This role is initially based remotely, with clear anticipation that it will move to Damascus, Syria, during the project’s inception phase.
Note: This position is an unaccompanied post and is contingent upon donor funding. Contracting is subject to confirmation of project award and scope.
The contract period is one year, renewable contingent upon funding and performance.
Search for Common Ground
In a world often divided, Search for Common Ground stands for the power of bringing diverse people together to find solutions. By meeting this moment with Search, you join a powerful global peace movement that believes in the profound impact of courageous multipartiality – that all voices should be heard and respected in shaping a better, more connected world, and a collaborative vision is essential for lasting peace.
Search for Common Ground adopts a dynamic approach by developing solutions tailored to the specific needs of communities. We engage with leaders and elected officials to advance dialogue and collaboration. We are community leaders. We are youth activists. We are women. We are Peacebuilders. We have been doing this work for over 40 years, and we have developed a deep understanding of what peace looks like, enabling us to quantify our impact and design more effective programming. Peace moves at the speed of trust, so we invest for the long haul. When we’re no longer needed, we leave, leaving behind people and institutions with the ability to manage future conflicts.
Position Summary:
Search for Common Ground is seeking a Senior Stabilization Advisor to provide strategic, technical, and operational leadership for a multi-year, multi-component stabilization initiative in Syria. The Advisor will lead efforts focused on peacebuilding, social cohesion, and local mediation, ensuring that programming is contextually grounded, conflict-sensitive, and locally led.
As a key member of the country leadership team, the Senior Stabilization Advisor will work closely with national and international partners, local civil society, and technical teams to ensure the design and implementation of high-quality interventions that contribute to inclusive, community-driven stabilization.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic & Technical Leadership
- Provide overall technical direction for peacebuilding and social cohesion programming, ensuring alignment with peacebuilding priorities and the specific context of the Syrian conflict.
- Develop and refine strategies for peacebuilding, social cohesion, and reconciliation.
- Lead conflict and political analysis to inform programming.
- Integrate cross-cutting themes (gender, inclusion, Do No Harm, conflict sensitivity).
- Contribute to proposal development and strategic planning.
- Represent Search in technical forums and external engagements.
Program Management & Delivery
- Support effective implementation of high-quality programs across multiple sites, ensuring alignment with workplans, donor compliance, and adaptive management.
- Translate strategy into work plans and technical tools.
- Monitor implementation quality and support real-time adaptation.
- Coordinate with MEAL, grants, and field teams for coherent delivery.
- Address operational risks and support inter-sectoral integration.
Capacity Building
- Strengthen the capabilities of staff and partners to design, deliver, and sustain effective stabilization efforts.
- Develop guidance materials and context-specific tools.
- Facilitate learning and knowledge-sharing across teams.
- Support partner capacity assessments and institutional strengthening.
Research, Learning, and Policy Engagement
- Oversee the design and implementation of context and conflict analyses, stakeholder mappings, and community perception studies to inform strategic planning, adaptive programming, and risk management.
- Contribute to the development of knowledge products, learning briefs, and donor reports, with a focus on capturing insights and lessons learned from locally led stabilization, governance, and reform initiatives.
- Represent the program in technical forums, policy dialogues, and donor coordination platforms.
In this position, you are expected to demonstrate Search’s core competencies:
- Inspires and supports team development while resolving challenges within a clear strategic vision.
- Builds strong, collaborative relationships with partners and key stakeholders.
- Balances routine operations with continuous improvement and innovation.
- Adapts to changing contexts with creative, solution-oriented approaches.
- Promotes consistent standards across functions, fostering global collaboration.
- Models ethical behavior, reduces ambiguity, and sets a high standard for conduct.
- Navigates complexity with clear decision-making and adaptive leadership.
- Seeks creative, compliant solutions within complex, international frameworks.
- Coaches and mentors others, sharing knowledge to strengthen team capacity.
- Serves as a trusted expert, offering technical guidance and practical solutions.
- Leads collaborative problem-solving and innovation across the consortium.
- Engages teams in strategic discussions to support ongoing growth and development.
- Upholds and promotes safeguarding principles, demonstrating accountability and awareness in all actions.
Education and Experience
- Minimum of 15 years of professional experience in peacebuilding, international development, or stabilization, ideally in conflict-affected or fragile settings.
- Proven experience operating in conflict environments, particularly in support of local governance structures or security actors addressing the needs of vulnerable populations.
- Demonstrated expertise in Syria or comparable conflict/post-conflict contexts within the Middle East.
- In-depth knowledge of peacebuilding, reconciliation, and social cohesion with a strong ability to adapt technical frameworks to practical, locally grounded initiatives.
- Demonstrated leadership in the design, planning, and technical delivery of peace and security interventions, ideally at the sub-national or community level.
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements
- This position is based in Damascus, Syria, and is designated as an unaccompanied, non-family duty station. Given the volatile security environment, strict adherence to safety protocols is required. While on-the-ground operations are being finalized, the role will initially be remote, with regular in-country travel as security conditions allow and international travel up to 20%.
Supervisory and Budget Responsibility
- Manages one or more direct reports and/or consultants and/or manages one functional area.
How to apply
Posting closing date: 15 July 2025.
Application and cover letter can be submitted by visiting www.sfcg.org or via this link: Senior Advisor, Stabilization.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position may be filled before the closing date. Early applications are strongly encouraged.
Search is an equal employment employer whereby we do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information or any other status or characteristic protected under applicable law.
