4. Key Roles and Responsibilities
A. Strategic Leadership and Organizational Management
· Lead the development, implementation, and periodic review of WOSDA’s strategic plan, annual work plans, and organizational priorities.
· Translate the organization’s mission and vision into measurable objectives, implementation plans, and institutional development strategies.
· Provide effective leadership and direction to senior management and project teams.
· Develop and maintain organizational policies, procedures, operational guidelines, and internal control systems.
· Ensure clear roles, responsibilities, accountability mechanisms, and reporting arrangements across all departments.
· Advise the Board of Directors on strategic priorities, organizational performance, emerging risks, and opportunities for growth.
· Promote a professional, inclusive, ethical, and results-oriented organizational culture.
B. Program Development and Implementation
· Oversee the design, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of all organizational programs and projects.
· Ensure that programs respond to assessed community needs and prioritize the most vulnerable and underserved populations.
· Lead the development of quality project proposals, concept notes, budgets, implementation plans, and donor reports.
· Ensure that project activities are delivered on time, within approved budgets, and in accordance with agreed objectives and indicators.
· Oversee programs in relevant areas, including:
o Humanitarian and emergency response.
o Food assistance and cash-based interventions.
o Education and community-based education.
o Health and nutrition.
o Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).
o Livelihoods and community resilience.
o Women and child protection.
o Orphan care and education support.
o Winterization and disaster response.
· Ensure effective beneficiary identification, transparent selection criteria, community consultation, and appropriate distribution monitoring.
· Strengthen coordination between program teams, field offices, finance, logistics, and monitoring and evaluation staff.
· Promote evidence-based programming, lessons learned, and continuous improvement.
C. Resource Mobilization and Donor Relations
· Lead the development and implementation of an organizational resource mobilization and fundraising strategy.
· Identify funding opportunities from UN agencies, international NGOs, institutional donors, foundations, and other appropriate funding sources.
· Establish and maintain strong professional relationships with donors, humanitarian partners, development agencies, and relevant stakeholders.
· Oversee the preparation and submission of competitive proposals, budgets, expressions of interest, and partnership applications.
· Ensure timely, accurate, and high-quality donor reporting in accordance with contractual requirements.
· Negotiate and oversee partnership agreements, memoranda of understanding, and grant arrangements within delegated authority.
· Diversify funding sources and promote the financial sustainability of the organization.
· Ensure transparent communication with donors regarding project progress, challenges, risks, and corrective actions.
D. Financial Management and Accountability
· Provide overall oversight of organizational budgets, expenditure, cash flow, financial forecasts, and financial sustainability.
· Ensure that annual budgets and project budgets are realistic, properly authorized, and aligned with strategic priorities.
· Oversee financial controls, expenditure verification, bank reconciliations, procurement payments, and financial reporting.
· Ensure compliance with donor financial rules, grant conditions, applicable legal requirements, and WOSDA financial policies.
· Review regular budget-versus-actual reports and take timely corrective action where necessary.
· Ensure proper segregation of duties, authorization procedures, documentation, and financial recordkeeping.
· Oversee internal and external audits and ensure that audit findings are addressed promptly.
· Prevent, detect, and respond appropriately to fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest, and misuse of organizational resources.
E. Human Resources and Staff Development
· Provide leadership in recruitment, staff development, performance management, and workforce planning.
· Ensure that recruitment processes are transparent, competitive, merit-based, and consistent with organizational policies.
· Oversee staff performance appraisals, professional development plans, and capacity-building initiatives.
· Promote teamwork, effective communication, staff wellbeing, and constructive conflict resolution.
· Ensure that all staff understand and comply with the code of conduct, safeguarding requirements, and organizational policies.
· Maintain appropriate disciplinary, grievance, and staff complaint mechanisms.
· Promote equal opportunity, professional respect, and a safe working environment.
· Ensure appropriate staffing structures and clear lines of supervision and accountability.
F. Governance, Compliance, and Risk Management
· Work closely with the Board of Directors to implement board decisions and strengthen organizational governance.
· Ensure compliance with applicable Afghan laws and regulations, organizational registration requirements, donor agreements, and relevant reporting obligations.
· Maintain effective risk management systems covering financial, operational, security, reputational, legal, and programmatic risks.
· Ensure that organizational policies on anti-fraud, anti-corruption, conflicts of interest, procurement, and whistleblowing are implemented.
· Establish and maintain appropriate internal controls and documentation systems.
· Ensure that serious incidents, suspected misconduct, safeguarding concerns, and material risks are reported through appropriate channels.
· Prepare periodic organizational performance and compliance reports for the Board of Directors.
· Ensure continuity of operations and appropriate contingency planning.
G. Safeguarding, Accountability, and Protection
· Ensure that WOSDA maintains and implements appropriate safeguarding policies, including protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), child safeguarding, and prevention of sexual harassment.
· Promote a zero-tolerance approach to sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment, retaliation, and abuse of authority.
· Ensure that safe, confidential, accessible, and appropriate complaint and feedback mechanisms are available to beneficiaries, staff, and communities.
· Ensure that beneficiary selection and assistance delivery are fair, transparent, inclusive, and free from discrimination, exploitation, and undue influence.
· Promote the dignity, safety, and participation of women, children, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.
· Ensure that safeguarding allegations are handled confidentially, promptly, and in accordance with organizational policies and applicable requirements.
· Promote informed consent, confidentiality, and responsible handling of personal and beneficiary data.
H. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)
· Oversee the development and implementation of organizational monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning systems.
· Ensure that projects have clear indicators, baselines where appropriate, targets, data collection methods, and reporting schedules.
· Review progress against project outputs, outcomes, budgets, and implementation timelines.
· Ensure regular field monitoring, beneficiary feedback, data verification, and quality assurance.
· Use monitoring findings and evaluations to improve program effectiveness and organizational performance.
· Ensure that lessons learned and good practices are documented and shared with staff, partners, and donors as appropriate.
· Promote evidence-based decision-making and accountability to affected populations.
I. External Representation and Coordination
· Represent WOSDA in meetings with government authorities, UN agencies, donors, NGOs, civil society organizations, community leaders, and other relevant stakeholders.
· Maintain professional relationships with relevant government institutions and coordination bodies in accordance with applicable laws and organizational policies.
· Participate in relevant humanitarian and development coordination forums, working groups, and partnership meetings.
· Promote WOSDA’s visibility, credibility, and reputation through professional communication and responsible representation.
· Ensure that public statements, organizational communications, and external commitments are consistent with approved policies and delegated authority.
· Build partnerships that support improved program delivery, access to resources, and long-term organizational development.
J. Operations, Procurement, Logistics, and Security
· Oversee administrative, procurement, logistics, asset management, transportation, and information management functions.
· Ensure transparent, competitive, and documented procurement processes in line with organizational policies and donor requirements.
· Ensure appropriate management and safeguarding of organizational assets, supplies, equipment, and inventory.
· Oversee operational planning, field support arrangements, and efficient use of organizational resources.
· Ensure that staff understand relevant security procedures and that operational risks are assessed and managed appropriately.
· Ensure that business continuity, emergency preparedness, and incident reporting arrangements are in place.
· Monitor operational efficiency and introduce improvements where required.
Education
· Master’s degree in Development Studies, Public Administration, Business Administration, Management, Economics, Social Sciences, International Relations, or another relevant discipline.
· A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field combined with substantial, directly relevant senior management experience may be considered.
Professional Experience
· At least seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in humanitarian assistance, development programming, NGO management, or a related sector.
· At least three years of senior-level management experience, preferably as an Executive Director, Country Director, Deputy Director, Program Director, or in a comparable leadership position.
· Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, organizational management, and multi-sector program implementation.
· Proven experience in proposal development, resource mobilization, donor relations, and grant management.
· Strong knowledge of budgeting, financial oversight, procurement, internal controls, and audit follow-up.
· Experience managing multidisciplinary teams and building staff capacity.
· Demonstrated experience in stakeholder coordination, partnership development, and external representation.
· Familiarity with Afghanistan’s humanitarian and development context and the operational challenges faced by national NGOs.
· Experience in safeguarding, accountability to affected populations, and risk management is highly desirable.