Starting date: 1 April 2025

Fixed contract: 12 months – full time (38h/wk), with the possibility of extension depending on performance and funding

Duty station: Damascus

Travel: Within Syria and occasionally to Beirut/Vienna for team meetings/workshops (all while observing access and security restrictions)

Reports to: Syria Program Manager (on project content) and Head of Damascus Office (on partnerships/Syria operations)

Background:

Caritas Austria (CAUT) delivers high-quality humanitarian aid, recovery, and development projects in Syria since more than 25 years. CAUT’s program spans the humanitarian aid-development continuum; addressing acute survival needs while simultaneously strengthening education and livelihoods opportunities in deprived communities. Protection and gender mainstreaming, as well as safeguarding, are crosscutting priorities in our work. CAUT’s projects are implemented through a range of long-running partnerships – primarily with Caritas Internationalis (CI) sister organizations. Key reference points in our work include the SPHERE Charter, Caritas Internationalis’ Partnership Principles, as well as CAUT’s 2019-2024 foreign aid strategy.

Job Description/ Responsibilities:

The Program Coordinator plays a key role in developing and monitoring CAUT food security and agriculture program inside Syria. Responsibilities include program development including needs and response analysis, building and maintaining partnerships, sector coordination, and providing technical guidance for implementing partners to help beneficiaries build productive and sustainable agricultural systems. All aspects of the position are governed by a strong commitment to humanitarian standards and Caritas Internationalis’ Partnership Principles.

The Program Coordinator will be part of CAUT’s Middle East/ Asia team, based in Damascus, Syria. They will be part of the Syria team structure in Damascus, and reports to the Vienna-based Program Manager (on project progress) and to the Head of Damascus office (on matters of partnership and operations in Syria). Other important communication lines are with project controllers, communication colleagues, and other (field-based) CAUT staff.

Specific Tasks:

Program Coordination, Compliance & Monitoring:

• Oversee activity implementation and ensure timeliness and quality
• Support implementing partners to comply with: program proposal, logical framework, project-specific work plans and budget, agreements with service providers, and CAUT internal policies and processes
• Provide regular (weekly or more frequent in case of need) updates to Program Manager (PM) on implementation progress, challenges, as well as changes related to context and partners
• Support the development of annual work plans that include an annual procurement plan and an annual risk matrix in close cooperation with the PM
• Support the mobilisation and recruitment of external technical experts
• Organise field visits, including for donors, media and partners
• Frequently travel to project sites inside Hama, Latakia and Tartous governorates and monitor field activities and conduct field assessments (subject to safety and security advice)
• Monitor implementing partners’ financial management and support the implementation of project-related financial audits
• Prepare and present reports in cooperation with the PM
• Represent CAUT and participate in relevant working groups, clusters and coordination mechanisms with the back donor and funding partners if/as required
• Conduct research and support the development of new programs/ projects

Quality Assurance:

• Assist implementing partner field teams and technical experts (consultants) in supervising the implementation of Farmer Field Schools (FFS) and offering consultancy services to beneficiary farmers, collectives and other training participants;
• Assist implementing partners on procurements; testing and reviewing of specialist equipment and agricultural inputs;
• Promote awareness of and adherence to professional standards and good practices in the field of agriculture and food security;
• Support the development and implementation of annual MEAL plans in close cooperation with the MEAL officer
• Integrate research and MEAL findings in program implementation and support program revisions
• Promote awareness of and adherence to professional standards and good practices in the field of agriculture and food security

Strategy & Partnerships:

• Promote a spirit of trust and transparency in exchanges with implementing partners at all levels, in line with CI Partnership Principles
• Participate and represent CAUT in relevant working groups, coordination mechanisms and clusters, providing reports as appropriate
• Frequently meet and closely cooperate with implementing partner organisations; link partner staff with opportunities for capacity building
• Ensure that implementing partners are familiar with CAUT policies (including finance, procurement, safeguarding) and strategic priorities

Context Awareness & Security:

• Ensure compliance with CAUT security policies for Syria and contribute to reviewing security plans and directives of CAUT’s Syria Security Advisor

Communication:

• Contribute to the communication strategy in coordination with partners, the PM and HQ communication departments

Skills & Qualifications:

• Ability to write reports, proposals, presentations in English with a high degree of competency (test at interview)
• Knowledge and understanding of Food Security and Agriculture sector with a minimum of 2 year’s experience
• Ability to work in Damascus, Syria and travel as required (nationally and internationally)
• Proven ability to work in constructive partnership with a range of organisations, networks, authorities
• Excellent communication skills; a positive and enabling spirit
• Good organisational and management skills; flexibility and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment, set priorities, and meet deadlines
• Experience in delivering capacity building trainings and developing high quality and engaging resources; experience in working with farmer collectives and the Farmer Field School (FFS) model is a plus
• Participate actively in meetings, capacity building and internal working groups as required
• Accomplish occasional tasks related to other projects or activities of CAUT upon prior agreement

How to Apply:

• Kindly submit your CV and cover letter to sigrid.poecksteiner@caritas-wien.at with “Syria Food Security & Agriculture Project Coordinator” as subject line by 9 March 2025
• Questions can be addressed to paul.scheicher@caritas-austria.at.

Caritas Austria is committed to equal employment opportunities. We encourage anyone who fulfils the above criteria to apply – irrespective of age, gender, religious, sexual, or ethnic affiliation. Within Caritas Austria there is no space for exploitation, abuse, discrimination, or corruption. Caritas Austria is a member of the interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. The successful candidate will be required to sign and adhere to Caritas Austria’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding Policy.