The Liaison Office (TLO) founded in 2003 as an Afghan non-governmental organization (NGO) that emerged from a Swisspeace pilot project (supported by the Heinrich Böll Stiftung) with the aim of improving local governance, stability, and security through systematic and institutionalized engagement with customary structures, local communities, civil society groups, and government institutions. TLO is based in Kabul, with regional offices in Paktia, Khost, Kandahar, Herat, Mazar, and Nangarhar and additional field offices across Afghanistan. TLO works to achieve its objectives through key program activities: research and analysis, dialogue facilitation for peacebuilding, access to justice and governance, humanitarian assistance, third party monitoring and evaluation, and environment & natural resources management.

The Policy and Analysis Officer/Researcher will conduct research, analysis, and policy reviews to inform the project's implementation, focusing on identifying key constraints MSMEs face to access socio-economic activities, regulatory frameworks, and capacity-building initiatives. The objective is to provide actionable recommendations to support MSMEs' integration into markets, CSOs' support to MSMEs, and the development of an enabling environment for access to markets. The Policy and Analysis Officer will report to the Research Coordinator and work closely with the project team to ensure quality research assignments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct a preliminary needs assessment to frame the action's operationalization in close coordination with private-sector stakeholders in the country.
• Identify key constraints to access markets for MSMEs, opportunities to foster market access, and potential solutions.

• Conducts research and analysis, writes research papers and policy briefs, and identifies and disseminates comparative learning from different sources.
• Provides support and knowledge on all efforts to represent the program in internal and external events to disseminate information and research findings.
• Design and implement research instruments to gather data on key constraints MSMEs face in accessing socio-economic activities.
• Conduct desk reviews of regulations and procedures related to the operational framework, focusing on the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI), Afghanistan Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock Products (ACALP), Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI), and other relevant regulatory bodies.
• Collect, translate, and prepare data from research instruments for analysis.
• Ensure that data is accurate, complete, and properly documented.
• Compile and write data from research instruments into reports summarizing findings, identifying key challenges, and providing recommendations.
• Adapt capacity-building developments based on the results of the needs assessment and research.
• Conduct ad-hoc research on topics identified during project implementation, both from a structural point of view and from a 'troubleshooting' perspective.
• Assist in organizing, moderating, and leading roundtables and discussion forums with policymakers on an array of topics that are directly related to current economic issues
• Understands policy contexts/institutions and uses multiple methods to acquire, interpret, contextualize, and disseminate information and data to policymakers. 

• Proven expertise and at least two years of experience working in research, public policy analysis, and training sectors.
• Have an in-depth understanding of research methodology and a professional skill-Set in statistical analysis, writing, and editing in English. 
• Experience in writing and producing policy briefs, studies, and notes;
• Bachelor's Degree in humanities, preferably Political Science, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Conflict Management, or International Relations.
• Excellent writing and communication skills in English, Dari, and Pashto are necessary.

Only short-listed candidates whose application responds to the above criteria will be contacted for the written test/interview. Interested candidates should fill the form in this link: https://forms.gle/o9MC8c8SgjnLAE3p9