Turkey: Programs & Development Officer

Job title: Programs & Development Officer (Syrian National)

Location: Gaziantep – Turkey

Timeframe: Subject to funding

Reports to: Programs & Development Manager

Summary:

The Syrian Forum (SF) is an umbrella organization registered in Turkey, with sister organizations registered in the United States (Syrian Forum USA) and Austria (Syrian Forum Austria). SF’s overall mission is to improve the lives of the Syrian people. SF works through six affiliate institutions in Turkey. These institutions are:

Ihsan for Relief & Development– Ihsan implements relief, recovery and development programs to improve the lives of Syrians in Syria. Ihsan works with a wide network of local administration councils and civil society organizations throughout Syria to reach millions of Syrians, even those living in besieged areas, conflict zones and other hard-to-reach locations. In 2014, Ihsan implemented projects worth approximately 7 million USD. This year, Ihsan has implemented 11 million USD worth of projects, and this number is expected to grow to at least 15 million by the close of 2015. With offices in Gaziantep (Turkey), Idlib (Syria), Lattakia (Syria), and Daraa (Syria), as well as a wide network of local Civil Society Organizations and Local Councils, Ihsan’s team is able to implement projects throughout much of the non-government controlled areas in Syria.

Bousla for Training & Innovation– Bousla conducts capacity building and in-depth trainings for Syrian individuals, local administrative councils and civil society organizations, working with a network of experts and qualified instructors to develop comprehensive training programs and materials. Bousla conducts trainings on local administration, basic skills, human rights and the rule of law, planning and management, psychosocial support and education.

Rizk for Professional Development– Rizk is a service organization that helps develop the skills of the Syrian work force, and find job placements for Syrian refugees in Turkey. Rizk’s work promotes self-sufficiency among Syrians and reduces their reliance on humanitarian aid. Since 2014, Rizk has helped 2,250 Syrians find jobs in Turkey.

Fener for Community Advancement– Fener works to address the challenges of displacement and to provide direct and indirect services to the Syrian community in Turkey. Fener works to provide comprehensive guides for Syrian refugees, providing them with information on maneuvering through Turkish institutions and systems in order to obtain access to health, education and other resources. Fener also conducts workshops, lectures and other community activities, emphasizing empowerment and healthy integration with Turkish society.

Omran for Strategic Studies– Omran is an independent think-tank that publishes studies and policy briefs regarding Syrian and regional affairs in the areas of politics, economic development and local administration. Omran also conducts round-table discussions, seminars and workshops that promote a more systematic and methodical culture of decision-making among future leaders of Syria.

Alsouria.net– Alsouria.net is a media outlet that focus on Syrian affairs and their impact on the region. Alsouria.net offers news analysis, special reports, info-graphs and multimedia products, opinion pieces and an interactive media platform for citizen journalists. Alsouria.net closely monitors daily developments in Syria to publish accurate information from direct sources.

SF is currently looking to build its Programs and Development services to accommodate the needs of these growing institutions. The Programs and Development (P&D) Department works to build relationships between SF and its affiliates with governments, UN agencies, INGOs and Syrian NGOs. It works directly with each institution to identify programming priorities, develop programs, build partnerships and seek funding.

Job Duties:

The P&D Officer would support the work of the P&D Department through grant research, grant writing, and building relationships for the SF institutions with government agencies, UN agencies, INGOs and Syrian NGOs. The P&D Officer must be able to identify trends in international funding, articulate funding priorities for various agencies, and determine how those priorities may apply to the work of SF. The P&D Officer will coordinate with SF’s affiliate institutions to stay apprised of their programs, to advise them on international funding priorities, and to help build the capacity of SF’s affiliate institutions. The responsibilities of the position are listed as follows:

· Grant research

· Grant writing

· Establishing and maintaining networks of funding contacts

· Establishing and maintaining networks of partner contacts

· Coordinating with SF affiliate institutions on programs and funding priorities

Qualifications:

· Bachelor’s degree in communications, English, writing, or a similar field.

· Excellent oral and written communication in English, fluency in Arabic, particularly in the Syrian dialect.

· 1-3 years of experience working for non-profits working in conflict zones, philanthropic foundations or organizations, or developmental organizations/institutions (non-profit or for-profit institutions).

· Experience in writing proposals.

· Familiarity with the Syrian context in general, and the landscape of Syrian civil society specifically.

· Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Microsoft Word and Excel.

Submit a CV, cover letter and writing sample in English to HR@SyrianForum.org with the subject title “Programs and Development Officer”.