PALESTINE - Deputy Country Director for Programs - JERUSALEM
Solidarités International
Director and Top Executive Full-time Desired start date: 01/04/2026
Duration of the mission: 9 months
Location: Jerusalem
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) is an international humanitarian aid association which, since more than 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their basic needs for food, water and shelter. Particularly committed to the fight against diseases linked to unsafe water, the leading cause of death in the world, SI's interventions provide expertise in the field of access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, but also in the essential area of food security and livelihoods. Present in 26 countries, the SI teams – 3200 people in total, made up of expatriates, national staff, permanent staff at HQ, and a few volunteers - intervene with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultural norms.
"This vacancy is subject to grant validation"
Solidarités International has been operating in the Gaza Strip since February 2024, establishing a strong presence in the WASH sector with a particular focus on hard-to-reach areas underserved by other partners. Activities aim to improve access to safe drinking water through the rehabilitation and installation of reverse osmosis units, water trucking and water-point distribution, and the deployment of mobile pumping systems connected to existing wells. SI also conducts water-quality monitoring, distributes shelter, winterization and hygiene kits, promotes good hygiene and water-management practices, and since 2025 has been developing FSL activities such as home-gardening initiatives.
Following the 10 October 2025 ceasefire and the evolution of the operational environment, SI is scaling up its response to remain operationally relevant and expand both its reach and impact.
The mission relies on strong partnerships with local Palestinian organizations such as UFA. Institutional and financial partners include, among others, CDCS, Choose Love, ECHO, Althémis and OCHA.
General objective:
The Deputy Country Director for Programs oversees the development and quality of SI’s programs, ensuring they are needs-driven, context-adapted, and impactful. S/He supports strategic planning, program monitoring, technical compliance, and coordination across teams, partners, and donors, while strengthening staff capacities and safeguarding ethical standards. S/He may act as Country Director in their absence.
The main challenges:
Ensuring program continuity in a dynamic context, navigating complex humanitarian access and coordination systems, maintaining quality across multiple sectors, and adapting strategies to evolving risks. Challenges include compliance, resource allocation, staff capacity, and integrating cross-cutting themes while mitigating operational and ethical risks.
Priorities for the 2/3 first months:
Support the scale-up of the mission, including onboarding new staff, expanding activities, and developing new sectors and areas of intervention.
Reinforce quality monitoring of program strategies and ensure the implementation and harmonization of SI’s frameworks, tools, and procedures across all teams.
Developpe engagement with clusters, international partners, and national partners.
Security constraints:
The mission faces no particular security constraints in Jerusalem, however, there are major security and access challenges in the Gaza Strip.
DIPLOMAS AND EXPERIENCE
| Master's degree in Humanitarian Action, human rights, social science (geography, sociology, anthropology, history) or Political Science is more preferable. |
Experience in the humanitarian sector : 3 - 4 years
Experience on a similar position : 0 - 2 years
SKILLS
TECHNICAL SKILLS
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| Multi-sector program design (WASH, FSL ). | |||||||
| Partnership development and coordination | |||||||
| External coordination: engagement with clusters, international partners, and national actors |
TRANSVERSAL SKILLS
| Leadership and team management | |||
| Coordination across multi-level teams |
Capacity building and training
LANGUAGES
1. English
2. Arabic is an asset
A salaried position:
According to experience, starting from EUR 3080 gross per month (2800 EUR base salary + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly Per Diem of USD 750.
SI also covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate's country of origin and the place of assignment.
Breaks: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of 7 working days every three months (with a USD 850 break allowance, allocated by Sl). To these breaks periods, SI grants one (1) additional rest day per month worked.
Insurance package: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which refunds all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.
LIVING CONDITIONS:
To date, SI have a coordination office and a guesthouse in Jerusalem. The office is fully furnished, and the guesthouse is equipped with all necessary equipment (internet, kitchen, laundry facilities, living room, etc.). Jerusalem is generally very safe, and staff can move freely across most areas of East and West Jerusalem. Walking is permitted, though staff are advised to avoid being alone at night.
When additional time is required to obtain access authorizations, SI coordination members operate from Amman, where SI also has an office and a guesthouse. No particular security constraints apply in Amman.
Do you recognize yourself in this description? If yes, please send us your CV and cover letter!
Please note that CV-only applications will not be considered, and that the vacancy may close before the deadline.
Thank you for your understanding.
To learn more about Sl: www.solidarites.org
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Solidarités International (SI) est déterminé à prévenir et à combattre tout type d’abus – tout acte d’exploitation, d’abus et/ou de harcèlement sexuels (SEAH) à l’encontre des membres des communautés bénéficiaires ou de ses collaborateurs et collaboratrices, atteinte aux personnes et/ou aux biens, fraude, corruption, conflit d’intérêt non déclaré, financement d’activités portant atteinte aux droits de l’homme - qui pourrait être perpétré dans le cadre de ses interventions. SI applique une tolérance zéro à l’égard de tout type d’abus, particulièrement des actes de SEAH.
Solidarités International est un employeur équitable qui combat toute forme de discrimination. SI ne demandera jamais une rétribution quelconque en vue de participer à un processus de recrutement.
Solidarités International (SI) is determined to prevent and fight all type of abuse – all act of exploitation, abuse and/or sexual harassment (SEAH) against members of beneficiary communities or collaborators, fraud, corruption, violation of persons and/or property, funding of activities harmful to human rights – that could be perpetrated in the frame of its interventions. SI implements a zero-tolerance policy regarding acts of abuse, notably acts of SEAH.
Solidarités International is an equitable employer committed to find all forms of discrimination. SI will ever ask for any remuneration to take part in a recruitment process.
