will play a lead role in developing the active engagement and technical capacity of members of the working group. The Protection Cluster Sub-National Co-Coordinator together with the UNHCR Protection Cluster Coordinator will be representing the Sub-National Protection Cluster for northwestern Syria, based in Aleppo, and raise protection issues affecting Syrians across northwest Syria within the centralized Protection Cluster system which will be operationalized from July 1st, 2025.The position will report to the Protection Co-Lead at the National Level (hosted by IRC).
Main Responsibilities:
- Co-chair regular coordination meetings of the Sub-National (Aleppo/northwest) Protection Cluster. Actively identify, make contact with, and offer technical and operational support to new and existing protection partners, including both large and small Syrian organizations; lead follow-up with prospective Cluster members.
- Provide leadership and strategic direction, reflecting the NGO perspective in particular, within the context of core Cluster processes, including those related to the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP); otherwise support coordination so as to enable coherent and timely responses to protection and humanitarian needs.
- Support Technical Working Groups, where needed, and operational working groups to facilitate emergency responses and to strengthen emergency response capacity and coordination.
- Support in developing periodic and ad hoc protection analyses to inform strategy development, as well as operational responses and advocacy; likewise, in collaboration with UNHCR, develop periodic response analyses to further assist in identifying response gaps in relation to identified needs;
- Support the other Clusters and their membership with protection mainstreaming initiatives and promote analysis and integration of protection risks into their strategies and accompanying responses;
- Support representation of the Cluster in interagency fora; otherwise support protection mainstreaming through engagement in interagency and direct support to protection and non-protection actors;
Other Core Responsibilities
- Work with UNHCR Coordinator, the Protection Monitoring Task Force and Protection Cluster members to ensure that key protection (including CP and GBV) concerns are reflected in OCHA or NGO led multi-sectoral assessments, as well as other protection specific sectoral assessments;
- In collaboration with the Cluster’s Information Management Officer, support the Cluster’s data collection efforts, helping Syrian partners to submit accurate and consistent data; Provide analysis back to the Cluster and other inter-agency fora;
- Provide direct training in protection for key stakeholders, in line with agreed upon Cluster priorities;
- Work with protection and non-protection partners to promote understanding of and adherence to humanitarian and protection principles and standards according to international legal frameworks.
- Serve as the representative of the Cluster in key cross-sector working groups, such as the MHPSS Technical Working Group and Family Tracing and Reunification Task Force.
Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development
- Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies.
- Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths the teams in Syria.
- Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
- Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
- Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team, and providing guidance on career paths.
- Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
- Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
Qualifications
Required Experience/qualification/Skills:
Essential
- Minimum of 5 years proven experience working on protection issues in humanitarian environments, including provision of technical advice to field teams; Excellent understanding of protection issues in emergency situations and detailed knowledge of humanitarian principles, guidelines, and laws;
- Demonstrable leadership, coordination, capacity building, planning and analytical skills
- Demonstrable experience in policy and advocacy and negotiation
- Excellent written and spoken English
Highly preferred
- Graduate degree in international law, social sciences, or related field;
- Prior experience working on Syria, ideally Northern Syria;
- Strong prior experience with information management as related to the protection sector, including maintaining standards of impartiality and confidentiality with data of a sensitive nature.
- Previous experience of working within the sector/cluster system.
- Demonstrable ability to work successfully under pressure and ability to make timely decisions;
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
- A commitment to IRC’s mission, vision, values and IRC Way – Professional Code of Conduct.
- Credible written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development.
- Validated sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to handle complex situations diplomatically and to effective resolution.
- Excellent management and interpersonal skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, 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 maximize cooperation and productivity.
- Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop is a must.
- Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies.
Language/Travel:
- Fluent English oral and written is required, Arabic is desired.
- 50% travel required.
Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: National Protection Sector Co-Coordinator and the Field Coordinator
Position directly supervises: National Protection Sector Co-Coordinator
Indirect Reporting (If applicable):
Key Internal Contacts: IRC Integrated Protection Coordinator, Regional team
Key External Contacts: UNHCR Protection Cluster Coordinator, NWS AoR Co/Coordinators; Syria NGO Forum, Protection partners, OCHA and other UN Agencies in NWS, Donor representatives, local authorities
Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – 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.
Essential
- Minimum of 5 years proven experience working on protection issues in humanitarian environments, including provision of technical advice to field teams; Excellent understanding of protection issues in emergency situations and detailed knowledge of humanitarian principles, guidelines, and laws;
- Demonstrable leadership, coordination, capacity building, planning and analytical skills
- Demonstrable experience in policy and advocacy and negotiation
- Excellent written and spoken English
Highly preferred
- Graduate degree in international law, social sciences, or related field;
- Prior experience working on Syria, ideally Northern Syria;
- Strong prior experience with information management as related to the protection sector, including maintaining standards of impartiality and confidentiality with data of a sensitive nature.
- Previous experience of working within the sector/cluster system.
- Demonstrable ability to work successfully under pressure and ability to make timely decisions;
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
- A commitment to IRC’s mission, vision, values and IRC Way – Professional Code of Conduct.
- Credible written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development.
- Validated sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to handle complex situations diplomatically and to effective resolution.
- Excellent management and interpersonal skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, 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 maximize cooperation and productivity.
- Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop is a must.
- Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies.
Language/Travel:
- Fluent English oral and written is required, Arabic is desired.
- 50% travel required.
Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: National Protection Sector Co-Coordinator and the Field Coordinator
Position directly supervises: National Protection Sector Co-Coordinator
Indirect Reporting (If applicable):
Key Internal Contacts: IRC Integrated Protection Coordinator, Regional team
Key External Contacts: UNHCR Protection Cluster Coordinator, NWS AoR Co/Coordinators; Syria NGO Forum, Protection partners, OCHA and other UN Agencies in NWS, Donor representatives, local authorities
Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – 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.
Salary and Benefits
IRC Provides Competitive Package
About us
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 Syria’s 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 Syria—including parts of NES, NWS, and other previously unreachable locations in South and Central Syria, adjusting operations to maximize coverage and efficiency.
Healthcare
Since 2012, the IRC has provided comprehensive primary and secondary healthcare through hospitals, clinics, and mobile medical units (MMUs). Ensuring access to vital services like sexual and reproductive health, clinical psychosocial support, and other specialized care. Working alongside our partners, we’ve helped secure a steady supply of medicines and medical equipment into the country, trained healthcare providers, and deployed health personnel to maintain services in even the most challenging conditions.
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), Women’s 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.
Economic Recovery and Development (ERD)
IRC has over 10 years of experience in Syria implementing cash, agriculture, and livelihoods programming, and was one of the first organizations to use cash transfers, supporting vulnerable communities with MPCT since 2014 in the northwest, and 2015 in the northeast.
Early Childhood Development (ECD)
The IRC, in partnership with Sesame Workshop, is implementing the 'Ahlan Simsim' program to provide early learning and nurturing care to children and caregivers affected by conflict and displacement across the Middle East. Our goal is to create inclusive environments where all children, regardless of their background, can reach their full potential, especially in communities that have experienced the brunt of the conflict.
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 Syria—including parts of NES, NWS, and other previously unreachable locations in South and Central Syria, adjusting operations to maximize coverage and efficiency.
Healthcare
Since 2012, the IRC has provided comprehensive primary and secondary healthcare through hospitals, clinics, and mobile medical units (MMUs). Ensuring access to vital services like sexual and reproductive health, clinical psychosocial support, and other specialized care. Working alongside our partners, we’ve helped secure a steady supply of medicines and medical equipment into the country, trained healthcare providers, and deployed health personnel to maintain services in even the most challenging conditions.
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), Women’s 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.
Economic Recovery and Development (ERD)
IRC has over 10 years of experience in Syria implementing cash, agriculture, and livelihoods programming, and was one of the first organizations to use cash transfers, supporting vulnerable communities with MPCT since 2014 in the northwest, and 2015 in the northeast.
Early Childhood Development (ECD)
The IRC, in partnership with Sesame Workshop, is implementing the 'Ahlan Simsim' program to provide early learning and nurturing care to children and caregivers affected by conflict and displacement across the Middle East. Our goal is to create inclusive environments where all children, regardless of their background, can reach their full potential, especially in communities that have experienced the brunt of the conflict.
Required employees number
1
Posted On
Jul 01, 2025
Expiry Date
Jul 31, 2025
CV Language
English
