About Us 

The Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation (MF) is an international rights-based, survivor-centred organisation, dedicated to ending sexual violence as a weapon of war globally. The Mukwege Foundation supports survivors’ demands for a world where sexual violence as a weapon of war is no longer tolerated, and bears consequences for individual perpetrators and states. We work for a future where survivors receive the holistic care and compensation they need to rebuild their lives. We create opportunities for survivors to speak out and be heard, and where they can organise to create change, influence policies, and demand justice and accountability.

The Mukwege Foundation’s ‘Voice’ programme focuses on strengthening survivors’ agency to actively influence and participate in policy and practice concerning them at national and international levels.

At the global level, SEMA – the Global Network of Victims and Survivors to End Wartime Sexual Violence – offers a safe global platform for survivors to come together for solidarity, to share experiences and knowledge, to advocate powerfully for the abolition of the use of sexual violence as a tactic of war, and to lobby for the recognition of the rights of survivors to quality holistic care and to restorative justice.

At the national level, the Mukwege Foundation supports the initiation, development, and strengthening of in-country survivor networks, creating safe spaces for peer-to-peer support and building survivors’ capacities to enable them to actively engage in advocating for their rights. The Mukwege Foundation is currently supporting national survivor networks in Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Iraq, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, Nepal, Uganda, Ukraine, South Sudan and planning to expand the programming to Syria and Burundi in 2025 and beyond.

Background

Since 2025, MF has been engaged in Syria, working closely with its partner, the Association of Detainees and Missing Persons of Sednaya Prison (ADMSP). MF is seeking a highly motivated candidate who can support strengthening CRSV survivor engagement in Syria, including by developing national survivor networks, as part of a project entitled “A Survivor-Led Path to Care and Justice” funded by the German Federal Agency.  The project, launched in 2025 and continuing through 2026, aims to strengthen support for CRSV survivors through a combination of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and socio-economic support delivered by ADMSP, including tailored MHPSS sessions for network members. In parallel, the Mukwege Foundation focuses on building ADMSP’s capacity in survivor-centred, trauma-informed holistic care following the Panzi model; conducting a comprehensive scoping and consultation process with both male and female survivors of conflict-related sexual violence—inside and outside detention centres—to identify their needs, strategic priorities, and interest in forming survivor networks; and, based on these findings, supporting the establishment of a safe, empowered, and inclusive survivor peer network that fosters mutual support, amplifies survivors’ voices, and strengthens their participation in advocacy and transitional justice processes.

Job overview

This is an excellent opportunity for a Syria-based Senior Project Officer dedicated to human rights and motivated to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. The ideal candidate has experience in project management within international or national human rights or humanitarian organisations, particularly in survivor-centred approaches, gender-based violence prevention and response, and has – or is eager to gain – experience in capacity building with survivor-led initiatives.

The Senior Project Officer will serve as the Mukwege Foundation’s focal point in Syria, leading the engagement with survivors, in close collaboration with ADMSP, future implementing partners and other key stakeholders in Syria. The Senior Project Officer will support the project implemented by ADMSP and support the development of survivor networks through technical, logistical, administrative, financial reporting, and advocacy support, and will identify and facilitate survivor participation across relevant coordination platforms including transitional justice efforts, and all future MF programmes in Syria.

Main responsibilities

The position is based in Damascus, with in-country travel within Syria. Fluency in both Arabic and English is required, along with strong skills in project management.

The main responsibility of the Senior Project Officer is to ensure the successful planning, execution, and completion of the above-mentioned project and activities, including the part implemented by ADMSP by actively facilitating the development, strengthening, and impact of national survivor networks in Syria, under the guidance of the team based in The Hague.

These responsibilities include:

1.Survivor consultations and network building

• Lead consultations with women survivors to identify their needs, strategic priorities, and interest in forming survivor networks.

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive map of women-led informal networks.

• Develop, coordinate, and monitor national survivor networks in Syria, under the guidance of the team in the Hague, and supporting the implementing partner in:
  • Organising and facilitating network-building/strengthening workshops and learning exchanges.
  • Accompanying network members in managing their daily activities, including peer-to-peer support, access to MHPSS, support referrals to services, community events and other.
  • Organising and facilitating survivor-led events.
  • Supporting the implementing partner in organising regular meetings, delivering training and facilitating access to MHPSS.
  • Identifying opportunities and supporting survivor networks in developing advocacy messages and strategies.
• Build the capacities of network members on various topics based on network priorities, including direct mentoring, and coordination of external training sessions.
• Follow up on other relevant activities to support the survivor network.
• Act as a focal point with network members and survivors of CRSV, including conducting regular consultations and involving them in key stages of the project cycle.

2. Project coordination

• Ensure effective coordination with partners in Syria to ensure timely and quality implementation of the project activities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with local stakeholders to ensure alignment of project objectives with the context of implementation.
• Monitor context and propose change in activities if the changed environment requires this.
• Inform the Programme Manager of project progress, challenges, and successes.
• Prepare reports with reliable and quality data, in close collaboration with the Programme Manager.
• Create and maintain contacts with grassroots organisations working in line with MF project objectives and the survivor networks, including by developing a shared database of contacts.

3. Logistics and organisational support

• Identify potential partners and assist with due diligence, contracting, and relationship management.
• Organise and manage logistics for field visits, including travel, accommodation, and other needs for MF staff
• Support events, including workshop preparation and translation as needed.

4. Other responsibilities

• Identify and facilitate survivor participation across relevant coordination platforms including transitional justice efforts, and future MF programmes in Syria.

• Support the application of a survivor-centred approach in Syria, including by engaging stakeholders working with CRSV survivors.

Qualifications and competencies

• Fluency in Arabic and English is mandatory.

• The position is open to women candidates only, given the sensitivity of the topic and the stigma surrounding it, as it is considered more appropriate and comfortable for women survivors to engage with a female staff member.

• Relevant university degree (e.g. political science, social science, management, gender studies) with 3 years of relevant work experience in a comparable context.

• Experience in project management and implementation.
• Experience in engaging with survivors of SGBV/CRSV or other victims of grave violations.

• Excellent problem-solving skills.

• Strong writing and communication skills.

• Flexibility, independence, problem-solving attitude, reliability and commitment to the objectives of the Foundation.

• High ethical standards of behaviour, good judgment, respect for others, diplomatic skills, confidentiality and attention to detail.

• Candidates with experience in advocacy and prevention will be considered an asset.

• Candidates with experience in capacity-building of civil society organisations, grassroots organisations, and/or activist movements have an additional advantage.

Diversity  

The Mukwege Foundation is an international organisation with a diverse, international team and its main office in the Netherlands.

As the Mukwege Foundation, we believe in the value of a diverse (leadership) team. We believe that a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace is essential to our work. We welcome people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and experiences.  It will be considered a plus if the candidate can contribute to the diversity in our team.

What we offer 

• 1-year contract with possibility to extend, based on 32-40 hours per week. The number of hours is flexible based on the skills and experiences of the selected candidate and interest and availability of the candidate.
• Consultancy fee of 200 EUR/day (80% to full-time commitment)

How to apply

Please send your cover letter and CV, in English, by 18 January 2026 to Lucy Shanahan at vacancies@mukwegefoundation.org using the subject “Application: Senior Project Officer Syria, CRSV Survivor Engagement”.

We will be conducting interviews online at the end of January and will assess candidates on a rolling basis. The vacancy may be closed earlier if a suitable candidate is identified, so we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible

Start date: 1^st February 2026.

Please note that the Mukwege Foundation complies with the GDPR policy on personal data security. If you are not selected for this role, we will delete all applicant data from our records within three months of the vacancy deadline.