Senior Advisor – Government Liaison and EU Coordination (TA Hub)

Job description

GIZ has been operating in Syria since 1976. It has thus established valuable contacts in civil society and garnered experience that is now crucial for supporting the country. From 2013 onwards, it worked without government involvement with the assistance of local non-governmental organizations. Despite the difficult conditions, GIZ has consistently contributed to improving people’s living conditions.

In view of the developments since December 2024, which have led Syria into a decisive phase of transformation, GIZ reopens its Country Office in Damascus in 2026. It is currently implementing 14 projects on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Federal Foreign Office (FFO), with co-financing from the European Union and other donors. From 2026, the portfolio is planned to be expanded by several new projects.

As part of an EU and BMZ-funded project, the Team Europe Initiative (TEI) Technical Assistance (TA) Hub will support the Syrian government to enhance the capacities of national and subnational authorities and public institutions by strengthening their institutions, systems, and governance through coordinated, transparent, and demand-driven technical assistance by various European Agencies. The project will coordinate with and advice the Syrian Foreign Ministry as well as coordinate with the EU and the EU Delegation. Furthermore, the project foresees a Project Management unit which will steer and manage the demands as well as support the coordination with the other agencies.

Your tasks

The Senior Advisor will act as the principal interface between the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Syrian ministries, the EU Delegation and the TA Hub. The role translates institutional needs into well-scoped technical assistance requests and supports their prioritisation, coordination and allocation among European implementing partners.

• Provide strategic advice to MoFAEx, Syrian government counterparts, the EU Delegation, and international partners on TA cooperation and the effective use of the TA Hub.
• Ensure TA requests by engaging with Syrian governmental counterparts to scope, prioritize, and refine TA requests, conducting pre-assessments of institutional needs, for submission to the EU Delegation.
• Development and implementation of a communication and visibility strategy for the EU TA Hub
• Coordinate donor engagement by mapping ongoing TA initiatives, managing a real-time database, and representing the TA Hub in international coordination fora.
• Monitor, analyze, and report on TA mechanism performance in line with Syrian and EU priorities, in close cooperation with the PMU.
• Representing the TEI TA Hub to national and international stakeholders.
• Leading a small team of advisors of the Project Management Unit.
• Where appropriate and reasonable, performing additional tasks upon request of the management or in order to support successful delivery.

Your profile (required qualifications, competencies and experience)

• Master’s degree in political science, international relations, public administration, law, development economics, or a related field
• At least 8 years of relevant experience in international cooperation
• At least 8 years of relevant leadership experience
• At least five years of experience in government advisory, donor coordination and/or EU-funded cooperation, including substantial direct cooperation with ministries or public institutions.
• Proven professional experience in Syria is required, combined with experience in fragile or post-conflict contexts in the Middle East.
• High cultural, context and conflict sensitivity and awareness for the topic of discrimination
• Experience with risk, security and reputation management in high-risk contexts, confidence to work in high-level diplomatic settings and diplomatic tact
• Professional fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic

Desirable qualifications (optional criteria)

• Sound practice in cooperation with EU delegations/EU institutions and application of EU instruments (NDICI/Team Europe, TA instruments)
• Experience in leading/coordinating multi-partner hubs or TA centers
• Knowledge of EU funding and reporting requirement
• Network of relevant international donors and Syrian institutions

How to apply

Additional information

The following minimum requirements for applications need to be fulfilled:

1. Only application documents in English will be accepted. Documents in Arabic cannot be considered during the selection process.
2. Mandatory documents are CV and application letter in English stating your qualifications and previous professional experiences.

The deadline for application is 28.10.2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

GIZ is committed to diversity and gender balance. It is encouraging persons with disabilities to apply for the position.

Please note that this is a national position subject to GIZ Syria’s national terms and conditions of employment..

Please submit your application to recruitment-sy@giz.de indicating in the subject line only the respective title of the position.