HLP Project Associate Northwest Syria, Aleppo, Syria

General Information

Publication for: Partner

Partner Name: UN-HABITAT United Nations Human SettlementsProgramme

Position Title: HLP Project Associate - NorthwestSyria

Job Category: Project

Duty Station(s): Aleppo

Seniority Level: Associate

ICS Level: ICS 07

Contract Type: ICA - LICA - Support - Regular

Contract Level: LICA 7

Posting Start Date: 02-Jul-2026

Posting End Date: 16-Jul-2026

Duration: 12 months

Job Highlight

Discover more

Development job vacancies

Organizational

Engineering & Technology

The HLP Associate is expected to provide expert support toUN-Habitat's HLP projects in Northwest Syria (covering Aleppo,Idleb and the coastal region) and lead coordination of the HLPsub-national HLP TWG, in North of Syria. The role will be basedfull time at UN-Habitat Syria's Aleppo Hub.

About the Region

The armed conflict that erupted in Syria in 2011 had devastatingeffects on the country with the widespread damage of housing andproductive assets, mass displacement within the country and abroadand deterioration of living standards to unprecedent low levels.All these were accompanied by gross violations of human rights,housing, land and property rights (HLP) included, perpetrated bythe different conflict parties.

With the fallout of al-Assad regime in December 2024, despitethe human rights violations reported in several parts of thecountry, new horizons for grievances suffered by the Syrian peopleto be addressed are open.

Syria continues to face layered challenges of displacement,widespread housing and infrastructure destruction, complex landtenure systems, and fragile governance structures. An estimated 6.7million Syrians remain internally displaced, and recovery effortsare hampered by unresolved HLP issues that obstruct voluntaryreturn, social cohesion, and sustainable development.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) isthe UN agency dedicated to promoting socially and environmentallysustainable urban development and adequate shelter for all.Mandated by the UN General Assembly in 1978, UN-Habitat brings overfour decades of expertise in addressing urban growth challenges. Itplays a key role in implementing the New Urban Agenda, adopted atHabitat III in 2016, and advancing Sustainable Development Goal 11to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Workingwith governments, the private sector, and civil society, UN-Habitatdevelops practical, forward-looking solutions to create affordable,vibrant, and equitable urban spaces worldwide.

Syria continues to face layered challenges of displacement,widespread housing and infrastructure destruction, complex landtenure systems, and fragile governance structures. An estimated 6.7million Syrians remain internally displaced, and recovery effortsare hampered by unresolved HLP issues that obstruct voluntaryreturn, social cohesion, and sustainable development.

Job Specific Context

Since 2015, UN‑Habitat Syria has supportedSyrian cities and communities through a comprehensive approach tourban resilience, recovery, housing, land and property (HLP)challenges, local governance, and related thematic areas. Morerecently, following the collapse of the former regime in December2024, support to urban land development systems—within thebroader reform agenda of the land sector—has become anincreasingly critical element of Syria'shumanitarian‑development‑peacenexus. With the dramatic shifts the country has witnessed sincelate 2024, the geographic scope of HLP engagement has expanded toinclude Idleb in the north‑west and the coastalgovernorates of Lattakia and Tartous.

Discover more

Expat career guide

Humanitarian job postings

Computer Science

A central pillar of this support is theEU‑funded "Joint Programme on Housing, Land andProperty Issues - Phase II" (JP HLP II), implemented byUN‑Habitat together with UNDP and NRC sinceDecember 2022. The programme was recently extended until the end of2026 with an additional top‑up contribution andthe inclusion of new partners, IOM and UNHCR.UN‑Habitat has also launched additionalinitiatives, including a Joint Programme with UNHCR titled"Supporting Sustainable Returns and Reintegration in SyrianCities," funded by the Government of the Netherlands, and the"Informal Settlements Upgrading Project" in Homs and Aleppo, fundedby the Government of Japan, among others.

UN‑Habitat furtherco‑leads the HLP Technical Working Group(HLP‑TWG), composed of UN agencies,international NGOs, and national organizations. Established in2017, the HLP‑TWG provides a platform forcoordinated discussion on emerging HLP issues, collective responseplanning, and knowledge exchange. Twosub‑national branches—theNorth‑West Syria HLP‑TWG(NWS) covering Aleppo and Idleb, and theNorth‑East Syria HLP‑TWG(NES)—were formed in 2025 to address issues specific to theserespective regions. The NWS HLP‑TWG is led byUN‑Habitat and the NESHLP‑TWG led by NRC.

Role Purpose

To strengthen UN‑Habitat's contribution toHousing, Land and Property (HLP) in Syria by providing strategicguidance, enhancing inter‑agency coordination,and aligning HLP efforts with broader housing and urban landmanagement initiatives. At the same time, the programme aims toimprove tenure security in the northwest and coastal areas bydelivering efficient, rights‑based services toHLP rightsholders and claimants through strengthened projectimplementation and coordinated NWS HLP TWG, supported by the HLPteam in the Damascus hub.

Functions / Key Results Expected

The HLP Associate will work under the direct supervision of theSenior Urban Land Expert (HLP Unit Lead) and in close coordinationwith the International HLP Programmes & TWG Lead as well as theAleppo Hub team under the overall guidance of the Deputy Head ofthe UN-Habitat Syria Programme. The key functions of the HLPAssociate are as follows.

1. Coordination and representation of the Sub- National HLPTechnical Working Group (TWG)Its

• Support the operational and technical activities of thesub-national HLP Technical Working Group (TWG) in Northwest Syria,under the guidance of the technical manager.
• Coordinate, organize, and facilitate HLP sub-national TWGmeetings, and represent the group in relevant coordination forums,clusters, and working groups.
• Support the operationalization and maintenance of TWG tools andarchiving systems, ensuring proper information and data managementin Northwest Syria.
• Facilitate the HLP mainstreaming sessions and targeted trainingon HLP issues, policies, and tools for TWG members and otherstakeholders together with the TWG members.
• Facilitate the identification of priority HLP advocacy issuesin Northwest Syria, and contribute to the preparation of advocacybriefs, legal analyses, and research to support broader HLPadvocacy and promote preventive and remedial actions.

2. Strengthen the understanding of HLP issues and challenges

• Monitor, document, and report emerging HLP issues on a regularbasis using available sources, including traditional and socialmedia, local partners, and key informants. Issues to be monitoredinclude individual and mass violations of HLP rights, as well asrelevant statements, announcements, and circulars related to HLPrights.
• Contribute to needs assessments carried out by UN-Habitat innorthwest and coastal areas, as instructed by the direct and/ortechnical manager.
• Participate in developing HLP profiles of selected areas ofconcern, as required, in relation to ongoing and plannedprojects.
• Support analysis of HLP challenges and opportunities related tohousing recovery, return and reintegration, and urban recoveryprocesses.

3. Project design and implementation

• Participate in the design and development of HLP projects, orHLP components within broader urban recovery and housingprogrammes.
• Ensure that HLP projects and activities are implemented in linewith approved proposals and donor requirements.
• Support the integration of HLP considerations into urbanrecovery planning, housing reconstruction initiatives, andneighbourhood-level recovery interventions.
• Contribute to activities aimed at strengthening landadministration and land governance systems, includingdocumentation, land records management, and fit-for-purposeapproaches to land and property rights.
• Support monitoring of project targets and progress, includingactivities, outputs, and outcomes, in coordination with the M&Efocal point and the HLP team in Damascus.
• Promote and share recommendations for improvements oradjustments to project activities as required.
• Provide regular progress updates and reports to the direct linemanager and/or technical manager.
• Provide legal and technical support to HLP projects, includingconducting or supervising HLP due diligence processes whererequired.

4. Other duties

• Perform any other tasks relevant to the position as requestedby the direct manager, technical manager, or the relevant technicalunit.

Skills

Analytical Skills, Communication, Dispute Resolution, LandAdministration

Competencies

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively todifferences and encourages others to do the same. Upholdsorganisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards oftrustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit.Collaborates and supports the development of others. For peoplemanagers only: Acts as positive leadership role model,motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizingappropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on allpartners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds andmaintains strong external relationships and is a competent partnerfor others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for selfand/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total taskaccomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Seesopportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understandsthat responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on ourbeneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment.Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances orrequirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior.Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursuescontinuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmaticdecisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculatedrisks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner.Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needsof others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge.Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinionand finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, law, social sciences,political sciences, project management or other relevantfields.

Desired:

• Training or certification in HLP or land administration-relatedfield

Experience Requirements

Required:

• Minimum of three (3) years of progressive experience inhousing, land and property (HLP), land governance, legal analysis,urban planning, or related fields in humanitarian, early recovery,or development contexts.
• Experience managing projects or programmes, includingassessments, reporting, and coordination with government andhumanitarian actors, ideally related to HLP.

Desired:

• Professional experience with international organizationsrelated to HLP, urban recovery and/or sector coordination.
• Good understanding of the Syrian legal and institutionalframework related to HLP rights, land administration, and propertydocumentation.
• Knowledge of international HLP frameworks.
• Skills in data analysis and reporting for evidence-basedprogramming.

Language Requirements

Language: Arabic

• Proficiency Level: Fluent
• Requirement: Required

Language: English

• Proficiency Level: Intermediate
• Requirement: Required

Additional Information

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process requestcandidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnightCopenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.Applications received after the closing date will not beconsidered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited toproceed to the next stage of the selection process, which mayinclude various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employmentopportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range ofnationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities,sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain andstrengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive workingenvironment where all personnel are treated with respect and haveequal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills,qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement.We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process andwelcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenousand racialized communities, individuals of diverse genderidentities and sexual orientations, and persons withdisabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at theirbest during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted andrequire support or reasonable accommodation to complete anyassessment, please inform our human resources team upon receivingyour invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse(SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct,including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. Touphold these standards, background checks are conducted for allfinal candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history ofsuch conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS,candidates acknowledge and consent to these verificationprocesses.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint acandidate at a lower level than the advertised level of thepost.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatorycourses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time,before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatorycourses may be required during your contract. Please note that youwill not receive any compensation for taking courses andrefreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please clickhere.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their dutiesin accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies andInstructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks.In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UNcore values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on allpotential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on theresults of such checks.