Programme and Knowledge Management Advisor, Damascus, Syria

General Information

Publication for: Partner

Partner Name: UN-HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements Programme

Position Title: Programme and Knowledge Management Advisor

Job Category: Programme

Duty Station(s): Damascus

Seniority Level: Mid Level

ICS Level: ICS 10

Contract Type: ICA - IICA - Regular

Contract Level: IICA 2

Posting Start Date: 30-Sep-2026

Posting End Date: 30-Oct-2026

Duration: 12 Months

Job Highlight

NA

About the Country/Multi-Country Office

UN-Habitat's Syria Country Programme has worked closely with Syrian cities and communities to develop an urban resilience and recovery approach. UN-Habitat supports local authorities and communities to collect better urban data to reach a common understanding of urban recovery needs; jointly identify neighborhood and municipal area response priorities, straddling humanitarian, resilience-building and recovery phases; and to design and implement housing, infrastructure and basic services, urban environment, and urban cultural heritage projects that directly respond to these local priorities. UN-Habitat Syria currently has offices in Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, and Deir Ezzor, operationalizing projects across the country.

About the Group

UN-Habitat is the United Nations agency mandated to promote sustainable urbanization and adequate housing for all. In Syria, UN-Habitat supports government institutions, municipalities and communities in urban recovery, housing, basic urban services, municipal governance and area-based development.

Job Specific Context

Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Country Director, the Programme and Knowledge Management Advisor will work across all technical and operational units to strengthen coordination, consistency and follow-up across the programme portfolio.

The role will act as the central programme coordination and quality assurance function for the office, supporting programme implementation, strengthening internal systems and building programme management capacity across the office.

Role Purpose

Programme and Knowledge Management Advisor functions as the Advisor to the Head of Programme Support Unit. She/he will support programme development, portfolio oversight, grants management, systems strengthening and coordination across all technical units.

Working closely with the Country Director, Deputy Country Director, Operations Manager and Unit Leads, the position will strengthen programme delivery and project management systems, including reporting, communications etc.

They will support to strengthen programme management, coordination and quality assurance across the UN-Habitat Syria Country Office as the portfolio continues to expand.

Functions / Key Results Expected

The Programme and Knowledge Management Advisor will:

• Support the Head of the Programme Support Unit to oversee and coordinate programme management across the country portfolio.
• Support grants management, donor reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and portfolio performance tracking.
• Strengthen project and grant management systems, tools, SOPs and internal workflows to improve coordination, consistency and accountability.
• Coordinate programme planning, portfolio oversight and strategic initiatives, including contributions to PMT, Results Groups and UN80-related processes.
• Coordinate knowledge management and information sharing across technical units.
• Support communications, advocacy and donor visibility to ensure consistency and compliance with UN-Habitat requirements and strengthen promotion of UN-Habitat's work and portfolio.
• Support establishment of partnership systems, MOUs, implementing partner coordination and other programme management processes.
• Support Country Director and Deputy Country Director in project proposal coordination, e.g. ensuring timely inputs, quality assurance and follow-up across technical units.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Ultimate Result of Service

The Syria Country Office has an effective Programme Support Unit that strengthens programme quality, coordination and management across the portfolio. Programme development and implementation are well coordinated, grants and reporting are effectively managed, programme and project management systems are strengthened, and senior management is able to focus on strategic leadership, partnerships, portfolio growth and support to strengthen organizational culture and team building.

Skills

Project Control, Project Coordination, Project Planning, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management, Project Resource Management

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required:

• An advanced university degree in architecture, engineering, urban planning, urban studies, international development, public administration, programme management, urban development, international relations or another relevant discipline with at least 5 years of progressively responsible experience.

Experience Requirements

Required:

• Progressively responsible experience in programme management, portfolio management or coordination of complex development programmes.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-donor portfolios, grants management, donor reporting and M&E.
• Experience coordinating programme development across multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong experience in programme quality assurance, systems strengthening and organisational development.

Desired:

• Previous experience with the United Nations or another international organisation is highly desirable.
• Experience in recovery, urban development, housing, municipal governance or related sectors.

Language Requirements

Language: English

• Proficiency Level: Fluent
• Requirement: Required

Language: Arabic

• Proficiency Level: Basic
• Requirement: Desirable

Additional Information

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.