Area Coordinator – Northeast Syria

Fixed term | 12 months | ASAP

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 Transparency & Compliance Supervisor has the responsibility to adhere to the PSEAH Policy (Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment). S/he 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 Transparency & Compliance Supervisor carries out work duties in a way that does not harm children, vulnerable adults or other staff or volunteers.

Acted Syria

After more than 14 years of crisis, Syria continues to face complex humanitarian and recovery challenges. Although 2025 marked the beginning of a new chapter, needs remain acute amid ongoing instability and localized escalations. As of January 2026, it is estimated more than 16 million people require assistance, including more than 7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and nearly two million recent returnees. Since late 2024, over 1 million refugees have returned from neighboring countries, with further significant returns expected in the coming year. Despite strong return intentions, conditions for safe, dignified, and sustainable reintegration remain fragile. Damaged housing and infrastructure, limited livelihood opportunities, and inadequate access to essential services – particularly water, electricity, healthcare, and education -continue to drive vulnerability and risk of secondary displacement. Localized insecurity, UXO contamination, governance transitions, and recurring drought and water scarcity further strain already fragile systems.

Since December 2012, Acted has been a key humanitarian and recovery actor in Syria. Based in Damascus since 2025 and guided by its 3ZERO Strategy, Acted implements an area-based, conflict-sensitive, and multisectoral approach that bridges life-saving assistance with early recovery, stabilization, climate adaptation, and long-term resilience. Operating inside and outside camp settings, Acted supports displaced populations, returnees, and host communities to access livelihoods, housing, and essential services, supporting an enabling environment for durable solutions. Through community-driven planning, strong local partnerships, and technical leadership across CCCM (including flexible MSMC modalities), WASH, shelter, agriculture, market recovery, and hydrogeological research to strengthen water governance, Acted delivers integrated, climate-smart responses across Syria.

You will be in charge of

The Area Coordinator is responsible for representing Acted’s interests in the area with local authorities, donors, beneficiary communities and other key stakeholders. The Area Coordinator is a member of the senior management team and works to ensure program quality and operational implementation, as well as growth where appropriate and feasible, and strong representation.

The Area Coordinator directly supervises Project Managers, ensuring that projects and programs address beneficiary needs and are implemented according to Acted’s global strategy, donor guidelines, approved work plans and budgets.

The Area Coordinator also oversees day-to-day operations and security in the respective area.

1.Positioning

Context Analysis

Ensure Acted has an up-to-date understanding of the area’s:

Socio-economic situation

Trends

Needs and gaps

Who does What Where and When (4Ws)

Strategy Implementation

Take a lead role in implementing Acted’s country program strategy in the area by identifying strategic opportunities for expanding Acted’s work, including:

• Identify new opportunities and new sectors of intervention.

• Consolidate and stabilize programming.

• Review the geographic and thematic footprint.

• Ensure activities are relevant and meet area/beneficiary needs.

• Identify Acted added value.

• Ensure humanitarian principles are adhered to.

• Contribute to identifying:

New donors

Private sector partners

National and international NGOs

Think tanks

Academia

Other strategic partners to work within the area based on complementarity and added value.

Networking, Positioning and General Representation

• Participate in donor meetings at area level and communicate relevant information to the DCDs and CD and other relevant staff.

• Establish, maintain and improve active and regular working relationships with:

• NGOs

• UN agencies

• Clusters/Sectors

• Working groups

• Consortia to ensure maximum visibility for Acted.

• Establish, maintain and improve active and regular working relationships with local authorities and, where necessary, non-state actors, obtaining required authorizations and buy-in for Acted’s activities.

• Proposal Development

• Lead assessments at area level to ensure proposals are relevant.

• Support Coordination and the Project Development Department in proposal conceptualization (problem statement, logframe) within the framework of the country, regional and global strategy.

• Contribute to budget design to ensure area-level budget needs have been taken into consideration.

• Advocacy

Contribute to drafting:

• Issue papers

• Advocacy notes

• Press releases

on relevant humanitarian and development issues in the area of operation.

• Promotion of Acted Network

Keep abreast of and contribute to Acted’s global initiatives and global trends, in particular:

• IMPACT (REACH, AGORA)

• Convergences

• Oxus

2. Management and Internal Coordination

• Staff Management

• Ensure that all staff in the area understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities related to area operations and maintain links with the capital Heads of Department.

• Promote team building, productivity and staff welfare.

• Mentor and support the team to build capacities, improve efficiency and performance, and follow career management.

• Manage interpersonal conflicts among staff at area level.

• Internal Coordination

• Facilitate interdepartmental communication and information sharing to promote a positive working environment.

• Ensure implementation of Acted’s coordination mechanisms at area level (WAM, SMT, FLAT meetings, etc.).

3. Project Implementation Follow-up

• Project Implementation Tracking

• Supervise Project Managers in the area and provide support to project implementation through troubleshooting and eliminating blocking points.

• Monitor output achievement, cash burn rates and ensure timely completion of projects through review of:

• PMFs

• BFUs

• Project reports

• Ensure that relevant project information is up to date and available for reporting purposes.

• Ensure coordination and complementarity amongst projects within the area of intervention.

• Project Quality Control

• Ensure the application of a practical field-based MEAL system/plan for each project.

• Conduct frequent field visits to project sites to assess activities and ensure efficient use of resources.

• Advise Project Managers to adapt projects according to monitoring and evaluation findings.

• Ensure beneficiary feedback mechanisms are in place.

• Ensure capitalization of best practices and lessons learned for projects in the area of operations.

• Partner Management

• Identify potential local partners in the area based on an assessment of complementarity and added value.

• Provide support to partners in project implementation and ensure timely and quality implementation of projects by partners in line with Acted and donor requirements.

4.FLATS Management

• Finance Management

• Control project budgets at area level to avoid under- or over-spending.

• Ensure accurate budget forecasting and efficient cash flow management.

• Ensure timely and accurate area Finance TITANIC reporting.

• Logistics & IT Management

• Ensure timely procurement and adherence to rules of origin and nationality at area level.

• Ensure quality supply management at area level.

• Ensure proper asset management at area level and enforce the asset investment policy.

• Ensure proper stock management at area level.

• Ensure proper IT systems, data backup and protection from malware at area level.

• Ensure sufficient and reliable means of communication at area level.

• Ensure timely and accurate area Logistics TITANIC reporting.

• Administration & HR Management

• Ensure transparent and timely recruitment of national staff and contribute to international staff recruitment upon capital request.

• Proactively adapt the staffing structure to operational needs and available funding.

• Ensure regular performance appraisal and career management for staff at area level.

• Ensure timely and accurate area HR TITANIC reporting.

• Ensure timely completion of exit forms.

• Transparency & Compliance Management

• Minimize the risk of fraud and corruption by ensuring adherence to Acted’s Transparency and Anti-Corruption policy.

• Ensure that standard operating procedures (SOPs) are known, understood and implemented by all staff.

• Ensure that audit recommendations, compliance reviews and investigations are followed up and that corrective actions are implemented in a timely manner.

• Promote a culture of accountability and ensure staff are aware of and use the appropriate reporting and whistleblowing mechanisms.

• Ensure the implementation of beneficiary accountability mechanisms, including complaint and feedback mechanisms.

• Ensure timely and accurate Transparency TITANIC reporting.

5. Security Management

• Monitor and analyse the security situation within the area of responsibility and regularly report changes or incidents to the Country Director and Security Department.

• Ensure implementation of Acted’s Security Management Plan (SMP), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Security Rules and Security Guidelines.

• Ensure all staff understand and comply with Acted security procedures.

• Ensure that security risk assessments are conducted for new operational areas and activities.

• Ensure contingency planning is in place and updated as required.

• Ensure timely reporting of all security incidents in line with Acted procedures.

• Maintain regular liaison with:

• Local authorities

• Community leaders

UN agencies

NGOs

Other relevant stakeholders,to support access and security analysis.

10. Ensure all visitors and new staff receive appropriate security briefings.

11.Ensure that movement tracking, communication systems and emergency response procedures are functional.

Expected skills and qualifications

• Master’s degree (preferred) or Bachelor’s degree in International Development, Humanitarian Affairs, Political Science, Public Administration, Business Administration, Engineering, Social Sciences, or another relevant field.

• Minimum 6 years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian or development programming, including at least 2 years in a senior field management role.

• Demonstrated experience managing multi-sector programs and multidisciplinary teams in complex environments.

• Strong understanding of humanitarian coordination mechanisms, donor requirements, and program cycle management.

• Proven experience representing an organization with government authorities, de facto authorities, donors, UN agencies and NGO coordination forums.

• Strong financial and operational management skills, including budget oversight and risk management.

• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, mentor senior managers and foster cross-departmental collaboration.

• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.

• Excellent written and spoken English required; Arabic is a strong asset.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in high-risk and rapidly evolving operational contexts.

Terms of reference

For more information about the position, click here.

Conditions

• Salary between 3800 and 3900€ monthly (before income tax), depending on the level of education, security level, etc as well as a monthly living allowance of $300

• Accommodation and food provided in Acted guesthouse

• Pension, health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance (& unemployment insurance for EU citizens)

• Flight tickets every 6 months & visa fees covered

• Contribution to the luggage transportation: up to 100 kgs, depending on the length of the contract

• Rest & Recuperation (R&R) every 2 months, flight tickets covered up to $500 and allowance of $200

• Annual leave of 25 to 43 days per year

• One week pre-departure training in Acted HQ, including a 4-days in situ security training

• Tax advice (free 30-minute call with a tax consultant)

• Psychological assistance

• This position is classified as an international staff position under Acted’s recruitment framework. Eligibility for an international contract is therefore required.

How to apply

Please send your application (CV and letter of motivation) by email (jobs@acted.org), including the reference: AC/SYR

Please note that Acted will never charge a fee for the recruitment process.