Job Descriptionย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Position: Afghanistan Analysis Hub Project Managerย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Reportsย to: ACAPS Head of Programme ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Supervision of: 2 Senior Analysts,1 Data Analyst, 4 Information Analysts, various consultants
Budget responsibility: Budget holder of theย Afghanistan Analysis Hubย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Duty Station: NRC United Kingdom or NRC Afghanistanย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Travel:ย Regular to Afghanistan if based in the UKย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Contract type: Staff contract
Starting date: 01.08.2023 (1 year contract submitted to funding)ย ย ย
(Priority will be given to applicants from Afghanistan or the Afghan diaspora with the right to live and work in the United Kingdom.)
ABOUT ACAPSย ย
ACAPSย is dedicated to helping humanitarians make better decisions. We want to put evidence at the heart of decision-making. To achieve this, we collaborate with a variety of partners across the humanitarian sector and beyond. We strive to be an evolving platform providing:ย ย
Independent analysis to support evidence-based decision making for humanitarian operations.ย Deployment of experts to support assessments and analysis in crisis.ย ย Innovative approaches to collect more reliable and timely data and conduct rigorous analysis Capacity development of humanitarian actors to carry out better needs assessments and analysis.ABOUT THE AFGHANISTAN ANALYSIS HUBย
Shortly after the Taliban take-over of Kabul on 15 August 2021, ACAPS reached out to humanitarian actors in Afghanistan and conducted a review of theย humanitarian analysis ecosystemย for Afghanistan. This review identified significant gaps and areas for improvement to strengthen the quality and objectivity of analysis used to inform humanitarian decision making.ย ย
In response, the ACAPS Afghanistan Analysis Hub was established on 13 July 2022 with the wider humanitarian community, specifically actors involved in the Afghanistan crisis response, as its target audience. The Afghanistan Analysis Hub is led by a Team Leader and supported by a team of analysts based in Afghanistan and remotely who work with expert consultants, operational partners and other information actors in the response (OCHA, REACH, IOMโs DTM, and others) to strengthen the evidence base for humanitarian decision-making in Afghanistan. An advisory committee guides the Hubโs work, ensuring that it is collaborative and relevant, avoiding duplication and maximising complementarity in the analysis that informs humanitarian response.ย ย
The Afghanistan Analysis Hub thus aims to provide analytical products relevant to the humanitarian response and correspond to one of ACAPSโ product portfolio categories (alert, monitor, anticipate, deep dive or enable; see also the results framework in annex II). The analysts use existing wealth of academic, political, development, and sociological data and information on Afghanistan, and use primary data collection to develop analytical products that help humanitarian actors understand key issues and inform their decision-making.ย ย
PURPOSE OF THE POSITIONย
The Project Manager is the day-to-day manager of the Hub. This includes ensuring the team workplan is kept up-to-date and adhered to, managing staff, and maintaining key operational relationships in and outside Afghanistan. The Project Manager is responsible for the effective implementation of activities against project objectives and for ensuring continued funding for the Hub. The Project Manager is expected to represent the Hub in all high-level engagements, develop relationships with stakeholders, and ensure publication or distribution of the ACAPS products produced by the Afghanistan Analysis Hub.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESย
Leadership
Develop and maintain an appropriate network with key partners Establish and develop relationships with key stakeholders and donors, with the purpose of improving information exchange, relevance of the Hubโs analysis products and maintaining awareness of key humanitarian issuesย Represent the Hub at high level forumsย Establish local and national networks and support systemsย Build and maintain relationships with donors, key partners, and stakeholders to ensure buy-in to the project and Hub productsย Lead, inspire, and develop a team of in country and remote analysts and supporting consultants Convene and chair quarterly Advisory Panel (the Hubโs Steering Committee) meetings Fundraise for the hub futureManagement
Ensure the efficient and effective implementation of project activities in line with the ACAPS guidelines Monitor project progress, including financial management, reporting and compliance with the donor requirements Provide regular project updates and quarterly reports to the donor, showcasing progress, challenges and impact Develop detailed project plan, including timelines, milestones and deliverables in consultation with project stakeholders Regularly monitor the status of identified risks and be able to detect new risks or changes in the likelihood or impact of existing project risks In consultation with the team, develop the strategy for continuation of the Hub and ensure implementation of strategy through the team Provide input towards all Hub publications and oversee the input of any partners towards the productsย Provide operational and strategic guidance to maximize the Hubโs relevance to the response and maintain high quality products Develop dissemination strategies for all ACAPS products in collaboration with other stakeholdersย Manage the project budget and monitor against expenditures in close collaboration with ACAPS finance departmentย Manage staff and consultant contracts in close collaboration with the ACAPS procurement teamย Ensure appropriate archiving and record keeping Provide technical line management for all staff working in the Hubย Ensure that MEAL processes are taking place and changes implemented based on findings. Represent the Hub on the ACAPS Extended Management Team (EMT) and ensure that the Hub is contributing towards ACAPS overall strategy. Coordinate with other ACAPS Hubs and teams any collaboration that requires collaboration or input from the Hub, including with Crisis Insight on global products and the Crisis Insight analyst on weekly updates for the website etc.ยTechnical Oversight
Review information on the evolving situation in Afghanistan, understand the information landscape and gapsย Be responsible for the technical quality of all Hub productsย Provide final review and sign-off for all products on behalf of ACAPSย Support and oversee the design of ACAPS thematic researchCritical interfaces
The Project Manager will work closely with all members of the Hub and the key humanitarian partners in Afghanistan to ensure correct process and content. The Project Manager will ensure working relationships with relevant partners in Afghanistan and represent ACAPS in various fora as needed. As a member of the EMT, the Project Manager will participate in EMT meetings. The Project Manager reports to the Head of Programmes.
COMPETENCIES
Knowledge and experienceย
Masterโs degree, preferably in humanitarian action, management, social sciences, international relations, research, or international development.ย Bachelorโs degree with an additional 2 yearsโ experience will be accepted instead. At least 5 years field or headquarters experience in the humanitarian sector; at least 2 years of management experience Experience leading multi-disciplinary, multinational, remote teams in complex environments Proven skills in analysis and negotiations ย Significant understanding of humanitarian needs assessments and working with primary and secondary data, and qualitative and quantitative methodologies, assetย Experience designing and/or carrying out research (primary, secondary, or both) Experience in the workings of the UN system and humanitarian operations across a variety of geographical areasย Understanding of humanitarian coordination structures Excellent knowledge of Afghan economics, politics, social and cultural dynamics, and historyย Large professional networks in Afghanistan, asset Proven ability to deliver against targets and meet deadlines within a short timeframeย Very strong communication skills, both written and oralย Fluent written and spoken Englishย Fluency in Pashto and Dari, both written and verbal, asset Excellent computer skills (MS Office incl., Excel spreadsheets, word-processing)BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES
Networking and representationย Result-oriented and problem solvingย Strong analytical skillsย Attention to detail Flexible and creativeOPERATE IN LINE WITH THE ACAPS VALUES
ACAPS is a dynamic and independent organisation. Our culture is enshrined in the ACAPS values (here). The post holder is expected to develop the position in line with these values. The ACAPS values live in the way we manage our teams, create our content and engage with stakeholders.ย
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
The employee will be accountable for the responsibilities and the competencies. The following documents will be used for performance reviews:ย ย
The Job Descriptionย ย The Work and Development Planย ย The Performance Review Template