Afghanistan: Senior Rural Development Specialist

Swedish Committee for Afghanistan is looking for Senior Rural Development Specialist

Posted at Kabul Management Office (KMO), Kabul, Afghanistan

Background

SCA has been working in Afghanistan since 1982 and is presently managing development programmes linked to Strategic Objectives concerning Health, Education, Rural Livelihoods and Community Governance with a total annual budget of roughly USD 40 million. The total number of staff is around 5,500 of whom 15 are non-Afghans. The SCA presence in Afghanistan consists of the Kabul Management Office (KMO), five Regional Management Offices and three Liaison Offices. In Sweden SCA has 20 staff working at the Stockholm Management Office (SMO) and around 4,000 members organized in local chapters all over the country.
SCA receives funds from various international and private donors, mainly from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
During the last 10 years SCA has undertaken a change process moving from a primarily humanitarian service delivery approach towards more of a developmental role, putting increasing emphasis on capacity development, rights-based programming and outcome orientation. The mission of SCA is to empower individuals, communities and local organizations, primarily in rural areas and with particular focus on women, girls, boys and vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, so that they may participate fully in society and influence their own development.

Rural Development Programme

Rural Development Programme (RDP) has four components, namely, 1) Construction, which contribute in construction of health and education facilities, 2) Water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), 3) National solidarity Programme (NSP), where SCA is facilitating partner of Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in seven districts of Wardak Province. The objective of the NSP is to build, strengthen, and maintain Community Development Councils (CDCs) as effective institutions for local governance and social-economic development, and 4) Community Governance and Livelihood Project (CGLP), where, RDP work with both CDCs and local authorities on promoting community governance in light of Rights based approach. In addition in the rural livelihood, SCA facilitate self-help groups and village saving and loan associations for improving the quality of life in rural communities through savings, revolving loans, vocational trainings, enhancing production, linkages (both forward and backward), networking, market linkages, and other necessary activities to ensure sustainable and complete package and long-term commitment for livelihood intervention.

The Rural Development programme is managed by a Programme Management Unit in Kabul Management Office and rural development regional teams in Jalalabad, Wardak, Ghazni, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kunduz and Taloqan.

Scope of work

The Senior Rural Development Specialist role mainly focuses on two areas that include a) strategic and technical input to the programme development, and b) planning and reporting.

Under supervision of the RD Programme Manager (RDPM), to whom s/he reports,the Senior Rural Development Specialist has a central advisory function in designing, strengthening and developing the programme for ensuring long-term outcomes. The Specialist helps in guiding processes related to policy, strategy and methodology, and provides technical support for improved planning, monitoring, reporting and implementation. The role encompasses strategic work on institutional and system levels as well as capacity development of key programme staff, partner organisations, and counterpart ministries.

Responsibilities

Strategic and Technical input to programme development:

1. 
   

   Under the guidance of Programme Managers, lead processes related to policy/strategy, and technical guidelines/manuals development by feeding in new programme development perspectives/ experience from other countries with similar contexts.

   
   


2. 
   

   Take the lead in developing and designing of programme related concepts, proposals, studies, and evaluations, with inputs from Regional Management Offices (RMOs) based on pro-poor and marginalized groups perspectives reflecting the needs identified at the community level.

   
   


3. 
   

   Ensure that the concerned units at the field level are pro-actively involved in the development of concept notes and proposals, as well as the concept notes and proposals are aligned with strategic objectives, mission, and vision of SCA.

   
   


4. 
   

   To actively follow-up the progress made towards the recommendations proposed by evaluations, studies, and third party monitoring in accordance to the management responses/action plans.

   
   


5. 
   

   Assist planning and reporting unit, HRGU and M&E in capacity development of Kabul Management Office (KMO) and Regional Management Offices (RMO) programme staff on Rights Based Approach (RBA), results based planning and reporting. This can include mentoring, coaching, and hands-on support.

   
   


6. 
   

   The Senior Rural Development Specialist functions as generalist in the programme, however, more specifically supports the programme promoting the rural livelihoods and community governance.

   
   

Planning and Reporting:

1. 
   

   Leading the annual planning, reporting and proposal development processes within rural development programme unit is the primary responsibility of the Programme Manager, however, Senior Programme Specialist takes active part in turning the Regional Management Offices input into quality narrative drafts and submit to programme managers for final review before submission to the next level within the organization.

   
   


2. 
   

   The Senior Programme Specialist takes the lead in strengthening bottom up planning and reporting by capacity development of concerned Regional Management Office staff. She/he supports the staff in strengthening participatory planning and reporting to ensure that the target groups’ (women, children and people with disabilities) actively take part in planning, implementation and reporting processes.

   
   

Entry Requirements

Qualifications

• 
  

  University degree at master’s level, in Rural Development

  
  


• 
  

  At least seven years of relevant work experience in senior positions in large organisations within international development including processes related to programme and project design, policy, strategy and advocacy

  
  

Essential skills and experience

• Experience in community development with speciality in rural livelihoods and governance


• Experience of mainstreaming human rights and gender equality in programmes and projects


• Experience of working with rights-based approach and knowledge of participatory methods and tools


• Expert in results based planning, reporting and proposals development


• Experience of working abroad in developing countries, countries in conflict and/or post conflict and Muslim countries


• Experienced in team-building and being a good team player in a cross-cultural context


• Experience of capacity development of staff


• Analytical, facilitation and presentation skills


• Excellent command of spoken and written English

Desired skills and experience

• Experience of working in Afghanistan


• Familiarity in Afghan culture and local languages (Dari or Pashto)

Application information

Contract period: 2 years with an initial 6 months probationary period

Conditions: Non family posting. SCA offers a competitive salary, free housing, insurances and other benefits.

Duties to begin: August 2016

Last date for application: 8 May, 2016