PALESTINE - FIELD COORDINATOR (M/F) - GAZA

Beginning of contract : 07/01/2027

Duration : 7 months

Localisation : Gaza / Deir el-Balah

ABOUT US

SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) is an international humanitarian aid association which, since more than 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their basic needs for food, water and shelter. Particularly committed to the fight against diseases linked to unsafe water, the leading cause of death in the world, SI's interventions provide expertise in the field of access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, but also in the essential area of food security and livelihoods. Present in 26 countries, the SI teams – 3200 people in total, made up of expatriates, national staff, permanent staff at HQ, and a few volunteers - intervene with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultural norms.

ABOUT THE MISSION

Solidarités International operates across the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with operational teams in Deir el-Balah and Ramallah and mission coordination in Jerusalem (although some national coordination staff work out of Ramallah). The position works at coordination level and covers both Gaza and West Bank operations, ensuring consistent administrative, HR and financial support across the mission. SI delivers emergency and early-recovery WASH assistance, shelter and essential-item distributions, and is scaling up nutrition-sensitive FSL activities, including a EUR 1.3 million FIFSAN project with a Palestinian partner. The portfolio relies on close cooperation with local organizations and must continually adapt to volatile access, damaged infrastructure, fragile markets and supply constraints. The Palestinian context is a particularly volatile one, especially in recent months in the West Bank, and in Gaza there are for the moments no signs of a resolution to the political and humanitarian crisis engulfing the exclave and its 2 million residents.

ABOUT THE JOB

General objective:

The Field Coordinator acts as delegated Country Director for the area of intervention. He/She leads the field base, defines and steers the operational strategy according to the humanitarian and geopolitical context, ensures programme quality and compliance with SI standards, mobilises the resources required for implementation, manages teams, and oversees safety, representation and external coordination.

Issues and specific challenges

1\) Managing a team in a highly complex and volatile security environment, even in a ceasefire context; ensuring vigilance on security rules, movement validation, and the overall security framework. 2\) Training and guiding a less experienced team in a context where SI has operated in Gaza only since after the October 2023 attacks; ensuring the regularisation of our processes, communications, and ways of working. 3\) Ensuring strong implementation capacity, especially if additional funding is secured from a new donor. 4\) Expatriate-heavy base management team. 5\) Need to develop programming into the very, very early stages of solutions that are in part more durable or which allow SI to reach more people at scale, especially on the WASH side.

Priorities on the 2-3 first months :

1\) Ensure the safety and security of the team. 2\) Monitor the increase of the team, including possible changes in guesthouse and office, and the nationalization of certain positions. 3\) With the programme team, deepen understanding of the context in a ceasefire environment, where more and more NGOs are not registered, in order to shape a clear vision of SI’s appropriate role. 4\) Improving SI's representation in the Gaza Strip and ability to improve its decision making, quality of programming, and relationship with civil society/the Clusters as a result.

Security constraints :

Security constraints are extremely high in Gaza, with air, land and naval strikes, risks related to medium and light infantry weapons, and severe social tensions linked to war, deprivation and economic collapse. The position requires strong security awareness, strict adherence to protocols, and the ability to lead under pressure.

YOUR PROFILE

Education / academic background:

Education background in logistics, transport, warehousing, IT, supply chain, management…

Specific skills and experience:

Technical skills

1\. Strong knowledge in team management and mentoring. 2\. Capacity to deal with many different issues, to self- update and learn very quickly from a highly and constantly evolving environment. 3\. Ability to manage and prioritize a high workload and multiple tasks with tight deadlines. 4\. Good representational skills, Ability to liaise, INGOs, other agencies, authorities and donors. 5\. A good understanding of security management. 6\. A good understanding of humanitarian issues including IDPs, camp management protection, advocacy. 7\. Ability to write/edit quality reports in English.

Transversal skills

1\. Ability to work in multi-cultural environment; more generally, excellent interpersonal and communication skills and strong cultural sensitivity. 2\. Willingness to work in a volatile security context. 3\. Ability to take initiatives, decisions and work in autonomy is essential. 4\. Good problem-solving skills in day to day and crisis situations. 5\. Important flexibility and adaptability. 6\. Experience working with SI (or a similar organization) is an asset 7\. Prior experience in South Sudan would be considered as an asset

Language:

Fluent in English, written and spoken. Arabic is a strong asset.

SI WILL OFFER YOU

A salaried position: According to experience, starting from EUR 2 310 gross per month (2100 base salary + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly Per Diem of USD 750.

SI also covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate's country of origin and the place of assignment.

Breaks: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of 7 working days every three months (with a USD 850 break allowance, allocated by Sl). To these breaks periods, SI grants one (1) additional rest day per month worked.

Insurance package: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which refunds all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.

LIVING CONDITIONS:

The position is based in Deir-el-Balah, where Solidarités International maintains its office and guesthouse, as do most INGOs. Since the ceasefire brokered on 10 October, living conditions have improved, and markets are gradually becoming more functional. At the time the position opened, most basic food items, including fruits and vegetables, were available in Gaza markets, although at high prices. Electricity at the SI office and guesthouse is entirely solar-powered, which, particularly in winter, may occasionally lead to temporary shortages. Internet is available at the GH and office with limited shortages. SI has one validated supermarket where expatriates can buy most goods for everyday life.