Environmental Expert

ASCEND: Leadership Through Athletics is an international non-profit organization that has been working in Afghanistan since 2015 to empower women , youth and communities through education, health awareness, entrepreneurship, leadership development, and community engagement initiatives. Registered with the Ministry of Economy, ASCEND works closely with local communities, government institutions, and national and international partners to design and implement sustainable development programs across the country.

ASCEND's programs focus on building resilience, strengthening local capacities, promoting social cohesion, and expanding opportunities for women, girls, and youth to actively contribute to their communities. The organization delivers community-based interventions in areas such as health education, skills development, entrepreneurship, environmental awareness, and community service.

Through locally led approaches and strong community partnerships, ASCEND seeks to create positive and lasting social impact while promoting inclusion, participation, and sustainable development throughout Afghanistan.

ASCEND is implementing a project focused on strengthening climate resilience, promoting social cohesion, and supporting local communities to engage in climate adaptation, environmental protection, and community resilience initiatives across Afghanistan.

The Environmental Expert will work closely with ASCEND’s project team and local communities to support the implementation of climate change adaptation and environmental stewardship activities. The position will facilitate community dialogues, engage stakeholders, and support communities to identify climate risks and practical adaptation solutions. The Environmental Expert will develop and deliver training sessions for women, youth, and community members on climate change, environmental protection, water management, waste reduction, and sustainable practices. The role will provide technical guidance to community committees and support community participation and leadership in environmental decision-making. The Environmental Expert will also support the implementation and monitoring of community-based environmental initiatives, ensuring activities are aligned with ASCEND’s project objectives and donor requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership and Project Implementation

• Lead the technical design and implementation of environmental and climate resilience interventions.
• Conduct environmental and climate risk assessments and identify local adaptation priorities.
• Provide technical oversight for climate adaptation interventions including greywater recycling systems, waste management initiatives, and water conservation activities.
• Ensure all interventions are environmentally sustainable and technically appropriate for local conditions.
• Develop technical guidelines, training materials, and implementation plans for environmental activities.

Community Engagement

• Support the facilitation of community dialogues to identify climate risks and environmental priorities.
• Provide technical support for the establishment and strengthening of community climate and water management committees.
• Promote meaningful participation and leadership of women in environmental governance structures.
• Strengthen collaboration and trust among community stakeholders to support collective environmental action.
• Support community-led environmental peacebuilding and conflict-sensitive approaches to resource management.

Capacity Building

• Design and deliver training sessions on: Climate change adaptation, Water resource management, Pollution reduction and waste management, Environmental stewardship, Disaster preparedness, resilience, mediation, and, environmental peacebuilding
• Build the capacity of women l, youth groups, and community committees to lead environmental initiatives.
• Mentor project staff and community mobilizers on technical environmental issues.

• Support the achievement of project indicators and targets.
• Develop technical monitoring tools and data collection methods for environmental activities.
• Verify the quality of project evidence including attendance sheets, reports, photographs, and activity documentation.
• Contribute to quarterly, final, and donor reports.

Coordination and Representation

• Coordinate with local authorities, community leaders, civil society organizations, and relevant stakeholders.
• Support collaboration with local environmental and water management actors.

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Climate Change, Natural Resource Management, Geography, Water Resource Management, or a related field. A Master's degree is preferred.
• Minimum of five years of professional experience in environmental management, climate adaptation, resilience programming, or natural resource management.
• Demonstrated experience implementing community-based environmental projects in Afghanistan.
• Experience working with women-led initiatives and gender-responsive programming is highly desirable.
• Previous experience with UN agencies, international NGOs, or donor-funded projects is preferred.
• Experience in environmental monitoring, indicator tracking, and reporting.
• Strong report writing and analytical skills.
• Fluency in Dari, Pashto, and English (written and spoken) is required

Interested candidates should submit their CV and cover letter to afg.program@ascendathletics.org no later than 14 July 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.