Program / Department Summary
Syria continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis, with widespread displacement, economic collapse, and deteriorating essential services. Over 14.5 million people are food insecure, and climate-induced shocks such as prolonged drought have further weakened resilience. While urgent humanitarian needs remain, it is critical to integrate early recovery and resilience strategies into programming to enable sustainable solutions.
Mercy Corps, leveraging its extensive operational presence in Northeast Syria, is implementing a comprehensive approach that combines food security and livelihoods (FSL), and inclusive governance. In Ar-Raqqa, the program focuses on revitalizing agricultural production and market systems through climate-smart agriculture, provision of agricultural inputs (plastic tunnels and greenhouse support), and on-farm training on water management and vegetable production. These interventions aim to restore farming capacity, strengthen value chains, and create dignified income opportunities for returnees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and vulnerable host communities.
The program emphasizes gender and disability inclusion, conflict-sensitive approaches, and participatory governance. Activities include systems actors mapping workshops, market linkages for agricultural producers, and the establishment and orientation of community stakeholder committees. Additional governance-focused actions involve institutional mapping and conflict analysis, joint action planning with system actors and local authorities, and training on conflict management, group dynamics, and early warning/early response systems.
To strengthen economic recovery, Mercy Corps will provide SME grants to vegetable processors, deliver business development training (covering hygiene, packaging, branding, communication, and marketing skills), and facilitate the formation of MSME networks and market linkage events for MSMEs and system actors. By integrating technical training, agricultural input provision, and market-based solutions, Mercy Corps seeks to build resilient livelihoods and foster social cohesion, laying the foundation for long-term recovery in Ar-Raqqa and across Northeast Syria.
General Position Summary
Under the supervision of the Food Security & Livelihoods Program Coordinator, the FSL Officer is amongst the frontline implementation team for Food Security and Livelihoods activities in Ar-Raqqa, focusing on early recovery and resilience. The role will ensure the delivery of comprehensive and integrated interventions designed to restore agricultural productivity, strengthen market systems, and promote inclusive governance.
Key responsibilities include supporting farmers through the provision of agricultural inputs (plastic tunnels and greenhouse support), organizing on-farm climate-smart training on water management and vegetable production, and facilitating systems actors mapping workshops and market linkage events for agricultural producers.
The position is actively involved in community mobilization and formation of all-inclusive stakeholder committees that drives locally led community needs identification, prioritization and linkages to access to support services for producers' groups and business entrepreneurs to thrive. The officer is central to safe programming by ensuring gender and disability inclusion, safeguarding compliance, and alignment with Mercy Corps’ resilience strategy.
The FSL Officer will engage in all phases of the program cycle - assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation - while ensuring alignment with Mercy Corps’ strategy and donor requirements.
Essential Job Responsibilities
- TEAM MANAGEMENT
Lead field level implementation while collaborating with FSL Assistants in implementation of planned activities, including agricultural input distribution, on-farm training, and MSME support.
Provide guidance for FSL Assistants in community mobilization, participant selection, and compliance with Mercy Corps SOPs.
Develop and share weekly and monthly work plans, training schedules, and implementation timelines.
Monitor progress against work plans and provide feedback to ensure timely and quality delivery of activities.
Maintain coordination with local authorities and community committees in Ar-Raqqa.
Ensure accurate data collection and reporting from field teams.
Establish and maintain an organized filing system for project documentation.
SUPPORTING PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
Lead implementation of key interventions, including:
Provision of agricultural inputs (plastic tunnels, greenhouse support).
Delivery of on-farm climate-smart training on water management and vegetable production.
Facilitation of systems actors mapping workshops and market linkage events for agricultural producers.
Support governance-focused activities:
Establish and orient community stakeholder committees.
Conduct institutional mapping and conflict analysis.
Facilitate joint action planning with system actors and local authorities.
Train farmers’ collectives and stakeholders on conflict management, group dynamics, and early warning/early response systems.
Oversee MSME-focused interventions:
Manage SME grants for vegetable processors.
Deliver business development training (hygiene, packaging, branding, communication, and marketing).
Support formation of MSME networks and market linkage events.
Ensure all activities are implemented in line with Mercy Corps and donor regulations.
COORDINATION AND REPRESENTATION
Coordinate closely with HI field teams to ensure safe access to land and infrastructure cleared of explosive ordnance.
Work collaboratively with Peace and Good Governance teams to integrate inclusive governance and conflict-sensitive approaches into livelihoods programming.
Participate in internal coordination meetings and planning workshops.
Liaise with Mercy Corps teams and external stakeholders to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication.
Represent Mercy Corps in community meetings and coordination forums as required.
Travel regularly to implementation sites in Ar-Raqqa to provide technical oversight and support.
ACCOUNTABILITY TO STAKEHOLDERS
Ensure communities are informed about program objectives, selection criteria, and feedback mechanisms.
Cultivate open communication channels with target communities ensuring their voices are heard to inform program design adaptation, learning and that Mercy Corps exercises ‘duty to respond’ to community feedback.
Promote gender and disability inclusion across all activities.
Apply Do No Harm principles and safeguarding standards in all interventions.
OTHER
Participate in and support internal office coordination and planning meetings and workshops.
Assist in any other task or duty assigned by the supervisor.
Supervisory Responsibility
Food Security and Livelihoods Assistant(s).
Accountability
Reports Directly To: FSL Coordinator,
Works Directly With: FSL manager, Private sector Engagement and Economic Development Specialist, Peace and Good Governance Coordinator and PAQ department.
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
- Bachelor’s degree in agriculture engineering, specializing in (vegetable value chain will be preferred, gardening departments, or other relevant fields of study is preferred.
- At least 3 years of previous related experience in agriculture in early recovery and livelihoods.
- Previous experience working with plants, new agriculture methods, agriculture training, or in a related field may be beneficial. with experience in tasks such as planting, watering, pest management, and technical agriculture training.
- Strong experience in the field of management training and technical agricultural training
- Strong management skills and previous experience in team management.
- Previous experience in new agriculture methods, agriculture production and management, including experience with a variety of crops, is often required. Experience in developing and delivering training programs is also beneficial.
- A strong understanding of greenhouse technologies, irrigation systems, and plant biology is often required.
- Knowledge of delivering Farmer Field Schools and technical training in the field of vegetable production.
- Strong experience in the cooperative based approach within humanitarian response
- Strong experience in the field of economic development and early recovery interventions. Including experience in strengthening the capacity building for jobs opportunities and developing market system.
- In-depth knowledge of early recovery and ability to build and design early recovery interventions such as vocational training, apprenticeships, business management training, private sector engagement.
- Arabic and English language written and spoken is essential, with professional level fluency in English required.
- Familiarity with the MS Office software (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), data analyzing is required.
Strong local context of Ar-Raqqa districts will be an added advantage.
- Demonstrated direct experience with project implementation, monitoring, and evaluation for humanitarian programing, ideally in a highly insecure context.
- Demonstrated ability to engage closely with a broad range of stakeholders in different geographic locations, experience with remote monitoring a plus.
- Proven capacity to work cooperatively with colleagues from other departments in a team environment, and to engage with and lead a diverse group of people.
- Active knowledge of humanitarian standards and codes, including SPHERE and HAP is an asset.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.
Team Efficiency and Effectiveness
Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work.
We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.
Equal Employment Opportunity
We are an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Organizations Commitment towards Safeguarding & Ethics:
The organization is committed to ensure that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to the organizations code of conduct policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct online learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
Personal Consent:
The organization collects your personal data for the purposes of managing the organization’s recruitment related activities as well as for organizational planning purposes globally. Consequently, the organization may use your personal data in relation to the evaluation and selection of applicants including, for example, setting up and conducting interviews and tests, evaluating and assessing the results thereto and as is otherwise needed in the recruitment processes including the final recruitment.
The organization is an international organization consisting of multiple affiliated companies in various countries. The organization has international sites and uses resources located throughout the world. Your data may be held on secure platforms globally, including outside of the EU. All personal data whether relating to recruitment or employment, is held on a secure platform and system which is subject to regular testing and audit. Unless stated in the job description that the post involves other organizations with which the information will be shared as part of the recruitment process, your personal data will only be shared with third parties where consent is given.
The organization participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (the “Scheme”) (www.schr.info/the-misconduct-disclosure-scheme).Accordingly, we request information from a job applicant’s previous employer(s) about any investigations which found that the applicant committed sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents of misconduct under investigation when the applicant left employment. By applying, you confirm your consent to the organization collecting your prior employment history under the Scheme as part of the application process. Your data will be stored for up to four years.
Important Notice: Mercy Corps never charges candidates any fees at any stage of the recruitment process. If you are asked to make a payment for a job opportunity claiming to be from Mercy Corps, it is a scam.
All official communication from Mercy Corps will come from an @mercycorps.org email address. We do not contact candidates via Gmail, Yahoo, WhatsApp, or other unofficial channels.
If you receive a suspicious job offer, please report it to us immediately.
Interested candidates can follow the link below to fill in their information and attach CVs not later than December 08,2025:
Application Form-Food Security and Livelihood Officer vacancy -Mercy Corps -Syria-Raqqa Office
Organization reserves the right to accept or reject any or all CV(s) without assigning any reason.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the interview.
نصيحة لحمايتك
ننصح بقراءة طريقة التقديم بعناية و التقيد بتعليمات التقدم للوظائف و المناقصات.