General Coordinator (Head of Mission)

Doctors of the World - Médecins du Monde

Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic (Syria)

Job description

Under the supervision of the desk manager (based in HQ), you are in charge of the overall strategic leadership and direction of the MdM Syria mission to achieve the organizational mission and objectives.

More specifically, your main responsibilities are the following:

Ensure the implementation of needs assessment and the kick-off phase of the mission
Recruit, manage, train and motivate the mission’s team
Define the operational and advocacy strategy together with the coordination team, the desk manager and the volunteer board delegates of the mission
Plan and monitor activities, implement corrective action when necessary, providing technical support to the team
Represent MdM with authorities, local actors, partners, donors and the media
Monitor partnership agreements with partners, authorities and donors, seek out and develop new partnerships, and ensure or supervise fundraising
Ensure the security and safety of MdM’s personnel, programs and assets in Syria
Ensure the financial coverage of the mission by leading fundraising and budget management
Draft, adapt and monitor safety regulations and procedures and coordinate crisis management in the region
Implement and monitor the application of MdM’s programmatic and support services framework, policies and procedures
Supervise reporting to MdM and donors

Your Profile

Higher education in project management or general field of study (five years post-secondary education)
Minimum 5 years of experience in the humanitarian sector
Previous experience in a similar position
Substantial experience in safety and security management, including in volatile context
Experience in risk analysis and access strategies development
Proven managerial experience of an expatriate and national team within insecure environments
Experience in representation with humanitarian actors, authorities and donors
Experience in hard negotiations with local authorities and staff
Experience in mission opening is an asset
Strong leadership skills and a supportive management style
Diplomacy, negotiation and networking skills
Ability to lead a team in a complex environment and take relevant decisions according to the context
Languages: fluent English mandatory (oral and written). Knowledge of Arabic is an asset