Programme Specialist (Field Coordinator), P-3, Fixed Term, Programme Management Unit, Afghanistan (5 Positions, Multiple Locations)

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 110,481 USD and 144,666 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

*These positions will be based in the following locations (field offices): Kabul, Jalalabad, Herat, Kandahar, Mazar

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Hope

The situation in Afghanistan remains exceptionally complex, with a protracted emergency situation, characterized by recurrent natural disasters, an increased number of people living in poverty, continued internal displacement, unprecedented levels of food insecurity, further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. This complexity has greatly impacted the situation of children and women in the country. The withdrawal of United States military forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 and the establishment of a de-facto government by the Taliban has exacerbated the complexity and uncertainty of the situation. UNICEF is required to rapidly adapt our ways of working to address the multiple operational constraints present in the highly volatile and unpredictable context. This includes the need to establish a Programme Management Unit that will provide operational and transactional capacity to the Afghanistan Country Office to ensure urgent lifesaving and resilience building programmes can continue.

The Afghanistan Programme Management Unit’s (APMU) Cash Transfers Manager will report to the Deputy Team Leader. He/she will be based in Field Offices (Kabul, Jalalabad, Herat, Kandahar, Mazar) and will be responsible to oversee the implementation of data management and payments systems while ensuring proper programmatic monitoring of PMU supported grants. The field coordinator will have a second reporting line to the chief of zonal office.

How can you make a difference?

In anticipation of agreements with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other major donors to implement programme interventions in the context of Afghanistan, the Afghanistan Country Office (ACO) is looking for a PMU Field coordinator to ensure adequate field coordination capacity in delivering timely programmatic payments to partners, individual and households. The field coordinator will represent PMU functional support areas in the field office. He/She will be responsible to leverage his/her support staff to oversee the use of beneficiary data management systems, payment systems, grievance redressal and monitoring mechanisms for PMU supported grants.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Under the direct supervision of the PMU Field Manager, the PMU Field Coordinator, P3 will perform the following tasks:

1. PMU Field Office Coordination

• Represent APMU operational support workstream within Zonal work operational coordination forum
• In concert with Field Manager and Chief of Zonal office represent UNICEF in provincial coordination forums concerning operational aspects related to PMU supported programmes.
• Assess the partnership and vendor landscape for APMU services at the zonal level and establish and maintain relevant networks of partners and vendors. Provide capacity building of partners as needed.
• Ensure programmatic focal points in the zonal office and outpost are kept abreast of the PMU work and vice versa and work closely with zonal office focal points to ensure effective delivery of APMU project interventions.

2. Beneficiary Data Management

• Coordinate Implementing Partners that are supporting registration, payments and grievances redressal mechanism in provinces under the supervision of the zonal office
• Coordinate Third Party Monitoring work for PMU supported Programmes ensuring close alignment with zonal office’s monitoring approaches and structures

3. Payment systems

• Gather field requirements for procurement of payment services
• Oversee FSPs cash transfer in field locations

4. Monitoring

• Update zonal office risk mitigation matrix for PMU programmes
• Provide oversight for programmatic visits and HACT assurance activities for PMU supported grants
• Ensure timely reporting to PMU Field Manager on PMU operations at the field level

5. Efficient and effective supervision

• Supervise the PMU Field Officer and PMU Monitoring officer
• Provide exemplary management and leadership, motivating and developing colleagues to perform at their best, while building diverse and inclusive teams

6. Any other tasks requested by the supervisor.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in international development, social sciences, public policy, public health, or relevant field
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional work experience. Developing country work experience (for IP) or field work experience (for NO). Background/familiarity with Emergency and Humanitarian Cash Transfers.
• Experience in coordinating humanitarian response
• Demonstrated knowledge in use of cash in emergencies.
• Familiarity with UNICEF’s programmes in emergency contexts preferred.
• Experience in multi-stakeholder co-ordination and facilitation.
• Excellent communication & presentation skills (written & verbal) across multiple audiences with the ability to influence others while working in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Builds and maintains partnerships;
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness;
• Drives to achieve results for impact;
• Innovates and embraces change;
• Nurtures, leads and manages people;
• Works collaboratively with others;
• Thinks and acts strategically;
• Manages ambiguity and complexity.

Functional Competencies:

• Leading and Supervising [II]
• Formulating Strategies and Concepts [III]
• Analyzing [III]
• Relating and Networking [III]
• Deciding and Initiating Action [II]
• Applying Technical Expertise [III]
• Communicating [III]

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

These are non-family duty stations.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.