The Aga Khan Foundation, Afghanistan (AKF (Afg)) is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of international, private, non-denominational development agencies working to improve living conditions and opportunities for people in some of the poorest parts of the developing world. The Network’s organizations have individual mandates that range from the fields of health and education to architecture, rural development, and promotion of private-sector enterprises and institutions that seek to empower communities and individuals, usually in disadvantaged circumstances, to improve living conditions and opportunities.

AKF seeks to provide sustainable solutions to long-term problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy, and ill health. In Afghanistan, AKF works with rural communities in mountainous, remote, or resource-poor areas to improve quality of life in the areas of natural resource management, market development, governance, education, and health.

POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Senior Project Officer Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) will be Located at Project Cluster implementation Office [PCIO] Kabul and will be responsible for the implementation of the Gender Action Plan (GAP) under the CLDRM (ADB) project in 6 provinces of Herat, Kabul, Ghazni, Logar, Nuristan and Kunar. The incumbent reports to the Senior Manager Project Implementation, PCIO Kabul and will be directly involved in the project development, implementation and monitoring support to the 6 provinces.

The incumbent will coordinate day-to-day gender mainstreaming activities, monitor progress against ADB gender indicators, support implementing partners, ensure quality gender reporting, facilitate capacity building, and strengthen gender-responsive implementation throughout the project.

The position serves as the operational focal point with in PCIO for gender equality implementation while ensuring compliance with ADB Gender and Development Policy, the Project Gender Action Plan, and AKF’s Gender Equality Strategy.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Gender Mainstreaming and GAP Implementation

• Support implementation of the project’s Gender Action Plan across Outputs 1 and 3 through PCIO in 6 provinces of Kabul, Herat, Ghazni, Logar, Kunar and Nuristan.

• Ensure gender equality considerations are integrated into annual work plans and implementation schedules across all 6 provinces.

• Monitor implementation of agreed gender actions by AKF teams and implementing partners.

• Support beneficiary targeting to ensure equitable participation of women and vulnerable groups.

• Ensure gender-responsive approaches are applied throughout community mobilization, beneficiary selection, training, livelihood support, and community resilience activities.

• Support implementation of home-based livelihood interventions for women in accordance with project design.

Coordination and Technical Support

• Provide day-to-day technical support to implementing partners on gender mainstreaming.

• Coordinate closely with National Coordinators GEWE, PMU GEWE specialist, Gender Focal Points and project teams.

• Follow up implementation of gender-related action points from supervision missions.

• Participate in project coordination meetings and provide gender implementation updates.

• Liaise regularly with MERL, Environmental and Social Management, Livelihoods, DRR and Financial Inclusion teams.

Monitoring, Reporting and Data Management

• Maintain an updated gender results tracking system.

• Monitor progress toward all ADB gender indicators.

• Verify gender-disaggregated data before submission.

• Consolidate monthly, quarterly and annual gender progress reports.

• Support preparation of semi-annual and annual ADB reports.

• Document success stories, lessons learned and good practices.

• Support monitoring of Gender Equality Scorecard implementation.

• Assist the Specialist in monitoring Gender Equality Marker results.

Capacity Building & Field Monitoring

• Organize gender orientation sessions for project staff.

• Support delivery of gender training for implementing partners.

• Mentor provincial gender focal persons.

• Facilitate learning events and experience-sharing workshops.

• Support development of practical gender guidance notes and training materials.

• Conduct regular field visits to monitor implementation quality.

• Verify women’s participation in project activities.

• Monitor compliance with Gender Action Plan commitments.

• Identify implementation bottlenecks and recommend corrective actions.

• Prepare field monitoring reports with practical recommendations.

• To carry out the responsibilities of the role in a way which reflects AKF (Afg)’s commitment to safeguarding staff, beneficiaries and protecting children from harm and abuse in accordance with AKF (Afg)s Safeguarding policy.

• To report any suspicions or actual violations of the Safeguarding/or Child Safeguarding Policy and any GBV concern as per the given training.

OCCASIONAL SIGNIFICANT DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support ADB review missions and Third-Party Monitoring missions.

• Perform additional gender-related duties assigned by the GEWE Specialist or Head of PIU.

• Uphold AKF safeguarding standards and promptly report safeguarding concerns.

• Any other relevant task assigned by Supervisor.

DECISION-MAKING & AUTHORITY

• N/A

JOB SPECIFICATION

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in law, sociology, gender studies, or development studies with 04 years relevant experience in an INGO/NGO working environment.

• Demonstrated experience leading and coaching on gender equality mainstreaming within an organization.

• Google Data Analytics Professional (certificate preferred).

• Experience in Report Writing in English and native languages (Dari or Pashto).

• Good computer knowledge of MS Office Packages.

• Strong Communication, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Leadership and Management Skills.

• Willingness to live, work and travel within the project target areas.

REQUIRED CORE COMPETENCIES

• Excellent training delivery skills.

• Strong analytical, communications, facilitation and presentation skills.

• Sensitive to religious, cultural and gender issues in the Afghan context.

• Strong sense of personal initiative and problem-solving skills.

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with others in ambiguous contexts, including working under pressure and meeting tight deadlines.

• Ability to critically analyze and provide constructive recommendations.

• Good team player and ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with colleagues.