Senior National Consultant – Disaster Risk Reduction RR, Field Operations and Emergency section, 6 months, Damascus, Syria (Nationals only) On-site with travel

Contract Duration– 6 months

Working arrangement: Office Based

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

                                                         TERMS OF REFERENCE

Syria remains highly vulnerable to a wide range of natural and human-induced hazards, including earthquakes, floods, droughts, extreme weather events, environmental hazards, and risks linked to unexploded ordnance and conflict-related damage to infrastructure. Years of crisis have significantly weakened institutional systems, infrastructure, and community resilience, increasing the exposure of vulnerable populations—particularly children—to disaster and climate-related risks. Strengthening national disaster risk reduction (DRR) and emergency preparedness systems is therefore critical to reduce vulnerabilities, improve coordinated response capacities, and support sustainable recovery.

This consultant will be consistently present in the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management’s daily operations and meetings, enabling close engagement and real-time coordination with other ministries and key national and local stakeholders. While the consultant will report directly to UNICEF, the function goes well beyond the regular UNICEF staff’s scope of work; it requires full-time dedication within MoEDM and deep familiarity with Syria’s evolving panorama regarding DRR and Early Action, including its institutional architecture, policy frameworks, and implementation challenges. The technical and political role of this role demands a level of national expertise, responsiveness, and daily presence that cannot be achieved through periodic support from existing UNICEF personnel. By embedding a Senior Consultant directly within MoEDM, UNICEF will strengthen its strategic positioning and ability to provide high-quality, context-sensitive support to the Ministry.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  External ToR TMC0002399.pdf

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Master’s degree or equivalent in public administration, social policy, international relations, environmental studies, international development/development studies, or another relevant technical field.
• Years of Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required: A minimum of five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: DRR, Early Action, public policy in Syria, government structures and/or governance, external/donor relations, advocacy or other relevant area.
• Work Experience: Above 5 years in the above-mentioned areas
• Language Requirements: Fluency (written and spoken) in both Arabic and English is required
• Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
  • Familiarity with national systems and global DRR frameworks.
  • Strong coordination and facilitation skills with national and international key stakeholders and government entities.
  • Relevant experience in a UN system, especially UNICEF, other international development agency or organizations are considered as an asset.
  • Experience in donor relations and donor reporting is a strong asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

• Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System): 
  • An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)  
  • Cover letter 
  • A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template)  Financial proposal TMC0002399.docx
  • A detailed technical proposal:
    • • • • Detailed work plan for implementing the project that includes the methodology and a step-by-step approach to achieving each deliverable.
          • The work plan should include a clear timeline, SMART deliverables, and indicators to measure achievement.
          • Examples/ samples/ proven records from previously used material/tools during the implementation of previous similar projects.
            • Proven records and Samples of previously successful projects as follows:
            • Examples/ samples/ proven records of previous experience in implementing UNICEF or UN-related DRR activities, including child-centered DRR, youth engagement, and climate-related risks
            • Successful examples/ samples/ proven records of previous work in developing a national DRR strategy and developing a framework for a multi- year DRR Action Plan
            • Successful examples/ samples/ proven records of previous work in the capacity building of Government staff in UNICEF or UN related DRR
          • The applicant needs to provide a very detailed and clear approach to managing the project
          • No use of AI in submitting any of the required elements of the proposal or during project implementation is acceptable. In case of AI use, the applicant will be disqualified

Remarks:  

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.