National Manager DRR – CLDRM

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
National Manager DRR will be responsible for efficient and effective Technical and financial management of the projects related to DRR and emergency management by developing effective emergency management and resilience strategy, strengthening and optimizing the functioning of the emergency management sector, project development, implementation planning and effective monitoring systems, and setting up new processes and tools where necessary. The incumbent reports to the Head of Resilience and Recovery and will be directly involved in the project development, implementation and monitoring support to regions.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Management 
•    Manage and provide strategic direction to the Emergency Management (EM) team and its programmes. 
•    Develop AKF Afg  EM structure and programmes in line with the global programme framework. Develop NPO staff ToRs and review regional units’ ToRs 
•    Based on the results of the EM global programme framework, develop a multi-year strategic plan for the EM programme taking into consideration the principles of integration. 
•    Develop technical manuals and guidelines for providing technical support to enhance the quality of implementation and technical approaches.
•    Ensure that AKF (Afg) Emergency Management sub-theme strategies and interventions are aligned with government priorities. 
•    Support AKF(Afg)’s Gender Manager with mainstreaming gender in the EM programme.

Policy
•    Build working relations with the relevant government departments such as the Ministry and provincial directorate of Economy, ANDMA and other relevant ministries. 
•    Participate in relevant policy forums and working groups initiated by the government and civil society. 
•    Track the national and provincial policy processes that relate to DRR/ EM and provide regular updates, analysis, and recommendations to the National DRR/ EM sector.
•    Work closely with partner organizations and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) agencies in the provinces on DRR/ EM related mandate and strategic plan.

Stakeholder Coordination 
•    Build strategic partnerships with local and international partners related to Emergency management. 
•    Engage with donors and other relevant stakeholders and facilitate field visits.
•    Coordinate with the National and provincial governments, broader civil society, and other relevant institutions on issues of mutual interest. 
•    Lead in strengthening relations with the AKDN institutions active in Afghanistan and develop coordination mechanisms to ensure that the network has a collaborative, strategic and integrated EM approach to development in Afghanistan, and govern the coordination mechanisms and their outcomes.

Project Design and Management
•    Work closely with the Partnerships and Program Support Unit to develop a resource mobilization plan for the EM programme and turn project ideas into meaningful and attractive proposals and concept notes. 
•    Develop and maintain a robust management system for implementation of the projects or parts of projects that relate to Emergency management to ensure that project objectives, outcomes, and deliverables are met on time and within budget, and that financial, operational, and reporting requirements of the donor and AKF (Afg) are adhered to.
•    Troubleshoot operational issues encountered by field staff through regular field visits, coordination, and support to the regional and field offices.

Research, Learning and Innovation 
•    Work closely with AKF(Afg)’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Unit and EM teams for developing monitoring tools, systems and approaches to maintain a regular system of project and programme reporting for donors, government and AKF senior management.
•    Ensure capacity building and participation of the field teams and the regional office in the articulation of the research needs based on the field realities in EM respective regions and geographies. 
•    Develop and maintain a responsive system for streamlining and documenting the innovations and best practices and ensure the innovative ideas have a natural flow to the EM programming processes.
•    Develop and lead the implementation of pilot projects based on innovations at the field level and global best practices. Establish scientific and logical measures for the assessment of the pilots and disseminate the conclusions to the relevant forums and stakeholders. 
•    Work with the MERL team to ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation plans are in place, turn data into actionable insights to guide implementation, and disseminate results and learning.

Capacity Building
•    Manage the performance of the national and the regional EM teams. Develop realistic performance objectives for EM staff members, review them regularly, and provide sufficient coaching and on-the-job training in areas that need improvement.
•    Work with HR to facilitate the development of a robust and relevant capacity building plan for the national and regional EM staff. 

1. To carry out responsibilities of the role in a way which 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
•    Any other relevant duties assigned by the supervisor. 

DECISION-MAKING & AUTHORITY 
•    Recommend staff recruitment and redundancies. 
•    Budget allocation to the programmes and regions. 
•    EM staff performance management. 
•    EM staff HR related issues aligned with the HR manual.

JOB SPECIFICATION
•    Master’s degree in Disaster Management & Humanitarian Response, Social Science &  Community Development studies, Business Administration, International Development, or a relevant field with 05 years of relevant work experience working for an INGO, NGO, or a Bachelor's degree in the same field of academics with 07 years of relevant work experience. 
•    Demonstrated senior-level experience in the development of effective strategic plans and provision of sound policy advice in transitional economies.
•    03 years of experience in Emergency Management and/or Disaster Risk Reduction, including leading a sector/unit 
•    Proven operational experience with recognized ability to deliver high-quality results and to meet deadlines.

REQUIRED CORE COMPETENCIES
•    Excellent interpersonal skills, including communication in English and native languages (Dari and Pashto).
•    Ability to perform under challenging conditions.
•    Ability to manage diverse, multicultural, and complex teams.
•    Ability and willingness to travel to remote areas of Afghanistan and cross-border areas.
•    Excellent leadership capabilities and ability to inspire the team.
•    Excellent mentorship and coaching capabilities.
•    Cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity.
•    Adaptability and flexibility.

APPLICATION
Interested applicants should submit their CV and cover letter to Jobs.Afghanistan@akdn.org no later than 26th 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 B, step 1 – 3 based on the organization’s salary scale.

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.