Head of Civil Society and Capacity Development Unit

Duty Station: Kabul Management Office
Reporting to: Programme Director
Immediate subordinates: CCU local staff

Scope of Work

The Civil Society & Capacity Development Unit is primarily a methodological unit, providing methods and tools for organizational capacity development of civil society organizations, enabling local authorities to create the democratic space for civil society organizations, enhancing systems and procedures for grant disbursement to civil society partner organizations, providing technical assistance and advice to SCA programmes and strengthening the competence of SCA staff members working directly on capacity development of civil society actors and local authorities. Specifically, it works on the following key result areas.

• Development of methods, tools and approaches for organizational capacity development of civil society organizations and the creation of an enabling environment for CSOs by local authorities
• Quality assurance, harmonization and learning within SCA in regards to organizational capacity development of civil society organizations and the creation of an enabling environment for CSOs by local authorities
• Quality assurance of systems and procedures for grant disbursement to civil society partner organizations
• Competence development of SCA staff members that work with capacity development
• CCU also plays a key role in promoting a Conflict Sensitive Programme Approach within SCA operations.

The Head of Civil Society & Capacity Development Unit (HoCCU) has the overall responsibility leading the KMO-based CCU and overseeing the Capacity Development and Method Units (CDMUs) based in the Regional Management Offices (RMOs). S/he is accountable for the CCU’s scope of work and to quality assure of SCA’s capacity development support to civil society organizations and local authorities as well as systems and procedures for grant disbursement. S/he will develop rights and results oriented strategies, proposals, budgets and reports and design and mainstream policies, methods and tools for grant disbursement and organizational capacity development support to SCA’s civil society partner organizations and local authorities’ ability to create the enabling environment for CSOs. Furthermore, s/he will contribute to the development of Afghan civil society networks, represent SCA in international and national coordination fora and liaise with relevant authorities, donors, and civil society organizations. Development of strategies for capacity development of partners and the overall direction of CCU and related CDMU staff is also an important part of the work.

Main Responsibilities:

• Lead the CCU and make sure the unit is performing in accordance to its strategic mandates as a technical back stopping and method unit for promoting the civil society organizations and community based organizations
• Lead the process of developing Annual Work Plans and Budget as well as the Annual Reports for CCU
• Lead the process of studies, evaluations, assessments, and surveys falling under the mandate of CCU in collaboration with the Programmes units and the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Unit.
• Provide technical support to programmes and strategic guidance to management in regard to all aspects of support to local civil society organizations and local authorities
• Lead the process of provide systems and procedures for grant disbursement to civil society partner organizations.
• Ensure the systematic approach to capacity development is applied to capacity development interventions.
• Work closely with the CCU team to ensure adequate capacity is developed within SCA to support local civil society partners and local authorities
• Ensure internal learning on civil society and capacity development between and among staff members at KMO and RMO levels.
• Provide regular support to Capacity Development and Methods Units (CDMUs) at RMOs that they can effectively deliver their mandate as per the terms of reference and the unit statement.
• Make sure the CCU team work closely with Programme Units in KMO and Project Teams in RMOs to mainstream, systematize and document SCA policies, procedures and guidelines for working with civil society partner organizations and local authorities
• Contribute to the development of Afghan civil society networks and coordinating bodies and their linkages with international networks

Entry Requirements

Qualifications

• Master’s degree,s or equivalent, in relevant professional field, preferably in Political Sciences, Development Studies, Social Sciences, International Relations or Economics.
• At least five years relevant work experience with a civil society profile in management positions within International NGO

Essential competence

• Understanding and practical experience of capacity development of civil society actors and local authorities
• Practical experience of grant disbursement to third parties
• Knowledge on and practical experience on competence development of staff
• Knowledge on and practical experience in working with rights-based approach to development and results-based management principles, in particular outcome/results analysis
• Sound understanding of strategy, policy and method development to strengthen emerging civil society actors
• Demonstrated leadership/management skills including team building and staff motivation.
• Computer skills, MS Office packages
• Excellent command of English (speaking and writing)
• Result-based planning and analytical reporting skills
• Experience from work in conflict/post conflict areas.
• Experience in Muslim countries

Other:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability and willingness to travel to project sites within Afghanistan and adjust to restricted home environment.
• Participated in HEAT-training or other security courses