Turquoise Mountain is a British charity that was founded in 2006. We believe artisanal heritage matters and has the power to transform lives. We support artisans to thrive and to revitalise traditions in regions of the world where artisanal heritage is endangered, and to connect people through heritage.

Turquoise Mountain is an organisation with offices in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, and the Levant, and with over 400 international and local staff members worldwide. We combine a cultural heritage focus with a wide scope of activities; we support artisans to thrive and to revitalize their traditions by any means necessary, and to connect people across the world through heritage. The places where we work are complex and sometimes affected by conflict.

The Afghanistan Country Director is a key position within Turquoise Mountain and a member of the Global Senior Management Team. Afghanistan is Turquoise Mountain’s founding project, where it has been for the longest, has its largest team, and most complex and impactful project. This is a hugely exciting, important and influential role within the organisation, and we are looking for a highly capable person - but then isn’t everyone? We want someone who can combine creativity with solid financial management; who can both manage risks effectively but also push the bounds of what is possible in a very challenging environment; who shows compassion and empathy to their colleagues and the artisans we support, but who can also make tough decisions to keep the project running; who can seamlessly integrate and make the most of the global team, whilst also being a decisive self-starter; who has buckets of relevant experience, and is willing to keep filling that bucket by learning from the team around them... The good news is we have the self-awareness to realise that no one person can be all these things, and that it is a tough job – so the successful candidate will have the support of a warm, friendly, experienced and patient global team, not to mention an incredible team in country, many of whom have been doing this for many years. If this inspires and excites you, and you are fully committed to the role and life in Afghanistan in all its beauty – please do apply.

Job Summary:

Manage the existing programmes and staff of Turquoise Mountain Trust in Afghanistan. Work in conjunction with the Director of the Turquoise Mountain Institute to coordinate and promote programmes, and work with partners outside of the organisation.

Lead on fundraising and strategic planning for all aspects of TM’s activities in Afghanistan.

Core Responsibilities:

Leadership, Collaboration & Line Management

Communicate a clear vision of present and future programme goals and strategies to team members. Incorporate their feedback, and the best of their skills into the programme.

Manage, recruit and motivate a skilled, efficient team; incorporate staff development strategies and performance management systems into the team-building process.

Programme Design and Management

Implement the strategy of Turquoise Mountain Trust, as directed by the CEO and Trustees to support artisans in Afghanistan across Turquoise Mountain’s key areas of work: Livelihood, Heritage, Skills & Practice, Wellbeing, and Connection. Please note that a fundamental way in which the organisation supports artisans is through the sale of craft products to international markets, and that many of the activities, accordingly, are commercial in nature.

Establish a vision for new programming that leverages Turquoise Mountain’s value proposition and networks in Afghanistan to optimise support to artisan communities.

Operations and Financial Management

• Ensure program implementation is on time, on target and on-budget.
• Manage and develop the programme infrastructure and systems including financial management, operations, and donor relations, ensuring effective, transparent use of resources, and timely reporting systems, in compliance with Turquoise Mountain and donor policies/procedures.
• Ensure that all donor reporting requirements are met and that a proactive approach to communication is adopted with all key stakeholders to the Afghan operation.
• Oversee strategic budgeting and budget management of all internal programmes, and sub- grantees/sub-contractors as applicable.
• Maintain and develop systems that ensure the safety and security of the team in all aspects of its work according to best practices, Turquoise Mountain operating standards and field realities

Coordination, Representation and External Relations

• Represent Turquoise Mountain in Afghanistan with all relevant stakeholders, in partnership with the Director of the Institute for Afghan Arts and Architecture. This includes, but is not limited to, the Afghan Government, the community of Murad Khani, the project staff and wider beneficiary group, the International Community, and National and International Media.
• Represent Turquoise Mountain outside of Afghanistan where appropriate and upon request. This may include, and is not limited to, international collaboration on projects, fundraising efforts, and communication with Board members and stakeholders abroad.
• Communicate a clear vision of present and future programme goals and strategies and actively cultivate productive relationships with internal and external constituents.

Strategic Development & Fundraising

• Explore, propose and implement new programming in line with the mission of Turquoise Mountain Trust, and in conjunction with the CEO.
• Lead the annual country planning process and report to the CEO and Board on the aims, achievements and issues on the programme.
• Lead on institutional fundraising with support and oversight from the COO.
• Explore, evaluate and present innovative funding opportunities, leveraging impact and integrating activities with other NGOs, Art Institutions, International Organisations and other potential project partners.

Cross-working

Active engagement, integration and collaboration with Turquoise Mountain’s Global Teams is essential across:

• Commercial
• Creative (design development, exhibitions, training etc.)
• Operations – HR, Finance, MEAL, IT etc.

This list is not exhaustive, and other duties may be required as determined by the needs of the organisation.

Professional approach:

A genuine collaborator in approach, with natural leadership qualities and an ability to build teams, whether directly under their management or within the wider organisation. Ability to coach and mentor senior managers, empowering others and helping them to take ownership in their areas of expertise. Experience of managing risk in a frequently changing landscape, bringing a flexible approach. Ability to take in information and distil salient points and priorities. Ability to synthesize different information

Personal attributes:

Must be willing to live in Kabul, and open to frequent travel to other areas of Afghanistan as well as to other countries of operation (including the UK)

Must have the ability, experience, and judgement to work autonomously where required.

Must be comfortable with dynamic risk management in complex, changeable environments.

Qualifications:

We are open to candidates qualified by experience.

Formal qualifications that may be advantageous include regional or thematically relevant subjects such as architecture, art history, area studies, Persian studies, anthropology. Open-mindedness, creativity, willingness to learn and ability to learn quickly are considered more important. Candidates with private sector experience/background are also welcome to apply.

Specific job skills and experience:

Essential

• Extensive experience in a Programmes or Operational leadership role within an INGO or social enterprise or other equivalent organisation working in complex or challenging regions.
• Experience in a leadership role
• Experience of leading and mentoring a diverse team working across programmes and operations.
• Successful track record of managing complex budgets including restricted funds.
• Experience of working with donor reporting requirements and programme budgets.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build relationships at all levels with colleagues both locally and across international departments, and with external stakeholders.
• Experience of working in a matrix-management or delegated responsibility environment.
• Ability to contribute to the management of dispersed, in-country, finance colleagues, while not taking direct line-management responsibility for them.

Desirable

• Experience of working in Afghanistan.
• Experience of government liaison in Afghanistan.

NB this post is based in Kabul.

Candidates should submit their covering letter and C.V. to: vacancy@turquoisemountain.org. In the subject line of the e-mail, please mention – ‘Country Director – Afghanistan’ and your last name.

Kindly combine covering letter and C.V. as one pdf document.