Sub-National Mine Action Coordinator - South Syria (seconded to the Mine Action Sector)

Who are we?

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunities for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home. The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced. All of our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

DRC Syria

DRC has been operating in Syria since 2008, initially responding to the Iraqi refugee crisis before pivoting to a full-scale response to the Syria crisis from 2011 onwards. Our work encompasses the full cycle of displacement—responding to life-saving humanitarian needs and supporting community recovery until durable solutions can be achieved. DRC Syria takes an area-based approach to supporting internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and host communities across our key sectors: Economic Recovery and Resilience, Protection, WASH, Shelter and Infrastructure, and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (including Humanitarian Mine Action). With an established rapid response mechanism, DRC can rapidly respond to emerging crises and shocks to meet acute emergency needs. Recognizing the significant need for early recovery and resilience programming to ensure dignified, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions for fragile communities, DRC’s programmes foster resilience for individuals and communities in situations of protracted displacement and during the initial stages of post-conflict recovery, towards a durable solution of their choice. With active portfolios in the neighboring countries of Jordan, Lebanon, Türkiye and Iraq, DRC offers a cross-border, regional response to the Syria crisis, through cross-border protection monitoring, advocacy, and trends analysis.

Overall purpose of the role : The Sub-National Mine Action (MA) Coordinator supports effective, principled and coherent humanitarian mine action coordination at the sub-national level. The role contributes to ensuring that mine action activities are needs-based, coordinated, informed by operational and community realities, and aligned with humanitarian planning processes and national coordination priorities.

The Coordinator acts on behalf of and reports back to the Sector, rather than any individual organization, and is expected to maintain neutrality, impartiality, independence and transparency in all coordination functions.

The role requires demonstrated ability to convene and facilitate coordination among multiple humanitarian mine action and other actors and sub-national government stakeholders, build consensus across differing perspectives, represent shared priorities and ensure follow-up on collective actions with the wider humanitarian architecture. It also requires strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, as well as a solid understanding of humanitarian mine action, humanitarian coordination systems, the operational context in Syria and the government coordination structure for humanitarian action on the sub-national level.

The job description might be revised to reflect the impact of the humanitarian reset.

Important Note

The Sub-National Mine Action Coordinator contributes to collective humanitarian coordination and does not hold operational authority over Mine Action organisations or activities. The role does not direct partner operations, influence donor decisions or replace national authorities. The emphasis of the position is on cooperation, coordination, coherence and representation of humanitarian Mine Action priorities and needs.

Initial contract duration will be six months, subject to funding and developments.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

Representation and Coordination

• Represent the Mine Action Thematic Working Group (Syria MA AoR/ Sector) in sub-national ISCG, Protection and inter-sector coordination meetings and forums.
• Ensure that Mine Action priorities, risks and operational realities are reflected in area-level humanitarian discussions and planning.
• Provide regular updates on contamination trends, incidents, access constraints, humanitarian needs and operational developments at the subnational level.
• Support coherent and harmonised engagement between Mine Action actors operating in southern Syria.
• Liaise with authorities on the sub-national level and facilitate regular exchanges on humanitarian needs and planning priorities.

Facilitation of Sub-National Mine Action Coordination

• Convene and facilitate regular sub-national Mine Action coordination meetings.
• Prepare and circulate agendas, meeting minutes and action points in a timely manner.
• Promote effective information sharing and coordination among Mine Action partners, as well as facilitate support of Mine Action partners to other sectors as needed.
• Identify operational gaps, duplications, emerging risks and coordination challenges and escalate where necessary.
• Support collective prioritisation discussions and promote complementarity between actors.

Information Management and Analysis

• Maintain regular communication and two-way information flow with the national Sector coordination team.
• Collect, consolidate and share information related to contamination, incidents, access constraints and operational developments.
• Support partners to maintain 5Ws and use 5W reporting and service mapping to analyse the coverage, gaps, overlaps and priorities of humanitarian mine action interventions.
• Disseminate national guidance, standards, advocacy messages and coordination updates to field-level partners.
• Contribute to humanitarian analysis, mapping and reporting related to Mine Action activities and contamination impact.

Technical and Strategic Support

• Support the integration of Mine Action considerations into area-based humanitarian planning and response discussions.
• Promote linkages between Mine Action and other sectors including Protection, Shelter, WASH, Health, Education, etc.
• Provide explosive ordnance risk and contamination-related information to humanitarian actors and coordination structures where relevant.
• Support advocacy efforts related to humanitarian access, civilian protection and contamination-related humanitarian impact.

Humanitarian Principles and Accountability

• Uphold humanitarian principles, including humanity, neutrality, impartiality, independence as well as accountability.
• Ensure a clear separation between coordination responsibilities and organisational operational interests as per IASC guidelines and instructions.
• Declare and appropriately manage any actual or perceived conflicts of interest.
• Promote principled, inclusive and community-informed coordination approaches.

Incident and Emergency Coordination

• Notify the national-level Sector coordination team of significant incidents, accidents, contamination developments or urgent coordination matters.
• Support rapid liaison and coordination among partners during emergencies or contamination-related incidents when required.
• Undertake any other tasks as required by HMA Operations Manager and Head of HDP.

Experience and technical competencies:

• Minimum 3–5 years of relevant humanitarian experience, including demonstrated experience supporting or leading humanitarian coordination involving multiple organisations or actors. This may include work with a cluster, sector, thematic/technical working group(s), inter-sector forum or a comparable multi-agency coordination mechanism.
• Good understanding of humanitarian architecture, humanitarian coordination systems, including cluster/AoR structures (e.g. IASC Guidelines on Cluster Coordination, etc.).
• Knowledge of humanitarian mine action principles, terminology and operational approaches, including EORE, NTS and land release concepts, and experience applying this knowledge in multi-actor coordination, collective analysis or humanitarian planning is desirable.
• Experience representing shared humanitarian priorities and engaging constructively with NGOs, UN agencies, authorities, local stakeholders and other coordination mechanisms.
• Demonstrated ability to convene and facilitate multi-agency discussions, manage differing perspectives, build consensus and translate discussions into clear decisions, action points and follow-up.
• Experience working in complex and conflict-affected environments.
• Ability to consolidate information from multiple organisations, identify gaps, overlaps and emerging risks, and communicate a coherent collective operational picture through clear analysis and reporting.
• Ability to work independently and maintain neutrality in coordination functions.
• Familiarity with the Syria humanitarian response architecture is highly desirable.

Education : 

• University degree in humanitarian affairs, international relations, social sciences, mine action or another relevant field.
• Equivalent relevant field experience may be accepted in lieu of formal education.

Languages:  

• Professional fluency in Arabic and English (written and spoken) is required.

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence : You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating : You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead : You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating : You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity : You act in line with our vision and values.

We offer:

• Contract length : 6 months (Extension based on performance and funds)
• Salary Level : G (in accordance with the DRC's salary scale)
• Location : Damascus
• Expected Start Date: As soon as possible 

Application process

Interested? Then apply for this position here:  Talentech - Sub-National Mine Action Coordinator – South Syria - Application Form

All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages)  in English . Both must be in the same language as this vacancy note.  CV only applications will not be considered.

Applications closes on 07 Nov 2026 

NOTE: Due to the urgency to fill this position, the applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Need further information? For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website