Afghanistan: Program Coordinator
Country: Afghanistan
Closing date: 19 Aug 2013
Established in 1983 under Charity Commission and Companies Act of United Kingdom and registered in Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in 2005, Afghanaid’s mandate is to support Afghan people in their fight against poverty and inequality through a wide range of inter-related interventions. Afghanaid’s work is guided by four pillars: Pillar one - Basic Services for All – WASH, Education and Community Infrastructure; Pillar two- Economic Opportunities, Sustainable Livelihoods and Food Security; Pillar three-Humanitarian Emergencies and Disaster Risks Reduction and Cross-cutting Themes- Gender Equality, Governance and Community Development
Afghanaid uses a rural integrated approach to community development including agriculture and livestock production and micro-enterprise development with gender equality, good governance and disaster risk reduction as cross cutting themes. In 1995, Afghanaid became one of the first NGOs working in Afghanistan to shift from humanitarian relief to recovery and development, through participatory community recovery and development programming. Over time, Afghanaid has progressively contributed to the MDGs development ambitions through an integrated community development programme, reaching 1.2 million people across 21 districts of Badakhshan, Samangan, Ghor and Nuristan provinces. With 415 staff members, of whom 97% are local, Afghanaid’s present set-up is comprised of a lean, registered London office , a main office in Kabul, three provincial offices in Samangan, Badakhshan and Ghor; and 18 district offices spread over all three provinces. Afghanaid has successfully implemented multi-year, large and complex projects/grants funded by amongst others, Department for International Development (DFID); European Union; several United Nations Agencies; German Technical Cooperation (GIZ/formerly GTZ); World Bank; Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and the Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ministries of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, and Agriculture, Irrigational and Livestock.
Afghanaid engages skilled, professional and motivated teams that are committed to Afghanaid’s cause of fighting poverty, vulnerability and inequality. Afghanaid applies internationally accepted standards in its project, financial and human resource management practices.
Job Purpose and RoleThe Program Coordinator is a senior position with coordination and management role within Afghanaid’s project, who under the direct steer and line management of Team Leader, and working closely with Afghanaid’s project and provincial staff, is responsible for overall community mobilization strategy and its execution vis-a-vis:• Participatory identification of intervention sites – Developing criteria, engaging stakeholders, making consensual decision particularly in area of forests and rangeland development.• Establishment and strengthening users associations – guidelines, manuals, formation of associations, training, coaching, status monitoring and reporting • Strengthening women focused programme – bio-briquette, home nurseries• Study and research – socio-economic, case studies
• Visibility and publication – Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material production, meetings, workshops, and seminars• Gender Mainstreaming
Specific Duties and Responsibilities
Participatory Identification of Intervention Sites • Develop through stakeholders’ consultative process criteria for selecting, canals, forests, and rangelands for rehabilitation, community mapping, community work plans and monitoring mechanisms• Organize/ facilitate participatory process through community mobilization and arrive at consensual decisions regarding selection of canals, forests and rangelands for improvement/ rehabilitation. • Conflict Resolution of likely disagreements which may emerge because of miscommunication or conflicting interests of interest groups, and timely address them.
• Document and disseminates decisions to relevant individuals and organizations in timely manner.
Establishment and Strengthening Users Associations (UAs) • Develop/ update guidelines for establishing Water Users Association (WUA), Community Forestry Association (CFA), Community Rangeland Association (CRA), and Catchment Management Association (CMA) in a participatory manner• Facilitate formation of WUA, CFA, CRA, CMA and enable them to become active and functional. Maximum efforts are expected for to attain inclusiveness and equity measured against socio-economic diversity, gender, and geographical location (eg. Head and tail ender of the irrigation system).
• Identify trainable capacity gaps of government staffs, project staffs and communities; develop suitable training modules and implement training.• In collaboration with technical staff, develop irrigation system operation and maintenance manual, train users and field staff to use it, and monitor implementation status. • Mobilize field staff to regularly coach UAs to enable them to become functional and active for achieving intended results. • Regularly monitor UAs activities; collect data, document, case studies update and report achievements.
• Carry out regular social audits on impact of project work
Strengthening Women Focused Programme• Within projects’ broader framework, identify, design and support implementing women friendly programs• Guide up scaling bio-briquette technology• Guide mobilising women to grow vegetables and tree seedlings in home garden. • Train men and women on Gender and leadership Study and Research• Lead to conduct and update data as demanded by objectively verifiable indicators specified in project log frame including a gender perspective • Assist Team Leader in preparing ToR and commissioning consultants to carry out various socio-economic, technical studies and researches specified in project documents. • Lead documenting project learning (success and failure), successful cases for extension and replication. It also includes training of staffs for documenting learning and preparing case studies. • In collaboration with the field staff design and conduct adaptive researches to better understand community dynamics which affect project deliverables.
Visibility and Publication • Assess needs about the appropriateness of various types of IEC materials for different target audiences. • Lead in designing, preparation and dissemination of IEC materials• Assess effectiveness of the IEC materials used and improve if required • Conceptualize, design, plan, implement and participate in meeting, workshops and seminars for enhancing visibility• Identify issues for advocacy at district, provincial and national level
PERSON SPECIFICATION Essential DesirableEducation/ training Master’s Degree in relevant research-based discipline (Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Governance, and other relevant fields) Further qualifications in relevant subject.
Experience with field based program implementationWork Experience At least 5 years of professional experience in areas of community based natural resource management –Forests, rangelands Prior experience working in Afghanistan in a similar position Solid understanding of community based organisation (CBOs) Prior experience working with farmers association such as Water Users Association, Forest Users Association, Rangeland Association Demonstrated ability to produce high quality field research documents, communication materials such as such as publications, website materials, and other media related products
Demonstrated ability to design and implement trainings, workshops
Professional Skills and Competencies Proven strategic and operational management ability and inter-personal skills; team player; problem solving and leadership skills
Proficiency in computer software including word processing, spreadsheets, PPT, etc. Proficiency with databases Ability to deal with difficult, often challenging work situations
A willingness to live, travel and work in isolated and possibly high risk locations Proven skills in mentoring, coaching and facilitating learning and development of staff at provincial and field level
Behavioural role model for peers and fellow team members
Competent to work with significant levels of autonomy and able to meet tight deadlines
Creative and innovative in conceptual and analytical thinking
Sensitivity to culture and gender issues Proven experience of gender mainstreaming Fluent in English (spoken and written) Knowledge of Dari A results-oriented approach to delivering work priorities
Values and attitudes Commitment to empowering and rights-based approaches to support poor Afghan women and men in securing their rights as well as national staff
Personal integrity, sense of humour, intuitive and self motivation
Knowledge of personal strengths and weaknesses Good listener Ability to manage conflicting priorities in personal workload, meet tight deadlines and achieve results
Sensitivity to Islamic culture
How to apply:
Only applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications will be considered. Applicants are requested to submit their CVs along with a cover letter explaining suitability for the position at vacancies@afghanaid.org.uk. Closing date of applications August 19th, 2013
