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The Area Manager role provides strategic leadership and coordination for operational programming,
serving as the principal point of contact for government, UN, and humanitarian stakeholders. The
position ensures project alignment with organizational strategy, navigates complex regulatory
environments, and maintains operational access and compliance. The post holder is expected to lead
on the development, planning, implementation, and monitoring of programming in Northeast Syria
(NES), working closely across all departments, including Technical Advisors, Grant Acquisition and
Management, Finance, People and Culture, Partnerships, Security, and Program Support, to achieve
high-quality results and operational excellence. The post holder is also in charge of positioning and
strengthening WVSR’s engagement with governmental entities and key stakeholders in NES, ensuring
an informed operational presence, and supporting the expansion and integration of program
operations, as well as supporting the R&C department in registration as needed. The position will report
to the Deputy Director of Field Operations.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT 30%
• Ensure that the portfolio of projects has sectoral alignment per the Syria
• Response strategy.
• Ensure assigned projects are properly planned and implemented to meet
• agreed results, timelines, and budget indicators.
• Ensure that assigned projects are adequately staffed to facilitate effective
• implementation.
• Facilitate reporting on the progress of field implementation.
• Analyze the effectiveness and efficiency of field implementation and
• introduce corrective measures where needed (key focus on managing
• burn rates).
• Ensure proper implementation of projects (financially and
• programmatically) according to WVSR standards throughout the life of
• the Project Cycle Management
• In collaboration with the Partnerships Manager, identify areas for
• staff/partner development
• Engage with partners constructively to facilitate effective partnerships on
• projects under the portfolio.
PROJECT PLANNING AND DESIGN 25%
• Work closely with Technical Advisors and GAM on planning and
• designing new proposal log frames
• Lead /support respective Project Managers in developing the project
• budget (DPC) during the design process
STAFF MANAGEMENT 25%
• Determine staffing requirements and facilitate hiring and orientation.
• Facilitate staff training and development.
• Set objectives for staff, monitor their performance and provide feedback.
• Ensure staff wellbeing.
LIAISON and COORDINATION 10%
• Represent World Vision Syria Response (WVSR) in NES and engage with local authorities,
administrative bodies, and coordination platforms to ensure smooth operational access and
compliance.
• Act as WVSR's representative in Area Coordination Groups at the sub national level, aligned
with the Syria NGO Forum and UN Hubs in NES.
• Participate in relevant meetings, conferences, and cluster coordination forums by authorities,
organized by authorities, UN agencies, and humanitarian actors.
• Lead high-level discussions with security forces, local councils, and government entities to
facilitate approvals, resolve access issues, and maintain operational continuity.
• Prepare and submit quarterly and annual reports, project reports for each project, ensuring
they are signed and stamped by relevant authorities in accordance with NES legal regulations.
• Oversee and initiate the formal registration process for WVSR with authorities yearly,
ensuring compliance with local governance requirements.
• Prepare and manage all Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between WVSR and
authorities, ensuring all agreements are finalized for the project start-up.
• Ensure all correspondence with authorities adheres to WVSR policies and is documented,
retained, and filed in an organized and secure manner.
• Work with authorities to secure all required authorizations and permissions for local staff
movement and distributions, for project implementation, and facilitate international staff to
move and cross the WVI NES office.
• Coordinate with WVSR partners to ensure proper representation of WVSR in all official
documentation, including permits, MoUs, and annual reports.
• Submit regular liaison activity reports, including updates on permits, meetings held, challenges
encountered, and strategic recommendations.
• Maintain a clear record of all liaison engagements, decisions, and agreements to institutional
support to support institutional memory and accountability.
INTERNAL PROCESSES SUPPORT 10%
• Support the Deputy Director of Field Operations with correctly
• implementing established internal processes.
• Raise and highlight any discrepancies or malfunctions of internal process
• design vis-à-vis the correct implementation.
Support the revision and correction of internal processes within WVSR in
• coordination with other departmental functions.
Required Professional Experience
- A minimum of 8 years of humanitarian and development experience in North East Syria.
- Experience designing and implementing multi-sector humanitarian programs
- Experience managing and overseeing budgets of at least $3M
- Experience working across multiple internal departments, convening and leading people.
- Experience with remote management and partner management
- Strong communication skills with the ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and
persuasively (oral and written) with senior members of the humanitarian community as well as
with field practitioners.
- Knowledge of computer software such as MS Office and email programs.
2. Required Education, training, license, registration, and certification:
- Post Graduate University degree in International Development or other related majors OR
significant humanitarian leadership experience in lieu of formal education requirements.
3. Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications
- Comprehensive knowledge of International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian
Law, Refugee Law, the relevant positions of the UN, ICRC, and major NGOs on protection of
civilians, in particular of IDPs, women, and children, the codes of conduct, the Humanitarian
Charter, The Sphere Project, etc.
- Detail-oriented, with demonstrated experience in follow-up and ensuring complex ideas turn
into action.
- Concrete, practical hands-on experience in remote management aid delivery contexts.
- Strong knowledge of key sectoral areas, including programmatic approaches to health and
protection programming.
- Experienced and confident in external representation with donors and within formal and
informal coordination structures
- Highly developed communication skills (oral and written) with the ability to express ideas and
concepts clearly and persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrated success as a collaborator and team builder committed to the transfer of
knowledge.
- Ability to work effectively under pressure.
- Innovator and calculated risk taker.
- Understands, values, and promotes diversity to achieve organizational goals.
- Experience designing and implementing programs in Syria, through partners, is highly
preferred.
- Full adherence to World Vision Child Protection, Code of Conduct, and Conflict of Interest
policies.
- Experience in establishing, designing, and implementing cross-border programs through
partners is highly preferred.
4. Travel and/or Work Environment Requirement
- willingness to travel domestically around NES and internationally up to 20% of the time.
5. Language Requirements
- Essential: Strong English and Arabi