Job Purpose and Responsibilities

Under the guidance of the Head of Programmes and the Protection and Safeguarding Advisor, the Protection Specialist is responsible for providing technical support to strengthen the Child Protection department and ensure effective protection mainstreaming across all SARD programmes.

The Protection Specialist will provide technical guidance by actively participating in case management meetings and supporting the delivery of quality child protection services for unaccompanied and separated children, as well as children at risk of separation within vulnerable families.

The role includes reviewing and updating Psychosocial Support (PSS) and Positive Parenting curricula, identifying gaps, and recommending improvements based on emerging needs and changes in the operational context.

The Protection Specialist will ensure that all activities comply with internationally recognized protection standards and SARD internal guidelines. The position will also contribute to the development, review, and updating of protection tools, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), guidelines, and methodologies while ensuring compliance with Child Protection Area of Responsibility (CP AoR) standards and relevant inter-agency guidance.

The position will support programme design by contributing to the development and implementation of SARD’s Child Protection strategy in Syria. This includes coordinating with programme teams to collect lessons learned, feedback, and technical inputs for new project proposals, as well as supporting budget planning and programme design.

Capacity Building and Technical Support

The Protection Specialist will strengthen the capacity and technical knowledge of the Protection team to ensure effective and timely delivery of high-quality programmes.

The role includes accompanying PSS and Case Management teams during field visits, providing technical recommendations based on observations, participating in regular team meetings, supporting case discussions, solving technical challenges, and promoting innovative solutions aligned with best practices and protection standards.

External Coordination and Representation
The Protection Specialist will participate in meetings with donors, partners, and external stakeholders by providing technical updates, analysis, and recommendations.

The position will support the Protection Coordinator in maintaining effective relationships with donors, partners, and relevant technical agencies, and will represent SARD in technical working groups and coordination forums when delegated by the Head of Programmes and Protection and Safeguarding Advisor.

Protection Mainstreaming and Knowledge Management
The Protection Specialist will work closely with the Communications and Media team to enhance the visibility of Child Protection programmes through external communication channels, including social media.

The role will support the integration of protection principles across all humanitarian sectors and programme interventions, strengthen internal and external referral pathways, and promote cross-sectoral coordination within SARD.

In collaboration with the MEAL team, the Protection Specialist will contribute to developing protection indicators, monitoring tools, and measurement frameworks. The position will collect and analyse evidence, lessons learned, protection trends, and programme data to support strategic planning, programme improvement, reporting, policy development, and advocacy efforts.

The Protection Specialist will also contribute to the preparation of accurate internal and external reports, ensuring the inclusion of technical analysis and supporting documentation.

Qualifications and Experience

The candidate should hold a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, International Humanitarian Law (IHL), Child Protection, International Relations, Gender and Conflict Studies, or another relevant field. Equivalent professional experience may substitute for academic requirements.

The candidate should have at least 5 years of progressive experience in protection programming, including experience in humanitarian emergencies and conflict settings.

Essential experience includes case management, Psychosocial Support (PSS), understanding protection risks and their root causes, knowledge of international protection standards, and child protection prevention and response strategies.

The candidate should demonstrate strong analytical and data analysis skills, team leadership and mentoring abilities, excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to work effectively under pressure in challenging environments.

Fluency in Arabic and English is required, along with strong computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and email/internet applications.

Please send your resume/CV