Job description

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.

The project “Strengthening the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) System in Syria” is due to start on 1. December 2026 for a duration of 3 years. Given the continued high demand for MHPSS services across Syria, the aim of the project is to strengthen the Syrian MHPSS system by

supporting the development of national strategies, regulatory frameworks and uniform quality standards for MHPSS services
developing practice-oriented training and continuing professional development programs for MHPSS professionals and ensuring these are permanently established in local training institutions
supporting partner organizations in offering MHPSS services for particularly distressed population groups, including survivors of torture, some of them through non-traditional (e.g. creative) interventions
working with researchers to scientifically accompany and evaluate the MHPSS-services offered through the project and preparing the findings for professionals, thereby expanding target-group-specific knowledge and promoting the application of effective approaches
training and advising professionals from the fields of education, peacebuilding, transitional justice and disaster risk management on how to work in an MHPSS-informed manner with people affected by crises and conflicts.
In this position as MHPSS Technical Advisor, you will be responsible for supporting the development of national strategies, regulatory frameworks and uniform quality standards for MHPSS services, in close coordination with the Directorate for MHPSS at the Ministry of Health, the Council for Mental Health and Addiction and the institutions represented within it. You will be working on these tasks in close collaboration with two other colleagues in a project team of overall 8 staff.

Your tasks

Supporting governmental entities in strengthening MHPSS-systems and structures, for example by supporting the development of national strategies, regulatory frameworks and quality standards on MHPSS.
Providing continuous technical and process-oriented advisory services to governmental actors on strengthening the MHPSS system in Syria
Facilitating capacity development measures on MHPSS-related topics for governmental actors depending on need and demand (through consultants or self-conducted)
Preparing and giving technical inputs in the sub-groups of the Council for Mental Health and Addiction
Preparing, organizing and moderating technical exchanges and coordination meetings between different (governmental) institutions involved in MHPSS
Supporting different governmental institutions in integrating MHPSS considerations into their policies and standard operating procedures
Where suitable, bringing in expertise and ideas into the other work streams of the project (mentioned above), which will be mainly covered by your colleagues
Supporting with team-internal tasks, including monitoring and evaluation, reporting, preparation of team workshops etc.
Your profile (required qualifications, competencies and experience)

A completed post-graduate degree in mental health, clinical or general psychology, psychological counselling, psychiatry or a related field
At least 6 years of professional experience in MHPSS, preferably in the Middle East, particularly in/ for Syria
Experience in interacting with government stakeholders, particularly regarding the development of MHPSS strategies and standards
Experience with strengthening national or sub-national MHPSS-systems and structures
A high degree of understanding of the Syrian MHPSS system (governmental, civil society, and academic)
A high degree of understanding of the cross-sectoral nature of MHPSS, its interactions and relevance for other sectors such as peacebuilding, transitional justice, education and disaster management and how to work in an MHPSS-informed way
High cultural-, context- and gender-sensitivity as well as sensitivity to inclusion issues
High intercultural competence and diplomatic skills
A high motivation to contribute to strengthening the MHPSS system in Syria
Resilience and frustration tolerance
Business fluency in Arabic and English
An existing network of MHPSS actors (preferably governmental, civil society, and academic) in Syria is an asset
Knowledge of and experience with GIZ procedures and policies is an asset
Basic knowledge of German is an asset

Please Send your resume/CV