Background Information – Afghanistan

 

Afghanistan

With more than 20 years of experience in the country, UNOPS Afghanistan focuses on providing maximum support to the people of Afghanistan through the delivery of projects and services that improve the lives of people in need. The UNOPS Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) serves as an organizational mechanism to deliver a range of projects for which UNOPS has been designated as the implementation agency. At present, UNOPS AFCO activities cover a range of sectors including humanitarian, basic human needs, cash for work, infrastructure, development, procurement and HR services.

The functional objective of UNOPS AFCO is to contribute to improving the lives of girls, boys, men and women living in Afghanistan. The aim of UNOPS AFCO is to provide efficient and cost-effective implementation services on behalf of all our partners to support the humanitarian response and development of the country. UNOPS AFCO’s mission is to exceed the expectations of all stakeholders in the delivery of AFCO services, at all times, in all places, in all circumstances, in order to improve the lives of Afghans in need.

 

Background Information – Job-specific

 

Responding to one of the most complex humanitarian crises in the world, the Afghanistan Inter-agency Communication and Accountability Centre (ICAC) known as Awaaz Afghanistan is an inter-agency two-way communication and accountability mechanism that responds to the information and communication needs of affected populations in Afghanistan and allows affected populations to shape their own relief and recovery. Based in Kabul and functioning as a toll-free humanitarian helpline, Awaaz Afghanistan is a link to the partnership between those who wish to assist and those who need assistance and is accountable to both constituencies.

Supported by the Humanitarian Country Team, with current funding from the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF), the European Commission Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), United Nations Development Fund (UNDP), and the Government of Japan, Awaaz’s primary objective is to promote two-way communication between affected populations to:

1. Empower communities through the provision of accessible and timely information on how to access humanitarian services and resources required to improve their situation
2. Help ensure efficient and effective coordination of humanitarian actors operating in Afghanistan by collecting and circulating information about the urgent needs and priorities of affected populations
3. Support an environment of transparency and accountability by:
   1. Establishing an easy-to-access and safe mechanism through which affected populations can lodge feedback and complaints
   2. Channelling feedback and complaints to humanitarian actors to influence humanitarian programming and shape quality advocacy

Following country and global commitments to Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), there are increasing efforts in Afghanistan to strengthen system-wide accountability and enhance the role and voices of affected communities in the humanitarian response. While progress has been made to integrate AAP across the humanitarian programme cycle, challenges and barriers to operationalize response-wide AAP remain due to the current socio-political landscape. Afghanistan has a well-established and comprehensive AAP mechanism comprised of three complementary components – the Minimum Standards for Quality Programming, the Community Voices and Accountability platform, and the Awaaz helpline – all coordinated by the Afghanistan AAP Working Group (led by UNFPA and ACBAR) and based on the collective AAP Strategy.

Awaaz Afghanistan’s extended project component funded by the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) will strengthen system-wide AAP to ensure that decision-making power is in the hands of affected communities. Project activities will be coordinated by Awaaz supported by the implementing partners, and led by the Afghanistan AAP Working Group harmonizing collective AAP efforts. The AAP WG co-chairs will work with OCHA and the dedicated project team to ensure that the project is fully harmonized with other ongoing efforts, including linkages with GiHA and DIWG and with the AAP indicators and strategy outlined in the 2024 HNRP. The project team will regularly report to the AAP WG, which will also conduct field assessments as required to ensure that project is making appropriate progress against the key indicators.

The project will particularly enhance:

• Ongoing efforts of communicating with communities through accessible formats and languages
• Real-time participation of communities in response
• Community validation of feedback and concerns about humanitarian response (real-time field monitoring)

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

UNOPS is seeking a Project Management Support Officer responsible to coordinate Awaaz’s extended support to the response on establishment and implementation of the collective accountability platform with the implementing partners and AAP stakeholders under the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) contribution. The outcome of this consultancy is to further strengthen and streamline AAP processes as part of its overall objective to strengthen accountability to affected populations in Afghanistan.

This result of this consultancy achieves Awaaz’s objectives through the provision of:

• Effective implementation of the community validation component through implementing partners, establishment of a response wide collective AAP platform to further strengthening collective accountability to affected people in Afghanistan
• The incumbent reports to the Project Manager.

 

Functional Responsibilities

 

The incumbent will perform the following duties with transparency and integrity, and in adherence to the humanitarian standards for information management as provided by the Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance (ALNAP), the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and the Sphere Handbook:

• Provide key support to the project manager, and project support team as required to implement the project.
• Support training design processes for the response partners ongoing capacity building sessions.
• Represent Awaaz at meetings upon request, including but not limited to cluster-level meetings. Design and deliver cluster-specific, and other tailored presentations as required.
• Remain informed of accurate and up-to-date information on the humanitarian response, AAP, and information relevant to affected communities. Ensure this information is shared with the team in a time sensitive manner.
• Support in data analysis, referrals tracking, and partners feedback. Document feedback from partners in a systematic way to facilitate analysis and reporting of impact, closing the loop on complaints, and supporting the overall accountability of humanitarian actors to the affected population.
• Support monitoring services and surveys for various partners, including the development of questionnaires, data sampling, guidance and training of operators, data cleaning, data analysis and report writing.
• Provide technical support to the team in development of the reporting templates, in particular with the drafting of internal and external reports within given deadlines;
• Establish and maintain an effective implementation strategy for the project, incorporating methods for the comprehensive partner engagement and outreach efforts as required, as well as ensure digestion of public information products and facilitated presence at key coordination forums;
• Overall responsibility for the project reports on activities, including newsletters, substantive progress reports, bulletins, projects briefs, assessment and survey reports, annual reports, project final report, and ad-hoc reports upon request, ensuring full compliance of project activities with UNOPS and donors’ guidelines and requirements;
• Interact and follow up with the project manager and the project teams to solicit case studies, lessons learned, success stories, and best practices for internal and external sharing.
• Prepare success stories and best practices reported by the project team for inclusion in project dashboards and reports when needed;
• Contribute to preparation of briefs, talking points, key messaging for discussions with partners in key coordination meetings to discuss data, trends analysis and any identified gaps and/or needs observed;
• Provides inputs and guidance on the transformation of project data into more usable forms of information that can be used for reporting and analysis including statistics, maps, charts, presentations and other reports as required by the project.
• Provide technical support on all aspects of project results reporting, including guidance, stakeholder engagement, data collection enrichment, quality assurance and analysis;
• Monitor and provide quality assurance, including data verification and field visits when needed on partners progress and project activities.
• Building and maintaining effective working relationships with project stakeholders to ensure effective project delivery
• Assist in the documentation of key findings in regular analysis of the project’s impact on the response, including operational developments, achievements, constraints, concerns, and request for support, and in the communication of these findings to partners, donors and other stakeholders;
• Gather and report on feedback from partners in a systematic way to facilitate analysis, reporting of impact, procedures on referrals, and support the overall accountability of humanitarian actors to the affected population;
• Maintain close interaction with Project team to share information and knowledge as related to project activities and communications;
• Ensures overall integrity, quality, accessibility and accuracy of information across project and reporting dashboard;
• Demonstrate an ability to learn quickly, follow procedures, and act professionally at all times
• Be flexible in undertaking the duties and responsibilities attached to their job; incumbents may be asked to perform other duties which reasonably correspond to the general character of their job and their level of responsibility, including taking meeting minutes.

 

Education/Experience/Language requirements

 

Education

• Advanced University Degree (Master Degree or equivalent) in project management, business administration, statistics, M&E, Data Analysis, or a related field. First-level university degree in project management, business administration, statistics, M&E, Data Analysis, or other relevant discipline in combination with 2 additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

Required:

• Minimum of one year of progressive responsible experience in Monitoring and Evaluation, Data Collection and Analysis, Managerial or supervisory roles.
• Strong background in data collection, analysis and presentation of data
• Strong experience in usage of computers and Microsoft Office software packages (MS Word, and Excel especially)

Desired:

• Knowledge of and experience in gender sensitivity, gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), complaint feedback response mechanisms, referral pathways, and community engagement.
• Strong background in managing teams and implementing partners.
• Knowledge of new data analysis and visualisation solutions such as PowerBI, Tableau…etc.
• Working knowledge of Google suit.

Languages

• Fluency (oral and written) in English is required.
• Fluency in Pashto and/or Dari languages is highly desired.

 

Competencies

 

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above)

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. 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 people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

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

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. 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 needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

 

Contract type, level and duration

 

Contract level: LICA8
Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Information

 

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.