Contract

This is a IICA-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's an external contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-2 contracts.

• Project: Area Based Approach for Development Emergency Initiatives (ABADEI)
• Number of Positions: 1
• Duty Station: Kabul, Afghanistan
• Contract Duration: Six months with possibility of extension up to one year
• First contract will be issued until 31/12/2022. 2023 contract will be issued in Dec 2022
• Level of Contract: IICA2 (Project Officer)
• Duration: From: 1/8/2022 To: 31/1/2023

Reporting Relationships

The M&E, Communications & Reporting Officer will report directly to the Program Manager and consult with ROAP and HQs (Knowledge & Innovation Branch, and Communications & Media Unit), under the overall supervision of the Country Program Manager.

Background

Afghanistan is facing multiple crises such as COVID-19, the impacts of drought and floods, and rapidly increasing poverty and food insecurity. Since the Taliban takeover of government on 15th of August 2021 and given the increasing numbers of internally displaced people (IDPs), the operational and programmatic context for the UN system in Afghanistan has changed significantly. The level of programmatic and institutional risk is much higher. The provision of basic needs and preserving livelihoods are critical for reducing the rapidly growing demand for humanitarian aid and emergency relief. The gradual progress that has been made over the last 20 years including gains in human rights, education, gender equality, health, social protection, and livelihoods are at risk of being lost, especially for women and other vulnerable groups. These factors not only impact the economy, human security, and social cohesion, but are also potential drivers of further conflict and violent extremism.

Learning from the experience in the last 20 years, and recognizing the realities of the current context, the UN in Afghanistan has outlined the need for an integrated, innovative and highly agile approach, one that puts people first, targets the most vulnerable and meets local needs by focusing on saving livelihoods. The Area- Based Approach to Development Emergency Initiatives (ABADEI) strategy has been designed by the UN as a response to the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan. The strategy is a tailored area-based integrated programming approach to support basic human needs, complementing short-term humanitarian life-saving assistance with the safeguarding of livelihoods and the strengthening of community resilience. The strategy is centred around addressing the worsening poverty and vulnerability, supporting community resilience and social cohesion, and enabling the rehabilitation of small-scale infrastructure vital for basic human needs. The Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA) has been established to serve as an inter-agency mechanism to enable donors to channel their resources and coordinate their support to the ABADEI strategy and the UN joint programs developed under it.

The eight administrative regions of Afghanistan have been chosen as the hubs for the coordination of ABADEI interventions. Separate area-based joint programme will be developed for each region, responsive to the context-specific needs and vulnerabilities determined by natural resources, population distribution and other diversities. While there is some variation between the regions, as a minimum, interventions for each region will need to address five key issues that support basic human needs at the community level i.e. (i) Food Security, (ii) Water, (iii) Energy, (iv) Health, and (v) Livelihoods and Employment. Cross-cutting themes such as gender equity and risk reduction will be addressed both through mainstreaming and targeted interventions.
Taking these five issues into account and the differences across provinces, the focus of ABADEI interventions will be on prioritized support in each of four key pillars:

1. Provision of essential basic services and infrastructure: the rehabilitation of essential infrastructure and services is key to establishing and maintaining liveable conditions in vulnerable areas,
2. Community livelihoods and local economic activities: the revitalization of local economies is an important dimension of the ability of communities to cope in the current environment while also addressing the drivers of the vulnerabilities they face,
3. Disaster and climate resilient critical infrastructure: due to years of environmental degradation and dependence on agriculture and natural resources for sustenance, Afghan communities are highly prone to intense and recurring natural hazards such as flooding, earthquakes, snow avalanches, landslides, and droughts, and
4. Community planning for resilience and social cohesion: to protect development gains, ABADEI interventions will support the development of community-led needs-based socio-economic assessments and recovery plans that promote reconciliation and prevent conflict, improve access to justice, support alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, and protect the rights of women and girls.

The M&E, Communications & Reporting Officer will contribute to strategy, partnerships, communications, and knowledge management for the country office, provide technical inputs and quality assurance for project management and provide M&E, communications and reporting for the ABADEI project.

Responsibilities

1. Work under the guidance and supervision of the Country Program Manager to establish and/or lead a Knowledge Management & Communications Unit, to set up a knowledge management system and communications strategy for the country program, and to meet the country programme and corporate requirements for reporting and communications including the preparation and publication of online and social media communication and advocay products and materials.
2. Undertake all M&E, reporting ad communications tasks under the ABADEI project including the production and appropriate use of infographics and visualization for reporting and advocacy, reporting directly to the Program Manager.
3. Guide and supervise the gathering of case studies and success stories from field teams for reporting, advocacy and communications and in collaboration with ABADEI JP partners.
4. Review progress reports from the field and provide technical inputs on the progress against performance indicators including guidance for adjustments and mitigation on risks.
5. Lead technical discussions and contribute to the development of the results framework, M&E plan and workplan for the ABADEI project.
6. Coordinate and monitor project progress by defining performance criteria, ensuring periodic reporting from the field through assessment of results achieved and external reviews; ensure proper documentation of positive and negative programme experiences and provide them as an input to stakeholder dialogues.
7. Conduct field missions to monitor the implementation of projects and to explore the potential for joint M&E and other collaboration with ABADEI JP partners.
8. Attend meetings and activities, and perform all tasks under the UN Communications Group (UNCG), and ABADEI/STFA’s M&E/Communications Technical Working Group (TWG) as focal point for UN-Habitat.
9. Undertake other tasks as instructed by the Country Program Manager or Program Manager.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Ability to identify and resolve budgetary problems and identify sources for data collection. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

• Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

• Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in Project Management, Strategic Communications, Social Sciences, Development Communication, Journalism/Media Studies or related field is required; A first-level university degree in combination with two additional 2 years of the relevant qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• Experience: A minimum of 5 years of progressive and relevant experience is required; Demonstrable knowledge and experience in M&E, knowledge management, reporting and/or communications for development projects in developing country contexts is required. Previous work experience in conflict and/or post-conflict contexts is an asset.

• Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the advertised post, fluency in oral and written English is required; Knowledge of a local language is an asset.

Remuneration

In compliance with UNOPS and UN-Habitat policy.

How to Apply:

Interested and qualified candidates are requested to please indicate their immediate availability to undertake the assignment as per terms of reference above. The application must be accompanied with a completed UN Personal History Form (P11), accessible through the INSPIRA website (inspira.un.org)

Please note, if using INSPIRA for the first time, you need to register in order to activate your account, which will allow you to log in and create a personal History Profile.

The application should comprise of:

• Completed UN Personal History Form (P11)
• Recent Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Cove memo (maximum 1 page)

Please indicate the Post Title: “AFG M&E, Communications & Reporting Officer” in your email subject and send it to [email protected]

Deadline for applications: 9 July 2022