Country Director, Afghanistan

Overview:

Women for Women International works in some of the most dangerous places to be a woman. We serve women survivors of war in conflict and post-conflict areas around the world in 8 countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, DR Congo, Nigeria, and South Sudan. Our core belief is that stronger women build stronger nations; and with access to knowledge, resources, and a support network, a woman rebuilds her life and improves her community.

Our model works and we have the data to prove it. In our 26-year history, Women for Women International has reached over half a million women. The women we work with across 3 continents earn just $0.81 a day when we enroll them. At graduation, it’s $2.11, nearly tripled.

Our impact goes beyond income. The number of women who say at least one household member went to sleep hungry in the last four weeks has gone from 18% to 5%. And more women say they speak out against women’s abuse: 26% report having publicly spoken in the last 6 months against physically abusing women.

When women have the right tools, they realize the power within themselves to transform their lives, their families, their communities, and finally their entire nations.

Women for Women International began working in Afghanistan in 2002. Over the years we have expanded to work across five provinces with the head office in Kabul. More than 125,000 marginalized women have graduated from our 12-month signature program of social and economic empowerment. We have also served men in our Men’s Engagement Program and have developed Community Protection Committees that work with women Change Agents to tackle issues after graduation from the program

Summary:

The Country Director is the official representative and leader of Women for Women International in Afghanistan. The Country Director shapes the vision and strategy for the Country Office, providing high level oversight over all areas of program implementation and operations. He/she will have demonstrated ability to build the capacity and counsel Country Office employees as well as manage team members. S/he will need to have a strong commitment to women’s empowerment, excellent leadership and management skills, the ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally, and to operate successfully in unstable and challenging environments.

As the official representative and leader of WfWI – Afghanistan, the Country Director will represent the organizational, advocacy and programmatic priorities of the organization to donors and partners. S/he will lead WfWI’s efforts to maintain and strengthen WfWIs reputation as a highly capable organization by cultivating and maintaining close, productive relationships with strategic partners and continually identify new fundraising, partnership and programmatic opportunities for WfWI to add value and maximize impact. The Country Director upholds WfWI values, Code of Conduct and safeguard staff and participants.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Financial, Operational, and Human Resource Management

• Responsible for the development, management and oversight of Afghanistan Office’s annual program budgets, in collaboration with program staff, and ensuring robust financial management and accountability of the country program budgets and fulfilment of annual targets.
• Approve financial transactions ensuring the accuracy of budget coding and supporting documents.
• Ensure that costs are managed in line with approved budgets.

• Performance manage direct reports in line with WfWI’s performance management framework including setting of annual performance objectives, development plans, appraisals throughout the year, and regular one-on-one meetings.

• Ensure WfWI Afghanistan office’s teams across programmatic, administrative, and technical functions operate at an exceptional standard of performance, achieve maximum impact while delivering the programs and establish and maintain the systems and processes necessary to ensure compliance and value-for-money

• Create and support an organizational culture and an entrepreneurial environment that support staff engagement, and ensures accountability for results

• Leads recruitment of new staff according to programmatic and operations needs to grow a highly effective and capable team to pursue WfWI’s strategic vision in Afghanistan.

• Responsible for ensuring proper safety & security measures are taken to safeguard staff, participants, visitors and assets.

• Ensure staff adheres to WfWI’s Global Ethics Policies and address Code of Conduct or Safeguarding issues appropriately.

Programmatic Leadership and Development

• Provide strategic and management oversight to the design and successful implementation of all programs offered by WfWI including community identification/assessments, rights and life skills training, cash transfers, and business and vocational skills training, men’s engagement and advocacy work at all levels.
• Ensure that data collection, monitoring, evaluation and reporting on any aspect of the program is conducted in a timely manner and in line with WfWI and donor policies, procedures and grant agreements.
• Identify interventions that require additional monitoring and evaluation and inspire the program team to analyse program process and impact through surveys, qualitative research, and other mechanisms.
• Work closely with the senior managers on all aspects of programming to ensure efficiency and accountability and to develop innovative programmatic approaches to help marginalized women improve their lives.
• Monitor the performance of grantees/sub-grantees receiving funds from WfWI in Afghanistan to ensure compliance with grant agreement and programmatic best practice and principles.
• Ensure country office compliance with all organizational policies, procedures and program guidelines as well as the local laws.
• Participate in rolling three-year strategy development for the organization as a whole, and lead country office strategy processes within the broader global framework.
• Accountable to deliver annual plans and budgets aligned with the rolling strategy within the broader global framework.

Fundraising and Representation

• Work with fundraising offices to develop a business development strategy for Afghanistan that will guide local and global fundraising plans.
• Oversee the drafting of quality funding proposals and ensure accountable grant management in line with organizational and donor requirements.
• Develop fundraising opportunities and cultivate new donor relationships; ensure visibility of the WfWI Afghanistan program in country and regionally.
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships with local women’s organizations in Afghanistan to jointly develop program proposals and engage in collective advocacy work.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with local and international partners, donors, grantees, and relevant government agencies and community leaders.
• Lead and represent the organization to external audiences and stakeholders.
• Translate these program ideas into proposals, complete with budgets and log frames, in collaboration with the fundraising team in our HQ and UK offices.

Teamwork and Contribution to WfWI

• Collaborate with other Country Directors across the global footprint to offer peer mentorship and provide leadership to the organization at large.
• Contribute to global change projects and leadership initiatives, at times stepping up to represent Country Directors at large in the global organization.
• Participate in the Global Leadership Team.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Minimum of 10 years work experience ideally in the INGO/NGO sector, of which at least 5 years at a Managerial level.
• Master’s Degree or equivalent post-graduate qualification in relevant field (or 15+ years’ relevant work experience in lieu of the advanced degree).
• Excellent leadership and management skills and demonstrated experience of managing diverse teams of 20 or more staff members in a participatory and enabling style.
• Experience and ability in mentoring, coaching and managing staff members within a diverse and global organization.
• Inspiring and motivational advocate for women’s empowerment programming a strong advantage.
• Demonstrable understanding and experience of gender issues and proven commitment to addressing gender inequalities in all key areas of responsibility.
• Experience working in conflict-affected contexts.
• Proven ability to raise and manage grants from major foundations, corporations, multi-lateral institutions and governments (including US Government and DFID/FCDO).
• Familiarity with managing budgets, financial reporting and grant writing.
• Excellent administrative and organizational skills.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and teambuilding skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Strong operational and logistical management skills.

• Ability to prioritize tasks and manage time efficiently.

• High level of maturity and cultural sensitivity.

• Knowledge of the political, economic and social context of Afghanistan.

• Strong computer skills in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Email applications.

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of Dari or Pashto a strong advantage.

• Willingness and ability to travel within Afghanistan to program sites and internationally as required.

• Ability to have flexible work schedule which may include early mornings, evenings and weekends. May be required to occasionally work beyond normally scheduled hours.

• Commitment to and respect for Women for Women International’s mission and values.

Organizational Values:

Adhere to WfWI’s Code of Conduct and organizational values of Empowerment, Integrity, Respect, Resilience. https://www.womenforwomen.org/our-mission