DAI Global, LLC (DAI) is implementing a new USAID-funded agriculture program which aims to reinvigorate agricultural livelihoods and catalyze private sector engagement to address food insecurity, income gaps, target populations’ empowerment, and communities’ resilience to climate change. The activity actively facilitates implementation with and through local systems actors (such as anchor firms, business development and advisory service (BDAS) providers, education and financial institutions, and local communities). This approach centers a competitive, performance-based Partnership Facility (PF) to design interventions that: incorporate local Afghan knowledge, engage target populations, and leverage resources to ensure local ownership and sustainability. Utilizing performance-based grants, DAI will partner with stakeholders to achieve the below three objectives. 

Using a private sector-led, market systems development (MSD) approach, the activity is aimed at driving local system actor behavior change. In doing so, the activity endeavors to meaningfully improve Afghan lives and agriculture sector performance through the following objectives:   

Objective 1: Food Security Improved Through Increased and Inclusive Resilience, Productivity, Diversification, and Stability of Agricultural Value Chains  

Objective 2: Enhanced Communities’ Resilience to Climate Change-Induced Shocks, Specifically Water Stress 

             Objective 3: Target Population Economic Empowerment Strengthened 

The Objective 3 Lead: Women’s Economic Empowerment will be responsible for leading the implementation of project’s efforts to strengthen target population economic empowerment, in particular women (Objective 3). With support from consortium partners, they will work with and through the private sector and local institutions to integrate and empower women in the agriculture sector. Overseeing the Objective 3 Deputy Lead, they will ensure collaboration with the other leads for different objectives.

1. Scope of Work

The duties of the position include but are not limited to the following:

• Promote and lead the project’s aims to:
  • Improve access to financial resources (savings, loans, and grants) that support self-employment in farm and home-based income-generating activities.
  • Facilitate access to BDAS for women-owned/-led businesses.
  • Empower women to gain and apply market-driven technical and vocational skills to provide a pathway to employment.
• Integrate gender considerations into all aspects of the partnership's projects and activities. This includes leading gender assessments and ensuring that gender considerations are included in project design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Contribute to the planning, implementation, and monitoring of all project activities to ensure they align with the project's gender goals and objectives.
• Advocate for policies and practices that promote gender equality and women's empowerment in agriculture within the partnership's scope.
• Identify opportunities for women and youth to participate in the work program. In particular, firms led by women or youth.
• Diagnose constraints on business growth for women and youth in both enterprise development and participation in the workforce.
• Enhance gender equality in the value chain through gender equitable market system facilitation.
• Support the implementation of the Partnership Fund, serve on Grants Review and Award committees, works with the Grants Team to monitor progress and milestones.
• Draft updates, reports, and other communications documents related to the Objective.
• Serve as a key subject matter expert for all activities/areas under the Objective.
• Other duties as assigned by the Deputy Chief of Party – Technical.

• An advanced degree in international relations, communications, public administration, economics, or other relevant field is required or bachelor’s degree plus 5 years of relevant experience, master’s degree plus 3 years of relevant experience, or a PHD degree plus 1 year of relevant experience is required.
• Five years of experience working on donor-funded projects in a related role with supervisory, and project management experience is preferred.
• Demonstrated technical experience in a relevant technical area (women in agriculture value chains, community resilience, women’s economic empowerment) is required.
• Experience designing and implementing programs that support gender equality and equity, food security value chains.
• Experience leading and managing the technical aspects of USAID projects, including a demonstrated understanding of applicable value chains-related experience.
• Ability to effectively work with a variety of different counterparts.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage with a wide range of organizations, beneficiaries, and related parties.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Suite (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and MS Word) computer software.
• Proficiency in speaking and writing Dari or Pashto is required.
• Fluent English is required, including demonstrated report writing skills in English.

Interested candidates should submit their CV via the below link by November 25, 2024. Early applications are encouraged. No phone inquiries will be accepted, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Please only submit 1 application.

Application Link: https://bit.ly/40CTFR0