Syria: Food Security Project Manager

Sep 13, 2016 | Norwegian Refugee Council
View Original

The purpose of the Food Security (FS) Project Manager position is to manage and provide technical guidance in the Agricultural livelihoods components of NRC’s programmes in Syria, including the EU livelihoods consortium project. The incumbent will develop partnerships, and complementarities of Food Security interventions with other NRC Core Competency teams in Syria.

In the Middle East, NRC has over 3000 staff dedicated to assisting people affected by conflict in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine. Its humanitarian interventions are based upon its programming expertise in the Core Competencies of Shelter, Education, Water and Sanitation Hygiene, Food Security, along with Information Counselling and legal Assistance (ICLA) to forcibly displaced people.

The Syrian Crisis is well into its fifth year, but the level and intensity of conflict in the country remains high. Protracted instability within the country hassled to a massive and enduring displacement of Syrians whose humanitarian and protection needs have never been higher. According to OCHA, 13.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance inside of Syria and millions have been forced to flee, crossing borders to neighboring countries or being internally displaced. Approximately 6.5 million people are IDPs -over one third of the total population, including those forced to leave the country, and more than 40% of the current population living inside the country. Most IDPs have sought refuge with host families and in abandoned or unfinished buildings, which are often overcrowded. Elsewhere, they reside in tents or make shift accommodation in informal settlements and camps only. ESCWA estimates that over 680,000 houses have been completely destroyed since the start of conflict in 2011, with a further 2.1 million houses damaged by fighting. According to the Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (MSNA, October 2014), 2.8 million people require non-food item (NFI) assistance. Needs related to Food Security are growing inparts of Syria, where people’s capital and assets have been diminished. Some areas have been drought-affected since 2008, where agricultural infrastructure has suffered from neglect even prior to conflict.

NRC’s Syria Response Programme is supported by multiple donors, including SDC, NMFA, ECHO, DFID and UNHCR.

Ideal candidate profile

We are looking for a motivated dynamic candidate, with excellent leadership and project management skills. Our preferred candidate is someone who has a minimum of 5 years of experience in Food Security in relation to humanitarian emergencies, development and recovery contexts. Professional knowledge of humanitarian principles; and fluency in English, both written and verbal is mandatory. Arabic language would be desirable but not a must. Lastly, knowledge of the Syrian context is an asset.

Key Job Tasks and Responsibilities: 


  1. Lead the start-up, assessments and implementation of food security-related livelihoods projects in Syria
  2. Be the area coordinator for NRC in the Livelihoods Consortium with partner INGOs in Syria
  3. Develop strategies and proposals for NRC food security and associated livelihoods responses on a national level in line with overall NRC country strategy with support of the Resilience Adviser
  4. Collaborate with all other Core Competencies on assessments, analysis, design and implementation
  5. Provide technical support to NRC’s cross operations in further Area Offices in Syria upon request
  6. Provide technical guidance to food security teams and support functions
  7. Together with M&E staff, design and implement appropriate monitoring system
  8. Pilot, validate and manage Cash Transfer Programming (CTP) modalities within Food Security projects, with the support of the Cash Adviser
  9. Build staff capacity related to CTP in all areas of the project cycle, with the support of the Cash Adviser
  10. Provide evidence on the outcomes of projects implemented through CTP, with the support of the Cash Adviser

This is a fixed term contract

Contract Duration is 12 months

Salary/benefits: According to NRC’s salary scale and terms and conditions

Approved health certificate will be requested before contract start

NRC may be required to verify the identity of its partners and to check that its partners have not been involved in illegal activities. NRC reserves the right to use electronic screening tools for this purpose.