Education Sector NGO Sub-National Co-Coordinator

Education Sector NGO Sub-National Co-Coordinator

Syria -Aleppo

BACKGROUND

The Education Sector in Syria, led by the Ministry of Education and co-led by UNICEF, coordinates over 160 organizations to expand access to safe, inclusive, and quality education, while providing strategic guidance, harmonizing efforts, and ensuring alignment with national priorities.

In 2025, the Education Sector and its members provided access to formal and non-formal learning for more than 2.1 million children across Syria, with 149 partners actively reporting their activities across all governorates. Specifically, partners supported formal and non-formal education, PSS for students and teachers, school rehabilitation, teacher training, Cash Assistance, Mine Risk Education, and capacity building for education personnel on emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction. 

Following the transition from the Whole of Syria architecture into one national system, coordination functions are now fully integrated under the national Education Sector mechanism, ensuring unified planning and monitoring. 

To enhance overall coordination and efficiency, the Education Sector is partnering with NGO sector co-coordinating partner(s) at the sub-national level in sub-national hubs (or areas of responsibility). Selected NGO co-coordinating partner(s) will work in close coordination with the Ministry of Education as Sector Lead and UNICEF as the Sector Co-Lead at the sub-national Sector level to enhance coordination and operational effectiveness of the education response across Syria. 

Reports to: Education Program Manager ()

Technical Supervision and Oversight: National Education Sector Coordinator (UNICEF), with additional technical support from the Education Tecnhical Advisor (Save the Children).

Workstation : Syria – Aleppo

Job title: Education Cluster Co - Coordinator

Job Code: 231464.

PURPOSE

On behalf of the Education Sector in Syria, and in technical and with technical and financial support by Save the Children, Shafak seeks a Sub-National Education Sector Co-Coordinator at sub-national level based in Aleppo. The purpose of this post is to facilitate effective coordination and enhance processes required to esnure a strategic, timely, coherant, effective, and accountable education response across Aleppo and Idleb governorates. . In line with the Education Sector's localisation commitments, the post holder will work to strengthen the effectiveness, continuity, and inclusivity of sector coordination, advance the meaningful engagement and capacities of national and local actors, and support the progressive transfer of coordination responsibilities in accordance with the Education Sector NGO Co-Coordinating Partner Terms of Reference (Syria, April 2026).

The Sub-National Education Sector Co-Coordinator is an integral member of the sub-national Education Sector coordination team, working alongside the Directorates of Education and the UNICEF Sub-National Coordinator to deliver the core Education Sector coordination functions across Aleppo and Idleb governorates. In accordance with the Education Sector NGO Co-Coordinating Partner Terms of Reference (Syria, April 2026), the post holder will contribute to the effective coordination of the education response through the following responsibilities:

·     Support the effective functioning of sub-national Education Sector coordination, by organising, preparing and co-chairing regular sector meetings with the Directorate of Education (DoE) and the UNICEF Sub-National Coordinator, ensuring discussions are inclusive, action-oriented and followed up effectively.

·     Promote active engagement of education partners in sector coordination mechanisms and adherence to minimum commitments, technical standards, and the IASC Principles of Partnership, as outlined in national Education Sector guidance.

·     Facilitate coordination and information sharing among partners, including tracking education needs, identifying response gaps, avoiding duplication, and supporting the dissemination of sector guidance, standard operating procedures (SOPs), preparedness actions and other technical resources.

·     Support joint needs analysis, planning, monitoring and reporting, ensuring that sub-national priorities and response plans are aligned with national Education Sector priorities and informed by operational realities.

·     Strengthen communication and coordination between the national and sub-national Education Sector mechanisms by facilitating two-way information sharing, reporting and follow-up on agreed actions.Support the alignment of sub-national priorities, planning, and response with the National Education Sector strategy, including facilitating two-way communication between national and sub-national levels

·     Contribute to improving the timeliness, quality, and impact of the Education in Emergencies response, including support to preparedness, contingency planning, and early warning mechanisms

·     Strengthen and maintain coordination and dialogue with national and sub-national authorities, local civil society actors, UN Agencies, NGOs and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen collective action.

·     Promote complementarity of partner interventions and support efforts to avoid duplication and address gaps in the education response

·     Advance localisation at sub-national level, by promoting the meaningful engagement of national and local actors in coordination mechanisms, and identifying opportunities for capacity-strengthening and shared learship at sub-national level.

·     Support inter-sectoral coordination and collaboration, including identifying synergies with Protection (CP, GBV, Mine Action AORs), WASH, CCCM/ESNFI, Health, the Solutions Working Group, and area-based coordination structures

·     Ensure protection, inclusion, and early recovery are mainstreamed across coordination discussions and responses, with attention to the differentiated needs of women, girls, boys, persons with disabilities, and other groups at risk, and represent NGO perspectives in sectoral and inter-sectoral advocacy and decision-making forums

·     Represent the collective perspectives and priorities of Education Sector partners in sectoral and inter-sectoral coordination forums and contribute to evidence-based advocacy on education needs and priorities. Maintain impartiality by ensuring a clear separation between Shafak programme implementation responsibiities and the Education Sector Coordination function, representing the interests of all sector members as a collectiv.

·     Monitor the performance and effectiveness of the core Education Sector coordination functions at the sub-national level and contribute to continuous improvement of coordination processes.

·     Be accountable to the affected population through effective and inclusive consultative and feedback mechanisms

·     Monitor performance of the core Sector coordination functions at sub-national level.

·     In coordination with the National Education Sector and the Ministry of Education, the post holder will ensure effective communication, reporting, engagement and coordination between the national and sub-national levels, and maintain linkages with development actors and community initiatives to support sustainability and education system recovery

Core Sector Functions (Sub-National Level)

1.   To support service delivery

      1.1.   Support meeting preparation, minutes, and action tracking, and providing inputs for the development of sector meeting agendas and materials

      1.2.   Develop and/or support regular updating of tools to eliminate duplication of service delivery and enhance complementarity at sub-national level; identifying capacity gaps for local and national actors

1.3. Facilitate partner engagement and coordination to strengthen complementarity, reduce duplication and identify operational and capacity gaps.

1.4. Work with the Directorates of Education, UNICEF and Education Sector partners to resolve operational coordination issues and improve service delivery.

2.   To inform and contribute to the National Education Sectoranalysis and strategic decision-making

      2.1.   Coordinate, contribute to and partipcate in joint sector and multi-sectoral needs analysis and assessments at sub-national level, in line with National Sector guidance

      2.2.   Collect regular contextual and qualitative information from Directorates of Education and sector members, and other sectors at sub-national level (e.g. CCCM, Protection, WASH) to update needs and inform national planning processes.

      2.3.   Document and provide regular updates on operational realities, emerging needs, response gaps , enuring critical gaps are documented and shared with the National Sector for advocacy and planning purposes.

2.4. Contribute to inter-sectoral and inter-agency assessments and missions, ensuring education needs are reflected.

3.   Contribute to Sector Planning and Response Prioritization

      3.1.   Facilitate inclusive consultations with Directorates of Education, NGOs and sector members, including local actors, during the development and implementation of sector response plans, ensuring operational realities and access challenges are reflected

      3.2.   Consult with Directorates of Education and education  partners on geographic and population  targeting, and consolidate partner inputs on priority needs and response gaps to inform national planning processes.

      3.3.   Advocate for the inclusion of community feedback mechanisms, gender, PSEA, and education priorities in sector plans

      3.4. Facilitate two-way communication between the national and sub-national Education Sector to support implementation of agreed priorities.

4.   Monitor and evaluate education sector performance at sub-national level

      4.1.   Review and validate 4W reports shared by partners via the national Information Management (IM) system, and follow up with partners on late or incomplete reporting

      4.2.   Compile sub-national updates and dashboard inputs in collaboration with the national Information Management focal point, and track follow-up on agreed actions with sector members

      4.3.   Co-organise and participate in joint field monitoring missions, including for pooled funds and inter-agency or inter-sectoral missions

5.   Build national capacity in preparedness and contingency planning 

      5.1. Support preparedness and contingency planning activities, including the collection of risk, hazard, and access information from sector partners, local authorities, and education actors.

      5.2. Facilitate consultations with partners and ensure Service Mappings are available and updated to determine partner preparedness and rapid deployment capacities.

      5.3. Support the roll out and use of rapid assessment and EiE situation monitoring tools to enhance access to timely data and evidence that can imrove decision making and strengthen early warning mechanisms.

      5.4. Support the Ministry of Eucation and the National Task team for Rapid Response to map and operationalize communication lines and activation triggers for the Anticpatory Action and Rapid Response Mechanism, ensuring adherance to national SOPs and Guideines.

6.   Advocacy

      6.1.   Develop and conslidate inputs for advocacy materials (briefing notes, flash updates, funding appeals, and donor updates) in collaboration with the UNICEF Sub-National Coordinator

      6.2.   Consolidate evidence, including field-level case studies, ensuring community concerns — particularly those of students and teachers — are represented in advocacy messages.

      6.3. Promote consistent messaging beween sub-national and natioal coordination mechanisms.

      6.4. Support the coordination of donor missions, joint field visits, delegations, and technical briefings by coordinating with the Directorate of Education, UNICEF, sector partners, and other relevant stakeholders.

7.   Accountability to affected populations:

      7.1. Encourage NGO adherence to AAP and feedback mechanisms and support the sub-national/national sector coordinator to monitor and pilot AAP mechanisms for the Education Sector

      7.2. Facilitate consolidation of partner evidence and field-level case studies to enhance AAP and the participation of children in programme design and implementation

. Donor Engagement:

     8.1. Support the Sub-National Education Sector Coordinator and the National Education Sector coordination team in facilitating effective engagement with donors and resource partners by providing contextual analysis, operational updates, and evidence-based information on education needs, response gaps, and priorities in Aleppo and Idleb governorates.

     8.2. Support the preparation of donor briefings, funding updates, situation analyses, and advocacy materials by consolidating inputs from Education Sector partners, Directorates of Education, and relevant stakeholders, ensuring that information reflects collective sector priorities and operational realities.

     8.3. Facilitate coordination of donor visits, field missions, and technical briefings at sub-national level, including engagement with the Directorates of Education, education partners, and communities, ensuring that visits are well coordinated, inclusive, and aligned with Education Sector priorities.

     8.4. Provide timely analysis of funding trends, emerging needs, and critical response gaps to support evidence-based advocacy for sustained and flexible funding for education interventions, including support to underserved locations, vulnerable groups, and continuity of education during emergencies.

     8.5. Support transparent communication between donors, Education Sector partners, and coordination structures by ensuring that donor-related information, priorities, and feedback are appropriately shared through established sector mechanisms.

    8.6. Contribute to donor engagement efforts that promote localisation, including highlighting the capacities, contributions, and priorities of national and local education actors and advocating for their meaningful inclusion in education response planning and resource mobilisation.

    8.7. Maintain impartiality in donor engagement by representing the collective priorities and evidence of the Education Sector membership and ensuring a clear separation between sector coordination responsibilities and the fundraising or programme interests of the hosting organisation.

ACCOUNTABILITY

The post holder is accountable to:

·     The National Education Sector Coordinator (UNICEF), for technical and operational oversight of coordination tasks

·     The post holder's organization management, for administrative supervision, who will in turn ensure that the post holder is provided with all necessary support and guidance

·     The International-NGO partner organisation (Save the Children) will be technically and financially supporting the organization of post holder (Shafak).  

·     Sub-national Education Sector members, who will in turn ensure that they deliver on their agreed minimum commitments (see IASC Reference Module for Cluster Coordination at Country Level, July 2015)

·     Sub-national Education Sector coordination team members (Directorate of Education and UNICEF), who will in turn support the post holder in line with their terms of reference

·     Sub-national inter-sectoral coordination structures (e.g. Protection, WASH, CCCM/ESNFI, Health, and the Solutions Working Group)

·     Affected populations through agreed mechanisms

Key Principles and Commitments

·     The post holder commits to the IASC Principles of Partnership and to fulfilling the coordination role on behalf of the sector membership, rather than representing the organisation's own institutional interests

·     The post holder is accountable to the national sector leadership, including the Ministry of Education, the National Education Sector Coordinator, UNICEF as Sector Lead Agency, and Save the Children as technical and financial support agency and will act impartially, transparently, and inclusively in representing the collective views, priorities, and concerns of all sector members

·     The organization hosting the post must demonstrate the capacity to allocate 100 per cent of the post holder's designated staff time to coordination responsibilities and adhere to humanitarian principles and the Education Sector Information Sharing Protocol

·     In line with localisation commitments under the humanitarian system, the post holder is expected to actively contribute to sustained national capacity, meaningful participation of local actors, and the progressive transfer of coordination responsibilities to national partners, including the Ministry of Education and local authorities

COMPETENCIES

Core competencies:

·     Understands the rationale behind Humanitarian Reform, its main components and recent developments including the Transformative Agenda

·     Understands, uses and adapts the tools, mechanisms and processes developed as part of Humanitarian Reform

·     Demonstrates commitment to Humanitarian Principles

·     Demonstrates commitment to Principles of Partnership

·     Demonstrates commitment to localisation, including support for the leadership and meaningful participation of national and local actors, particularly national NGOs, women-led organisations, and organisations of persons with disabilities, in sector coordination

·     Communicates, works and networks effectively with a wide range of people to reach broad consensus on a well-coordinated response, and demonstrates leadership where required

·     Thinks and acts strategically and ensures that sector coordination activities are prioritised and aligned within an agreed strategy

·     Demonstrates commitment to the Education Sector and independence from employing organisation

·     Builds, motivates and leads the sector coordination team

Technical competences

Understands key technical issues for the Education Sector, including Education in Emergencies (EiE) programming, sufficiently well enough to be able to: engage with sector participants; make full use of their experience and knowledge; guide strategy and plans; communicate and advocate on important issues

Languages

The post holder will have at least CEFR level B1 in the following languages:

·     English

·     Arabic

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Qualifications

·       University degree, preferably at an advanced level, in a subject area relevant to the Education Sector (e.g. education, social sciences, international development, or humanitarian coordination)

·       Extensive work experience relevant to this post may be considered as a replacement for formal qualifications.

·       Formal training in Education Sector/cluster coordination is an advantage

·       Technical expertise in Education in Emergencies, emergency preparedness, and/or education programmes, and adherence to the hosting organization's safeguarding and PSEA policies

Experience

·     At least 3 to 5 years progressively responsible humanitarian work experience with UN and/or NGO, including programme management and/or coordination in the first phase of a major emergency response relevant to the Education Sector/Education in Emergencies

·     Extensive work experience outside the humanitarian sector which is relevant to this post may be considered as a replacement for humanitarian experience provided the applicant demonstrates core coordination competencies and skills.

·     Demonstrated track record of engagement with Education Sector partners, including national and international NGOs, UN agencies, and government authorities, at national and/or sub-national levels; active participation in sector governance or technical bodies (e.g. sector meetings, SAG, TWGs, 4Ws) is an asset

FURTHER REFERENCES

1.       IASC Guidance Note On Using The Cluster Approach To Strengthen Humanitarian Response 24 November 2006  

2.       IASC Handbook for RCs and HCs on emergency preparedness and response 2010 

3.       Cluster Performance Monitoring: Preliminary Coordination Performance Report   

4.       IASC Women, girls, boys and men, different needs, equal opportunities 2006

5.       Different Needs - Equal Opportunities: Increasing Effectiveness of Humanitarian Action for Women, Girls, Boys and Men, e-learning course

6.       Education Cluster Coordinator Handbook

7.       INEE Minimum Standards for Education: Preparedness, Response, Recovery, especially Coordination Standard 1   

8.       Humanitarian Programme Cycle

9.       Global Education Cluster Website

10.   Education Sector NGO Co-Coordinating Partner Terms of Reference, Syria, April 2026  following link

 Demonstrate adherence to Shafak’s following policies:

1. Child Safeguarding Policy:Child abuse in all forms is unacceptable to Shafak, which recognizes its responsibility to protect children from harm in all areas of its work. Shafak is committed to ensuring a child-safe environment and is applying a zero-tolerance approach towards any kind of child abuse and exploitation.
2. Discrimination, Abuse and Harassment Policy,Shafak expressly prohibits and will not tolerate any form of discrimination, abuse, harassment (sexual or otherwise), based upon race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship status, disability, or military status. Shafak employees and related personnel must under no circumstances take part in any form of discrimination, harassment, or abuse (physical, sexual or verbal), intimidation or exploitation, or in any other way infringe the rights of others inside or outside Shafak.

Notice: We will discuss these policies during the interview, so if you are asked to interview, please download and read them beforehand:

 https://www.shafak.org/site/files/shafak-PSEA-CoC.PDF

To apply for this position please visit the link;

Closing date: 22-08-2026