Afghanaid is a British international NGO (www.afghanaid.org.uk) that has been working in Afghanistan since 1983. Headquartered in Kabul, Afghanaid implements projects directly in 8 provinces and through partners in a further number of provinces and maintains a marketing and fundraising office in London. Afghanaid works in some of the most remote areas of the country and through a range of programme interventions supports development of basic services, such as water and sanitation, access roads, education facilities and other community infrastructure; strengthens livelihoods through improved natural resource management, agricultural and small enterprise development, and improved access to markets; and provides humanitarian assistance in times of emergencies. Gender mainstreaming, local governance and community development are integrated into all of Afghanaid’s work. The results achieved have earned Afghanaid the respect and recognition of stakeholders as an effective and collaborative charity.
Ensure smooth implementation of Afghanaid and partner project activities, achieving the project’s envisaged impact and planned outcomes in compliance with organisational, donor and other national and international standards and guidance.
Provide strategic direction and technical support to Afghanaid project staff to support the achievement of the outcomes/results of the project, including through regular field visits.
Promote community acceptance and ownership through proactive involvement of local stakeholders in Afghanaid’s project implementation.
In consultation with Afghanaid’s project coordinators (PCs) and partner organisations, prepare a detailed project implementation plan, as well as annual, quarterly, and monthly work plans in line with the project proposal and LFA.
Establish a monthly and quarterly progress review and planning mechanism for the project team.
Provide strategic guidance and support to partners through the facilitation of consortium-level Steering Group meetings on a quarterly basis, as well as ad hoc meetings as needed.
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Manage close working relationships with consortium partners, especially Project Managers, ensuring full and timely compliance with all contractual requirements, Afghanaid policies, project deliverables and reporting requirements, pre-emptively raising and addressing any concerns
Coordinate the timely development and submission of high-quality narrative and financial reporting for the donor and Afghanaid’s management.
As needed, conduct field visits to partners’ implementation areas and meet with stakeholders to monitor, guide and support consortium partners in attaining project targets.
Prepare annual, quarterly and monthly spending forecasts linked to the project work plan.
Working closely with finance staff, produce monthly budget versus actuals analyses which highlight where project spending is off track and identify solutions.
Ensure sound financial management and transparent use of financial resources in line with the approved budget as well as organisational and donor standards and guidance.
Prepare a procurement plan and ensure timely procurement of goods, services, and materials following organisational and donor procurement and logistics protocols and guidance.
Proactively assess the need for adjustments to the budget and lead the revision of the Afghanaid and consortium budgets where needed, working closely with the finance and PDRM teams.
Take the lead in the recruitment of project staff with the support of the HR department.
Provide training to the project team on key aspects of the project design and deliverables.
Build the technical capacity of the project team through coaching, mentoring, and connecting staff to learning opportunities.
Represent Afghanaid in relevant coordination forums at the national, provincial, and district level.
Manage close working relationships with donor representatives, the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), and other relevant ministries and departments.
Develop a network for coordination of activities, exchange of experiences, and mutual learning with other agencies working in the same implementation areas and sectors.
Organise lessons learned workshops and prepare presentations on project achievements and lessons learned for external fora.
In coordination with the consortium partners, develop a communications plan for the project in line with the donor’s visibility requirements and guidance.
Coordinate with the communications team to develop project specific information products, such as case studies and updates for the official Afghanaid website and social media channels.
Work closely with the M&E unit to develop a monitoring framework and MIS to track results of the project activities throughout implementation.
Support the M&E team by facilitating collection, compilation and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data to measure progress and outcomes of the project and organise workshops to share best practices and lessons learned.
Contribute to the development of the baseline assessment, midline assessment and end line evaluation, as well as any ad hoc studies and research required.
Lead the documentation of learning on disability inclusion, incorporating expertise and materials contributed by consortium partners.
Lead the continuous development of the project risk register.
In close coordination with the security team and provincial and district-level security focal points, effectively manage the security of the project beneficiaries, staff and assets.
The Project Manager is expected to perform any other related duties as and when assigned by the Managing Director and/or Line Director.
Education & Professional Qualifications
Master’s degree in international development or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
Work Experience
At least 5-6 years of experience in project management, especially of livelihoods programming. Past experience with project management is considered an advantage, as is past consortium or partner management experience.
Key Skills and Competencies
Essential
Past project management experience, especially in management of livelihoods programming
Excellent understanding of different livelihood support approaches, including vocational training, savings and loans groups, and sub-grants for enterprise development
Excellent knowledge of community development and mobilisation
Knowledge of exit strategies and sustainability approaches
Proven management ability and strong interpersonal skills
Problem solving and leadership skills
Strong communication, facilitation, and writing skills
Ability to deal with challenging, frustrating work situations
Results-oriented approach to delivering work priorities and meeting tight deadlines
Sensitivity to Afghan and Islamic culture
Excellent understanding of Microsoft Office and Google Suite tools
Desirable
Experience with cash for work programming
Experience or familiarity with similar projects funded by institutional donors such as the EU, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, USAID, etc.
Past consortium or partner management experience
Previous work experience in Afghanistan and/or conflict areas
Past experience with gender and disability mainstreaming, especially in livelihoods programming and in conservative cultural contexts
Working knowledge of Dari and/or Pashto
Values and attitude
A clear and firm commitment to human rights, equality, and the empowerment of women, persons with disabilities, and minorities
An outgoing and engaging personality, with cultural and gender sensitivity
Ability to work and live collaboratively with others and manage relationships with a variety of stakeholders in a diverse multi-cultural environment.
A willingness to live, travel and work in isolated and possibly insecure locations
Please submit your application by filling the Afghanaid standard job application form and email a completed application form, covering letter and your CV, by no later than 20 November 2022 to vacancies@afghanaid.org.uk ; including your name, vacancy number and the job title in the subject line. Your covering letter should be no more than 1 standard A4 page in length and explain how you meet the essential and desirable position requirements and why you feel you would be a suitable candidate for this role. Your CV should be no more than 4 pages and include 3 professional references including your current employer. The precision and style with which you present yourself in your covering letter and CV will be given significant weight in short listing candidates. Application with no proper subject (requested above), without the application form or submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to every application. If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the deadline, then you have not been successful for shortlisting.
Please note that applying without filling the standard job application form will result in disqualifying the applications to review for shortlisting.
Link for the Afghanaid Standard Job Application form:
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1vLmMCTTa7peZ-8Odm-L4xm_5ULr6nvRG
Note: Please do not apply if you have already applied for this position.
Afghanaid is a British international NGO (www.afghanaid.org.uk) that has been working in Afghanistan since 1983. Headquartered in Kabul, Afghanaid implements projects directly in 8 provinces and through partners in a further number of provinces and m... Read More
