Job Title: Programme Officer

Reports to: Programme Development and Grants Manager

Terms: Fixed Term contract, 12 months, Full time role

Location: Raqqa, Northeast Syria

Salary: €36,862 - €40,959

About Concern:

Established in 1968, Concern is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organisation, dedicated to the reduction of suffering and the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries. Concern’s vision, our mission and our work are all defined by one goal – ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes. Concern strives for a world free from poverty, fear and oppression.

Our culture is values driven and we believe that our people are central to all that we do and are key to delivering on our goal of Reaching the Furthest Behind First. We are committed to ensuring a workplace where everybody feels valued and are enabled to succeed in their work and contribute to delivering on our mission.

Role Purpose:

As the Programme Officer (PO), you will report to the Programme Development and Grants Manager (PDGM) and will work directly with the Programme Director, Deputy Programme Director (DPD), Programme Coordinators (PC), Programme Managers (PM), whilst also liaising with Finance and Logistics staff. You will work closely with Concern Syria & Iraq’s Dublin-based Desk Officer to coordinate the development and submission of concept notes, proposals and reports.

The Programme Officer (PO) will support the Syria/Iraq programme team in the development and timely submission of high-quality donor proposals and reports as well as producing case studies, programme documentation, visibility material and brochures for Concern Worldwide’s country programme. Under the guidance of the PDGM, and in coordination with the PCs, the Dublin-based Desk Officer and regional technical advisers, the PO will facilitate the development of new concept notes and full proposals, ensuring familiarity with and adherence to organisational and donor templates and deadlines. In line with the country communications plan, the PO will work collaboratively with the Communications Officer to create communications materials such as briefing papers, advocacy documents, infographics and case studies. The PO will support the PDGM to continuously monitor funding opportunities and ensuring they are shared with the programme team in a timely manner. Throughout, the PO will support the mainstreaming of Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) as well as Protection, Gender and Equality across the Concern Country Programme.

The PO will support the team with data and information gathering, proper reflection of results, and impacts for proposals and reports and prepare regular internal programme and contextual updates. Finally, the PO will provide necessary documentation and other support to the Country Management Team (CMT).

We would like you to start in August 2025.

Responsibilities:

Proposal Development

• Support programme staff in the development of high-quality concept notes and proposals for both emergency and development programmes.

• Conduct desk-based research in order to provide relevant, up-to-date contextual input in proposal development and on a wide range of programme-related issues

• Produce “in-house” programme briefs or case studies that demonstrate best practice in areas of Concern’s work and also address problems/constraints and critical issues.

• Participate in planning processes with the Programme Development and Grants Manager to support the identification of funding needs and opportunities for further funding.

Reporting

• Support programme staff in the development and timely submission of high-quality donor reports, using appropriate templates and guidelines.

• Draft and/or review/finalise reports on behalf of the programme team as required, ensuring donor compliance.

• Support programme staff in the development and submission of reports and other relevant documentation for grants funded by UN agencies.

• Prepare monthly reports and occasional emergency updates as needed.

• Ensuring the reporting schedule is up to date, that programme teams are informed of the donor reporting requirements, and that appropriate guidelines and templates are shared.

Communications

• Support country staff and the Communications Department in Dublin to ensure the timely development of case studies and other visibility materials in line with Concern Syria and Iraq’s communication strategy, organisational guidelines, and donor requirements.

• Support with the production of quarterly (or as agreed) programme updates, newsletters, briefing papers and information packs for internal and external distribution, in line with organisational policy.

• Support communications functions through the dissemination of news and relevant articles, and the development of programme briefs, presentations, etc.

• As and when required, develop infographics in relation to the scope and scale of Concern’s work, building of the information used within the Information Management team, for example from the Dashboard and GIS Mapping.

Capacity Building

• Coaching and mentoring key national staff on proposal development and reporting.

• Supporting the Programme Coordinators in the development and implementation of Capacity Building plans for local partners were linked to donor funding and compliance issues, as appropriate.

General

• Maintain open communication and good working relations with all departments and support with advice and information related to donors, funding, and programme-related issues.

• Support emergency responses when required including preparing donor briefings and reporting.

• Represent Concern at relevant coordination meetings at local and national level.

• Contribute to development, review, and revisions of institutional and country programme strategies and policies and assist in-country Senior Management Team (SMT) with research as requested and agreed.

• Provide cover for Programme Development and Grant Manager role as necessary.

• Any other tasks mutually agreed with the Programme Development and Grant Manager.

Role Holder Requirements:

Essential:

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification in Project Management, Business Management, Development Studies, International Relations, Social Studies or a related field.

• Minimum 2 years’ experience of working in an NGO or similar organisation, designing, implementing, reviewing and capturing learning from programmes in a development and / or humanitarian setting.

• Minimum 1 year experience in successful proposal writing and grant management for major institutional donors (including ECHO/EU, USAID, UN agencies) and foundations.

• Proven track record in securing significant institutional funding from successful grant / contract applications.

• Excellent writing skills in English, including proposals and reports.

• Excellent project planning using logical frameworks.

• Excellent networking, communication, negotiation and presentation skills.

• Computer literate with excellent command of Microsoft Office software, especially Excel.

• Very strong team worker with excellent interpersonal and facilitation skills.

• Ability to prioritize and handle a diverse and very heavy workload.

• Ability to work under pressure to strict deadlines.

• Strong affinity with Concern’s vision, mission and values including the promotion of equality.

We would also like:

• Ability to speak, read, and write Arabic is an asset.

• Familiar with UN coordination mechanisms (cluster/sector approach)

• Experience producing publish-ready content, including the use of Adobe InDesign, Lightroom and other design and publishing software.

• Experience creating systems, processes and tools for organizational management, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting systems.

How to apply

To apply: Please make sure you include your Cover Letter and CV. All applications should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by the closing date.

Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be shortlisted on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date.

The closing date is subject to change, due to role demands/requirements.

If you have any concerns about our recruitment process and need particular assistance - for example if you have a visual impairment or are neurodivergent - please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.