Country Manager, Syria

Danish Red Cross is looking for a Country Manager to lead and develop our partnerships, portfolio and scale-up in Syria in order to ensure that vulnerable communities are protected and less affected by disasters.

The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement is the world's largest humanitarian organization, and we are looking for a Country Manager in Syria.

Syria has experienced over 14 years of conflict, the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters like the earthquake in 2023and after the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, is still facing many challenges like instability and sectarian tension, decreased funding with continuously increasing needs, a large presence of unexploded ordonances, food insecurity, a large displaced population and refugees especially in surrounding countries, an economic crisis combined with a liquidity crisis, etc the cumulative impact of which continues to erode the resilience of the population and plunges more people into extreme vulnerability.

Danish Red Cross has been present in Syria since 2006 and our primary partnership is with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC). SARC bears a central role in supporting the most vulnerable people affected by conflict, across the frontlines and in hard-to-reach areas. Danish Red Cross is supporting SARC in becoming an effective and efficient organisation in the delivery of healthcare, psychosocial support, and relief services to the Syrian population and in becoming more generally a strong humanitarian actor in a post-war setting. DRC also maintains a programme supporting the Palestine Red Crescent Society branch in Syria (PRCS/S) which delivers services to the Palestinian Refugee population. 

The Danish Red Cross programme is implemented in most parts of the country and has a portfolio of approximately 9 million USD. The programme is determined the Danish Red Cross International Strategy, 2022-2025, the Danish Red Cross Syria Country Strategy and close collaboration with HNS, based on its strategies and capacities along with a careful analysis of the changing Syrian context and donor landscape. Through engagement with HNS, DRC aims to strengthen a mutually transparent partnership, which supports the HNS in becoming more coherent and efficiently accountable in the delivery of relevant services for conflict-affected-, displaced and refugee populations.

In Syria, Danish Red Cross works with a broad array of donors, including Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ECHO, and private partners such as Novo Nordic, and sustains also strategic partnerships with other Red Cross actors. Presently, there is a momentum to positively explore wider Red Cross Red Crescent Movement Collaboration on operational and advocacy efforts, with a view to achieving higher impact for the Syrian population.

Responsibilities

The Country Manager is centrally responsible for ensuring that our country programme and partnerships in Syria are implemented in pursuit of Danish Red Cross International Strategy and Syria Country Strategy, in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and in compliance with donor intentions and formal regulations.

The  Country Manager  reports to the Head of Region and is working closely with the regional team in Beirut, Lebanon and headquarters staff in Copenhagen, Denmark. He/she will be responsible for:

• Strategic direction of Danish Red Cross engagement in the country in line with current strategies, partnership reviews along new analysis of the contextual and donor situation.
• Management of the partnership with SARC and supporting their ongoing capacity development.
• Supporting the organizational development of SARC, e.g., which includes enhancing their strategic planning and medical logistics capabilities, in coordination with relevant initiatives within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
• Exercising comprehensive oversight over in-country project budgets and taking charge of overall program management, development, and problem-solving for the Danish Red Cross's initiatives in Syria.
• Ensuring compliance with donor requirements, Danish Red Cross guidelines and principled humanitarian action, in accordance with our mandate. 
• Supervising the strengthening of Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (PMEAL processes in the country's project portfolio as well as Community Engagement/Accountability (CEA) measures, including a focus on gender and diversity.
• Leading and managing, based on a shared vision, the Danish Red Cross Country Team in Damascus, consisting of 4 expatriates being, 2 Programme Delegates, a Mental Health and Psycho Social Support (MHPSS) Expert, a Finance Delegate and 2 SARC seconded staff being a project coordinator and a finance officer.
• Overseeing that the in-country security setup is clear enough for staff to live and work in safety.
• Identifying, analyzing, and capitalizing on lessons learned, both of a technical and managerial nature, within Syria, and sharing these insights with the Regional Office (RO) for wider dissemination throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, as well as the HQ. 
• Acting as a representative of the Danish Red Cross, and developing the relationships with the Red Cross Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement – ICRC, IFRC, other Partners National Societies (PNS) – as well as engaging with in-country stakeholders like ECHO and Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Contributing to the implementation of new, broader cooperation initiatives, such as IFRC's "Agenda for Renewal" and the "Strengthening of Movement Cooperation and Coordination" initiative, as well as exploring potential collaborations with non-Red Cross humanitarian actors operating in Syria. 
• Supporting Danish Red Cross communications and fundraising for implementation of the Country Strategy and its contribution to the International Strategy, 2022-2025.

The position requires strong and innovative leadership, management, coordination, representation, fundraising, organisational analysis and the provision of programme management and technical assistance to DRC in-country delegates and the Host National Society. This will include formulation, operationalisation, implementation, and overall supervision, monitoring and evaluation of various projects, initiatives and actions as well as further development of the partnership with SARC and other partners.

Experience and Qualifications

•     A minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in development and/or humanitarian project management and programming.

•      A minimum of 8 years of actual field experience in of relevant field experience in the implementation of emergency and recovery programming.

•      Proven experience with team leadership and human resources management.

•      Significant Project Cycle Management (PCM) and financial management experience.

•      Knowledge of donor interests, application and reporting procedures, particularly MFA, UN and ECHO.

•      Experience in the capacity-building of local partners, preferably of Red Cross / Red Crescent National Societies and local branches.

•      Excellent English speaking and writing skills.

•      A degree in a relevant technical field such as health, a social science, international development, or similar.

•      Full proficiency in Microsoft Office and as self-supporting with computers as possible.

•      Thriving from building and positively working with a team, at all levels.

•      Excellent diplomacy, communication, coordination, negotiation, networking and facilitation skills.

•      Resilience and self-reliance in a situation of heavy work-pressure.

•      Experience with developing, leading or being part of consortia of partners jointly implementing programmes.

•      Work experience in the Middle East and, preferably the Syria Crisis.

International Department in the Danish Red Cross supports vulnerable people in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, in close cooperation with Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in more than 30 countries, and have an annual turnover of more than 750 million Danish kroner annually. We work specifically on building preparedness and response capacity. DRC works both with long term activities and short-term response particular within health, disaster preparedness and response. 

We offer a meaningful work at a purpose-driven workplace with truly engaged colleagues. We focus on professional challenges, well-being and a flexible organizing of your work life. All of us contribute to a great work environment and colleagueship.

Employment conditions

This is a 24-months position, with possibility for an extension and 3 months probationary period. The duty station is Damascus in Syria, which is currently a non-family duty station with a paid 7-day Rest & Recuperation break for now every 10 weeks. Regular travel to programme areas within Syria is obligatory to the extent that the security situation permits.

The contract will be administered in accordance with the Danish Red Cross Terms and Conditions for Delegates. Attractive salary package, depending on qualifications and experience. 

The ideal starting date is 1st September, 2025.

Further information

For any specific and highly urgent questions regarding the position, Regional HR Partner - MENA Region, Charity Dube  chdub@rodekors.dk can be contacted. 

Your application and CV should be uploaded at DRC web page https://www.rodekors.dk/job  Applications made by email will not be accepted. The deadline for applications is 31/05/2025 22:59  Interviews are expected to take place immediately thereafter. 

We look forward to hearing from you!