Afghanistan: Program Management Support Officer (PMSO) Cross Border Cooperation

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a non-denominational international development agency established in 1967 by His Highness the Aga Khan. Its mission is to develop and promote creative solutions to problems that impede social development, primarily in Asia and East Africa. Created as a private, non-profit foundation under Swiss law, it has branches and independent affiliates in 19 countries.

AKF seeks to provide sustainable solutions to long-term problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy, and 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.

The Aga Khan Foundation, Afghanistan (AKF (Afg)) is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) www.akdn.org , 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 enterprise and institutions that seek to empower communities and individuals, usually in disadvantaged circumstances, to improve living conditions and opportunities.

At present, it is seeking an exceptional individual to fill the position of Program Management Support Officer (PMSO) at its Khorog Area Office.

Job Summary:

The PMSO is responsible to support the area, regional and the national coordination team to analyze programming and produce high quality written communications that respond to donor requirements and contribute to internal learning process; and provide management support for the regional cooperation office in terms of project coordination.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Management Domain:

• Ensure timely submission of high quality donor reports to the responsible officer in the National Program Office (NPO) in Kabul;


• Ensure quality of all external documents in consultation with his/her supervisor;


• Support the Rural Development (RD) Program and the / external relations & grants management team members in proposal development processes;


• Ensure that management and relevant sector heads are provided with grant information;


• Support and assist sector heads in updating yearly plans of operations (YPOs) as new grants are secured;


• Develop a comprehensive understanding of programmatic approaches and methods to facilitate internal and external engagement;


• Coordinate with Evaluation Research and Learning Unit (ERLU) to ensure that qualitative assessments capture indicators outlined in regional logical frameworks;


• Coordinate with ERLU and sector teams to ensure that timing of assessments matches technical and donor reporting requirements;


• Facilitate regular and consistent meetings with finance managers to monitor spending against grants;


• Maintain regional Grant Management Information System, logical framework, YPO, and project overviews;


• Develop a comprehensive knowledge of the cross-border working group mandates and provide regular reporting against progress;


• Assist with strategy development for cross-border programming and participate in quarterly programmatic reviews.

External Relation Domain

• Ensure AKDN maintains up-to-date intelligence on stakeholders operating within the region;


• Identify program development and funding opportunities within the region;


• Support its supervisor and sector heads in their engagement with regional and international NGOs, UN agencies and other relevant organizations;


• In collaboration with Kabul-based counterparts, generate communications materials to present and promote the region;


• Liaise frequently with the Faizabad and Kabul offices to ensure shared understanding of the cross-border work plans, opportunities, and challenges;


• Coordinate and facilitate visits for stakeholders (AKF donor units, donors, press) to the region;


• Work with supervisor to provide timely and appropriate reports to provincial government;


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  To carry out the responsibilities of the role in a way which reflects AKF-A’s commitment to protecting children in accordance with the Child Safeguarding Policy. Required Qualifications and Experience:

  
  


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  An under-graduate degree in a relevant field, with at least 3 years of related work experience in a development context;

  
  


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  Evidence of ability to plan and manage complex processes;

  
  


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  A proven ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with colleagues;

  
  


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English language;


• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines;


• Proficient in Microsoft Office.