Action Against Hunger/Action Contre La Faim (AAH/ACF) is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that was created in France in 1979. AAH/ACF has been active in Afghanistan in the medical, nutrition, food security, and water and sanitation fields since 1995. AAH/ACF improved access to health and nutrition services for the most vulnerable people, who live in remote areas without a local health system. In particular, the country team supported pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under five, who are at greater risk of malnutrition. Nutrition programs rely on an integrated approach, addressing both primary and underlying causes, in order to have a lasting impact on nutritional status. The country team worked at community level, in villages and at provincial level, strengthening the public health system. It also worked at national level to ensure reliable information about the nutritional situation reached the wider humanitarian community. Covid-19 prevention was integrated into all interventions and additional response activities were implemented, such as the disinfection of health facilities and public places, cash assistance, psychosocial support and the distribution of hygiene kits to affected populations.

Mission 1: Coordinate support departments’ strategy and ensure operational management of all support areas

The Deputy Country Director / Support is responsible for:

• Ensuring the overall planning and follow-up of support departments reporting for donors, authorities and internal indicators in coordination with the technical departments whilst ensuring that the country office is in line with global ACF operational standards and support to qualitative and timely implementation of programmes
• Visiting ACF field support team regularly and report on problems, challenges and obstacles while building an intimate knowledge of fieldwork realities

Activities

• Support the development of Finance, Logistics & HR objectives that respond to programme delivery needs in Afghanistan.
• Ensure strategic operational gaps are identified, flagged and addressed by relevant teams.
• Monitor effective and timely implementation of support needed for each project, flag to CD any unforeseen challenges and proposed mitigation/corrective measures to be implemented, Identifying the constraints and opportunities in HR, logistics and finance of the potential response to the humanitarian needs and brief the Country Director, DCD programme and Head of Departments on the consequences.
• Drive forward the development of key operational systems, supporting more efficient and decentralised ways of working.
• Lead on the development of annual work plans and budgets, ensuring that they reflect overall programme priorities and expected outcomes, mitigate risks, and achieve maximum obtainable efficiency
• Actively participate in Senior Management Team Meetings, and other team meetings to facilitate coordination, understanding, and cooperation between the support and other departments and ensure with the DCD programme the smooth coordination between support department and program implementation teams
• As a member of the Senior Management team, represent the organisation in the charity sector and help build, influence and maintain positive external relationships.
• Proactively network at key forums/events in order to build credibility of ACF Afghanistan through visibility of its work and build a good network of key contacts amongst relevant stakeholders.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of effective financial, HR and other relevant operations management approaches and strategies and consistently apply these in the performance of the role’s responsibilities.
• Conduct regular analysis of mission structure costs, coherence with overall structure and strategy to inform quality proposal development improve financial management and increase visibility for the structure cost in close collaboration with DCDP, HOD and CD.
• Coordinate the development of support aspects of proposal writing and budget building in close collaboration with the DCDP and programme team (forecast of specific logistics needs, support HR need) in line with donor rules and ACF internal procedures and support the development by project managers of basic management tools (Project procurement and supply plan, anticipation of challenges and mitigation measures, anticipation of complex procurement, importations, finance or HR related needs).

Mission 2: Represent and liaise on behalf of Support Departments with donors, authorities, UN, NGOs

• The Deputy Country Director Support is responsible for:
• liaising with stakeholders if a senior level involvement is required, upon request of the Country Director
• leading ACF’s support contingency planning by region and department
• strengthening field and capital level information-sharing with IOs, NGOs and Government

Activities

• Support the Country Director in strengthening of ACF network by building strategic linkages with government departments, members and other stakeholders on matters relevant to the ACF activities under the guidance of the Country Director.
• Ensure and facilitate cross-department and cross-organisational participation, collaboration and knowledge sharing, including with headquarters, for optimum performance of ACF country office operations

Mission 3: Provide inputs on HR, Finance and Logistics Constraints and opportunities

The Deputy Country Director Support is responsible for:

• Identifying HR, Finance and Logistic constraints and opportunities of the potential responses to humanitarian needs, and briefing the Country Director and concerned Heads of Departments accordingly
• Collecting, summarizing and analysing information from external sources and from HR, finance and logistic advisors

Activities

• Develop long-term vision and action planning achieving significant positive impact on operations (i.e., Finance, Logistics, & HR) management & accountability within the country programme.
• Provide leadership to the development, improvement and implementation of policies, SOPs and guidelines across all key operational areas.
• Lead on the coordination of the annual planning and reporting processes and the production of the annual work plans and reports.
• Supervise performance of the ACF Finance, Logistics & HR departments and ensure compliance with the requirements of the Donors, relevant ministries, ACF policies and procedures, and donor requirements.
• Identify tools and trainings needed within support departments in order for them to be able to deliver on expectations

Mission 4: Team management

The Deputy Country Director Support is responsible for:

• supervising and managing all direct reports (Heads of HR, Finance and Logistic departments)
• taking part to the recruitment of direct reports
• promoting the commitment to ACF Charter and prevention on power abuses
• oversee the process of developing a conducive environment for women staff members and the proactive participation of women within ACF teams

Activities

• Performance development plan and review of all direct reports.
• Development of terms of references, work closely with department heads, field coordinators and HR in recruitment.
• Ensure all direct reports undergo the mandatory organizational training, create awareness through the team building workshop/training and inclusion of commitment of ACF charter in performance development plan.
• Ensure the daily management of her/his team and promote multisectoral approaches and collaboration between sectors
• Ensure briefing of all newcomers (staff and visitors)

Mission 5: Follow-up on management of HR, Finance, and Logistics rules

The Deputy Country Director Support is responsible for:

• Ensuring that HR, Finance and Logistic guidelines are respected in relation with relevant Heads of Departments

Activities

• Support the Maintenance of up-to-date knowledge of relevant ACF and donor policies, regulations and the laws of the country and ensure its compliance within departments
• Champion our values and as a member of the Coordination Team, advocate and champion a diverse workforce and a culture that contributes to equal opportunities
• Work in collaboration with the HQ finance, HR, Logistics, Programme, Internal Audit and other relevant functions to ensure consistency and quality of ACF Afghanistan operations.
• Comply with all policies, procedures, legal and regulatory requirements.

Mission 6: Support on Internal and external Audit

• Provide guidance and support to Internal Audit Manager
• Supervise and represent the External Audit process

Mission 7: Act as Country Director in her/his absence

• Collect the handover note from the country director and prioritize the tasks as per the importance and delegation.
• Organize country management team to update the progress on handover note and consult country director in case of urgent issue/emergency.
• Coordinate with regional and HQ teams for the compliance on operational management (as and when required).
• Represent country director in external meetings; donors, authority, IOs, I/NGOs and UN.

Mission 8: Proactively support ACFs commitments to gender equality and child protection sensitivity 4

• Read and ensure a full understanding, promotion and implementation of ACFs Gender & Protection Policies and minimum standards
• Implement all work-related activities with a gender, inclusion and protection lens, taking into account the different needs, concerns and ideas of our staff and beneficiaries
• Ensure and encourage the incorporation of gender equity principles in all policies and activities
• Help build an inclusive office environment where people do not feel disadvantaged or judged according to their gender or limited due to manageable disability.

• Education (if relevant) and experiences expected:
  • Postgraduate (master) degree (or Bachelor degree with 13 years relevant professional experince).
  • At least 4 years of humanitarian experience; with at least 2 years experience, in finance, HR or logistics management.
  • At least 3 years of team leadership. 2 years minimal experience with ACF.
• Technical skills:
  • Excellent oral and written communication in English required knowledge of French is an asset.
  • Excellent knowledge and/ or understanding of ACF financial, HR and logistics system and methodologies (ACF shared cost methodology, SAGA, Homere, LINK…);
  • A significant experience of managing strategic partnership; Knowledge and understanding of the Central Asian context, especially in Afghanistan (strongly preferred), great sense of humour highly
• Transverse skills:
  • Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills and negotiation an skills
  • Experience of working in a complex, very constrained and sensitive environment;
  • Excellent adaptation and culturally sensitivity skills
  • Able to demonstrate leadership in representation with other humanitarian and development actors
• Managerial skills:
  • Very strong understanding of humanitarian program management; significant experience with external representation with stakeholders and potential donors Significant experience of resource mobilization strongly preferred.
  • Program Management skills and Program Management experience strongly preferred, including able to articulate program management best practices.

Qualified and interested candidates should submit a cover letter and full CV with three Referees indicating the vacancy announcement to the address:
Human Resources Department AAH office
or can also be emailed to: vacancies@af-actionagainsthunger.org indicating the job tile and vacancy number of the position in the email subject line.
Eligible candidates are invited to apply by the earliest possible, until 21 Dec 2024.
Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
Do not submit academic certificates with the application. These will be requested if the candidate is selected. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the written test/interview.
Action Against Hunger/Action Conter La Faim is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage women and people with disabilities to apply.
ACF/AAH has zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, and abuse (SEA).