Liaison & Advocacy Officer

The Terre des hommes Foundation (Tdh), with headquarters in Lausanne and an office in Zurich, is the leading Swiss child rights organisation with more than 2000 employees worldwide. We stand together with children to uphold their rights, protect their lives and improve their well-being. We achieve this through innovative programmes focused on health, migration and access to justice, specially designed to have a positive and sustainable impact.

Tdh has been working in Afghanistan since 1995 and carry out projects related to Child Protection, Mother and Child health and Livelihood Programs in Kabul, Balkh, Kunar and Nangarhar provinces

The Liaison & Advocacy Officer supports the organization’s government relations and advocacy efforts by managing day-to-day engagement with authorities, following up on approvals and documentation, and supporting negotiations led by senior management. The position is responsible for facilitating government-related processes, reducing administrative bottlenecks, and ensuring timely communication between the organization and relevant authorities.

The role focuses on operational-level advocacy, relationship maintenance, and practical problem-solving while escalating sensitive, high-risk, or strategic matters to senior leadership for direction and resolution.

Main responsibilities:

1. Government Engagement & Representation

• Serve as the primary focal point for routine engagement with government authorities and line ministries.

• Maintain relationships with focal points in ministries such as Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, and other directorate or departments.

• Attend meetings to present organizational information, follow up on submissions, and clarify requirements.

• Represent the organization in technical or routine coordination meetings as delegated by senior management.

• Ensure engagement follows agreed messaging and protocols.

• Clearly and respectfully explain the organization’s mandate, humanitarian principles, and activities to authorities.

2. Advocacy & Problem-Solving

• Support advocacy efforts for program access, staff movements, and activity approvals.

• Promote constructive dialogue and problem-solving approaches in all government interactions.

• Assist in addressing concerns raised by authorities by coordinating internally and providing timely clarifications.

• Support senior staff during negotiations by preparing background information, summaries, and follow-up actions.

3. Compliance & Documentation

• Prepare, submit, and track MoUs, project registrations, and official approvals.

• Strictly follow up on MoUs with relevant ministries to avoid project delays.

• Monitor status of pending documents and approvals; flag delays or compliance issues.

• Assist in compiling and submitting required reports, activity updates, and compliance documentation.

• Maintain accurate records of all official correspondence, approvals, and government submissions.

• Prepare concise situation updates, meeting notes, and trackers for internal use.

• Strict follow-up of MoEc semi-annual reports; coordinate with departments to collect data and submit reports accurately and on time.

• Register new projects with MoEc accurately and coordinate with relevant departments before submission.

4. Coordination & Internal Support

• Coordinate with Program, HR, Finance, Operations, and Security teams on government requirements.

• Support field offices in resolving routine government liaison issues at provincial and district levels.

• Assist in orienting staff on engagement protocols with authorities and appropriate communication channels.

• While needed, make provincial travels and arrange necessary coordination with provincial authorities.

5. Administrative & Logistical Support

• Obtain and process visas and work permits for expatriate and national staff.

• Accompany visitors at the airport and support visa arrangements.

• Participate in the development and updating of internal SOPs related to government liaison.

• Ensure proper filing of all correspondence and agreements with authorities.

• Address any unforeseen requests from authorities in coordination with management.

• Close follow-up on all issues with the Country Director.

• Perform any other tasks as requested by the line manager.
  
  **The full Job Description will be shared with shortlisted candidates.**

Education :

Bachelor’s degree in Sharia and/or Law, Political Science, International Relations, Public Administration, or related field.

Experience / Skills :

Minimum of 5–7 years of relevant professional experience in liaison, advocacy, or external relations roles with NGOs or INGOs in Afghanistan.

Proven practical experience supporting MoU processes, approvals, and compliance reporting.
Demonstrated experience engaging with Afghan government authorities at national or sub-national levels.

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.

• Ability to explain complex organizational issues clearly and diplomatically.

• Good understanding of Afghanistan’s administrative and regulatory environment for NGOs.

• Strong organizational and follow-up skills, with attention to detail.

• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

• Fluency in English, Dari, and Pashto (written and spoken).

Languages:

Excellent verbal and written English, in addition to fluency in Pashto and Dari

IT knowledge :
Microsoft Office package

Interested and qualified candidates are invited to apply through the Tdh online application platform via the following link: https://jobs.tdh.org/en-GB/jobs/internal/014e8e92-4d4b-4fdc-8ebc-edc3abc1da53