The Aga Khan Foundation, Afghanistan (AKF (Afg)) is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of international, private, non-denominational development agencies working to improve living conditions and opportunities for people in some of the poorest parts of the developing world. The Network’s organizations have individual mandates that range from the fields of health and education to architecture, rural development and promotion of private-sector enterprise and institutions that seek to empower communities and individuals, usually in disadvantaged circumstances, to improve living conditions and opportunities.

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a non-denominational international development agency established in 1967 by His Highness the Aga Khan. Its mission is to develop and promote creative solutions to problems that impede social development, primarily in Asia and East Africa. Created as a private, non-profit foundation under Swiss law, it has branches and independent affiliates in 19 countries.
AKF seeks to provide sustainable solutions to long-term problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy, and ill health. In Afghanistan, AKF works with rural communities in mountainous, remote or resource poor areas to improve quality of life in the areas of natural resource management, market development, governance, education, and health.

POSITION OBJECTIVE
The coordinator is responsible for the Local Impact overall implementation, financial planning, training and management, including budgeting, financial reporting, capacity building, and compliance in Afghanistan. This is a professional position that is based in a multi-sector unit and works closely with the Programme team, the regional staff, the AKF Global programs team and others. The coordinator will also coordinate with other country offices on cross-border activities, project reporting, shared learnings and overall implementation activities. This position will be responsible for regional-level engagement with AKF and AKDN stakeholders, both technical and operational, and USAID Mission staff and local communities to promote Local Impact and generate subsequent Associate Awards. They should have a strong BD/Partnerships background and be experienced in human-centered design (ideally). The position will likely involve international travel to fulfil responsibilities.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
•    Leadership: Provide strategic and operational leadership for the project; coordinate implementation planning, project reviews, evaluation activities and project implementation activities with team members, project partners and other stakeholders.
•    Systems Development and Management: Review and adapt, strengthening where necessary existing systems to support the implementation of all aspects of the project, including operations, financial management and monitoring and reporting.
•    Lead compliance measures for the grant according to USAID guidelines (vetting, recruitment, restricted goods approval, ensuring collaboration agreement is followed). This requires a strong understanding of USAID regulations and compliance issues, as well as positive organizational skills with regard to ensuring that measures are undertaken and maintained to meet internal and donor requirements.
•    Work closely with the Finance team to monitor the financial performance of the grants.
•    Project Scoping. Identify opportunities and write design proposals in close collaboration with local teams based on internal and donor priorities.
•    Design Planning. Support the team in planning design processes, methods and tools to use. Create research plans, identify the right questions to ask, and collaborate with other designers to find creative ways to answer them.
•    Design Facilitation and Consulting. Support the projects and teams in conducting design processes and workshops. Prepare and facilitate workshops to move the design work forward.
•    Design Research. Employ a variety of traditional and non-traditional research methods, including creating research plans, conducting interviews and focus groups, shadowing participants, participatory observations, expert interviews, and even putting yourself in the shoes of the people you're designing.
•    Synthesis. Bring together learnings from design processes by leading the discussion of data collected in the field (a process we call synthesis). This will include debriefing and discussing user feedback with your teams--collaborating to turn research into potential directions for design.
•    Prototype. Build prototypes and test solutions with target audiences to collect feedback and iterate on solutions.
•    Capacity development. Conduct workshops and learning experiences to build design capacity of local teams and stakeholders.
•    Oversee the development of studies and communications materials for external audiences, articulating achievements, impacts and lessons learned.
•    Present. Clearly communicate complex concepts to a variety of audiences.
•    Reporting and Documentation: Compile and synthesize reports partners to produce timely and accurate donor reporting. Maintain an up-to-date archive of all project data.
•    Backstopping. Serve as a backstop to fill gaps when needed.

OCCASIONAL SIGNIFICANT DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
•    Design Facilitation and Consulting. Support the projects and teams in conducting design processes and workshops, prepare and facilitate workshops to move the design work forward.
•    Capacity development. Conduct workshops and learning experiences to build design capacity of local teams and stakeholders. 

DECISION-MAKING & AUTHORITY
•    Closely work with the programme management to finalize the annual plans, department budget allocation and any other modifications to the project.

JOB SPECIFICATION
•    Bachelor’s degree in project management, Business Management, International Relations, Development, or related fields.
•    Understanding of USAID regulations and compliance procedures.
•    At least 5 Years experience in grants management, including donor relations, reporting and compliance.
•    Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

REQUIRED CORE COMPETENCIES
•    Ability to thrive in fast-paced, uncertain environments and resolve problems effectively and quickly.
•    A systems th inker and can logically visualize complex systems.
•    Solution-focused and medium-agnostic, wil ling to step out of your core skill set or discipline to find the correct solution to a challenge.
•    Skilled at turning human insights into concrete design concepts.

APPLICATION
Interested applicants should submit their CV along with a cover letter to Jobs.afghanistan@akdn.org no later than 31st October 2023.

Important Notes:
•    Please quote the Vacancy Number as the Subject of the e-mail when applying.
•    No supporting documents (e.g., diplomas, recommendation letters, identification card(s) etc.) are required at this stage.
•    Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for further assessment.
•    Salary scale: Grade C based on NTA Salary scale.

Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to equal opportunity and safeguarding of children, beneficiaries, partners, community members and employees in accordance with AKF(Afg)’s safeguarding policy.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Your details and information shared on this advertisement shall remain confidential.