Management Support Coordinator

Position description

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TITLE: Management Support Coordinator

TEAM/PROGRAMME:

LOCATION: Syria Country Office, Damascus

GRADE: 4

CONTRACT LENGTH: one year

CHILD SAFEGUARDING: (select only one)

Level 3: the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Management Support Coordinator is responsible for delivering high-quality, proactive, and confidential administrative and coordination support to senior members of the Syria country Senior Management Team, with a particular focus on the Syria Country Director. The role requires anticipation of the Director’s needs and ensuring effective management of calendars, priorities, internal communications, and follow-up actions.

A key component of the role includes coordinating management action points and decisions arising from SMT and other senior-level meetings. This includes maintaining and updating action trackers, monitoring progress, and following up with relevant stakeholders to ensure timely completion of assigned tasks.

The post holder must be highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of maintaining discretion and professionalism in a fast-paced, complex humanitarian environment.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to adapt to different working hours and take on duties outside their normal role profile, as required to support the response.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Syria Country Director

Staff reporting to this post: None

• Provide comprehensive executive support to the Syria Country Director, including proactive management of the Director’s and Operation Director’s calendars, travel arrangements (ticketing, hotel bookings, visas, foreign currency), and detailed itineraries. Maintain an up-to-date travel plan for all SMT members.

• Ensure effective and professional liaison with key contacts of the SMT, both within the Regional Office and internationally, including internal and external stakeholders.

• Ensure the Syria Country Director is fully prepared for meetings and briefings by managing pre-reading materials, briefing documents, and preparation time in advance of all critical engagements.

• Draft and prepare official documents, including letters, presentations, and reports for the Syria Country Director, ensuring timely distribution to relevant stakeholders.

• Work closely with the Syria Country Director and SMT to anticipate needs related to both immediate and long-term priorities. This requires sound knowledge of internal events, key meetings, organizational processes, and critical stakeholders.

• Proactively manage and coordinate meetings as assigned by the Syria Country Director. This includes scheduling, preparing dial-ins, verifying attendance, taking notes/minutes when required, and following up on agreed action points.

• Manage and coordinate the calendars of both the Syria Country Director and Deputy Director, tracking key deadlines, events, and SMT deliverables.

• Oversee administrative needs for the Syria Country Director, including IT support coordination, business cards, stationery, and expense claims.

• Act as a knowledgeable and trusted point of contact for departments reporting to the Syria Country Director, primarily at the SMT level, providing updates and information when needed.

• Establish and maintain an effective and well-organized filing system for the Syria Country Director.

• Support the implementation of special projects and assignments to advance the Syria Country Director’s strategic objectives.

• Ensure confidentiality and data protection are strictly upheld, especially regarding sensitive issues related to HR, crisis management, and Child Safeguarding.

• Build and maintain positive, professional relationships with internal and external stakeholders on behalf of the Syria Country Director.

• Liaise with external and internal visitors, including scheduling and logistical support for visits by auditors, donors, Member CEOs, media, Board representatives, and key partners.

• Support the Syria Country Director’s external communication efforts, including the use of social media (e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn), blog content, and newsletters, as needed.

• Ensure onboarding process and inductions for direct reports of SMT members.

• Perform any other duties reasonably assigned that align with the role’s purpose and contribute to the smooth functioning of the Country Office and SMT.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree with extensive experience in a similar role, preferably within the NGO sector and/or in an international environment
• Experience of dealing with complex diary and international travel arrangements for a multi-functional director, including event planning
• Ability to plan ahead, devise and manage work plans, anticipate requirements, problems and obstacles to work effectively whilst remaining calm under pressure to tight timescales
• Highly developed organisational and time management skills
• Sound judgement and an ability to effectively prioritise multiple tasks in a constantly changing environment
• Self-motivated, proactive and flexible; able to make judgements as to when to take the initiative on the RD’s behalf
• Highly computer literate and confident with Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Excel, as well as IT-savvy where communications are concerned
• Sound knowledge of office practices, procedures and administrative systems including filing systems.
• Strong coordination and time management skills. Ability to plan ahead, devise and manage work plans, anticipate requirements, problems and obstacles, juggle competing priorities successfully, and work effectively and calmly under pressure to tight deadlines.
• Ability to adopt a pro-active approach to problem solving working closely with both the RD and other colleagues as required and offering solutions as appropriate
• Able to manage and develop strong, positive relationships on behalf of the RD
• Strong written and oral communication skills, fluent in English and Arabic
• Ability to draft well-written, professionally presented correspondence and positively reflect the RD
• The ability to liaise and communicate effectively with a broad range of people at all levels, across different cultures and to act with credibility, discretion, tact and diplomacy
• Recognition of the need for confidentiality across all levels of work
• The ability to provide a certain degree of flexibility in working hours and availability for the RD, as we all as occasionally work outside normal hours to meet immediate deadlines or to liaise with people in other time zone
• A team player with a positive ‘can do’ attitude and someone who is deeply committed to Save the Children’s mission

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

(Define the experience and skills required for satisfactory job performance, these are in two categories such as ‘essential’ and ‘desirable’)

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff:

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

 

Application instructions

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