Job ID
47037
Job Title
Legal and Policy Advisor - Disaster Risk Management (Syria)
To work for
Confidential
Country
Syria
City
Damascus
Field of Work
Humanitarian/Disasters
Job Type
Full time
Military service
Not Specified
Minimum Education Level
Master
Responsibilities
- Objectives of the Expertise
The overall objective of this expertise is to strengthen national DRM governance through an evidence-based assessment of legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks and the formulation of practical reform options.
Specifically, the expertise will:
• Map and analyze existing legislation, regulations, policies, and institutional mandates relevant to DRM.
• Identify legal, regulatory, and institutional gaps, inconsistencies, and overlaps.
• Assess implementation barriers affecting preparedness, early warning, response coordination, community engagement, and financing.
• Review alignment with international and regional standards and good practices.
• Develop recommendations to strengthen legal frameworks, institutional arrangements, and inter-agency coordination mechanisms.
- Scope of Work
The national expert will undertake the following tasks:
1. Compile and systematize all relevant legal and policy instruments issued by national and subnational authorities.
2. Prepare a comprehensive overview of DRM governance arrangements in Syria.
3. Conduct legal and institutional gap analysis across all phases of DRM.
4. Identify operational barriers linked to legal and regulatory constraints.
5. Benchmark national frameworks against international standards and comparative practices.
6. Develop options for legal, regulatory, and institutional reform, with a focus on operational feasibility.
7. Participate in technical consultations, roundtables, and validation workshops with key stakeholders.
- Key Areas of Analysis
The expertise will examine, inter alia, the following thematic areas:
1. Institutional mandates and coordination mechanisms at national and local levels.
2. Disaster risk reduction, including risk assessments, land-use planning, building regulations, education, and early warning systems.
3. Preparedness and response arrangements, including contingency planning, logistics, information management, and emergency financing.
4. Recovery and reconstruction frameworks.
5. Legal facilities for international disaster assistance.
6. Community participation, accountability mechanisms, and protection of vulnerable populations.
7. Financing mechanisms and resource mobilization.
- Deliverables
The national expertise expected to produce the following outputs:
• A structured digital repository of all relevant legal and policy instruments.
• An analytical report (approximately 30–40 pages) with findings and actionable recommendations.
• Completed analytical matrices or guiding question tools as per the agreed methodology.
• Summary reports of stakeholder consultations and validation meetings.
• A final reform-oriented report that includes concrete proposals for strengthening the national and local disaster risk management governance framework, including recommended legal and regulatory amendments and a proposed institutional and coordination structure that clearly defines roles, responsibilities, and relationships among national and local authorities, sectoral institutions, and relevant humanitarian actors.
- Duration
The expertise is expected to be conducted over a period of four to six months, including desk review, field consultations where feasible, and drafting of final outputs. The final timeline will be agreed upon based on the consultant’s proposed workplan and incorporated into the contractual agreement.
- Reporting and Coordination
The national expert will work under the technical supervision of Disaster Law Programme. Regular progress updates will be provided, and deliverables will be reviewed and validated through consultative mechanisms.
As part of the application process, the national expert shall submit:
• A technical proposal, including a detailed methodology, workplan, and timeline aligned with the objectives of this expertise; and
• A financial proposal, indicating the expertise fees and estimated costs related to consultative activities, meetings, workshops, and any other anticipated operational expenses.
The proposed timeline and budget will be reviewed and finalized as part of the contractual agreement.
The overall objective of this expertise is to strengthen national DRM governance through an evidence-based assessment of legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks and the formulation of practical reform options.
Specifically, the expertise will:
• Map and analyze existing legislation, regulations, policies, and institutional mandates relevant to DRM.
• Identify legal, regulatory, and institutional gaps, inconsistencies, and overlaps.
• Assess implementation barriers affecting preparedness, early warning, response coordination, community engagement, and financing.
• Review alignment with international and regional standards and good practices.
• Develop recommendations to strengthen legal frameworks, institutional arrangements, and inter-agency coordination mechanisms.
- Scope of Work
The national expert will undertake the following tasks:
1. Compile and systematize all relevant legal and policy instruments issued by national and subnational authorities.
2. Prepare a comprehensive overview of DRM governance arrangements in Syria.
3. Conduct legal and institutional gap analysis across all phases of DRM.
4. Identify operational barriers linked to legal and regulatory constraints.
5. Benchmark national frameworks against international standards and comparative practices.
6. Develop options for legal, regulatory, and institutional reform, with a focus on operational feasibility.
7. Participate in technical consultations, roundtables, and validation workshops with key stakeholders.
- Key Areas of Analysis
The expertise will examine, inter alia, the following thematic areas:
1. Institutional mandates and coordination mechanisms at national and local levels.
2. Disaster risk reduction, including risk assessments, land-use planning, building regulations, education, and early warning systems.
3. Preparedness and response arrangements, including contingency planning, logistics, information management, and emergency financing.
4. Recovery and reconstruction frameworks.
5. Legal facilities for international disaster assistance.
6. Community participation, accountability mechanisms, and protection of vulnerable populations.
7. Financing mechanisms and resource mobilization.
- Deliverables
The national expertise expected to produce the following outputs:
• A structured digital repository of all relevant legal and policy instruments.
• An analytical report (approximately 30–40 pages) with findings and actionable recommendations.
• Completed analytical matrices or guiding question tools as per the agreed methodology.
• Summary reports of stakeholder consultations and validation meetings.
• A final reform-oriented report that includes concrete proposals for strengthening the national and local disaster risk management governance framework, including recommended legal and regulatory amendments and a proposed institutional and coordination structure that clearly defines roles, responsibilities, and relationships among national and local authorities, sectoral institutions, and relevant humanitarian actors.
- Duration
The expertise is expected to be conducted over a period of four to six months, including desk review, field consultations where feasible, and drafting of final outputs. The final timeline will be agreed upon based on the consultant’s proposed workplan and incorporated into the contractual agreement.
- Reporting and Coordination
The national expert will work under the technical supervision of Disaster Law Programme. Regular progress updates will be provided, and deliverables will be reviewed and validated through consultative mechanisms.
As part of the application process, the national expert shall submit:
• A technical proposal, including a detailed methodology, workplan, and timeline aligned with the objectives of this expertise; and
• A financial proposal, indicating the expertise fees and estimated costs related to consultative activities, meetings, workshops, and any other anticipated operational expenses.
The proposed timeline and budget will be reviewed and finalized as part of the contractual agreement.
Qualifications
The national expert should meet the following minimum requirements:
• Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in law, public policy, governance, or related disciplines.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant professional experience in legal and/or policy analysis, preferably in DRM, governance reform, or public sector institutional development.
• Demonstrated experience in legal and policy mapping, institutional analysis, and reform-oriented advisory work.
• Strong analytical, drafting, and facilitation skills.
• Full professional proficiency in Arabic (written and spoken) is mandatory, given that the legal and policy materials and consultations will be conducted primarily in Arabic.
• Working knowledge of English is considered an asset, particularly for alignment with international standards and coordination with international partners.
• Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in law, public policy, governance, or related disciplines.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant professional experience in legal and/or policy analysis, preferably in DRM, governance reform, or public sector institutional development.
• Demonstrated experience in legal and policy mapping, institutional analysis, and reform-oriented advisory work.
• Strong analytical, drafting, and facilitation skills.
• Full professional proficiency in Arabic (written and spoken) is mandatory, given that the legal and policy materials and consultations will be conducted primarily in Arabic.
• Working knowledge of English is considered an asset, particularly for alignment with international standards and coordination with international partners.
Specific Vacancy Requirements
The Syrian Arab Republic is exposed to a wide range of hazards, including earthquakes, fires, floods, drought, public health emergencies, and the long-term impacts of armed conflict. These compounded risks continue to increase vulnerability and place significant strain on national systems for preparedness, response, and recovery.
Recent institutional developments, notably the establishment of a dedicated responsible for emergency and disaster management, present an important opportunity to strengthen national disaster risk management (DRM) governance, including legal, regulatory, and institutional preparedness across all phases of disaster management.
In this context, there is a recognized need for a comprehensive and systematic review of existing legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks governing DRM, with the objectives of clarifying mandates, identifying gaps and overlaps, strengthening coordination mechanisms, and ensuring alignment with relevant international and regional frameworks, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Draft Articles on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters (PPED), and applicable regional agreements.
The findings of such a review are expected to inform policy dialogue, support evidence-based decision-making, enhance legal preparedness, and strengthen coherence between humanitarian, development, and environmental interventions.
Accordingly, and in cooperation with the Disaster Law Programme, proposes to undertake a structured legal and policy mapping and analytical review of DRM governance frameworks in Syria, with the aim of supporting institutional strengthening and legislative reform processes.
Recent institutional developments, notably the establishment of a dedicated responsible for emergency and disaster management, present an important opportunity to strengthen national disaster risk management (DRM) governance, including legal, regulatory, and institutional preparedness across all phases of disaster management.
In this context, there is a recognized need for a comprehensive and systematic review of existing legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks governing DRM, with the objectives of clarifying mandates, identifying gaps and overlaps, strengthening coordination mechanisms, and ensuring alignment with relevant international and regional frameworks, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Draft Articles on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters (PPED), and applicable regional agreements.
The findings of such a review are expected to inform policy dialogue, support evidence-based decision-making, enhance legal preparedness, and strengthen coherence between humanitarian, development, and environmental interventions.
Accordingly, and in cooperation with the Disaster Law Programme, proposes to undertake a structured legal and policy mapping and analytical review of DRM governance frameworks in Syria, with the aim of supporting institutional strengthening and legislative reform processes.
Salary and Benefits
To be discussed.
About us
Humanitarian Domain.
Required employees number
1
Posted On
Feb 23, 2026
Expiry Date
Mar 25, 2026
Photo
Required
CV Language
English
