Advocacy & Communications Coordinator, Damascus, Syria

Location Damascus, Syria

Travel Up to 50% within Syria

Relief International (RI) is an international non-profit organization that works alongside communities affected by conflict, climate change, and disasters to save lives, build resilience, and promote long-term health and well-being.

Our team of more than 6,000 staff and local volunteers operates across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East through programs focused on Health and Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Education, and Livelihoods, which lay the foundations for community resilience.

To achieve this, we work with local actors to develop safe and inclusive, evidence-based programs that are conflict-sensitive, climate-adapted, and responsive to the needs of the communities we serve.

Relief International is a network of three organizations sharing a common mission: Relief International, Inc., Relief International-France, and Relief International-UK.

1. Job Profile

You will be the strategic lead for advocacy and external communications across Relief International's Syria program, which operates in one of the world's most complex and politically sensitive humanitarian environments.

About the Role

As Advocacy and Communications Coordinator, you will design, drive, and oversee the delivery of a comprehensive Advocacy and Communication Strategy that advances RI's humanitarian goals and amplifies the voices and needs of conflict-affected Syrians. Your work will ensure RI's positioning is principled, evidence-based, and aligned with International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law.

This role is a unique bridge between programmatic evidence and strategic influence - translating operational realities into powerful advocacy messages, products, and media engagement that raise awareness and funding and achieve policy change. You will support and guide internal and external communications on RI's operations in Syria and engage directly with humanitarian coordination platforms, donors, and diplomatic actors to elevate RI's visibility and impact.

Autonomy and Complexity

The role requires operating with a high degree of autonomy, political sensitivity, and strategic judgment. You will support the organization to navigate complex geopolitical landscapes, manage reputational risks, and seize advocacy opportunities that influence the wider humanitarian response. You will coordinate across departments, work closely with senior leadership, and serve as RI's external spokesperson when needed. This includes designing multi-stakeholder engagement strategies, managing communication in crisis situations, and ensuring ethical representation of affected communities.

You will also manage a small technical team of communications focal points and oversee the production of high-quality materials - including reports, multi-media content packages, and donor visibility products - ensuring that all outputs are timely, consistent, and aligned with RI's values and safeguarding standards and donor compliance requirements. fgTa8li DQ1jw7

2. Key Responsibilities

Advocacy and Representation

• Lead the development and delivery of RI's Advocacy and Communications Strategy for Syria.
• Provide strategic humanitarian analysis and policy advice to the Senior Management Team and its members.
• Draft and disseminate position papers, policy briefs, and key messages grounded in international law, deep contextual analysis and RI operational experience.
• Represent RI in key advocacy platforms (e.g. Syria Policy and Advocacy Working Group) and with external stakeholders (UN, donors, diplomatic community).
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with donors, diplomatic missions, UN agencies, NGOs and other external stakeholders.

Strategic Coordination and Advice

• Collaborate with Program Advisors, MEAL team, and Area Managers to identify advocacy issues, trends and entry points.
• Ensure alignment of advocacy efforts with program objectives and implementation realities.
• Participate in proposal development to ensure advocacy is integrated into program design.
• Ensure quality assurance and strategic relevance of all advocacy and communication outputs.
• Commission, coordinate and synthesize programme evidence, research and data to inform advocacy positions and external communications.

Communications and Media

• Coordinate with Global Communication Team on Advocacy and Communications strategy, and organizational branding.
• Oversee content development including case studies, visibility products, and campaign materials.
• Develop and manage country-level external communications guidelines and protocols, including on brand visibility and donor visibility compliance.
• Regularly assess reputational and operational risk linked to communication products.
• Track and support oversight of communications-related budget spending, ensuring alignment with approved plans and donor requirements.

Management and Leadership

• Set strategic direction and ensure clarity of objectives for the Communications Officer and field-based focal points.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to Communications Officer and staff in field locations to strengthen quality and impact of products.
• Support internal communications by ensuring staff are informed of key advocacy priorities, external messaging and major developments.
• Monitor team performance, deliver feedback and build capacity as needed.
• Promote a collaborative and accountable team culture aligned with RI values.

Behavior and Conduct

• Will ensure the highest standards of behavior inside and outside of work and promotes the values in RI's code of conduct and safeguarding policies
• Will be a model for ethical conduct standards for other team members
• Will ensure own actions and the actions of team members they manage do not impact the safety of the RI team and the vulnerable communities we serve
• Will ensure external stakeholders are aware of RI conduct and reporting mechanisms
• Report any concerns

3. Person Specification

Skills, knowledge and expertise required for the role.

Essential criteria

• Advanced degree in Political Science, International Development, Journalism, Law, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in advocacy and communications in humanitarian contexts.
• Proven track record of engaging in high-level advocacy and policy influence in conflict settings.
• Excellent writing and editing skills; ability to produce strategic communication products.
• Deep understanding of the Syrian humanitarian context and Middle East geopolitics.
• Knowledge of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law.
• Strong interpersonal, coordination, and relationship-building skills.

Desirable criteria

• Arabic language proficiency.
• Experience with consortia and inter-agency advocacy initiatives.
• Previous experience supporting or managing teams.
• Familiarity with donor engagement strategies and visibility approaches.

RI Values

Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:

• Integrity
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Inclusivity
• Sustainability

Closing Date

October 4, 2026

Please note that the position might be filled before the deadline

As a humanitarian organization, Relief International is committed to the safeguarding of all those we come into contact with through our work. We are committed to the core humanitarian principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. Relief International expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and uphold the values and behaviors outlined in the Code of Conduct.

Recruitment to all roles in Relief International include a criminal records self-declaration, references, and other pre-employment checks, which may include police and qualifications checks.