Syria – Country Administrator

COOPI is looking for a Country Administrator in Syria.

COOPI has been active with its humanitarian action in Syria (Damascus) since 2016. The protracted crisis in Syria has intensified needs over the past year through a complex and deepening socio-economic crisis, knock-on effects of Covid-19, cholera outbreaks and major losses in the food production sector.

In 2024 COOPI has been providing FSL, Early Recovery and Protection support in Aleppo, Raqqa, Homs, Hamas, Rural Damascus and Dara’a implementing programs funded by different donors (UNHCR, OCHA, ILO, UNDP and AICS).

COOPI main office is based in Damascus and COOPI teams are present in two field offices: one in Hama and one in Aleppo.

Description of the role

The Country Administrator (CA) is responsible for supervision, management and quality implementation of all aspects of COOPI financial and administrative operations in the country by preparing the coordination budget and controlling the projects’ budgets. The CA will also contribute at managing the relationship with the institutional partners and stakeholders with specific reference to the authorization requests and to the procurement.

Main responsibilities

Budget planning and monitoring

• Planning and Coordination budget control: preparation and regular verification of the trend of the general coordination and any area coordination’s budget; monitoring of the sustainability of all coordination’s and field offices under the country coordination responsibility;
• Budget preparation and projects’ economic-financial control for new projects;
• Goods management: sustainability and correct management verification, assuring the correct application of the organization’s procedures in relation to purchases and goods management;

Financial management and control

• Financial management: supervision and control of the cash management (coordination and field offices/safe and bank accounts), and the cash flow to the projects;
• Projects’ economic-financial monitoring: regularly checks the economic-financial performance of projects (, expenditure projections, financial forecast and final balance);
• Financial reporting and audit: finalizes and controls all intermediate and final financial reports to be transmitted to the donors, responsible for the correct financial reporting; responsible for the preparation and execution of audits conducted in the country, and for the transmission to the headquarters of all project documents to be audited in the HQ; responsible for the preparation of annual audits for headquarters and local authorities;
• Liaison with local authorities: ensure that all administrative and financial procedures in relation with local authorities are timely and properly executed, from the visas of the staff to the registration and financial reporting processes;

Human Resources

• Local staff management and local and expatriate staff administration;

Logistics

• Supervise preparation of contracts with suppliers and any other contract issued by the coordination office. Ensure that contractual commitments are accurately tracked;
• Provide assistance to project managers and logistics team in procurement process and ensure that all procurements are done according to COOPI and Donor Procedures Ensure budget availability of expenditures and that appropriate authorizations are in place.

Requirements

Essentials

• University degree in relevant subjects;
• A minimum of five years of relevant working experience is required;
• At least three years of demonstrated successful experience in international relief and development in a similar position is required;
• Demonstrated effective verbal and written communication, negotiation skills, multi-tasking and organizational skills;
• Experience in liaising with governmental/local authorities, IOs and NGOs;
• Demonstrated ability to work in stressful environments and under pressure;
• Experience in working in conflict-prone environments a plus;
• Proven capacity in managing a team is essential;
• Fluency in English language;
• Computer literate.

Desired

• Experience in logistics, procurement and security matters is a strong advantage;
• Previous work experience in MENA Region is a plus;
• Experience in managing complex consortium/partnerships is an advantage.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the application closing date, once a sufficient number of applications have been received.
Please note that only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Interviews will be conducted on rolling basis and the vacancy will be closed when filled, thanks for understanding.

COOPI Cooperazione Internazionale is an Italian secular and independent humanitarian organisation fighting against all forms of poverty to improve the world. Founded in 1965, today COOPI is present in 33 countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Middle East, with both emergency and development projects carried out by expatriate staff – an average of over 240 people per year – and national staff. The main institutional funders are the European Union – ECHO and INTPA – USAID, UN agencies, the Italian Government, local authorities and other European Governments.