Senior Context Analyst Officer, Syria Damascus

Position Summary

Search seeks a professional autonomous and well-organised Senior Context Analyst Officer to support its Syria programme (scope of work might be extended to Lebanon programme) , with a primary focus on the “Trusted Networks” project and the “Peacebuilding through Civil Society” project. The role is designed to strengthen Search’s ability to understand and respond to evolving context dynamics, including Syria’s information spaces and wider political, social, economic, security, media, and community-level developments.

The Senior Context Analyst Officer will support the production of timely, concise, and conflict-sensitive analysis that helps programme teams make informed decisions, adapt activities, identify emerging risks, and design responsible responses. Under Trusted Networks, the role will contribute to Search’s Early Warning / Early Response (EWER) work by helping connect online narrative trends, digital monitoring inputs, community observations, open sources such as INGO reports and academic research, and wider contextual developments to practical programme learning and decision-making.

While the role will initially focus on the two above-mentioned projects, the Senior Context Analyst may also provide context analysis support to other Syria projects, particularly where evolving political, social, economic, protection, media, or community dynamics may affect programme implementation, conflict sensitivity, stakeholder engagement, or donor reporting.

The Senior Context Analyst Officer will report to the Programs Team responsible for the relevant country portfolio, and will work in close coordination with the Country Director, safety and security focal points, MEAL team, and relevant programme teams.

The position holder will more specifically have the following Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Roles and Responsibilities

The Senior Context Analyst Officer will support Search’s context and information-space analysis work across Syria and region , with a primary focus on the Trusted Networks project. Key responsibilities include:

General Responsibilities:

• Monitor and analyse relevant developments in Syria’s information spaces and wider context, including social media trends, media narratives, public discourse, and political, social, economic, security, and community-level dynamics that may affect programme implementation or social cohesion.
• Produce concise monthly conflict analysis briefs highlighting key developments, emerging risks, and recommendations for programme adaptation and disseminate them with project teams and relevant team members.
• Support the development and periodic updating of conflict maps, stakeholder analyses, and context analyses for project locations where needed.
• Provide technical guidance to programme teams to ensure project activities are conflict-sensitive, contextually relevant, and contribute effectively to peacebuilding through adaptive programming and conflict-sensitive stakeholder engagement.
• Support adaptive programming by participating in project planning and coordination processes, ensuring conflict analysis informs programme design and implementation, and providing timely recommendations to adapt activities in response to changing conflict dynamics and emerging risks.
• Prepare and participate in donors briefings and contribute to the development of the training curricula (based on the request)
• Apply conflict sensitivity, ethics, and Do No Harm principles across analysis products by ensuring careful wording, appropriate anonymisation, safe handling of sensitive information, protection of individuals and communities, and prevention-oriented framing.

“Trusted Networks”-specific Responsibilities:

• Support the Trusted Networks EWER process by reviewing and synthesising open-source information, digital monitoring inputs, DCS observations, partner inputs, and relevant contextual developments into clear and usable analytical products.
• Identify emerging narrative trends, risk signals, polarising frames, misinformation and disinformation patterns, hate speech dynamics, affected communities, and possible offline implications requiring further attention or response.
• Prepare regular context and information-space analysis inputs, including short briefs, thematic notes, internal updates, issue trackers, and contributions to EWER reports, donor reports, learning products, concept notes, and proposals.
• Translate analysis into practical recommendations for programme adaptation, activity design, workshops, stakeholder engagement, risk management, and responsible response options.
• Coordinate analytical inputs with relevant programme teams, technical colleagues, partners, and stakeholders to ensure that analysis is grounded, useful, timely, and aligned with project needs.

Remain alert and responsive to any safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable promoting strong safeguarding practices, understanding safeguarding policy and procedures.

Required Profile

Education

• Degree’s in conflict and peacebuilding studies, international relations, political sciences or related fields, in addition to research experience. Advanced degree is a plus

Experience:

Essential

• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in context analysis, conflict analysis, research, journalism, media monitoring, information integrity, social media analysis, peacebuilding, humanitarian analysis, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of Syrian political, social, economic, media, and conflict dynamics, including how online narratives can interact with offline tensions.
• Familiarity with Syria’s digital information environment, including social media trends, public discourse, media actors, influencers, misinformation/disinformation dynamics, and harmful narratives.
• Strong analytical writing skills in Arabic and English (knowledge of Kurdish language is an advance), with the ability to produce concise, clear, and actionable analysis for programme teams and donors.
• Ability to analyse qualitative information from multiple sources, including open-source media, social media, partner inputs, field observations, and programme data.
• Advanced proficiency in Power BI or other commonly used data visualization and dashboarding tools.
• Good command of Excel, Google Sheets, or similar tools for organising information, trackers, coding sheets, and basic analysis.
• Understanding of conflict sensitivity, Do No Harm, and ethical handling of sensitive information.
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritise tasks, meet deadlines, and adapt to a rapidly changing context.
• Excellent written and spoken Arabic and English.

Desirable:

• Syrian national, strong long-term professional experience working on Syria.
• Based in Syria, able to work closely with Syria-based teams and partners remotely.
• Kurdish language skills are a strong asset.
• Experience working on Syria, or wider MENA dynamics is an asset.
• Experience with early warning / early response systems, hate speech monitoring, misinformation/disinformation analysis, fact-checking, digital safety, or social media listening tools.
• Experience working with civil society, media actors, youth networks, community monitors, or local partners.
• Familiarity with data visualisation, dashboards, qualitative coding, or AI-assisted monitoring platforms is an asset, but not required.
• Experience working with NGOs, peacebuilding organisations, media development programmes, or donor-funded projects.

Other Relevant Requirements

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex political, social, economic, and digital trends into clear and practical analysis.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with programme teams, MEAL, partners, and technical experts.
• High level of discretion, confidentiality, and political sensitivity when handling sensitive information.
• Ability to distinguish between verified information, unverified claims, public perceptions, rumours, narratives, and analysis.
• Commitment to Search’s mission, values, safeguarding standards, and conflict transformation approach.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment with respect for gender, religion, ethnicity, language, nationality, political diversity, and other identity factors.
• Ability to respond flexibly to emerging needs and urgent requests while maintaining analytical quality.

Other Details:

• Consultancy contract (until organization registration is finalized)
• Position location: Syria, Damascus
• Additional benefits: laptop, phone, travel expenses covered outside of the duty station, training opportunity
• Contract period: one year (renewed based on budget availability)

SFCG Senior Officer Competencies:

• Initiates brainstorming or problem-solving meetings. With time in job, develops skills for analyzing and communicating program successes and failures; reports lessons learned to the team and other members.
• Represents Search at local and international events and meetings for professional organizations, vendors, partners, and funders. Develops skills to independently initiate and maintain relations with vendors, partners, and funders. Articulates Search program/project goals and objectives within Search and to external audiences.
• Demonstrates appreciation for diversity of thought. Builds cross-functional relationships with other functional departments.
• Demonstrates ability to be adaptable and willing to confront and change own ideas and preconceptions with the resiliency and flexibility to make changes based on hearing a diversity of thoughts.
• Drafts team documents, briefing materials, and presentations. Articulate program/project objectives and how they fit into a team’s goals and/or Search’s mission and adapts to the communications setting.
• Applies standards, identifies areas for standardization, and coordinates across functions from a multicultural perspective that reflects consideration of other cultures, other viewpoints, and other ways of doing things.
• Takes into account the environmental landscape, assesses one’s own and others viewpoints in their environment, and proposes solutions from an ethical perspective.
• Recognizes the options available for solving problems, conducts analyses, and calculates metrics and other technical tools to support informed decision making.
• Conducts Quality Control of team documents, briefing materials, presentations, and systems data. Carefully reviews and checks the accuracy of information in work reports, management information systems, or with other individuals and groups. Checks the accuracy of one’s own and others’ work. Proactively informs management of potential risks and concerns; suggests resolutions.
• Independently prioritizes time to reach deadlines and reaches end results of assignments with ability to accomplish multiple steps with limited to no supervision.