Country Director, Syria (National Position)

Near East Foundation

Job Description

Position: Country Director (National Position)
Reports to: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Location: Syria
Type: Full-time
Travel: Regular travel within Syria (as feasible) and periodic regional/international travel
Start Date: As soon as possible

Open to: Nationals only

About the Near East Foundation (NEF):
For over a century, the Near East Foundation has been dedicated to building sustainable futures for communities in need across the Middle East, Africa, and Armenia. As an NGO driven by compassion and long-term impact, our team thrives on the challenges of delivering meaningful change in some of the most complex regions of the world. People are at the heart of what we do. Our work empowering individuals and communities, fostering economic growth, and promoting peace and stability depends on the passionate, diverse, and committed team that makes it possible.

Position Overview

The Country Director (CD) is NEF’s most senior representative in Syria and is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and strategic direction of NEF’s work in the country. The CD provides leadership across programs, operations, partnerships, finances, risk management, safeguarding, and external representation, ensuring alignment with NEF’s mission, values, and global strategy.

The CD leads NEF’s country portfolio in close partnership with Headquarters (HQ), operating within an agreed governance framework that sets out decision-rights, escalation pathways, and shared accountability between country leadership and HQ.

This role comes at a critical moment, as NEF transitions from a remote management approach to in country management. The CD will play a central role in shaping this transition, while ensuring continuity, compliance, and operational stability in a complex and evolving environment.

The position requires strong leadership, sound judgment, and the ability to operate effectively across fragmented governance structures, shifting regulatory frameworks, and high-risk contexts.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Quality

• Provide overall leadership of NEF’s program portfolio in Syria, ensuring relevance, quality, and impact
• Ensure programs are responsive to evolving needs and grounded in local realities
• Oversee program design, implementation, and adaptive management
• Promote learning, innovation, and practical problem-solving across teams

Strategy & Syria Transition

• Lead the transition toward ensuring alignment between different operational areas
• Conduct ongoing context and scenario analysis to inform strategic decisions
• Adapt NEF’s presence and engagement model as the political and operational landscape evolves
• Ensure coherence between programmatic ambitions and operational realities

Governance, Compliance & Sanctions

• Ensure strict adherence to all applicable sanctions frameworks, donor requirements, and NEF policies
• Oversee vetting, re-vetting, and due diligence processes for staff, partners, and service providers
• Manage compliance risks linked to engagement with different authorities and stakeholders
• Ensure that all operations are legally and reputationally sound

Stakeholder & External Engagement

• Navigate relationships with multiple authorities and governance structures across Syria
• Represent NEF with government counterparts, donors, UN agencies, and partners
• Ensure that all external engagement remains aligned with NEF’s principles of neutrality and independence
• Manage sensitive engagements in coordination with HQ when required

Operations, Finance & Risk Management

• Oversee all country operations (HR, finance, procurement, logistics, IT)
• Ensure strong financial management, internal controls, and audit readiness
• Maintain and regularly update risk registers, including operational, financial, and reputational risks
• Ensure that operations are adapted to context constraints (access, security, regulatory environment)

Safety, Security & Duty of Care

• Ensure implementation of NEF’s safety and security framework across all areas of operation
• Lead risk-informed decision-making related to access, staff movement, and program continuity
• Ensure staff well-being and duty-of-care obligations are consistently met
• Coordinate closely with HQ on high-risk decisions and incidents

People Leadership & Team Management

• Lead a distributed and multi-layered team, often operating across different locations and contexts
• Set clear expectations and maintain accountability across program and operations teams
• Support team cohesion and communication despite geographic and structural complexity
• Oversee recruitment, restructuring, and workforce planning

Partnerships & Localization

• Lead NEF’s partnership approach, including engagement with local actors and implementing partners
• Ensure strong due diligence, monitoring, and compliance of all partner agreements
• Promote practical and balanced localization, aligned with NEF’s standards and risk appetite

Business Development & Positioning

• Identify and shape funding opportunities aligned with NEF’s strategy in Syria
• Support proposal development in close coordination with HQ
• Ensure all opportunities go through appropriate internal review (go/no-go)
• Contribute to building a sustainable and diversified funding base

Safeguarding, Data Protection & Accountability

• Ensure full implementation of safeguarding policies and reporting mechanisms
• Oversee data protection and sensitive information management
• Promote accountability to affected populations, including complaint and feedback systems

Qualifications & Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (Master’s preferred)

Experience

• Minimum 8–12 years of experience in international development or humanitarian work
• Significant experience in senior leadership roles
• Proven experience working in complex, high-risk, or conflict-affected environments
• Strong experience managing donor-funded programs

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership and decision-making skills in complex environments
• Ability to manage ambiguity and operate with limited clarity
• Strong understanding of compliance, risk, and governance
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• High level of integrity and sound judgment

Additional Assets

• Experience in Syria or similar contexts strongly preferred
• Arabic language skills strongly preferred
• Experience working with institutional donors