1. Background
SHiFT – Social Innovation Hub is a Lebanon-based civil society organization working across community empowerment, youth engagement, peacebuilding, livelihoods, protection, education, media, and social innovation. It supports communities and young people to build skills, engage constructively, and develop practical local solutions.
SHADDA is the media program within SHiFT. It supports youth-led media, storytelling, digital communication, and socially relevant content. Through training, mentoring, and practical production support, SHADDA helps young activists, journalists, and content creators develop ethical, constructive, and community-oriented media.
SHiFT is currently expanding its engagement in Syria. As a first step, SHiFT will implement a pilot project under its SHADDA media program, with an initial focus on Homs and Hama. The project will work with a small group of young activists, journalists, and content creators to strengthen their skills in civic media, dialogue, conflict-sensitive communication, community listening, and responsible content production.
The project will support participants to identify selected local concerns, engage constructively with relevant local stakeholders, and produce media content that communicates community perspectives, responses, and possible next steps in a responsible and non-confrontational way.
As SHiFT’s first staff/focal point position in Syria, the role is practical, project-focused, and closely connected to the SHADDA media pilot project. The selected person may also provide limited support to related SHiFT activities in youth engagement, media, community dialogue, or conflict-sensitive communication.
2. Purpose of the Position
The Project Officer / Syria Focal Point will support the coordination and implementation of SHiFT’s SHADDA media pilot project in Syria, with an initial focus on Homs and Hama. The role will mainly involve day-to-day follow-up with participants, local partners, consultants, trainers, and relevant local stakeholders.
This is a practical coordination role, not a senior management or strategic leadership position. The Project Officer / Syria Focal Point will help ensure that project activities are organized, participants are supported, documentation is collected, and communication between Syria-based activities and SHiFT’s team in Lebanon remains clear and consistent.
3. Scope of Work
The Project Officer / Syria Focal Point will primarily support the implementation of the SHADDA media pilot project in Homs and Hama. The role will focus on coordination, participant follow-up, local engagement support, training and production logistics, documentation, and regular communication with SHiFT’s team in Lebanon.
The role may include limited support to other SHiFT activities in Syria when these are directly connected to the organization’s work on media, youth engagement, social cohesion, community dialogue, or safe and sustainable return. Any additional tasks should remain reasonable and aligned with the part-time nature of the position.
4. Key Responsibilities
A. Project Coordination and Follow-Up
- Support the day-to-day implementation of the SHADDA media pilot project in Syria.
- Follow up on activity plans, timelines, logistics, participant communication, and implementation needs.
- Coordinate with SHiFT’s team in Lebanon to ensure that project activities progress according to the agreed workplan.
- Support the preparation and organization of trainings, workshops, meetings, dialogue sessions, and production activities.
- Assist in arranging venues, participant communication, materials, transport coordination, and other logistical needs when required.
- Maintain regular communication with participants, consultants, local partners, and relevant project stakeholders.
- Identify delays, challenges, or implementation issues and report them to the line manager in a timely manner.
B. Participant Outreach and Support
- Support outreach to potential participants in Homs, Hama, and other relevant locations if needed.
- Assist with the application, shortlisting, interview, and onboarding process for youth participants.
- Maintain regular contact with selected participants throughout the project.
- Follow up on attendance, participation, assignments, and engagement.
- Support participants during training, community listening, issue mapping, and content development activities.
- Help create a respectful, safe, and constructive environment for participants.
- Flag concerns related to participant safety, participation barriers, conflict sensitivity, or safeguarding.
C. Support to Trainings and Workshops
- Support the planning and organization of training sessions delivered by SHiFT/SHADDA consultants and other confirmed trainers.
- Coordinate practical arrangements before, during, and after trainings.
- Prepare attendance sheets, participant lists, feedback forms, materials, and documentation.
- Support communication between trainers and participants.
- Assist in collecting pre/post assessments, feedback forms, and other training-related data.
- Follow up with participants on training assignments or practical exercises.
D. Community Listening and Local Engagement
- Support participants in carrying out limited community listening activities related to selected local concerns.
- Help organize community inputs in a clear and responsible way.
- Support the preparation of simple issue summaries or briefs based on participant findings.
- Support communication with local partners and relevant local stakeholders, as requested by the line manager.
- Assist in preparing meeting notes, follow-up points, and basic coordination updates.
- Help ensure that community engagement does not create unrealistic expectations or present the project as a complaint mechanism.
- Support the organization and documentation of structured dialogue or feedback sessions with relevant local stakeholders.
- Refer sensitive stakeholder-related issues to the line manager before taking action.
E. Media and Content Production Support
- Coordinate with the SHADDA team to support the youth-led content production process.
- Help participants follow agreed production timelines and submit content drafts on time.
- Support basic production coordination, including interview planning, filming arrangements, content tracking, consent forms, and publication documentation.
- Assist in organizing scripts, captions, content drafts, approvals, screenshots, and publication links.
- Help ensure that media content is reviewed before publication and follows ethical, accurate, and conflict-sensitive standards.
- Track published content and collect basic engagement data for reporting purposes.
F. Monitoring, Documentation, and Reporting
- Maintain accurate project files and documentation.
- Collect attendance sheets, feedback forms, participant data, meeting notes, photos where appropriate, and activity records.
- Support the collection of monitoring data required for donor reporting.
- Assist in documenting participant reflections, learning points, and selected change stories.
- Prepare short regular updates for the line manager on activities, progress, challenges, and next steps.
- Provide basic inputs for internal updates and donor reporting when requested.
- Ensure that documents and data are stored responsibly and confidentially.
G. Context Monitoring and Risk Flagging
- Follow relevant local developments in Homs and Hama that may affect project implementation.
- Inform the line manager of changes related to access, safety, stakeholder sensitivities, community tensions, or public communication risks.
- Support the application of do-no-harm, safeguarding, privacy, and conflict sensitivity principles.
- Flag content, issues, or activities that may require additional review before moving forward.
- Avoid taking action on sensitive matters without prior guidance from the line manager.
H. Limited Support to Other SHiFT Syria Activities
While the main focus of the position will remain the SHADDA media pilot project, the Project Officer / Syria Focal Point may occasionally support other SHiFT Syria activities when relevant and feasible. This may include logistical, coordination, or documentation support for initiatives related to youth engagement, media, community dialogue, social cohesion, or safe and sustainable return. Any additional support should be agreed with the line manager and remain aligned with the part-time nature of the role.
5. Expected Deliverables
Depending on the project workplan, the Project Officer / Syria Focal Point may be expected to contribute to the following deliverables:
- Participant outreach and selection records.
- Participant contact lists and attendance sheets.
- Training and workshop documentation.
- Feedback forms and pre/post assessment summaries.
- Meeting notes and follow-up points.
- Community input tracking sheets.
- Simple issue summaries or issue briefs.
- Content production tracking sheets.
- Consent forms and content review records.
- Publication links, screenshots, and basic engagement data.
- Short monthly progress updates.
- Activity photos and documentation, when safe and appropriate.
- Basic inputs for internal updates and donor reporting when requested.
6. Required Qualifications and Experience
Essential
- Bachelor’s degree in media, communication, journalism, social sciences, development studies, community development, or another relevant field.
- Minimum 2–3 years of relevant experience in project coordination, community engagement, media work, youth programming, civil society, or similar fields.
- Good understanding of the Syrian context, especially local community dynamics and sensitivities related to public communication.
- Experience coordinating with youth, community actors, local partners, or civil society organizations.
- Basic understanding of social media platforms and digital communication, with willingness to learn SHiFT/SHADDA’s media approach.
- Strong communication, organization, and follow-up skills.
- Ability to work independently and manage tasks remotely with regular supervision.
- Fluency in Arabic.
- Basic to good working knowledge of English, especially for coordination and simple reporting.
Desirable
- Experience in content production, storytelling, journalism, digital campaigns, or media coordination.
- Experience working with young activists, journalists, content creators, or community volunteers.
- Familiarity with the Homs and/or Hama context.
- Experience supporting trainings, workshops, or community activities.
- Former consultant or trainee with SHADDA media lab of SHiFT
- Basic understanding of conflict sensitivity, social cohesion, or dialogue work.
- Knowledge of ethical storytelling, consent, privacy, and responsible publication.
- Existing networks with civil society actors, youth groups, media actors, or community initiatives in Syria.
7. Required Skills and Competencies
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Good coordination and follow-up ability.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to build trust with participants and local actors.
- Good judgment in sensitive contexts.
- Respect for confidentiality and privacy.
- Ability to communicate clearly and professionally.
- Ability to support youth participants in a respectful and constructive way.
- Basic understanding of social media content formats.
- Ability to work with remote teams.
- Flexibility and willingness to adapt to changing project needs.
- Commitment to SHiFT’s values of inclusion, dignity, social cohesion, creativity, and responsible communication.
8. Safeguarding, Ethics, and Do-No-Harm
The Project Officer / Syria Focal Point is expected to uphold SHiFT’s principles of ethical engagement, safeguarding, and do-no-harm. This includes:
- Respecting the dignity, privacy, and safety of participants and community members.
- Ensuring that participation in project activities is voluntary and informed.
- Avoiding the collection or sharing of sensitive personal information unless necessary and approved.
- Supporting safe and respectful communication within the participant group.
- Reporting safeguarding, safety, or conflict-sensitive concerns to the line manager.
- Ensuring that media outputs do not expose individuals, communities, or stakeholders to unnecessary risk.
- Maintaining confidentiality when handling project information.
9. Working Arrangements
The Project Officer / Syria Focal Point will work part-time and coordinate closely with SHiFT’s team in Lebanon. The role will initially focus on activities in Homs and Hama, with possible travel within Syria depending on project needs, access, and safety considerations.
The role will include online coordination, field follow-up, participant communication, activity support, and regular reporting to the line manager. Occasional work outside regular hours may be required during trainings, events, or production periods.
The role may evolve gradually based on project needs, funding availability, and lessons learned during implementation. However, its primary focus will remain the coordination and implementation of the SHADDA media pilot project.
10. Application Requirements
Interested candidates should submit:
- An updated CV.
- A short cover letter explaining relevant experience and motivation.
- Examples of previous work, if available, such as media content, reports, campaigns, community initiatives, or coordination experience.
- Contact details for two professional references.
11. Equal Opportunity Statement
SHiFT encourages applications from qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds. Women, youth with experience in community work, media actors, and candidates with strong knowledge of Homs, Hama, or the broader Syrian context are encouraged to apply. Selection will be based on qualifications, experience, motivation, and alignment with the role requirements.
