Civil society has long been a key factor in addressing a full range of issues in the social, cultural, religious, humanitarian, and political life of Afghanistan. With the focus on the transition to Afghan leadership, civil society, particularly local and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), have the potential to play an important and complementary role in Afghanistan in the delivery of the government’s priority programs, in supporting improved governance, in connecting the wider Afghan population to the state, and in advocating for the vulnerable and excluded.

NGOs in Afghanistan face challenges, including financial and capacity gaps and a public trust deficit, in their endeavors to play such a role effectively. The government, the international community, and civil society have been considering methods by which to support NGOs to address these challenges and realize their potential, dating back to discussions at the Conference on Enabling Environment for Effective Private Sector Contribution to Development in Afghanistan in June 2007. One of the outcomes of these considerations was the formation of a working group, with representation from international and national NGOs, key national NGO networks, and civil society professionals, to establish an organization that will enable NGOs to address these challenges.

The Afghanistan Institute for Civil Society (AICS) objectives are:

1. To raise the credibility of the civil society sector by certifying local NGOs using locally defined and internationally recognized standards.
2. To systemize capacity-building efforts by coordinating initiatives using measurable performance indicators.
3. To strengthen the role of civil society in Afghanistan’s development through policy dialogue and active engagement with the government, donors, and the broader development sector.
4. To provide a channel for resources for civil society by strengthening philanthropic and corporate social responsibility efforts.

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) has been supporting education programs in Afghanistan since 2017, and through this program AICS will focus on girls’ education as well as community-based education to reach children and adolescents in the most crisis-affected areas, in this project AICS will be supporting this initiative Baghlan and Kunduz provinces.

For the role of Provincial Education Officer we are seeking an Education officer is responsible to assess the assist education coordinator in overall implementation of the project on the provincial level (such as following up project implementation plan, coordination with relevant stakeholders, leading and supervising CMs, assessing capacity gapes, identify and address field level challenges and to assist field coordinator in collecting data and generation of progress and need-based reports.

The Provincial Education Officer (PEO) is a member of the education team based at the provincial office level. In cooperation with the Provincial Education Coordinator (PCE), the PEO manages AICS education programs in his/her respective districts in accordance to AICS policy, education program directives and yearly work plans. The POE is responsible for planning, budgeting, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting of AICS education programs in the districts. He/she must spend 40% of their time on the admin/logistic activities and 60% on technical support to the DTEEs in planning and mentoring. The POE maintains close cooperation with the District Education Departments (DED) and Provicial education Department (PED) and collaborates with other AICS sectors and INGOs/NGOs at the provincial office level.

1. Technical Advice and support:

• Provides a second line leadership and management in the provincial office through assisting the PEC in planning and implementing of programmes;
• Leads the education team in executing of the overall programmes activities and interventions in the field under the supervision and directions from PEC and NEM;
• Provides intensive mentoring support to the DTEEs at the provincial office level;
• Ensures that all the DTEs develop their monthly action  plans on the basis on the quarterly action plans;
• Ensures that the system of TLCs, SSs and SSAs are well-established and work based on their regular plan at the area level.

2. Programme Planning and delivery:

• Coordinates with the PEC & DTEEs or Community Mobilizers (CM) in preparation of monthly action plans for the program implementation as per the monthly cash requests;
• Submits the financial expenses report to the PEC along with the monthly progressive report submitted to the PEC, NEM and HQ Finance;
• Prepares monthly cash requests on the basis of the approved quarterly and yearly program education plan each month and share it to the provincial and HQ office for approval.
• Prepares monthly action plans in accordance to the quarterly and yearly education programplan according to the donor requirements and share it with the AICS Provincial Education Coordinator, HQ national Education Manager and Program & Partnership Manager.
• Assists the PEC & NEM in preparing of the Education Plan at the provincial office level;
• Prepares  monthly cash requests and purchase requests considering the programmatic needs of the province in view and providing logistic and financial support in close coordination with provincial finance and logistic and admin departments.

3. Programme effectiveness:

• Oversees education activities in respected provinces/area (# of districts, # of DTEs, # DEDs/Schools/CBE/ALP/ECD) to ensure that they are run in accordance to AICS and donor  policy, education program directives;
• Supervises District Teacher Educators, Education (DTEEs) and community mobilizers (CM) (those whose supervision she/he is tasked with) and ensures that their work performance meets expectations and they carry out their duties in a responsible, honest and efficient manner in accordance to AICS job performance criteria;
• Pays Regularly visits to all AICS Education programs schools/classes at the provincial office level and ensures that DTEEs are conducting their activities in accordance to AICS and donor project work plans and policies;
• Coordinates AICS education activities with the DEDs, CDCs, CLDCs and other AICS sectors in the district level (in # of districts) to enure that the interventions implemnnted in the field are aligned with the policy of AICS, donor and MoE;
• Collaborates with AICS sectors to enhance the integration and impact of education activities at the provincial level.                    4.Staff Management and Development:
• Works closely with the DTEs, ASTEs, M&E, and PEC to identify capacity building and professional development area for them, and plays a key role in the performance management of the staff at the provincial office level;
• Leads the education team based in area office and in the fields to ensure that they perform their duties in responsible, effective and efficient manner in accordance with their job description and work plan;
• Coordinates the pre and post mentoring meetings and provide action plans for the personal and professional development of the staff (DTEs) under his/her direction supervistion;
• Maintains a good filing system (both in soft and hard copies) in the provincial office along with the PEC and the DTEs, and all the data (both quantitative and qualitative) should be available to the M&E team.

5. Resource Management:

• Facilitates the process of purchasing requests of the materials and equipments for the education stakeholders (DEDs/TTCs/Schools/and others), and ensures about the quality and on-time distribution all the resources to the relevant stakeholders;
• Keeps the recording of the handover of the resources and materials, and monitors the utilization of the resources delivered to the governmental institutions and communities. Also manages the utelization of the office equipments by the staff
• Maintains a good filing system (both in soft and hard copies) in the provincial office along with the PEC and the DTEs, and all the data (both quantitative and qualitative) should be available to the M&E team.

 6. Communiction, Reporting and updates:

• Prepares monthly program progressive reports on the monthly basis considering the financial performance, program delivery considering the targets for each activity on the basis of the project plan and monthly cash requests;
• Maintains regular communication with PEC & NEM for all the significant issues and policy matters on program implementation;
• Assist PEC and NEM in writing of quarterly, six monthly and yearly reports as per requirements by provincial education office or HQ office;
• Ensures that all reports and data submitted by POEs and DTEEs are accurate before submitting them to PEC and NEM;
• Complies and shares the lessons learned, program success stories, and challenges to ensure that the program activities are delivered efficiently and effectively through field monitoring. 7. Representation:
• Is responsible to represent AICS  education department at meetings, educational events/campaigns, and other education relevant interventions at the DEDs, TTCs, Schools and and Communities’ levels when requsted.
• Develops and fosters a close working relationship with the PED/DEDs/TTCs in # of districts
• Maintains good relations with staff from other INGOs/NGOs at provincial level;
• Maintains good relations with the local authorities; and
• Attends PED/DEDs’ meetings at provincial level.8. Commitment for Child Protection:
• Carries out the responsibilities of the role in a way which reflects AICS’s commitment to protecting children in accordance with the AICS and donor Child Safeguarding Policy and advocates for the rights of children.
• Attends AICS coordination meetings at the provincial level and liaise with the Provincial Education Coordinator/Manager;  
• Fulfils the Performance Appraisal of their own POEs and DTEEs;
• Assists in data collection from the field communicating guidance from PEC/NEM and M&E;
• Work closely with other sectors teams in the district in order to develop better synergy of work and pepresents AICS Education team in the meetings when needed and/or asked to participates; and,
• Any tasks are assigned by the immediate supervisor or senior management in the province/region.

1. Administration:

• Planning and execution of the activities approved in the plan through the approved monthly cash requests.
• Communicates with the DEDs at the area office level and his/her task will be 60% on administration.                  
• 2. Technical :
• Provides technical support to the DTEs and community mobilizers at the area office level
• Is responsible for overall result and outcome of the activities executed in the area office.                                  3.Geographical Scope:
• Across their assigned provincial office level.                      
•  4. Logistical
• Works closely with finance, admin/logistic department.
• Distribution and keeping the records of all education materials and resources and keeps their records.           5. HR/ staffing
• Supervise the DTEES and their performaces in close coordination with PEC.                                                       6. Finance
• Prepares monthly cash requests on the bases of the apoproved plan
• Has the authority at the provincial office to verify the purchasing request and any other monetary matters
• Financial performance records.
• High level of interpersonal skills and Proven ability to work with remote communities;
• Good oral and written communication skills in Dari and English languages
• Any one who has the ability of working with computer is preffered.  
• Strong motivation to improve education and ready to work in hard and remote areas

Qualified interested national candidates are kindly requested to submit their application (cover letter & updated CV) no later than 31 August 2024 to the email (Jobs@aicsafg.org) 

Please mention the vacancy number and job title in the subject line of your email (AICS2024-08-005 ) Provincial Education Officer (Baghlan)

The residents of Baghlan province are highly encouraged to apply.