GIZ has been operating in Syria since 1976. It has thus established valuable contacts in civil society and garnered experience that is now crucial for supporting the country. From 2013 onwards, it worked without government involvement with the assistance of local non-governmental organizations. Despite the difficult conditions, GIZ has consistently contributed to improving people’s living conditions.

In view of the developments since December 2024, which have led Syria into a decisive phase of transformation, GIZ reopens its Country Office in Damascus in 2026. It is currently implementing 14 projects on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Federal Foreign Office (FFO), with co-financing from the European Union and other donors. From 2026, the portfolio is planned to be expanded by several new projects.

Your tasks

Provide technical advice on co-designing of participatory formats (e.g. citizen dialogues, focus groups) that are context- and conflict-sensitive, explicitly inclusive of women, youth, and marginalised groups; integrate digital and hybrid approaches and human centred design.
Support governorate administrations, municipalities and service directorates in feeding citizen feedback into concrete adjustments of procedures and service standards.
Advice local authorities to develop and publish clear, audience-specific information on services and administrative procedures across channels, and to establish structured two-way communication and feedback mechanisms.
Deliver and coordinate trainings, coaching on inclusive, conflict-sensitive communication, dialogue facilitation, and targeted information design; support recognized qualification of selected staff in mediation and Do-No-Harm.
Provide advice on organizational development in institutions to embed participatory communication practices, standards and SOPs; document lessons learned for scaling.
Support selection and implementation of self-lead participatory measures by local/ sub-national institutions and civil society representatives in partner governorates
Ensure compliance with GIZ safeguards, gender mainstreaming and data protection; apply adaptive, learning-oriented management.
Your profile (required qualifications, competencies and experience)

University degree (Masters level) in public administration, political or social science, peace and conflict research, development studies, or a related field.
At least 6 years of professional experience in local governance, political and social participation, needs based service delivery in Syria.
At least 2 years experience with participatory processes and community engagement in Syria; proven work with marginalized populations (e.g. women, youth, persons with disabilities).
Proven experience working with local or subnational public institutions (e.g. municipalities, governorate administrations, service directorates) and civil society organizations.
At least 2 years experience working with international organizations, development cooperation projects, or donor-funded programs, preferably GIZ or comparable agencies.
Solid knowledge of gender equality, mainstreaming and intersectionality
Strong context- and conflict sensitivity, political sensitivity and analytical thinking, consulting, communication and cooperation skills as well as intercultural competence.
Strong organizational and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively in a complex working environment, are essential.
High motivation, reliability, and the ability to work in politically sensitive and rapidly changing contexts while maintaining professionalism, discretion, and adherence to communication standards are expected
Professional fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic, knowledge of German is an asset.
Duty station is Damascus, with regular travel to the partner governorates subject to security clearance.

Additional information

The following minimum requirements for applications need to be fulfilled:

Only application documents in English will be accepted. Documents in Arabic cannot be considered during the selection process.
Mandatory documents are CV and application letter in English stating your qualifications and previous professional experiences.

GIZ is committed to diversity and gender balance. It is encouraging persons with disabilities to apply for the position.

Please submit your application indicating in the subject line the respective title of the position.