GIZ in Syria
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 has reopened its Country Office in Damascus in September 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.
Supporting Good Governance in Syria
The "Supporting Good Governance" project strengthens public institutions and helps to improve citizens' access to public services. Working at national, regional and local levels, it helps institutions coordinate more effectively, deliver administrative services more efficiently and apply clear and consistent procedures across all levels of government. At the sub-national level, the project supports local administrations in delivering public services that are citizen-oriented, transparent and efficient. Human capacity development is a core element of this work: together with the national institutions responsible for public-sector training, the project helps plan, deliver and anchor training and further education for civil servants at national and local level.
Your tasks
GIZ Syria is looking for an expert that advises and supports Syrian institutional partners to plan, deliver and anchor trainings and further education for civil servants and to accompany organisational change as part of public administration reform.
- Assess training and organisational development needs together with national and sub-national partner institutions, and translate them into prioritised capacity development plans.
- Plan, design, oversee and deliver training and further education measures for civil servants, including training modules, on-the-job training, coaching and blended or online formats, on topics such as citizen-oriented service delivery, participation, transparent communication or other specialized topics of local public service delivery and administration.
- Advise partner institutions on change processes linked to public administration reform, for example clarifying mandates, roles and responsibilities, and improving internal structures and workflows.
- Support partners in developing procedural manuals and optimizing administrative processes in service delivery.
- Work with the national institutions responsible for public-sector training to anchor training content and delivery in their management systems.
- Monitor and evaluate training and change measures and feed the results into the project's monitoring.
- Coordinate with colleagues in the project and across GIZ's Syria portfolio to align capacity development activities and avoid duplication.
Your profile (required qualifications, competencies and experience)
- University degree (Master’s level) in public administration, political science, law, public management, human resource management, education or a related field; a Bachelor's degree combined with substantial additional relevant experience may be considered.
- At least 5 years of professional experience in public administration, local governance, political and social participation, needs based service delivery in Syria;
- At least 3 years of professional experience in capacity development, training or human resource development through curricula development, training delivery, work in training institutions, preferably in the public sector.
- At least 3 years experience working with international organisations, development cooperation projects, or donor-funded programmes, preferably GIZ or comparable agencies.
- Proven experience working with public institutions (ideally local or subnational institions like municipalities, governorate administrations, service directorates) and civil society organisations.
- Strong context- and conflict sensitivity, political sensitivity and analytical thinking, consulting, communication and cooperation skills as well as intercultural competence.
- Excellent facilitation and communication skills, and the ability to work confidently with senior officials and diverse stakeholders.
- High motivation, reliability, and the ability to work in politically sensitive and rapidly changing contexts while maintaining professionalism, discretion, and adherence to communication standards are expected.
- Professional fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic, knowledge of German is an asset
How to apply
The following minimum requirements for applications need to be fulfilled:
- Only application documents in English will be accepted. Documents in Arabic cannot be considered during the selection process.
- Mandatory documents are CV and application letter in English stating your qualifications and previous professional experiences.
The deadline for application is 14.10.2026. 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 hr.syria@giz.de indicating in the subject line only the respective title of the position.
NGO Jobs in Syria