Head of Programmes Afghanistan

Contract Duration: 12 months with the possibility of extension

Starting date: 1st August

Line Manager: Country Director

Location: Kabul, with regular travel to PIN’s operational areas based on security clearance

PIN in Afghanistan

People in Need (PIN) is a Czech NGO that provides relief and development assistance in over 20 countries around the world. Formed in 1992, PIN has evolved into the biggest organization of its kind in post-communist Europe, providing relief and development aid where it is needed, and empowering civil society at home and abroad. In Afghanistan, PIN has been active since 2001, responding to humanitarian needs where they arise, and through targeted development programmes. Currently, PIN focuses primarily on the Emergency Response, Food Security & Livelihoods, Education and Shelter sectors, with support from a variety of donors. By working closely with the communities, PIN has managed to maintain a significant field presence in Afghanistan.

About the role

Head of Programmes is a member of the PIN Afghanistan Country Management Team (CMT; together with the Country Director, Deputy Country Director, Head of Systems & Operations and HQ-based Afghanistan/regional management staff). The Head of Programmes supervises and builds the capacity of the programme teams, and is responsible for maintaining and expanding PIN’s programme portfolio in Afghanistan in line with the Country Programme (CP) strategy, and PIN and donor policies, guidelines and quality standards, ensuring impactful and accountable programming. The Head of Programmes plays a leading role in ensuring high quality delivery of existing projects, as well as proposing and designing new interventions taking into consideration both the urgent humanitarian needs and long-term development goals for Afghanistan. The Head of Programmes closely cooperates with other CMT members, as well as with the Afghanistan/regional desk team at HQ, and PIN technical advisors.

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Line Manages and provides day-to-day support and capacity building to the Programme Managers and MEAL Manager
• Supervises the implementation of all projects/programmes, and ensures all programmes are designed and managed in line with PIN/donor/cluster guidelines, quality standards and relevant SOPs; and develops new SOPs to that end, upon need
• Regularly updates the Country Director (CD) and the CMT on programme implementation progress, vis-à-vis budget and indicators, suggesting adjustments and addressing evolving issues as necessary and with the support of relevant CMT members if required
• Proposes and designs new interventions, and develops high-quality proposals to that end, based on solid context and needs assessments/analysis
• Reviews and validates external reports prepared by the programme and MEAL teams
• Ensures that PIN global policies and guidelines are followed, adapted to the context and properly rolled out
• Bears overall responsibility, together with the CD, for maintaining and expanding PIN’s programme portfolio in Afghanistan, in line with the Country Programme (CP) strategy
• Manages donor relations and shares responsibility with the CD for donor liaison on more strategic matters and new funding opportunities
• Overall responsibility for high-quality programmatic reporting to donors and PIN HQ, in line with applicable guidelines and standards
• Contributes, together with other CP-level CMT members (CD, Deputy CD and Head of Systems & Operations), to implementing PIN/CP organizational changes and strategic objectives (localization, greening, etc.)
• Ensures protection, accountability and gender are mainstreamed throughout all programmes
• Closely cooperates and coordinates with the Head of Systems & Operations and the Finance Manager (and other support functions, as relevant) on project financial management/reporting and other operational matters (e.g. the CP procurement plan); and with HQ-based Afghanistan Country Programme Coordinator and PIN technical/sectorial advisors on programme development & reporting, mainstreaming of cross-cutting issues or technical aspects of the implemented programmes
• Plays a key role in partner identification, assessment and management
• Shares responsibility with the CD and Deputy CD for representation with key partners, coordination fora, local authorities, etc.
• Promotes synergies and ensures the overall coherence and relevance of multi-sectoral response
• Ensures that all programmes properly retain programmatic learning for future programming and that all key information and lessons learnt are documented
• Ensures together with the programme managers that the capacity of programme staff and team resilience, to changing context and subsequent changes in management arrangements, are built

Suitable candidates for this position should possess:

• Graduate degree in a relevant field (humanitarian action, social sciences, etc.)
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in senior programme management roles
• Experience in managing emergency response and/or development programmes
• Experience in managing projects by different donors (such as UN, ECHO and BHA)
• Extensive experience with management, supervision and capacity building of teams
• Experience working in complex and volatile context(s)
• Previous experience from Afghanistan and understanding of the Afghan context is an asset
• Proven proposal and report writing skills
• Outstanding communication skills (written and spoken)
• Strategic thinking, analytical skills and sound judgement
• Fluency in English – written and spoken
• Understanding of humanitarian project cycle
• Results-oriented, flexible, proactive and detail oriented
• Ability to organize and plan effectively, follow procedures, meet deadlines and work both independently and cooperatively with team members
• Ability to work in difficult conditions and under pressure
• Gender and cultural sensitivity; and demonstrated patience, enthusiasm and overall strong interpersonal skills
• High ethical standards and ability to adhere to the principals of confidentiality
• Commitment to and understanding of PIN’s goals, values and principles

PIN offers:

• Flexible and challenging working environment with room for personal growth
• Robust and thorough induction training (2 weeks)
• HEAT training (unless the candidate participated in one recently)
• Starting salary, as per PIN salary scale, between 4,600 – 4,800 EUR gross depending on previous experience (subsistence and hardship allowance already included)
• Reimbursement of flight tickets to the country of residence once every 6 months of work, PIN also provides 1200 USD allowance per flight for R&R trips (total of max two R&R flights per year, as the R&R is intended to be taken between the 6-month flights to the country of residence)
• Reimbursement of costs of visas and vaccinations; assistance with visa application procedure
• Comprehensive travel insurance
• Medical helpdesk and psychological consultation available online
• 24 days of paid leave annually and 10 additional days of R&R leave per year
• Accommodation in PIN compound