Background

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. UNDP has been working in Afghanistan for more than 50 years on climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods, and rule of law. 

Following the power shift in August 2021, the situation for the country remains largely unchanged, with the majority of Afghans facing increased vulnerabilities affecting their well-being, safety, and security. Among the major challenges, that directly affect human needs and their socio-economic recovery, half of the population, especially women, are disproportionately affected by their limited freedom of space, mobility, their limited rights to education, access to health services, and their right to earn livelihoods, and their participation in the governance system and public life.  Currently, for essential needs, the urgency of the interventions has intensified due to continued neglect of development interventions and focus on humanitarian aid. The absence of an internationally recognized government, and the continued challenge of coordination with the de facto Authorities (DFA) at the national, and provincial levels, continue to test how partners deliver critical services at the provincial level with coherence, which is further exacerbated by the disconnection between the central and local levels in regulations and guidelines. 

To reduce deteriorating poverty and vulnerability, UNDP Afghanistan is supporting a localized, integrated response to strengthen local community socio-economic resilience and recovery. Through its Transitional Country Programme Strategy (TCPS) for 2024-2025, UNDP is supporting the restoration of basic services including access to green energy, fostering economic empowerment, especially for women, through livelihoods and private sector recovery including access to finance, tackling climate change and disaster risk reduction, and strengthening social cohesion. UNDP is on the ground helping with the recovery and resilience of communities in dealing with multiple crisis (i.e. affected by drought, floods, earthquakes, poppy bans, internally displaced and returnees from Pakistan). 

Afghanistan remains one of the most gender-unequal countries in the world, with women facing systemic discrimination, reduced access to education, employment and livelihoods, healthcare, and justice. Despite the restrictions, UNDP remains committed to women's empowerment through capacity-building initiatives, livelihoods and self-employment/employment support, enhancing gender-responsive decision-making at community level, and supporting local communities to include women, in line with UNSCR 1325 (Women, Peace, and Security). 

Continuing efforts to promote the protection and promotion of human rights in Afghanistan are crucial, especially when there are significant risks to marginalized communities, such as ethnic minorities, women, and children. 

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of the interconnected nature of development risks and crises that the world is facing and that calls for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration. 

The Area-Based Approach to Development Emergency Initiatives (ABADEI) Project has been designed as a response to the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan upon a call of the UN Executive Committee Working Group for Afghanistan. The ABADEI Strategy is a tailored area-based integrated programming approach to support basic human needs, complementing short-term humanitarian life-saving assistance with the safeguarding of livelihoods and the strengthening of community resilience. It is centered around addressing worsening poverty and vulnerability, supporting community resilience and social cohesion, and enabling the rehabilitation of small-scale infrastructure vital for basic human needs. It supports the creation of immediate sources of income through cash-for-work, cash for market, small businesses and livelihood opportunities with particular focus on agri-business and regenerative agriculture infrastructure and services (critical for food security) that are under threat. It is sensitive to the chronic and newly emerging vulnerabilities of Afghan women and girls and aims at providing them assistance in a manner that does not exacerbate their susceptibility to violence and deprivation of opportunities and rights.

Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent will undertake the following to ensure the success of the project:

• Support effective design and implementation of infrastructure activities in the ABADEI program
• Provide support in developing partnerships and ensure coordination with implementing partners and relevant stakeholders including UN agencies.
• Contribute to knowledge management and information sharing in the ABADEI program team

Support effective design and implementation of Infrastructure activities in the ABADEI program, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Take a lead in the identification of the infrastructure related activities;
• Conduct technical surveys and feasibility studies of the selected infrastructure projects. Prepare technical designs, including drawings, specifications, and Bill of Quantities and ensure International and National Standards/Norms (IBC) for quality and safety;
• Assume responsibility for the implementation of the established UNDP practices for Cash for Work activities, Social and Environmental Screening (SES) and GRM; provide quality assurance and compliance of the infrastructure related activities. Ensure designs/deliverables are compliant with scope of work and contract requirements;
• Ensure regular monitoring of the infrastructure projects and Report immediately the gaps or findings from activities in the ground to Supervisor and implementing partner/ contractor for resolving the issue;
• Assist in the preparation of the bidding documents and evaluation reports related to procurement; Assist in contract management.

Provide support in developing partnerships and ensure coordination with implementing partners and relevant stakeholders including UN agencies, focusing on achievement of the following:

• Support capacity building of local partners and implementing partners, organize relevant orientations and trainings for local partners. 
• Identify potential organizations to engage with in the targeted areas and contribute to build a network. 
• Act as the UNDP/ABADEI infrastructure focal person in the respective region to develop and support a coordination mechanism that allows to share information and to harmonize the work carried out by different partners.  
• Provide engineering support to other projects and programmes in case of need. 
• Support working relationships and create programmatic linkages with relevant UN Agencies and counterparts, as guided by the supervisor.

Contribute to knowledge management and information sharing in the UNDP country office

• Collect information related to infrastructure work and provide inputs for the preparation of substantive briefs and advocacy initiatives.
• Identify and document best practices and lessons learned from infrastructure interventions.
• Assist in producing publicity materials on infrastructure work including success and lessons learned.
• Promote exchanging ideas, lessons learned with respect to technical, social and considerations.
• Promote smooth work relationship at regional level, counterpart staff and other relevant bodies and report to direct Supervisor periodically.
• Writing technical reports as per UNDP approved formats. 

Promote Gender-Responsive Infrastructure Design, Implementation, monitoring and reporting.

• Ensure designs and construction activities reflect the diverse needs of women, men, girls, boys, and persons with disabilities.
• Apply gender analysis during site assessments to identify accessibility, safety, and usability barriers for all genders, especially women and girls.
• Incorporate gender-sensitive features such as lighting, sanitation, and privacy elements in public infrastructure in consultation with women and girls. 
• Innovate and apply gender lens based on the project’s comparative advantage, such as men engagement activities for Gender Equalities within the Project Scope. 
• Conduct gender-awareness sessions, facilitate inclusive training, and promote safe feedback channels for women’s input and participation to ensure meaningful “Do No Harm”.

Perform other duties within your functional profile as assigned and deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the office

1. Institutional Arrangement

The Technical Associate for Infrastructure will work in close coordination with the PMU team and be responsible for providing technical support to Infrastructure component. S/he works under the guidance and supervision of the respective Area Manager. The technical associate will also work closely with partners, UN Agencies, technical advisors and experts, and civil society to help implement infrastructure activities.

Competencies

Core 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• High School Diploma with certification in Engineering, Economics, Social Sciences, Urban Planning and Development, Civil or Architecture Engineering.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Economics, Social Sciences, Urban Planning and Development, Civil or Architecture Engineering. 

Experience:

• Minimum of six (06) years with High School Diploma or three (03) years with Bachelor Degree/High Engineering Diploma of relevant experience in designing, managing and providing technical oversight to infrastructure projects.

Required  skills:

• Knowledge and familiarity with the region is a requirement
• Previous experience working at community level is required.
• Knowledge and familiarity with the region is a requirement
• Good analytical skills and writing skills.
• Knowledge and experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), including working knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages

Desired skills 

• Experience from previous UN assignments and/or multilateral and bi-lateral aid organizations would be an asset.
• Experience in civil works contract management is an asset.
• Knowledge and experience of result-based management and project implementation.
• Experience in the usage of construction and architecture software packages and web-based management systems 

Required Language(s):

• Proficiency in English is required.
• Fluency in local language of duty station Dari and/or Pashto is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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