Team Leader - Syria Stabilisation Response

**Please be advised that this role is contingent on award**

Any resulting contract is currently anticipated to start May/June 2025

Team Leader, Syria Stabilisation Response Mechanism (Syria SRM)

Background

Chemonics is positioning for the upcoming Syria Stabilisation Response Mechanism (Syria SRM) contract that will be funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), through the UK Integrated Security Fund (ISF). Syria SRM is a £19.45m four-year programme that will seek to set up a new mechanism allowing the UK to pilot flexible and adaptive approaches to its political priorities. It will also seek to improve conditions for a sustainable and inclusive political settlement in Syria. It is anticipated that this will be achieved through the provision of technical assistance and pilot projects in focused areas including Syrian-led approaches to transitional justice, peacebuilding, community cohesion and security sector reform.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities (Essential Functions)

Lead representative of the Syria SRM with the FCDO and the Stabilisation sector writ large

• Develop and maintain programme strategy and vision jointly with the FCDO including the Head of the ISF and the Programme Manager, ensuring that the Syria SRM satisfies FCDO’s policy objectives
• Responsible for timely and high standard deliverables in accordance with the workplan/ implementation plan
• Ensure that Syria SRM’s expertise, research and analytical products are responsive to FCDO and other HMG departments, to inform and shape HMG policy on Syria
• Represent Syria SRM at meetings and presentation sessions with HMG
• Lead Syria SRM’s engagement with stabilisation actors, and contribution to the stabilisation sector writ large
• Travel frequently (approximately two every six weeks) to Syria, Lebanon and other countries in the region to represent Syria SRM and lead the delivery of its activities

Strategising and supervising technical delivery

• Responsible for translating the programme design into implementation
• Ensure that the different elements of the programme are coherent and coordinated
• Convene the necessary resources from the consortium and Chemonics to review and adapt the programme to the client needs and changing context where necessary
• Ensure that the programme is presenting value for money, minimising risks, and maximising results
• Accountable risk management and mitigation, including serving as the focal point for security.

Consortium leadership and coordination

• Responsible for managing and reviewing partners’ roles, functions, and absorption capacity
• Management of partners through effective coordination and communication of efforts
• Ensuring the effective application and functioning of the ‘one team approach’ across the multiple consortium partners
• Represent the consortium partners at Chemonics and FCDO level

Overseeing budget and fund management

• Work closely with Chemonics’ PMU and consortium partners to ensure that budget forecasting and execution is accurate
• Work closely with the FCDO to ensure that scale-up/ scale-down scenarios are anticipated and planned for in advance
• Ensure technical and operational plans are coordinated with the finance team
• Conduct routine checks with consortium partners and down stream partners to ensure good spend rate

Talent management and team utilisation

• Build an effective team with a shared vision and clear roles and responsibilities
• Supervise Syria SRM leads, monitoring and managing performance within the team
• Lead internal communication so that team members are clear on the vision and objectives for Syria SRM and motivated to be part of the team
• Review team configuration and workload so that each member is utilised at their highest performance level
• Act as Chemonics ambassador upholding our values at the project office level

Required Skills and Qualifications

To provide the services successfully, an individual must be able to meet each of the requirements satisfactorily. The qualifications listed below are representative of the required knowledge, skills, and/or abilities needed to provide the principal services.

• Deep knowledge and nuanced understanding of the conflict dynamics in Syria
• Clear track record of senior professional experience within the development sector focusing on stabilisation activities
• High-level strategic vision and project leadership capability, preferably with experience in managing complex activities involving coordination with multiple stakeholders and partner institutions.
• Proven leadership in the design, management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of donor-funded programmes.
• Experience in financial management and oversight of budgets, grants and procurement activities.
• Demonstrated ability in managing large and dispersed teams in-person and remotely.
• Experience overseeing the disbursement of grants or funds to partner organisations.
• Prior experience as either a Team Leader, Chief of Party, Country Director or similar, ideally with donor organisations, preferably funded by the FCDO.