About Women's Activities & Social Services Association (WASSA):

Women Activities & Social Service Association (WASSA) established in 2002 in Afghanistan, as a non-governmental organization, committed to seeking ways for women empowerment in Afghanistan. WASSA aims to promote women's equal participation in the socio-economic sectors of the country. WASSA works directly with communities in order to bring change in the social attitude of the community regarding women.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Marketing and Value Chain Specialist is primarily responsible for activities under project Outcome 3 (improved market linkages). Specifically, the incumbent will carry out the following activities:

1.       Planning and monitoring of project interventions and knowledge management:

• Support identification of project pocket areas, municipalities, cooperatives, extension officers, and information extension providers;
• Assist in the completion of the baseline survey, midterm evaluation, and final evaluations;
• Advise on organizing planned activities for marketing and value chain development of selected products in consultation with stakeholders (Provincial Government, Local Governments, operators of collection centers and cooperatives);
• Plan and conduct gross-margin analysis and other relevant socio-economic studies;
• Develop data collection tools and techniques for monitoring of project related interventions including marketing volume and value of commodities at collection centers and cooperatives;
• Develop relevant training and extension materials, manuals, articles, and guidelines related to vocational marketing; cooperative/collection center management, and value chain upgrading;  
• Develop, in consultation with the project team, the value chain grant guideline and support its operationalization
• Document best practices and lessons learned from the project and support to replicate it.

2.       Strengthening the capacity of project partners and beneficiaries:

• Conduct the capacity and need assessment of the identified cooperatives and market committees; 
• Prepare and implement a plan of action on physical and institutional support provisions to cooperatives, collection centers, and satellite markets to achieve the project targets;
• Support the cooperatives and market centers to prepare business plans, operational plans, and other relevant policy documents, and their smooth implementations;
• Plan and manage the implementation of learning programmers (trainings, workshops, exposure visits) on collection center management, marketing, and value chain development;
• Research the marketing and market information system at collection centers and satellite markets and identify opportunities to strengthen the system;
• In collaboration with relevant government and private institutions, support the provision of necessary ICT services and equipment to cooperative/collection center members and farmers;
• Identify potential market actors and business development service providers, and connect with the producer’s organization for assured market and services; and
• Support the cooperatives and market committees to develop value chain grants and their effective implementation.  

3. Stakeholders' engagement and partner's coordination:

• Support local government to prepare acts, standards, guidelines, and procedures for agricultural cooperatives and marketing services;
• In collaboration with relevant government and private institutions, support the provision of ICT services and equipment to collection center members and farmers if necessary;
• Identify opportunities for campaigns, services, and distribution channels that will lead to enhanced market linkage of fruit and vegetables;
• Coordinate and liaise with different Universities/Institutions for collaboration in research and internship placements;
• Coordinate and collaborate with Federal government, Provincial government, Local government, and other development partners for better market linkage and value chain development initiatives; 
• Attend events and conferences on marketing, value chain development, cooperatives, collection center management, and postharvest management and provide feedback and information;
• Explore and collaborate with commodity associations, entrepreneurs’ associations, cooperative federations/associations on possible areas of interventions; and
• Represent, with consent from NPM, the project at different meetings and events at different levels, where necessary.  

4.       Project management support:

• Provide support to establish functional partnerships with partner municipalities and cooperatives/market committees;  
• Contribute to developing annual work plans for the project and cooperatives;
• Provide information and data in time for the development of reports as required by the donor agency and the implementing partner;
• Support local government and cooperatives in collecting data and information and preparing technical reports;
• Provide technical support to the project team and specialists on areas of cooperatives, markets, value chain, and project management-related issues;
• Coordination with NARC and other relevant research/development organizations and explore available new technologies for extension and marketing support;
• Contribute to periodic progress reports, monitoring reports, fact sheets, and case studies to meet the in-house and donor reporting requirements; 
• Contribute to enhanced visibility of the project, implementing partners on different forms and formats at different levels, where applicable; and
• Perform other tasks as required.

5.       Gender and social inclusion in project interventions:

• Ensure gender and social inclusion components in any type of project intervention; and
• Manage data disaggregated by sex, age, and caste/ethnicity from the records of project interventions. 

Corporate Competencies:

• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Good interpersonal skills;
• Clear and upfront communication skills;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
• Display cultural and gender sensitivity and adaptability;
• Collaborates effectively in a team environment;
• Organized and good with following up on pending issues; meets deadlines;
• Promote learning and knowledge management/sharing;
• Focused on delivering results by taking calculated risks and problem-solving approaches;
• Fair and transparent decision-making; regularly shares information with team members
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development.

Functional Competencies:

• Promotes sharing of knowledge and experience, and actively works towards continued learning and development on a personal level as well as for supervisees;
• Good practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues;
• Ability to go beyond established procedures and models and propose new approaches that expand the range of projects;
• Demonstrates strong numerical and analytical skills;
• Has experience working with Monitoring and Evaluation tools;
• Experience in developing business plans for financial institutions including energy enterprises;
• Experience in coordination, technical assistance, and advisory support to top government and private institutions;
• Experienced in delivering training and other needed capacity/ institutional building support to a wide range of stakeholders including financial institutions;
• Demonstrates excellent organizational and administrative skills;
• Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders;
• Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position;
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks;
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.
• Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work.
• Monitors specific stages of projects/program implementation.
• Researches linkages across program activities to identify critical points of integration.

• Interested qualified candidates should submit their completed WASSA Standard Job application form (ACBAR: Application Form) along with an updated CV full CV with a cover letter explaining their motivation in applying for the job and highlighting their relevant skills and experience.
• Incomplete Job application forms will not be considered.
• To apply online please send your CV along with a cover letter mentioning the vacancy number (W-HRT-081)  in the subject line before the VA closing date to email hr@wassa.org.af
• Academic certificates or references do not need to be submitted at this time. These will be requested if called for an interview.
• Only short-listed candidates will be invited for written tests and interviews upon project approval