Since 2011 the ongoing crisis in Syria has had a profound effect across the region. There are currently 5.1 million people in  NWS, of whom more than 4.3 million are in dire need of humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. Eighty percent of them are women and children. UNFPA estimates 1,250,000 women in NWS are of reproductive age and in need of lifesaving and life-sustaining protection and reproductive health information and services. It is estimated that an average of 96,750 women are pregnant at any given time and around 10,230 pregnant women give birth every month in that region. The UN cross-border operation reaches almost 85 percent of people in need every month with lifesaving goods, supplies, and services. At present, 1.2 million women and girls, including pregnant and lactating women, are dependent on UN cross-border assistance authorized by consent provided by the Syrian Government. To date, the cross-border mechanism has been the most effective way to get life-or-death assistance into the region.

To support the cross-border programme into northwest Syria from Türkiye, UNFPA has established a humanitarian operations office in Gaziantep, Türkiye. Following these resolutions, UNFPA in Gaziantep began to provide humanitarian support in areas of Syria accessible from Türkiye establishing, including leading the GBV Sub-Cluster, within the Protection Cluster, and the SRH Working Group, under the Health Cluster.

UNFPA is currently providing assistance inside Syria across the operational offices based in Gaziantep and Damascus under a “Whole of Syria”(WoS) approach. This approach creates one comprehensive framework, a common response plan, and a supporting coordination structure. The Arab States regional humanitarian Hub for the Syria response, based in Amman, oversees the WOS structure for UNFPA and for the GBV AoR. The team in Gaziantep is supported by and reports to Amman which provides coordination for and support to strategic and programmatic priorities, technical support, resource mobilization and partnerships, and reporting / information management.

UNFPA Gaziantep operates cross-border activities for the provision of SRH and GBV services under the framework of annual Humanitarian Response Plans (HRP), according to UNFPA global mandate and commitments, coordinating with other partners through the cluster approach.

Under this premise, the UNFPA Gaziantep cross-border program implements the following strategies:

1. Support the existing social and health infrastructure in the northwest;
2. Improve access to SRH;
3. Prevent and respond to GBV;
4. Improve the availability of information on SRH and GBV;
5. Lead interagency coordination , as per UNFPA global mandate on SRH and GBV
6. Manage the supply of essential SRH and GBV commodities.
7. Work on localizing the programme through the WLO network initiatives and capacity building of humanitarian actors

UNFPA supports Implementing Partners (IP) activities through funding, monitoring, technical guidance, and supervision, as well as logistical support. This approach is complemented by UNFPA’s role as a coordinating agency in the GBV sub-cluster and the SRH working group, where UNFPA leads the member organizations toward ensuring standardization of level of care, adopting common protocols as well as promotion of sustained capacity-building approaches.

In addition, the UNFPA Gaziantep Cross-Border Programme manages supplies of essential health commodities through procurement, storage, and distribution of SRH kits and Dignity Kits in Syria via combined convoys. Procurement is conducted through UNFPA’s central procurement system and based on a predetermined list of essential medicines and equipment for mobile teams, health centers, and hospitals. Rapid distribution, on the other hand, is facilitated through a rotating stock system and established partnerships with logistically capable partners.

UNFPA is also facilitating the administration of the interagency networks in NWS, including for Risk Management, AAP and PSEA, effectively overseeing the human resource, security, and IT component of staff management within these networks. This function requires a high level of coordination and collaboration with OCHA and with the Deputy Regional Humanitarian Advisor for NWS, who is the overall operational supervisor.

Under the overall direction and supervision of the Head of Office of the Arab States regional humanitarian Hub in Amman, and the guidance of the Arab States Regional Director, you will be in charge of program development and planning, coordination, and implementation of  humanitarian interventions. You will provide direct support to the cross-border operation from Türkiye to Syria, work closely with UN agencies, Syrian and International NGOs,  and coordinate through the mechanisms put in place, such as the cluster system to provide humanitarian assistance to the crisis-affected communities in a manner consistent with the methodology outlined in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Cluster system and Humanitarian Programme Cycle.

You will be responsible for: 

Effective coordination of UNFPA’s humanitarian programme

• Assume the overall coordination for planning, implementing, and monitoring of UNFPA’s humanitarian response, and remain flexible, adapting to changing political and funding contexts in Syria, and redirecting the Gaziantep team as needed.
• Identify areas of UNFPA interventions and collaborate with humanitarian agencies and national partners to address the SRH and GBV needs of the women and girls in Syria.
• Oversee the preparation of UNFPA inputs to coordination meetings and others  related to the humanitarian response, ensuring follow-up and attention to the organizational mandate.
• Coordinate regular meetings of the UNFPA humanitarian team for organization and information sharing.
• Undertake field visits, as required, to camps, settlements, and host communities to gather information on the immediate/emerging needs of those in need and the services to be provided, and recommend strategic approaches for the delivery of quality SRH and GBV services.
• Ensure appropriate, timely liaison with the operations and program teams to monitor effective and timely distribution and utilization of emergency RH kits, dignity kits, and other commodities that the Gaziantep office has procured for the response.
• Participate in /ensure inclusion of UNFPA’s core Areas of Responsibility in rapid field/needs assessments of the crisis-affected populations.

• Undertake missions and assessments as appropriate to recommend strategic approaches and to address issues, such as RH, GBV, mental health and psychosocial support, data, and young people.

• Ensure liaison with communities, including community elders and religious leaders to increase their support for and ownership of interventions.
• Ensure that implementing partner work plans, procurement, travel, HR-related (and other) requests are satisfactory and approvals are facilitated / completed.

Inter-agency coordination and partnerships: 

• Coordinate Gaziantep office’s various interventions and represent UNFPA at Cluster / Working Group coordination meetings, with a focus on the SRH Working Group and the GBV Sub-Cluster.
• Ensure inclusion of UNFPA mandate through participation in plans of the Clusters and other relevant sector working groups.

• Lead on the inclusion of quality inputs from the Gaziantep office to ensure the inclusion of SRH and GBV in overall UN/NGO joint contingency/response plans (both in NWS and for the WOS).
• Provide timely inputs towards donor reporting, including updates, briefings, presentations, and progress reports. Ensure timely participation in WOS documents and efforts, including quarterly reporting, donor briefings, third party monitoring processes, and assessments.

Resource Mobilization

• Collaborate on resource mobilization proposals for the humanitarian response, closely coordinating with the Hub, the Resource Mobilization and Partnerships Specialist in the regional office, and other thematic teams.

• Contribute to quality and timely preparation of both NWS-focused and WOS  funding appeals and proposals including HRP, CERF and UNFPA HQs Emergency Fund, as well as bilateral funding, advocating for inclusion of the SRH and GBV needs of women and girls.

• As necessary, identify and organize meetings with in-country donors to discuss resource mobilization.

Communications and knowledge management

• Assist in providing regular updates to OCHA and/or Cluster leads on UNFPA’s humanitarian interventions to be included in situation reports (i.e.:  OCHA SitRep).
• Organize the collection, analysis, and documentation of data and information from UNFPA’s humanitarian interventions, including lessons and good practices
• Provide regular updates and inputs to SitReps, donor briefs, and formal written progress reports,
• Assist in preparing relevant advocacy materials and updates for relevant stakeholders and partners, including for UNFPA HQs, the Humanitarian Leadership Group, donors, etc.
• Work with the Gaziantep office, the Hub and with the Arab States Regional Office focal points to provide visibility of UNFPA’s work, within established parameters.

Advanced university degree in Humanitarian Assistance, Public Health, Social Sciences, Demography, Gender, and/or other related fields.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• 7 years of relevant professional experience in coordinating, developing, and implementing humanitarian interventions in crisis settings.
• Knowledge of the humanitarian response structures and roles/responsibilities of humanitarian actors.
• Strong analytical, coordination, and organizational skills and ability to work efficiently under high pressure.
• Proven ability to lead and manage teams to achieve demonstrable results.
• Skills in building strategic alliances and partnerships, strong communication and networking, and excellent organizational skills.
• Good level of emotional intelligence, empathy, and conflict management as well as negotiating skills.
• Ability to self-manage, emotional intelligence, empathy, team spirit, conflict management as well as negotiating skills.
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of UNFPA and the Syria context an asset.