Job Opportunity at Madaniya - Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Employer: Madaniya
Job title: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Reporting: Board of Directors
Location: Flexible, with a preference for applicants based in Syria or the UK, provided they have the ability to travel frequently between Syria and the UK. Applicants not currently based in Syria must be willing to relocate to Syria at the request of the Board of Directors, within a timeframe to be agreed as soon as possible in 2026.
Deadline: 24 January 2026
Start Date: As Soon As Possible
Background
Madaniya is an umbrella platform bringing together over 250 Syrian civil society organisations committed to reclaiming political agency within the Syrian civic space. Legally, Madaniya is registered as a charitable organisation in the United Kingdom (UK), France, and Syria. Each legal entity is governed by a dedicated Board of Trustees and operates in compliance with national regulations while remaining strategically guided by a unified Board of Directors that sets the strategic direction, ensures alignment across entities, and upholds Madaniya’s shared vision, mission, and values.
Following the fall of the Assad regime, Madaniya aims to shift its centre of gravity to Syria. With its official registration in the country now finalised, this transition requires careful planning to gradually relocate all programmes and operations inside Syria, while closely monitoring developments and adjusting to potential uncertainties. Throughout this process, Madaniya will continue to operate strategically across all its current locations until the move is fully completed.
This shift is central to Madaniya’s mission of reclaiming civic and political agency from within Syria, ensuring that local leadership drives the organisation’s agenda during the transitional phase.
Purpose of the Role
The CEO will work closely with Madaniya’s Board of Directors and Boards of Trustees to lead and manage Madaniya’s full strategic, operational, and institutional relocation to Syria, ensuring continuity of programmes, staff, and partnerships, while maintaining alignment with global governance and compliance frameworks.
Throughout the relocation process, the CEO ensures that Madaniya’s strategic programmes and governance are implemented with integrity, transparency, and full compliance with all applicable national regulations, ensuring coherence and coordination amongst Madaniya’s structures in Syria, the UK, and France. The CEO also ensures that Madaniya remains institutionally resilient, financially sustainable, and operationally responsive to emerging risks and opportunities.
Within the delegated authority, the CEO acts as the primary liaison with governmental and compliance authorities, donors and institutional partners, civil society actors, and international stakeholders, ensuring that Madaniya’s work across locations reflects the organisation’s vision, mission, and values.
The role requires strong contextual awareness and the ability to navigate political, regulatory, and operational challenges while safeguarding Madaniya’s independence and values.
Key Responsibilities
In close coordination with Madaniya’s Board of Directors and Boards of Trustees, the CEO is tasked with the following.
A. Strategic Relocation Leadership
Develop and oversee a comprehensive relocation roadmap for Madaniya’s transition to Syria, including timelines, milestones, and resource requirements.
Coordinate phased relocation of programmes, offices, and personnel to ensure continuity and minimal disruption of operations.
Identify, assess, and mitigate political, security, regulatory, and operational risks associated with the relocation.
Ensure compliance with all legal, tax, and regulatory requirements in Syria during the transition.
Liaise with the global offices to manage the handover of global operations, ensuring knowledge transfer, risk management, and operational alignment that enables Madaniya to function independently in Syria.
Develop contingency and crisis management plans for relocation delays, security threats, or regulatory challenges.
Facilitate capacity building of local staff and leadership to assume full operational control once relocation is completed.
Ensure continuity of programme delivery, reporting, and contractual obligations throughout the phased relocation process.
B. Overall Strategic Leadership
Contribute to the development of Madaniya’s global strategy by providing analysis and insights from an executive perspective.
Translate Madaniya’s strategic plans into concrete, measurable work plans, with clear performance indicators and reporting mechanisms.
Oversee the execution of Madaniya’s strategies, operational plans, and budgets, ensuring accountability and impact.
Ensure that strategic and operational decisions during the relocation phase support the continuity, sustainability, and growth of Madaniya’s programmes in Syria.
Identify and manage institutional risks, ensuring contingency plans are in place to safeguard Madaniya’s operations and reputation.
Provide vision and leadership in strengthening Madaniya’s role as a credible and independent civic platform inside Syria and abroad.
C. Programmatic and Operational Management
Oversee all programmatic implementation, ensuring alignment with strategic plans, legal and contractual requirements, and Madaniya’s internal standards.
Ensure strategic and operational decisions during the relocation phase do not disrupt ongoing programmes, commitments, or institutional partnerships.
Ensure that all activities are delivered with high quality, strong impact measurement, and alignment with Madaniya’s thematic priorities.
Supervise the operational functions of programmes, including Finance, Human Resources (HR), Administration and Logistics, ensuring institutional efficiency and compliance.
Strengthen monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems to assess performance, capture results, and guide programmatic improvements.
Foster a collaborative, ethical, and inclusive work environment that reflects Madaniya’s values.
Integrate safeguarding, gender equality, and inclusion principles across all operations and programmes.
D. Governance and Coordination with Relevant Authorities
Work closely with Madaniya’s overarching Board of Directors and the Boards of Trustees in the UK, France, and Syria to ensure sound governance, legal compliance, and effective institutional oversight in the implementation of Madaniya’s strategies.
Coordinate meetings of the overarching Board of Directors and its technical committees (Finance, Membership, Governance, and Strategic Planning), ensuring effective preparation, documentation, and follow-up on decisions.
Facilitate meetings of the Boards of Trustees in Syria, the UK, and France as required, ensuring alignment and information flow across all governance and executive structures.
Ensure effective information flow and strategic coordination between the different Boards, committees, and executive structures to ensure coherent decision-making and institutional unity.
Ensure full compliance with legal and regulatory frameworks in Syria, UK, and France, including coordination with relevant governmental and compliance authorities.
Oversee the process of securing and renewing all required authorisations, licenses, and approvals for Madaniya’s activities and partnerships across implementing locations.
Maintain transparent and constructive communication with relevant authorities to safeguard Madaniya’s legal standing and operational continuity.
E. Financial and Compliance Management and Oversight
Lead efforts to secure diversified funding sources and ensure the long-term financial sustainability of Madaniya’s programmes and operations.
Provide strategic financial analysis to inform organisational decision-making and risk management.
Ensure that all financial activities comply with relevant laws and Madaniya’s internal financial regulations.
Supervise financial planning, budgeting, and expenditure monitoring, maintaining strict adherence to legal and contractual requirements.
F. External Relations and Representation
In coordination with Madaniya’s Board of Directors and within the delegated authority, represent Madaniya in official meetings, stakeholder engagements, conferences, and media events, ensuring consistent communication aligned with Madaniya’s institutional identity and global messaging.
Oversee Madaniya’s advocacy and communication efforts in line with approved messaging and institutional identity.
Build and sustain strategic relationships with governmental and compliance authorities, donors and institutional partners, civil society actors, and international stakeholders.
G. Human Resources and Institutional Development
Within delegated authority, lead the recruitment, supervision, and capacity development of Madaniya’s executive team.
Develop leadership capacity and succession planning within Madaniya to ensure institutional continuity and resilience.
Ensure fair, transparent, and inclusive HR practices in line with Madaniya’s code of conduct and safeguarding policies.
Foster a culture of teamwork, respect, and continuous professional growth.
Support the creation of internal policies and procedures reflecting the operational and legal contexts of Madaniya.
Accountability and Reporting
The CEO reports directly to the Board of Directors.
The CEO provides regular narrative, financial, and compliance reports as required by the Board of Directors, donors, and contractual partners.
Required Qualifications and Competencies
Advanced degree in international and/or local development, political science, public administration, or a relevant field.
Minimum 5 years of senior leadership experience in civil society, governance, or international development.
Strong knowledge of Syrian civil society dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and operational constraints.
Proven ability to lead multi-sectoral teams and manage complex institutional processes.
Excellent communication and negotiation skills with fluency and working proficiency in Arabic and English.
High ethical standards, sound judgment, and commitment to Madaniya’s vision, mission, and values.
Demonstrated experience in institutional governance, board management, or organisational development.
Proven ability to navigate complex political and compliance environments in fragile or transitional contexts.
Ability to work under pressure, in constantly changing contexts, with high confidentiality and discretion.
Application Instructions
To apply for the role, please send a cover letter along with your CV, stating your relevant experiences and skills to m.jobs@madaniya-csn.org.
Please ensure your CV and cover letter are sent as PDF documents with the titles “Name – Cover Letter” and “Name - CV” and indicate “Madaniya – Chief Executive Officer (CEO)” in the email subject line.
The deadline for applications is 24 January 2026.