Organization: Syria Civil Defence (The White Helmets)
Location: Damascus, Syria
About The Syria Civil Defence (The White Helmets)
The Syria Civil Defence (SCD), widely recognized as The White Helmets, is a grassroots, community-focused initiative responding to the Syrian crisis. With over 3,000 volunteers and staff operating across Syria and overseas, we deliver life-saving services and advocacy initiatives through:
- Emergency Response: Search and rescue operations, emergency medical services, firefighting, and women’s centers.
- Community Resilience: Early recovery programs, mine action, climate adaptation, and community empowerment.
- Human Rights and Peacebuilding: Evidence collection, investigations, advocacy, and research.
Committed to humanitarian values of neutrality, equality, and impartiality, The White Helmets uphold international standards in all their operations.
Scope of Work
The Advocacy and Communications Officer will support SCD’s internal and external advocacy efforts, assisting with the implementation of the organization’s international advocacy strategy. This role will coordinate activities inside Syria, acting as a vital link between field operations and the international advocacy team, ensuring timely and accurate communication.
The position involves organizing advocacy activities, managing relationships with international stakeholders (government representatives, UN officials, CSOs), supporting senior leadership during engagements, and developing written materials such as briefings and reports.
Responsibilities
Administrative Tasks
- Coordinate with internal departments to align on advocacy efforts.
- Prepare regular reports on departmental progress.
- Attend internal meetings and contribute development proposals for the department.
Technical Tasks
- Schedule and coordinate meetings for senior leadership with external stakeholders (state delegations, UN officials, INGOs).
- Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including Syrian CSOs, consulates, UN agencies, and international organizations.
- Support meeting preparation, including drafting talking points, briefing relevant staff, and facilitating follow-ups.
- Record and document key points during meetings and ensure the flow of information between teams.
- Analyze developments in humanitarian and justice sectors inside Syria and conduct desk research when needed.
- Assist in drafting policy briefings, reports, and external communications materials.
- Represent SCD in forums, associations, and advocacy groups at the national level.
- Plan and implement advocacy-related events.
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Law, Social/Political Sciences, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field.
- Minimum of 2 years of professional experience in the humanitarian or development sectors.
- At least 3 years’ experience in an office setting handling tasks like meeting scheduling, note-taking, writing memos, and engaging with stakeholders.
- Knowledge of key humanitarian and justice issues such as protection of civilians, transitional justice, or UXO management.
- Strong proficiency in both English and Arabic (written and spoken).
- Excellent interpersonal skills, discretion, and independent judgment.
- Self-motivation and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
Desirable
- Master’s degree in a relevant field.
- Experience in event organization.
- Strong follow-up and organizational skills.
How to Apply
Interested candidates are invited to fill out the application with:
- A detailed CV.
- A cover letter explaining your background, suitability for the role, and interest in SCD’s mission.
Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
For further details or applying please see SCD’s website.
