Afghanistan: Project Development Officer - Afghanistan
Department: Reporting/AME
Position: Project Development Officer
Contract duration: 6 months, renewable
Location: Kabul, Afghanistan
Starting Date March
I. Background on ACTED
Since 1993, as an international non-governmental organization, ACTED has been committed to immediate humanitarian relief to support those in urgent need and protect people’s dignity, while co-creating longer term opportunities for sustainable growth and fulfilling people’s potential.
ACTED endeavors to respond to humanitarian crises and build resilience; promote inclusive and sustainable growth; co-construct effective governance and support the building of civil society worldwide by investing in people and their potential.
We go the last kilometer: ACTED’s mission is to save lives and support people in meeting their needs in hard to reach areas. ACTED develops and implements programs that target the most vulnerable amongst populations that have suffered from conflict, natural disaster, or socio-economic hardship. ACTED’s approach looks beyond the immediate emergency towards opportunities for longer term livelihoods reconstruction and sustainable development.
With a budget of 164 million EUR in 2014, ACTED is active in 35 countries and implements more than 450 projects a year reaching over 8 million beneficiaries with 400 international staff and 4,300 national staff.
II. Country Profile
Capital Office: Kabul
Areas: 3 (2014)
On-going Projects: 26 (2014)
Budget: 15.9 M euros (2014)
National Staff: 921 (2014)
ACTED continues to build on 17 years of uninterrupted presence in Afghanistan, with 900 staff of whom 98 % are Afghan nationals, dedicated to the people of Afghanistan and to rebuilding their country. ACTED consolidates its work in eight of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces in the north of the country and our beneficiaries, while predominantly from rural, agricultural-based areas, typify the diversity which is Afghanistan, inclusive of different ethnic groups, languages, customs and traditions.
ACTED workes with 8% of the population, building sustainable livelihoods in a holistic way in seven northern provinces. We empower people to secure ownership of and access to resources, and income-earning activities, including building reserves and assets to offset risk, shocks and to meet contingencies and emergencies which have continued to affect the country. The conflict presents challenges, but we continue to deliver emergency and development programmes with continued support of communities and the determination of our staff.
ACTED’s programme has six objectives: human, social, natural, financial, political and physical capital development.
ACTED works in partnership with NGOs and the government to deliver key national programmes. We represent and advocates on behalf of NGOs as an elected member of the MAIL NGO Coordination Unit and the NSP Facilitating Partners Representative Group. The Afghanistan Livelihoods Network (ALN), an initiative of ACTED, fills a gap in the development sector with 90 organisations attending our best practice workshops. We participate in other humanitarian and early recovery coordination mechanisms. We continue to serve as an elected member of the governing bodies of the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief, (ACBAR, which represents 120 member NGOs) and the Human Rights Research and Advocacy Consortium. We also serve as a member of the governing bodies of local organizations.
Sustainable livelihoods security is a long term development strategy. We continue to design and deliver holistic programmes which have shown tangible results. As such, our focus is to continue providing communities with the means to identify their own priorities. Programmes remain evidence-based and relevant to needs. Inclusion of young people and women is key priorities and we will continue to respond to emergencies if they arise, while continuing to support civil society, improve coordination and increase regional dialogue with neighboring countries.
III. Position Profile
I. Functions in terms of AME
Project Cycle Management
Facilitate the development and implementation of project cycle management;
Partiicpate in developing a PCM guide, incl. tools and procedures to be used;
Train the staff to use the PCM guide and related tools and procedures, and notably follow up the implementation of the Project Management framework (PMF, ACTED PCM Tool) for all projects
Keep track of all projects and programmes monitoring and evaluation schedules and work with field staff to design and implement monitoring and evaluation procedures;
Information System
Work with all departments to follow up project and programmes databases incl. work on the nomenclature used (official names etc.);
Follow up the day-to-day workings of the AME Department, including reading weekly monitoring reports and follow-up;
Ensure that appraisal, monitoring and evaluation reports are made useful for fundraising and add to the general base of field knowledge in the country for all organisations working in the area;
Set up a Resource Centre at the capital office regularly updated with appropriate and relevant external and internal resources.
Diffuse information to other internal stakeholders through the intranet and the regional office
Participatory Appraisal, Monitoring and Evaluation
Ensure that local partners, when appropriate, engaged in appraisal for and/or with ACTED are trained and given advice in participatory approaches, minimalizing bias, and other key methodologies for information gathering;
Work with base and field staff to help design and improve adapted participatory appraisal mechanisms for the projects implemented in the country;
Departmental Follow-up
Manage the AME staff in cooperation with Area Coordinators and Programme Managers;
Follow up work plans, activities and their quality;
Work with the administrative departments to ensure that procedures are respected;
Solve problems and give professional guidance, specially for interns / volunteers;
Communicate regularly to the regional Coordination, Programme Managers and Coordinations on all activities;
II. Functions in terms of reporting
Ensuring the Production of Timely, Accurate and Analytical Reports for Donors
Understand and disseminate Donors guidelines ;
Liaise regularly with Area Coordinators, Programme Managers and technical staff to ensure the production of quality reports across areas and across Donors;
Work in close relation with AME Department to develop and incorporate more solid monitoring and evaluation components in reports;
Work in close relation with Finance Department to ensure greater coherence between financial and narrative reports, and ensure steady cash inflow based on the timeliness and quality of report submissions.
Work in close relation and communicate on a regular basis with HQ reporting department, notably on the basis of the monthly Reporting follow up
Developing Internal Coordination and Communication mechanisms
In relation with the project development manager and Country Director, ensure that all meetings are held and documented (capital coordination meetings, area coordination meetings, monthly coordination meetings, quarterly country coordination meetings);
Ensure in particular that reporting guidelines, formats, philosophy, deadlines for each project and donor is communicated clearly and standardized across the country for new and on-going projects;
Follow-up meetings at the field level and in the capital, between the bases and between the country programme and HQ/other ACTED operations through the ACTED Newsletter;
Draft agenda and minutes of country-wide meetings, with the assistance of the Reporting staff.
Developing an External Donor Relations Strategy
Update on a weekly and monthly basis the external relations database, which documents latest negotiations and proposal possibilities with a number of key donors;
Manage a team of Area Coordinators, Programme Managers and technical staff to ensure that proposals are developed in a cohesive and professional manner and in line with ACTED country strategy and donor requirements;
Act as point of contact for all Donor communication, including the organisation of and hosting of Donor visits in the field for projects s/he is in charge of
Developing an External Communication Strategy
Define the main target groups, activities, resources and partnerships needed;
Ensure continuum of PR activities, including formal presentations, engaging media for coverage on success stories, updating project-specific and regional fact sheets, and documenting publications featuring ACTED in the media ;
Identifying sources of funding for a more cohesive public information strategy in-country.
Assisting the Project Development Manager and Country Director in developing the country strategy, project proposals, addressing ad hoc donor requests or catalysing action on specific projects or components of projects
IV. Qualifications:
· Postgraduate diploma in International Development and (or) relevant Master’s level degree (anthropology, development studies, humanitarian aid, sociology);
· Fluency in written and spoken English
· Proficiency in written and spoken English
· Strong writing abilities and analytical skills
· Skills in political sciences or international relations
· Ability to work efficiently under pressure
· Previous experience in the humanitarian field, proposals development, and donor relations are required
· Previous experience abroad is required
V. Conditions:
Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus
Additional monthly living allowance
Free food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse
Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowance
Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance + retirement package
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