Syria National Coordinator Consultancy

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Terms of Reference & Scope of Work

Location: Damascus preferred, other cities considered.

Duration: Expected July 2026 - Dec 2028 (approximately 30 months); work days based on deliverables

Reporting to: Moving Minds Alliance Senior Engagement Manager (based in London)

Supported by: International Rescue Committee, Damascus

Given the part-time nature of this role, the consultant will focus on coordination, facilitation, and strategic guidance, while working closely with MMA and IRC teams for technical inputs (e.g. MEL, communications, research, and fundraising support)

This consultancy is subject to grant funding approval. Final duration, scope, and value will be determined based on the approved grant agreement.

About Moving Minds Alliance

The Moving Minds Alliance (MMA) is a multi-stakeholder alliance of 40+ organizations, advocating for better outcomes and equity for young children affected by crises everywhere. The Alliance seeks to leverage the strengths of diverse actors, from the local to the global, to advocate for early childhood development (ECD) to be prioritized in every crisis response.

Background and Context

Syria faces a severe early childhood development (ECD) crisis, with nearly 20% of its population under age 10 and over 16.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Following over 14 years of conflict and a significant political transition in December 2024, the systems responsible for early health, nutrition, and learning have been critically weakened by fiscal collapse and the widespread destruction of essential infrastructure. Although a national ECD strategy is currently being revised by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, its implementation is hindered by fragmented coordination, limited transparency, and a near-total absence of dedicated ECD budget lines.

Addressing these systemic gaps through enhanced inter-ministerial collaboration, unified advocacy, and more strategic resource allocation is essential to move beyond ad hoc community-led coping mechanisms and ensure that Syria’s youngest children receive equitable, sustainable, and holistic early childhood support.

Purpose of this consultancy:

As a global alliance, MMA’s new strategy focuses on supporting local to global ECD in crisis advocacy. MMA believes that to sustainably support young children and families affected by crisis and displacement, the partners with lived experience of crisis and displacement must lead the change for policy and financing decisions that affect their lives. Local and displaced leaders in Syria are the closest to the affected communities and would ensure that all relevant policies, and funding is tailored to their communities’ priorities and needs. The National Coordinator will be the primary engine for the Syria coalition, developing and testing a replicable model for national-level coalition building. This role is for a changemaker experienced in working with diverse actors, shaping partnerships that shift mindsets and priorities at a systems level, while being comfortable with multi-level power dynamics.

The national coordinator will support in developing and coordinating a new, strong ECD in crisis advocacy coalition built on dynamic relationships with strategic clarity and important diversity of stakeholders of government, LLOs, IDP-led organisations, private sector, UN, INGOs and academic representatives.

Objectives:

The National Coordinator who will serve as a consultant will coordinate a National Advocacy Coalition for Early Childhood in crisis in Syria. Aligned with the overall coalition goals and aims, key objectives for the consultancy include:

Establishing the coalition: Coordinate, support and guide the coalition members including IDP-led organisations and locally led organizations (LLOs), state and national government, UN, INGOs, and private sector representatives to work together towards shared advocacy goals.

Strategic Resource Mobilization: Support the coalition to build an investment case for ECD-in-crisis to secure donor, diaspora and private-sector financing, including advocating for a more strategic public resource mobilisation and a diaspora ECD in crisis pooled fund for Syrian organisations.

Policy Integration: Lead coalition advocacy efforts to integrate ECD into national emergency preparedness frameworks, development budgets, and inter-governmental coordination through working with the Syrian government to establish an inter-ministerial working group, and include ECD segregated data in the budget tracking systems.

Scope of Work and Deliverables:

The national coordinator consultant will be responsible for supporting the National Syria coalition to develop, implement, and achieve its future advocacy strategy, and for developing the structure and processes underpinning the work. In addition, the successful candidate will oversee external coalition communications, campaign and monitor and pursue key developments and opportunities that align with the coalition’s objectives.

This role comes with considerable autonomy in shaping and implementing the work. The national coordinator will report to the Moving Minds Alliance’s Senior Engagement Manager. The consultant is expected to lead on coalition coordination, stakeholder engagement, and advocacy processes, while technical components (including communications campaigns, MEL systems, and research outputs) will be developed in collaboration with MMA and/or partner teams.

The consultant is expected to deliver the following over three years (these are suggested activities; it is expected that the coordinator consultant will develop these further in their role):

Phase 1: Foundation & Coalition Seeding (May 2026 – December 2026)

Focus: Establishing governance, formalizing the core group, and setting the strategic direction.

Establishment & Governance: Recruit and onboard core members (including RLOs/LLOs); mobilize and set up the Steering Committee and Subcommittees; develop the official Coalition Terms of Reference.

Strategic Mapping: Conduct a stakeholder gap analysis and prioritize new organizational memberships; begin recruitment of members with specific expertise in fundraising, government advocacy and public comms.

Operational Setup: Implement platforms for communication and knowledge sharing; facilitate and support regular coalition and sub-committee meetings.

Strategy Development: supported by the MMA Sr manager, co-develop the multi-year Advocacy Strategy and Workplan based on domestic finance analysis and national meetings in consultation with the coalition’s steering committee, coalition members.

Year 1 Deliverables:

Finalized Governance Structure and coalition Terms of Reference (including roles, decision-making processes, and membership criteria).

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

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