Humanitarian Mine Action Operations Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is an international humanitarian organization founded in Denmark in 195

• With a mission to assist refugees and internally displaced persons globally, DRC provides emergency aid, advocates for their rights, and works to enhance their opportunities for a better future. The organization has grown significantly over the years, employing over 7,000 staff and engaging around 8,000 volunteers. DRC operates in numerous countries, focusing on conflict-affected areas and displacement routes, and collaborates with local communities to find sustainable solutions. DRC Syria has been active since 2008, initially addressing the Iraqi refugee crisis and later expanding its efforts to respond to the Syrian crisis from 2011 onwards. The organization employs an area-based approach to support internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and host communities across various sectors, including Economic Recovery and Resilience, Protection, WASH, Shelter and Infrastructure, and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding. DRC is committed to providing rapid responses to emerging crises and ensuring dignified, sustainable solutions for fragile communities, with active programs in neighboring countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, Türkiye, and Iraq, facilitating a cross-border response to the Syria crisis through protection monitoring and advocacy.

Job Overview:
The Humanitarian Mine Action Operations Specialist is a critical role within DRC, primarily based in Rural Damascus, with potential deployments to other areas of Syria as needed. This position is responsible for supporting the planning, coordination, implementation, and quality assurance of mine action activities, ensuring compliance with International Mine Action Standards (IMAS). The specialist will oversee the safe and effective delivery of various mine action operations, including survey, clearance, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), and risk education activities. The role requires a proactive approach to integrating mine action into broader humanitarian and development responses, contributing to work plans, schedules, and progress reports. The specialist will also play a key role in quality management and safety, ensuring adherence to safety standards and internal quality assurance processes. Coordination with national mine action authorities, NGOs, and local communities is essential, as is the accurate management of operational data and reporting. The position also involves capacity building and team support, providing technical guidance and mentoring to field teams, and promoting gender and community engagement principles in operations.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Operations Planning & Implementation: Support the planning and execution of mine action operations, including non-technical survey (NTS), technical survey (TS), clearance, battle area clearance (BAC), and EOD tasks. Assist with tasking, deployment, and monitoring of operational teams, ensuring activities align with IMAS, National Mine Action Standards (NMAS), and organizational SOPs. Contribute to work plans, schedules, and progress reporting, and support the integration of mine action into broader DRC humanitarian and development responses.
• Quality Management & Safety: Support internal QA/QC processes and ensure compliance with safety standards. Monitor operational sites to identify risks, incidents, and non-conformities, and assist in addressing these issues under the guidance of the Operations Manager.
• Coordination & Liaison: Liaise with national mine action authorities, other INGOs and NGOs, local government, communities, and partners. Participate in coordination meetings and provide operational updates. Support task handover, land release, and completion documentation.
• Information Management & Reporting: Ensure accurate collection and submission of IMSMA/operational data. Collaborate with the Information Management Specialist to monitor and coordinate the submission of HMA data to DRC MEAL, SNMAC, and UNMAS. Contribute to situation reports, task reports, and donor updates, ensuring proper documentation of activities, accidents, and lessons learned.
• Capacity Building & Team Support: Provide technical guidance and mentoring to field teams, support training activities, and offer on-the-job coaching. Act as a translator for Mine Action training courses and during meetings for International Mine Action staff. Promote gender, inclusion, and community engagement principles in operations, and be prepared for deployment to other operational areas as required. Undertake any other reasonable tasks assigned by the Operations Manager or Head of Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a minimum of 2–3 years of experience in humanitarian mine action operations, with demonstrated experience in survey, clearance, and/or EOD activities. A strong knowledge of IMAS and NMAS is essential, along with experience working with national authorities and community stakeholders being desirable. Proficiency in MS Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word, is required. A valid manual driving license (category class A) and the ability to drive a four-wheel drive vehicle are also desirable qualifications.

Educational Background:
A university degree or technical diploma in Mine Action, Engineering, security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security Studies, or a relevant field is required. In cases where candidates do not possess a degree or diploma, demonstrated experience in Mine Action of 2–3 years may be accepted. Additionally, a formal certificate of EOD or NTS/EORE training from a recognized training establishment or organization would be advantageous.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 2–3 years of relevant experience in humanitarian mine action operations. Candidates should have a proven track record in survey, clearance, and EOD activities, as well as a strong understanding of IMAS and NMAS. Experience working with national authorities and community stakeholders is considered a plus, enhancing the candidate's suitability for the role.

Languages:
Fluency in English, both spoken and written, is mandatory, with advanced proficiency in translating technical documents between Arabic and English being desirable. Native fluency in Arabic is also required, ensuring effective communication and documentation in both languages.

Additional Notes:
This position is a full-time, on-site role based in Rural Damascus, with country-wide travel required. The contract length is set for 12 months, with the possibility of extension based on performance and available funding. The position is classified as non-management at level G

• The expected start date for this role is mid-March 202
• Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and an updated CV, both in the same language as the vacancy note, as applications consisting solely of a CV will not be considered. The application deadline is 26 February 2026, and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. DRC reserves the right to conduct tests and interviews before the closing date and may close the advertisement earlier if a suitable candidate is found.