Reporting and Communications Expert

UNDP has been working across Afghanistan for more than 50 years on challenges related to climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods and rule of law.

Guided by the government and its Development Councils, our work is fully aligned with the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework and National Priority Programmes, and is carried out in close coordination with partner UN agencies under the One UN Framework.

As the UN’s development network, we connect the Afghan government and people with the resources and information they need to drive their own development according to their own priorities, as well as to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Afghanistan’s local communities are under growing strain as large-scale returns and internal displacement intersect with a protracted economic crisis, weak institutional capacity, declining aid, and recurrent shocks. Since September 2023, over 5 million people have returned, largely involuntarily, while significant numbers of internally displaced people (IDPs) remain in fragile settings, placing acute pressure on rural areas where most affected populations are concentrated. The situation is marked by severe economic vulnerability, with returnee unemployment estimated at 80–95 percent, up to 88 percent of households in debt, and more than half unable to afford healthcare. As a result, many households are relying on negative coping strategies such as borrowing and reducing food consumption. Host communities, already strained by previous waves of displacement, are reaching the limits of their absorptive capacity, as intensified competition over jobs, land, and basic services risks undermining both economic recovery and social stability.

Building on Phase I of the Relief, Employment and Vital Infrastructure for the Vulnerable in Emergencies (REVIVE) project, which demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid, area-based interventions in stabilizing livelihoods, restoring infrastructure, and supporting basic services, Phase II will scale up integrated recovery support in high-return and high-displacement areas. It will expand market-linked livelihood opportunities, rehabilitate essential infrastructure and services, and strengthen social cohesion to enhance local absorptive capacity and support a more sustainable transition from immediate stabilization toward resilience and longer-term recovery.

Consequences of Inaction
Without a shift toward recovery-oriented interventions, Afghanistan risks entering a renewed cycle of fragility:
• Secondary displacement driven by lack of livelihoods
• Prolonged economic stagnation in high-return areas
• Escalating tensions between returnees and host communities
• Deepening exclusion of women and vulnerable groups

The erosion of social cohesion is already emerging as a critical risk in areas of return, where economic pressure and limited services are reinforcing community-level tensions.

UNDP’s Approach: From Return to Recovery
UNDP proposes an integrated, area-based approach that responds to localized needs and enables a transition from humanitarian response to sustainable recovery, ensuring that returnees, IDPs, and host communities are supported together.

This approach is anchored in four complementary components aligned with UNDP’s Sustainable Livelihoods and Resilience Portfolio.
Pillar 1: Crisis-affected populations have access to critical infrastructure and basic services
This pillar focuses on restoring essential conditions for recovery in high-return and high-displacement areas where returnees, IDPs, and host communities face mounting pressure on fragile systems.

Pillar 2: Crisis-affected populations have enhanced livelihoods and income opportunities
This pillar addresses acute economic vulnerability in high-return and high-displacement areas, where unemployment among returnees is high and local markets are under strain.

Pillar 3: Crisis-affected communities have improved access to basic services through strengthened social cohesion, inclusion and protection

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Project Management Specialist, the UN Volunteer [Reporting and Communications Expert] will carry out the following tasks:
1. Monitoring and Reporting:
• Design and implement data collection and reporting protocols linked to project outcome indicators to support routine project progress reporting.
• Support the team in monitoring data quality, tracking the progress of activities, and identifying opportunities for staff and IPs capacity building.
• Perform field visits along with the national reporting officer as per need to ensure the quality of the data gathered by the project and to verify the accuracy of the reported data.
• Draft reports and analyze data against indicators listed in the logical framework against indicators and AWP target.
• Interpret outcomes of implementation through data or other evidenced-based sources and provide recommendations as needed.
• Support the project team in drafting, finalization and implementation of the project’s M&E plan, to effectively track project progress against specific indicators.
• Draft monthly, quarterly, biannual, and annual reports, in adherence to and compliance with project Annual Work Plans (AWP), M&E frameworks, and donor requirements.
• Continuously monitor and update project risk logs but offline and in the Quantum to facilitate informed decision on the project implementation.
• Continuously monitor and update project risk logs in the system to facilitate informed decision on the project implementation.
• Assist in the monitoring of milestones and key accomplishments of the project.
• Support in organizing special events such as donor engagement/joint monitoring, Third Party monitoring (TPM), and evaluation, etc.

2. Visibility and Communication
• Support the project to deliver effective external communication including sharing success stories and highlighting progress to the relevant stakeholders.
• Conduct a thorough analysis and research of the political, social, and economic situation in the country and collaborate with the Programme Management Unit (PMU) team in preparation/revision of project documents, Annual Work Plan (AWP), and other documents as necessary.
• Maintain the strategic partnerships and supports resource mobilization.
• Coordination and networking with clients, stakeholders, and programme partners.
• Coordination and networking with UN agencies, clients, stakeholders, and programme partners.
• Work closely with project field offices staff, UNDP DEU/PMU, and UNDP Partnership and communication team and other units to ensure related communications materials included information about the project.
• Collaborate with UNDP Communication Unit to develop, publish and disseminate media-friendly communications products.
• Write content for both print and web including the UNPD website, blog, brochures, factsheets, exposures, and newsletter.

3. Knowledge Management:
• Constant communication with the Project Management specialist, Project Management team, donor, UNDP communication unit, and UNDP staff for implementation of the project communication work plan.
• Facilitate and support learning agendas, collaboration, learning and adapting, and knowledge management activities; all aimed at facilitating effective collaboration and promoting learning and sharing among stakeholders.
• Support the preparation of the publication, document case stories and best practices for learning and sharing
• Develop knowledge management products on M&E such as handbooks, toolkits for indicators, lessons learned reports, webinars, and others.
• Network and actively engage with counterparts, communities of practice, and other partners in disseminating learnings and acquiring timely information with respect to M&E policies, tools, and best practices.