Digital Skills and Livelihoods Specialist – EI

The Aga Khan Foundation, Afghanistan (AKF (Afg)) is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of international, private, non-denominational development agencies working to improve living conditions and opportunities for people in some of the poorest parts of the developing world. The Network’s organizations have individual mandates that range from the fields of health and education to architecture, rural development, and promotion of private-sector enterprises and institutions that seek to empower communities and individuals, usually in disadvantaged circumstances, to improve living conditions and opportunities. 

AKF seeks to provide sustainable solutions to long-term problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy, and ill health. In Afghanistan, AKF works with rural communities in mountainous, remote, or resource-poor areas to improve quality of life in the areas of natural resource management, market development, governance, education, and health. 

POSITION OBJECTIVE
The Digital Skills & Livelihoods Specialist will provide strategic and technical leadership for AKF-A's Digital Skills and Livelihoods Program, overseeing the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of market-driven digital skills and employment initiatives. The position is responsible for supervising regional trainers and mentors, ensuring high-quality programme delivery, integrating emerging technologies and AI tools, strengthening partnerships with private-sector and digital ecosystem actors, and enabling youth and women to access sustainable digital employment, freelancing, remote work, and digital entrepreneurship opportunities. Through technical guidance, market intelligence, quality assurance, and innovation, He/ She will ensure that programme participants acquire competitive digital skills and successfully transition into sustainable digital livelihoods.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1.    Technical Leadership
•    Lead the technical planning and implementation of AKF-A's Digital Skills and Livelihoods Program.
•    Develop annual, quarterly, and activity implementation plans.
•    Provide technical guidance to programming teams throughout implementation.
•    Ensure program activities remain aligned with project objectives and international digital market trends.
•    Promote innovation and continuous program improvement.

2.    Program Coordination and Team Management
•    Supervise and provide technical leadership to regional Digital Skills Trainers and Mentors.
•    Ensure consistent program implementation across all project locations.
•    Develop work plans and monitor implementation progress.
•    Conduct regular technical review meetings with regional teams.
•    Coach and build the technical capacity of program staff.
•    Conduct monitoring visits and recommend corrective actions where required.

3.    Digital Market Intelligence
•    Continuously assess global digital labor market trends.
•    Identify emerging digital skills with strong market demand.
•    Recommend new skills and services based on changing international client requirements.
•    Monitor developments in AI, automation, freelancing platforms, remote work, and digital entrepreneurship.
•    Ensure program participants receive market-driven skills that remain competitive.

4.    Digital Skills Development
•    Lead the design, review, and continuous improvement of digital skills curricula.
•    Ensure training follows an 80% practical and 20% theoretical learning approach.
•    Promote competency-based learning using live projects, practical assignments, simulations, and real market engagement.
•    Support trainers in applying practical teaching methodologies.
•    Deliver advanced technical sessions when required.

5.    Digital Livelihoods and Income Generation
•    Develop strategies that enable beneficiaries to generate sustainable digital income.
•    Promote freelancing, remote work, outsourcing, digital entrepreneurship, and other digital livelihood opportunities.
•    Guide trainers and beneficiaries in Portfolio development, Client communication, Proposal pitching, Online branding, project delivery, Quality assurance, Client retention, etc.
•    Promote long-term income generation rather than one-time project completion.

6.    Mentorship and Quality Assurance
•    Establish an effective mentorship framework.
•    Provide coaching and technical backstopping to trainers.
•    Monitor participant progress and recommend improvements.
•    Ensure adequate post-training mentorship and troubleshooting support.
•    Promote a results-oriented learning environment.

7.    Payment Systems and Market Access
•    Identify practical and compliant payment mechanisms suitable for Afghan freelancers.
•    Develop practical guidance for beneficiaries on receiving international payments.
•    Monitor changes affecting digital payment systems.
•    Recommend practical alternatives that improve access to international digital markets.

8.    Partnerships and Resource Mobilization
•    Build partnerships with Technology companies, Digital service providers, Freelancing agencies, Outsourcing firms, Universities, Innovation hubs, Private-sector organizations, and relevant digital communities
•    Support proposal development and resource mobilization through technical inputs and program design.

9.    Monitoring, Learning and Reporting
•    Monitor program performance against agreed indicators.
•    Analyze program data and recommend improvements.
•    Prepare quality technical reports, document lessons learned, innovations and success stories, and maintain program documentation and knowledge products.

1. To carry out responsibilities of the role in a way that reflects AKF’s commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults in accordance with the Safeguarding Policy and Child Safeguarding Policy.
2. To report any suspicions or actual violations of the Safeguarding Policy and/or Child Safeguarding Policy as per the given training.

OCCASIONAL SIGNIFICANT DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
•    Maintain continuous lines of communication, keeping the Manager informed of all critical issues.
•    Perform any other relevant responsibility assigned by the supervisor. 

•    Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, Digital Marketing, Software Engineering, and Education.
•    Minimum 05 years of relevant experience and demonstrated success in digital skills, freelancing, digital entrepreneurship, and in creating platforms for digital livelihoods. 
•    Practical experience in digital skills development, digital livelihoods, digital freelancing, remote work, digital entrepreneurship, or related fields.
•    Experience coordinating, implementing, or leading digital skills or digital livelihoods programs.
•    Strong understanding of international freelancing platforms and digital marketplaces.
•    Experience mentoring or coaching youth, women, or entrepreneurs.
•    Experience supervising technical teams is an advantage.
•    Experience working with NGOs, private sector organizations, educational institutions, or as an independent consultant is desirable but not mandatory.
•    Good and professional understanding of digital freelancing platforms, AI-enabled productivity tools, digital marketing, graphic design, content creation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), web development, UI/UX design, virtual assistance, data services, video editing, digital entrepreneurship, remote work systems, e-commerce, and other emerging digital services driven by market demand.
•    Good verbal and written communication skills in English and native languages.
•    Must be capable of working both individually and as part of a team to undertake tasks in a fast-paced environment.
•    Be able to work under pressure with tight deadlines.

REQUIRED CORE COMPETENCIES
•    Strong technical background with self-initiative
•    Program coordination, team management and coaching 
•    Strategic planning and partnership development
•    Problem-solving, adaptability, results orientation
•    Analytical thinking, innovation and commitment to continuous learning
•    Strong report writing skills with willingness to travel to regions/districts frequently.

APPLICATION
Interested applicants should submit their CV and cover letter to Jobs.Afghanistan@akdn.org no later than 27th September 2026. 

Important Notes:  
•    No supporting documents (e.g., diplomas, recommendation letters, identification card(s), etc.) are required at this stage. 
•    Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for further assessment.
•    Salary scale: Grade C, step 1 – 3 based on the organization’s salary scale.
•    This is a non-regular position for 10 months only.

The Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan (AKF-Afg) promotes a transparent and equitable recruitment process. We reiterate that all services related to job applications, including processing, seminars, and training programs, are provided free of charge. 

Our official job announcements are posted on the ACBAR website (acbar.org/jobs). Interested candidates are encouraged to apply through the designated link. Each job vacancy is assigned a unique identification number for your reference, and upon submitting your application, you will receive an automatic confirmation acknowledging its receipt immediately. 

AKF- Afg recruitment and selection process reflects our commitment to equal opportunity and protecting children and at-risk adults, beneficiaries, partners, community members, and employees from safeguarding violations. AKF (Afg) participates in the Scheme for the disclosure of safeguarding-related misconduct within the humanitarian and development sector (Misconduct Disclosure Scheme). In line with this Scheme, AKF (Afg) will contact previous employers of job applicants to request information about any investigations or findings of misconduct concerning allegations of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, and/or sexual harassment (sexual misconduct) against the applicant, during or after their employment. AKF (Afg) further implements a range of procedures and vetting checks, including criminal records disclosures, to ensure everyone associated with AKF (Afg) is kept free from harm and abuse is prevented.
 
Protection from Sexual Exploitation Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) is the responsibility of everyone, and all selected individuals will be required to always comply with AKF (Afg)s Safeguarding Policy. 

By submitting the job application, the applicant confirms to have understood and consented to AKF (Afg) contacting the applicant’s prior employers, during AKF (Afg)’s recruitment process, to request any such information and maintain this information on file for Recruitment and Human Resources Management purposes.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply for this position.