Sub-Office Coordinator

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women is an entity of the United Nations established in July 2010, with the mission to promote gender equality and empower women globally. The organization was created as part of the UN reform agenda, merging resources and mandates from four previously distinct parts of the UN system that focused on gender equality and women's empowerment. UN Women operates in various countries, including Afghanistan, where it has been active for two decades, addressing the unique vulnerabilities faced by Afghan women and girls amidst ongoing conflict and humanitarian crises. The organization aims to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, empower them, and achieve equality between genders as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security. UN Women Afghanistan has five key program priorities: Integrated Programming and Localization, Women’s Civil Society Unit, Policy and Research, Economic Resilience and Private Sector, and Coordination, Access and Humanitarian Response.

Job Overview:
The Sub-Office Coordinator will play a crucial role in supporting the Women’s Civil Society Unit (WCSO) within UN Women Afghanistan. This position involves coordinating grantmaking processes, providing technical assistance and capacity development support to civil society partners, overseeing monitoring and reporting of partner projects, and contributing to advocacy and knowledge-building efforts. The coordinator will work under the guidance of the Programme Manager and Sub-Office Head, ensuring that the sub-office effectively addresses key programmatic and operational issues related to civil society organizations (CSOs). The role requires a proactive approach to managing relationships with partners, facilitating training and mentorship, and ensuring compliance with UN Women’s guidelines. The coordinator will also be responsible for analyzing trends and challenges faced by partners and providing insights to enhance project implementation and impact.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coordinate Grantmaking for the WCSO Unit at the Sub-Office level: This includes disseminating Calls for Proposals to potential civil society partners, providing technical reviews and scoring of applicants, and coordinating the grantmaking process with relevant actors, including UN agencies and internal UN Women pillars. The coordinator will oversee due diligence and capacity assessment processes for shortlisted applicants and support the operationalization of grants by finalizing grant agreements, budgets, and project documents.
• Provide Technical Assistance and Capacity Development Support to WCSO Unit Partners: The coordinator will facilitate technical support to partners, ensuring successful project implementation in compliance with UN Women’s guidelines. This includes organizing training, workshops, and peer-exchanges for partners in the portfolio.
• Oversee WCSO Unit Partner Monitoring & Reporting: The coordinator will monitor project implementation, travel to project sites, and ensure alignment with approved project documents. They will coordinate assessments needed for partner monitoring, review partner reports, and provide technical inputs for UN Women reports.
• Provide inputs to Advocacy, Knowledge Building and Communication efforts: The coordinator will contribute to background documents, briefs, and presentations related to the WCSO Unit. They will support the organization of advocacy activities, campaigns, and knowledge management products, contributing to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Perform other duties as necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires a Master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, human rights, gender/women’s studies, international development, or a related field. A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. A project/programme management certification (such as PMP®, PRINCE2®, or MSP®) is considered an added advantage. Candidates should possess strong technical skills in monitoring and project implementation oversight, as well as well-developed communication, leadership, and team-building skills.

Educational Background:
Candidates must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in relevant fields such as social sciences, human rights, gender/women’s studies, or international development. Alternatively, a first-level university degree with two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted. A project/programme management certification is a plus.

Experience:
A minimum of two years of relevant work experience in development programme/project implementation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, donor reporting, and capacity building is required. Experience working with civil society organizations and women's issues is desirable, as is familiarity with the United Nations System.

Languages:
Fluency in Dari or Pashto and a working knowledge of English are required for this position.

Additional Notes:
The position is based in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and is expected to involve full-time commitment. UN Women is committed to diversity and inclusion, ensuring that all employment decisions are based on qualifications and organizational needs. The organization has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct incompatible with its aims, including discrimination and harassment. Selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks, including verification of academic credentials and employment history.