Call for Syrian Experts: Social Protection, Cash & Economic Inclusion (Syria)

**Contract Type:** Individual Consultancy; Project-Based
**Eligibility:** **Syrian nationals or non-Syrian consultants currently residing in Syria only**

Trust Consultancy & Development (TCD) is seeking experienced consultants to join its roster of experts in **social protection, cash and voucher assistance (CVA), economic inclusion and social assistance** to support upcoming evaluations, assessments, research, Third-Party Monitoring (TPM), programme design and advisory assignments in Syria.

Selected consultants will be included in TCD's consultant roster and may be considered for future short-term consultancy opportunities based on their technical expertise, geographical experience, availability and the requirements of specific assignments.

**Primary geographic scope:** Syria

## About the Call

Trust is expanding its roster of experts with strong knowledge and practical experience related to **social protection systems, social assistance, cash-based programming, targeting, economic inclusion and shock-responsive approaches**.

We are particularly interested in experts with **recent, first-hand knowledge of Syria's socioeconomic context, vulnerability patterns, social-protection mechanisms, humanitarian cash programming and livelihoods/economic inclusion environment**.

## Areas of Expertise

Applicants should have strong experience in one or more of the following:

1. **Social protection systems and policies**, including social assistance, social insurance, safety nets and social-protection system strengthening;
2. **Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA)**, including multipurpose cash, sectoral cash, vouchers and cash-plus approaches;
3. **Targeting and vulnerability assessment**, including eligibility criteria, socioeconomic vulnerability, household profiling, proxy means testing and targeting methodologies;
4. **Economic inclusion and graduation approaches**, combining social assistance with livelihoods, skills, employment, enterprise support and financial inclusion;
5. **Shock-responsive and adaptive social protection**, including humanitarian–social protection linkages and responses to economic, climate and other shocks;
6. **Programme monitoring and evaluation**, including process, outcome and impact evaluations of social protection, cash and economic-inclusion programmes;
7. **Cash feasibility and market assessments**, including market functionality, transfer values, expenditure patterns, inflation and purchasing power;
8. **Social registries and information systems**, including beneficiary identification, registration, referral systems, data management and interoperability;
9. **Financial inclusion and payment mechanisms**, including digital payments, financial services, microfinance, savings and access to finance;
10. **Inclusive social protection**, including programmes addressing the needs and barriers of **women, children, older people, persons with disabilities, IDPs, returnees and other vulnerable groups**;
11. **Accountability and protection in cash/social assistance**, including feedback mechanisms, safeguarding, data protection, protection risks and inclusion;
12. **Social protection and livelihoods linkages**, including pathways from humanitarian assistance toward resilience, employment, self-employment and sustainable income generation.

## Qualifications & Experience

Applicants should have:

- **Syrian nationality and current residence in Syria, or be a non-Syrian consultant currently based in Syria**;
- A relevant university degree in economics, social policy, development studies, public policy, sociology, statistics, social sciences or another relevant field;
- At least **5 years of relevant professional experience**; senior/lead experts should preferably have **10+ years**;
- Recent professional experience related to **social protection, CVA, social assistance, economic inclusion or vulnerability analysis in Syria**, preferably within the last three years;
- Demonstrated experience conducting or contributing to **social protection assessments, cash studies, evaluations, targeting exercises, vulnerability assessments or economic-inclusion programmes**;
- Strong understanding of Syria's **socioeconomic conditions, vulnerability patterns, markets and humanitarian/development context**;
- Strong quantitative and/or qualitative research, analytical and report-writing skills;
- Experience engaging with government institutions, UN agencies, NGOs, communities and other relevant stakeholders;
- Arabic fluency; professional English is strongly preferred.

## International Organization & Donor Experience

Previous experience with **WFP, UNICEF, UNHCR, ILO, World Bank, UNDP, international NGOs, EU-funded programmes, GIZ or other organizations working on social protection, cash assistance, livelihoods and economic inclusion** is a strong advantage.

Experience with recognized approaches and frameworks related to **CVA, social protection, targeting, graduation/economic inclusion, vulnerability assessment and shock-responsive social protection** should be clearly highlighted.

Applicants should indicate relevant assignments, including the **client, assignment, year, role and main responsibilities**.