Programme Specialist (Economic Recovery-Agriculture)

WHO ARE WE?

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home. The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956, and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced. All of our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

ABOUT THE JOB

The overall purpose of the Programme Specialist position is to provide technical support and direct technical oversight of assigned economic recovery portfolio focused on early recovery and sustainable livelihoods interventions. The role requires a technical expertise in Agriculture, food security and early recovery.

The Programme Specialist works closely with the Economic Recovery Coordinator and the field-based technical team leaders to ensure timely, coordinated and hands-on technical support to the implementation teams. The role requires both remote management and direct support during frequent field deployments. In addition, the Programme Specialist coordinates with other technical units (emergency, protection, mine action); monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEAL) unit; programme support and support services departments in the Country Office to ensure timely and high quality implementation. The Programme Specialist also provides progress updates and formal reports as per both internal and external reporting requirements. The post holder is expected to spend 50% of his/her time in the area offices providing orientation and trainings on interventions, tools and approaches, conducting technical monitoring of implemented activities and providing technical support to the field teams.

Responsibilities:

Technical Support:

• Develop or support development of technical guidance documents (e.g. standard operating procedures, guidelines, tools)
• Provide or facilitate provision of induction, orientation and capacity building to the field teams or other colleagues
• Ensure compliance of the assigned economic recovery portfolio with national, organizational, and donor technical regulations and technical quality standards and other regulations, policies and procedures.
• Ensure harmonised approach, methodologies and consistent usage of technical tools across the provinces and programmes
• Conduct regular field visits to the Area Offices as well as programme locations and support field teams to ensure smooth and timely implementation of the livelihoods interventions to a high degree of programme quality
• Work closely with the Area Managers, Area Programme Manager and technical team leaders to address implementation challenges and identify needs for technical support
• Ensure inclusive and gender sensitive approach in the implementation, in line with the DRC’s Policy on Age, Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming
• Support field teams in conducting assessments, data collection and analysis (using Kobo or manually)

Project cycle management support

• Lead or support the technical coordinator in presenting the programme, overall programmatic requirements, targets, quality standards and processes during the grants opening meeting
• Develop and provide support for updating project cycle management tools (PCM); provide continuous technical overview and follow-up on work plans and budget expenditure in close coordination with the Area Office teams
• Provide technical lead on programme revision alongside field teams during grant amendments; supports the technical writing of the amendment request in consultation and collaboration with technical coordinator and Area Managers

Monitoring & Reporting:

• Provide continuous monitoring and review of technical aspects of the implementation and ensure these are relevant to the target beneficiaries’ needs and interests, implemented in high quality and in line with contractual obligations and technical commitments made to donors, including support for design of quality checklists used by technical and non-technical staff
• Collaborate with MEAL in analysing trends on key economic recovery indicators to inform program design and quality
• Work closely with the MEAL unit on developing MEAL plan and related tools for assigned programmes; review collected data in close coordination with the MEAL unit
• Ensure that project, sub sectoral/sectoral lessons learned are documented and actions are taken from recommendations; facilitate learning workshops in close coordination with the MEAL unit
• Follow up on action plans from technical team leaders based on debriefings from monitoring and evaluation activities
• Provide technical inputs for internal/external reports including but not limited to: needs and gaps assessments, donor reports, communication materials, output trackers etc.

Programme Development and Fundraising

• Contribute to the achievement of organisational mandate and the development of sub-sector focused strategic documents
• Provide technical inputs to proposal developments in line with the assigned programmatic portfolio; support technical coordinator in data gathering/assessments during proposal development, and internal/external reviews
• Contribute to preparation of fact sheets, briefs, progress updates and collect best practices useful for future programming

Coordination

• When delegated, liaise with external governmental or private sector stakeholders (MoLSA, MoWA, MAIL, ACIM, ACCI, etc.)
• When delegated, represent DRC in cluster meetings; provide strategic inputs to cluster strategies; support the consultation of the relevant cluster regarding project proposals, as needed

Any other task assigned by the Supervisor or Line Manager.

ABOUT YOU

To be successful in this role you must have:

Experience and technical competencies: 

• At least 5-year experience in similar position
• Technical expertise and implementation experience in sustainable livelihoods with focus on at least one of the following technical areas: agriculture, food security and early recovery; micro-enterprise development and financial inclusion; and/or technical and vocational education and training and wage employment.
• Demonstrated experience in designing technical manuals and provision of technical capacity building and/or hand-on support
• Previous experience in working with vulnerable displacement and/or conflict-affected Afghan communities.
• Experience in project management of mid/large-scale grants administered by a national or international NGO
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and/or managing multi-sectoral multi-location projects is a plus

Education/qualifications:

Required

• A university degree in agriculture, rural or urban development, microeconomics, business management or other related field;
• Excellent communication (verbal and written) and analytical skills in English, Dari and Pashto;
• Solid writing skills and competency to prepare technical documents, informative, coherent and accurate reports;
• Strong technical understanding of needs of diverse displaced groups in Afghanistan and challenges in responding to those needs;
• Excellent planning, coordination and management skills;
• Willingness to frequently travel to project locations.

Desirable

• Working knowledge of KOBO including coding
• Familiarity with Core Humanitarian Principles
• Familiarity with DRC’s core mandate and organisational values and standards
• Previous experience in liaising with institutional donors

Languages:

• Fluent written and spoken Dari
• Fluent written and spoken Pashto
• Fluent written and spoken English

Application process:

Interested? Then apply for this position, all applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages). Both must be in the same language as this vacancy note. CV only applications will not be considered.

Applications close 20 March 2021.