Senior Research and Analysis Lead

Job description

Location: This position is based in Damascus and is an unaccompanied post. It is contingent upon donor funding. While on-the-ground operations are being finalized, the position will initially be remote.

Note: This position is an unaccompanied post and is contingent upon donor funding. Contracting is subject to confirmation of project award and scope.

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.

Team Summary

The FCDO ISF Syria: Syria Stabilisation Response Mechanism responds to the evolving dynamics of the Syrian context by advancing UK security and policy objectives through innovative, high-risk, and politically informed programming. It pilots flexible and adaptive approaches to support a sustainable and inclusive political settlement in Syria. Core interventions include technical assistance and support for Syrian-led initiatives in the areas of transitional justice, locally led peacebuilding, Social cohesion, and Security sector reform. The program is managed through a Consortium Management Unit (CMU), which acts as the central coordination and management body of the consortium. The CMU oversees daily implementation while ensuring strategic alignment, coherence, and accountability across all consortium partners. As part of this dynamic and high-impact team, the Manager, Grants and Compliance will play a critical role in safeguarding donor integrity, supporting programmatic flexibility, and enabling compliance across complex and adaptive interventions.

Position Summary

The Senior Research and Analysis Lead is Responsible for ensuring that stabilisation response projects are grounded in up-to-date analysis of the context and political dynamics, and for ensuring that GESI and conflict sensitivity issues are tracked and addressed as part of the design activities.

Key Responsibilities

Technical, People, and Program Leadership

• In collaboration with other leaders, lead the technical design for the program, including conducting GESI and conflict assessments during the inception period, based on participatory data collection and analysis, and co-creating recommendations with the team based on the findings.
• Lead participatory processes to develop a Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion program strategy to guide GESI integration and priorities across the life of the project, including but not be limited to, capacity strengthening of CSOs/CBOs, including women’s rights organizations; supporting GESI and youth integration into digital harm mitigation strategies and capacity strengthening; supporting alliance building to further Government of Syria priorities for gender equality, disability, and youth inclusion to address security and stability threats; developing and integrating GESI learning questions in research products on preventing and mitigating digital harm.
• Support the team, including partners, in integrating gender, equality, and social inclusion, and conduct capacity-building and training initiatives to enhance these areas of focus.
• Provide up-to-date analysis of the context and political dynamics.
• Provide technical leadership to implementing partners in the design and delivery of grant-funded projects.
• Conduct regular community consultations to ensure programming remains gender, age, and socially sensitive and on track.
• Represent the organization’s gender and social inclusion strategy, analysis, and research with external stakeholders, including at workshops, conferences, and annual learning events.
• Collaborate with teams to ensure a ‘do-no-harm’ approach to gender-focused and inclusive programming is implemented, and that appropriate protections are in place for participants.
• Coach new and ongoing staff on best practices for engaging in gender and social inclusion.
• Conduct frequent supervisory visits to the locations to monitor project implementation and ensure project quality, and support staff in reflecting on and iterating based on ongoing feedback.
• Contribute to internal and donor reports by documenting GESI-related progress, impact, challenges, and lessons learned.

Quality Assurance

• Work with the MEAL Manager to effectively design and integrate gender-sensitive monitoring and evaluation systems and protection monitoring methodologies into all stages of the project, ensuring that output and impact data are captured and used to optimize quality.
• Lead activities to support teams in using vulnerability frameworks and targeting that enable inclusiveness and help teams to identify individuals and households with specific needs and ensure their participation in the project activities.
• Draft or contribute to GESI-specific sections of reports, assessments, and evaluations in coordination with the Senior Project Manager and MEAL team.

Representation and Coordination

• Co-lead the development of alliances by bringing civil society actors together with government representatives to promote security, stability, and transitional justice.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders to enhance cooperation and coordination.
• Attend relevant GESI coordination meetings and/or represent Search in other relevant forums, ensuring that information is shared both internally and with other sectors as appropriate. Contribute to thought leadership in this area of expertise.
• Identify and nurture strategic GESI partnerships with other organisations and institutions in Syria to enable coordination and synergies across workstreams.

Project Support and Compliance

• Support leadership to ensure that the GESI Program Minimum Standards are implemented.
• Ensure the team complies with donor and funding requirements.
• Ensure activities promote gender equality, conflict sensitivity, and environmental awareness by applying the ‘Do No Harm’ principle.
• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
• Lead the recruitment and coordination with consultants contributing to research activities under the assigned project.

Safeguarding

• Support the integration of safeguarding into design and delivery, including conducting or contributing to safeguarding risk assessments.
• Ensure safeguarding messaging is consistently embedded across community-facing materials and tools, in collaboration with the Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanism (CARM) and MEAL teams.
• Practice the values of Search, including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourage openness and communication within their team by promoting the submission of reports from team members who have concerns, utilizing available reporting mechanisms (e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options).
• Remain alert and responsive to any safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills that will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Safeguarding Policy.

Competency Behavior Indicators (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Works collaboratively with senior managers and colleagues, sharing senior expertise, and builds teams for the successful implementation of projects and programs.
• Effectively influences vendors, organizations, professional associations, partners, funders, and Search’s network of experts critical to the area of purview.
• Makes decisions based on existing information, even when it may not be complete.
• Adapts to the personal style and preferences of colleagues to assess their needs and preferences; tolerates ambiguity.
• Articulates Search/function program/project goals and objectives within and external to Search; develops program objectives, indicators, and results; and participates in strategy development for the team.
• Provides input for standards across functions globally within Shared Services teams, with the ability to create a best fit that considers international norms and compliance, while supporting an organizational culture that fosters work.
• Overcomes obstacles, including personal biases, by following Search’s ethics code in complex situations; displayed in activities as ethical principles and values that guide professional interactions.
• Assesses risks and opportunities in complex environments and convenes discussions to achieve a favorable outcome.
• Establishes tools to monitor the quality of work and verification of information.
• Has knowledge of project management tools, including technology as resources, and applies delegation skills to support the development of others, as well as the building of efficiency and reduction of stress.
• Supports employees in their efforts to achieve job goals (e.g., by providing resources, removing obstacles, acting as a buffer).
• Engages with Shared Services teams, cross-functional teams, and colleagues to produce innovative solutions.
• Uses analysis (costs, benefits, risks) to manage within a global standards and best practices framework.
• Guides colleagues, Shared Services teams, cross-functional teams, and direct reports toward learning resources for purposes of broadening skill sets and understanding for continued growth in both breadth and depth of knowledge for organizational functions, standards, and objectives.
• Remains alert and responsive to any safeguarding risks, acquires relevant knowledge and skills that will enable them to promote strong safeguarding practices, understands the safeguarding policy and procedures, and conducts themselves in a manner consistent with the Safeguarding Policy.

Education and Experience

• BS/BA degree with a minimum of 9 years’ experience in International Development, Gender Studies, Social Work, Conflict Resolution, or a related field.
• A minimum of seven years of direct work experience in international development, with a minimum of five years in a GESI advisory role, including experience working on GESI and conflict, security, and peacebuilding-related interventions in Syria.
• A strong understanding of and experience implementing projects related to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda.
• Substantial background in GESI and development work, including experience designing and conducting training, analysis, and integration, and engaging in advocacy.
• Experience supporting the capacity building and development of women’s rights organisations and women-led organisations.
• Comprehensive knowledge of GESI norms and standards, as well as holistic and practical methods towards implementing protection mainstreaming and integrated protection outcomes.
• English and Arabic fluency are required.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate (verbally and in writing) and negotiate clearly and effectively. Tact, diplomacy, and cultural sensitivity are essential.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel and Word.

Preferred Education and Experience

Master’s degree preferred.

Experience working on digital literacy, countering mis/disinformation, social media engagement, and protection from digital harm preferred.

Prior working and living experience in Syria. Members of the Syrian diaspora are strongly encouraged to apply.

Type and Nature of Contacts

Routinely coordinates with colleagues and consultants on-site and in the field and resolves problem situations with tact.

Interacts with consortium members, their finance and logistics teams, and consortium management colleagues

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.

Posting closing period:

This posting will close on 15 July 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position may be filled before the closing date. Early applications are strongly encouraged

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

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Only applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please. Please see our website www.sfcg.org for full details of our work.All Search Employees must adhere to the values: Collaboration- Audacity - Tenacity - Empathy - Results. In accordance with these values, Search enforces compliance with the Code of Conduct and related policies on Anti Workplace Harassment, Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Conflict of Interest, and Anti-fraud. Search is committed to safeguarding the interests, rights, and well-being of children, youth, and vulnerable adults with whom it is in contact and to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for children, youth, and vulnerable adults.Search for Common Ground does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.View our code of conduct here and our privacy policy here.

Les descriptifs de pouvant ne pouvant être exhaustifs, le titulaire du poste pourra être amené à entreprendre d’autres tâches qui correspondent globalement aux responsabilités clés ci-dessus.

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Seuls les candidats invités à un entretien seront contactés. Pas d’appels téléphoniques s’il vous plaît. Veuillez consulter notre site Web www.sfcg.org pour tous les détails de notre mission.

Tous les employés de Search doivent adhérer aux valeurs de Search : Collaboration- Audace - Ténacité - Empathie - Résultats. Conformément à ces valeurs, Search fait respecter le code de conduite et les politiques connexes sur la lutte contre le harcèlement au travail, la protection contre l’exploitation et les abus, la protection des enfants, les conflits d’intérêts et la lutte contre la fraude. Search s’engage à préserver les intérêts, les droits et le bien-être des enfants, des jeunes et des adultes vulnérables avec lesquels elle est en contact et à mener ses programmes et ses opérations d’une manière qui soit sûre pour les enfants, les jeunes et les adultes vulnérables.

Search for Common Ground ne fait pas et ne doit pas faire de discrimination fondée sur la race, la couleur, la religion (croyance), le sexe, l’expression de genre, l’âge, l’origine nationale (ascendance), le handicap, l’état matrimonial, l’orientation sexuelle ou le statut militaire, dans aucune de ses activités ou opérations.

Consultez notre code de conduite ici et notre politique de confidentialité ici.

Dado que la descripción de funciones no puede ser exhaustiva, el titular del puesto puede tener que realizar otras tareas que coinciden en líneas generales con las responsabilidades clave mencionadas.

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Sólo se contactará con los candidatos invitados a una entrevista. Se agradece no recibir llamadas telefónicas. Consulte nuestro sitio web www.sfcg.org para conocer todos los detalles de nuestro trabajo. Todos los empleados de Search deben adherirse a los valores de la organización: Colaboración - Audacia - Tenacidad - Empatía - Resultados. De acuerdo con estos valores, Search hace cumplir el Código de Conducta y las políticas relacionadas con luchar contra el acoso en el lugar de trabajo, la protección contra la explotación y el abuso, la protección de la infancia, los conflictos de intereses y la lucha contra el fraude. Search se compromete a salvaguardar los intereses, derechos y bienestar de los niños, jóvenes y adultos vulnerables con los que está en contacto y a llevar a cabo sus programas y operaciones de una manera que sea segura para los niños, jóvenes y adultos vulnerables.  Search for Common Ground no discrimina ni discriminará por motivos de raza, color, religión (credo), género, expresión de género, edad, origen nacional (ascendencia), discapacidad, estado civil, orientación sexual o condición militar, en ninguna de sus actividades u operaciones. Consulte nuestro código de conducta aquí y nuestra política de privacidad aquí.