Job Opening: General Coordinator (Consultant Position)

Position Type: Consultancy

Location: Damascus, Syria

Duration: August 17 2026 to 16 August 2027

Application Deadline: 5 August 2026

Reports to: Programme Manager – Syria Project, World Council of Churches

About the Role

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is seeking a dynamic and experienced General Coordinator to lead the in-country coordination of its Syria programme on civic mediation, social cohesion, and inclusive peacebuilding. Working closely with the Geneva-based team, GOPA-DERD , and MARS , the General Coordinator will play a central role in supporting a national dialogue and coordination mechanism that connects religious leaders, civic actors, and local peacebuilding initiatives across Syria.
The position combines strategic coordination, relationship-building, project management, and accompaniment of locally led peacebuilding initiatives, with particular emphasis on dialogue, mediation, early identification of community tensions, and support for inclusive civic engagement during Syria's transition.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate the overall implementation of the WCC Syria programme in close cooperation with the Geneva office, ensuring coherence between strategic objectives, work plans, and field implementation.
• Coordinate and facilitate a national dialogue and coordination mechanism that promotes trust-building and collaborative action among religious and civic actors, ensuring inclusive and constructive participation.
• Strengthen collaboration between the national coordination mechanism and local coordination structures, ensuring that local experiences, conflict analysis, and mediation efforts inform national dialogue and vice versa.
• Supervise and accompany national, regional, and local coordinators, providing technical guidance, mentoring, and regular follow-up.
• Coordinate closely with implementing partners, including GOPA-DERD and MARS, as well as consultants and resource persons engaged in programme implementation.
• Maintain regular communication with the Geneva team, providing strategic updates, identifying emerging risks and opportunities, and supporting adaptive programme management.
• Facilitate engagement with religious leaders, civil society organisations, community representatives, local authorities, and other relevant stakeholders in a manner consistent with the WCC's principles of neutrality, inclusiveness, and dialogue.
• Support discreet mediation and confidence-building initiatives, including the accompaniment of sensitive community issues where appropriate.
• Oversee programme planning, monitoring, reporting, and documentation, ensuring timely and high-quality contributions to donor reporting and learning processes.
• Contribute to conflict analysis, early identification of emerging tensions, and the development of recommendations for preventive action.
• Ensure that conflict-sensitive, safeguarding, Do No Harm, and inclusive approaches are integrated across all programme activities and partnerships.
• Promote institutional learning by documenting lessons learned, good practices, and recommendations to strengthen programme quality and inform future peacebuilding initiatives.

Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, political science, peace and conflict studies, international relations, theology, development studies, or another relevant discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in programme coordination, peacebuilding, dialogue facilitation, mediation, or civil society initiatives in Syria.
• Demonstrated understanding of Syria's transition, reconciliation dynamics, governance landscape, and community-level peacebuilding processes.
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating complex multi-stakeholder programmes and facilitating national or regional dialogue processes, with strong leadership skills and experience supervising geographically dispersed teams.
• Well-established networks with religious leaders, civil society actors, academics, community leaders, and other influential stakeholders across different regions of Syria.
• Demonstrated experience in dialogue facilitation, mediation, conflict resolution, and the design and accompaniment of conflict-sensitive peacebuilding initiatives, including the sustained follow-up of sensitive mediation processes involving diverse actors and competing narratives.
• Strong analytical skills, including conflict analysis, stakeholder and area mapping, early warning, conflict monitoring, programme planning, adaptive management, and the ability to translate analysis into practical engagement strategies.
• Excellent communication, drafting, reporting, and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a complex and rapidly evolving environment.
• Ability and willingness to travel within Syria.
• Fluency in Arabic is required. Good working knowledge of English is essential; knowledge of French is an asset.
• Experience working with faith-based, interreligious, or ecumenical organisations, and a strong commitment to the values of dialogue, equal human dignity, inclusion, and peaceful coexistence, are highly desirable.

Core Competencies

• Strategic leadership and sound judgement. 
• High level of integrity, discretion, and impartiality. 
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills. 
• Ability to build trust and work effectively with diverse religious, civic, and institutional actors. 
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a complex and rapidly evolving environment. 
• Ability to work independently while fostering teamwork and collaboration. 
• Resilience and ability to work effectively under pressure and in sensitive political and security contexts. 
• Strong commitment to dialogue, inclusion, equal human dignity, and peaceful coexistence. 

The World Council of Churches is committed to selecting candidates on the basis of merit, integrity, demonstrated professional competence, and their ability to work respectfully and effectively with diverse religious, civic, and community actors, while maintaining confidentiality in a complex environment. In addition to the required qualifications and experience, particular consideration will be given to candidates who demonstrate sound judgement, discretion, impartiality, and a proven capacity to build trust in sensitive and rapidly evolving contexts.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted by the Programme Manager based in Geneva, Switzerland, and invited for an interview. Depending on the circumstances, shortlisted candidates may also be asked to complete a short-written exercise or participate in a second interview.
References will be requested for finalists prior to appointment.