Research Consultant

The Syria Campaign is a small, fast-moving, and powerful human rights organisation that is building new ways for digital and creative communications to have impact. We work to support Syria’s heroes in their struggle for freedom and democracy, partnering with civil society organizations both inside and outside the country. We’ve moved beyond the limitations of an “online movement builder” or traditional NGO, fusing the best elements of think tanks, creative agencies, and digital mobilization to create meaningful change for Syria.

We’ve raised the profile of Syrian groups, such as the White Helmets rescue workers, helping secure them millions of dollars to continue their life-saving work and making them famous around the world. We’ve supported the Families for Freedom, a women-led movement of the families of the disappeared in Syria, to take the ‘Freedom Bus’ across Europe and ensure policymakers hear their demands. We work with dozens of partners across Syria who trust us deeply. Syria is home to many visionary human rights defenders, and we’re privileged to work with them. You can read more here.

Background

Following the fall of the Assad regime, there is a critical opportunity to centre young Syrians’ voices in peacebuilding and policy development efforts. With a proven model of combining narrative building, capacity development, and policy influence, The Syria Campaign seeks to design and implement a youth-led research project that documents political aspirations and empowers youth-led advocacy. This research will be implemented at a pivotal moment for Syria, seeking to inform transitional justice, peace processes, and inclusive governance by engaging young Syrians across Syria and the diaspora.

Purpose

To design and implement a participatory research process that captures the political aspirations, demands, and priorities of Syrian youth, with the goal of informing national and international peacebuilding and policy frameworks.

Specific Objectives:

• Understand the views and experiences of young Syrians of diverse genders and backgrounds, in Syria and the diaspora, to help inform future campaigning alongside young people and help shape a meaningful, peaceful, and democratic post-conflict political transition.
• Design the methodology and guidelines for a quantitative survey and focus groups to understand the perspectives of at least 1,000 young Syrians inside Syria and in the diaspora, and coordinate the implementation of the research with TSC and a Syrian partner network across the country.
• Analyse findings and produce a research report highlighting the perspectives, using data visualization and infographics to showcase the results.

What you’ll be responsible for

• Design the research project in collaboration with The Syria Campaign and its partners, advising on methodology and project design.
• Design survey tools, focus group discussion guidelines
• Consult with peer organisations and experts to ensure the project is complimentary and relevant to existing processes and research.
• Work with TSC and a partner organisation to ensure the project enables young people to fully take part in the project, including shaping the design.
• Oversee the implementation of the research in coordination with a project manager and project partner in Syria.
• Facilitate or train facilitators of the partner organisation to lead the focus groups using participatory and creative approaches
• Contribute to strategic planning of the project and adapt to changes in the external environment.
• Monitor the research to ensure deadlines are met and aims are achieved.
• Produce a final report of the findings, identifying and analysing trends for further exploration, including infographics and data visualisations.

Deliverables and Timeline

• Survey tools, focus group discussion guidelines should be finalised by mid October 2025
• An initial draft of the report shared with TSC for review by January 2026
• The final version of the report by February 2026

Core competencies

• At least 3-5 years’ experience of investigative research, data research or survey design.
• Experience in project design and implementation, analysing feedback and other relevant data
• Conducting interviews and identifying key themes and insights
• Ability to write clear and compelling reports
• Minimum 5 years of experience working in human rights, international development, advocacy, or related fields.
• Experience working on Syria-related issues, or in-depth knowledge of Syria.
• Demonstrated success in partnership-building with NGOs, civil society actors, donors, and policymakers.
• Fluency in Arabic and English (spoken and written)
• Familiarity with ethical considerations in research.
• Ability to use data tools and data visualisation to enhance investigations
• Experience of identifying and obtaining information from contacts and sources

How to apply

To apply for this consultancy, please send the following documents to jobs@thesyriacampaign.org by 11 Sept, 2025:

• A brief research plan and a budget including the number of consultancy days and daily rate. It is estimated that this research will take up to 30 days of work.
• CV of the consultant highlighting the list of previous researches that are relevant to the context and subject matter of this assignment

Please put ‘Syria’s young people research consultation’ in the email subject line.