Programme Officer (Alternative Development)

The Programme Officer (Alternative Development) will coordinate and support the implementation of the Alternative Development Programme in Afghanistan, promoting alternative livelihoods, socio-economic development, and the rule of law in opium cultivation and at-risk areas. The role involves strategic guidance, partnership development, programme management, resource mobilization, and representation at national and international forums.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and support the implementation of the Alternative Development Programme in Afghanistan, including all activities aimed at promoting alternative livelihoods, socio-economic development, and the rule of law in opium cultivation and at-risk areas of the country.
• Provide strategic guidance and oversight to the project team across field locations in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and quality assurance of programme activities, while exploring opportunities for increased direct implementation and monitoring.
• Establish and strengthen partnerships with the private sector, Subject Matter Experts, agriculture experts, farming associations, NGOs, implementing partners and market actors to facilitate product marketing, improve access to markets, and enhance economic opportunities in alternative development areas.
• Develop, document, disseminate and scale up replicable alternative development models, lessons learned, and best practices suited to local communities and adaptable throughout various regions of Afghanistan.
• Plan, implement, manage, and monitor project activities, in line with applicable United Nations (UN) rules and regulations, policies and administrative mechanisms.
• Manage programme budget, administrative processes and implementation reporting, ensuring timely monitoring of expenditures, delivery status, compliance requirements, reporting obligations, and communication within UNODC and with external stakeholders.
• Coordinate and maintain effective engagement with relevant De facto authorities (DFA) and beneficiaries at the international, national and local levels, ensuring their participation, support and ownership throughout implementation and sustainability efforts under the Alternative Development Programme in Afghanistan.
• Coordinate communication and visibility efforts of Alternative Development initiatives, including with other relevant UNODC programmes, UN entities, DFA, donors, and Member States, to raise awareness of Alternative Development achievements and needs in Afghanistan.
• Promote complementarity with other UNODC programmes with livelihood components, such as drug use prevention, treatment and rehabilitation initiative, research, prison reform and rehabilitation of prisoners, Trafficking in Person (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM).
• Under the supervision of the Representative and the Programme Officer heading the Global Programme, lead and contribute to resource mobilization and fundraising efforts by designing and implementing target-oriented fundraising strategies, developing project proposals, and liaising with UN entities, the DFA, donors, including the Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA) and International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and other stakeholders.
• Support coordination and collaboration across the UN system, including contributing to UN Country Team initiatives and engaging with UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes (AFPs) to identify and develop areas of cooperation, including for joint fund raising and joint project development and implementation.
• Represent and promote the Alternative Development agenda at national and international forums, including the Doha Process Working Group on Counternarcotics, diplomatic missions focused on Afghanistan, the UN Technical Working Group on Counternarcotics, the Afghanistan Water Platforms, and other relevant coordination mechanisms.
• Support the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and broader counternarcotics coordination mechanisms by providing UNODC expertise on alternative development to forums such as the Doha Process’s Counter Narcotic Working Group (CNWG) and Private Sector Working Group (PSWG), and by participating in relevant technical and policy platforms.
• Strengthen coordination among development partners and donors to improve aid effectiveness, harmonize practices and procedures, facilitate information sharing, and advance complementary alternative development initiatives across Afghanistan and the region.
• Collect, analyze, visualize and report data to support evidence-based decision making, identify trends and patterns through graphs, charts, tables and reports, contribute to programme visibility, and perform any other work-related duties as required in support of the Alternative Development Programme.
• Perform other work-related duties as required.

Requirements

• An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in agriculture, rural development, sustainable development, environmental and natural resource management, social sciences, economics, business administration, international development, public administration, international relations, or related discipline is required.
• A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in project/programme management and implementation in alternative development, sustainable livelihoods, rural development, or socio-economic development, preferably in complex or fragile environments is required.
• Work experience in value chain development, market systems development, and improving market access in rural areas with limited infrastructure is required.
• Work experience in managing project implementation, budgets, donor reporting, and compliance in international development programmes is required.
• Work experience in rural development contexts in least developed countries is desirable.
• Work experience in technical cooperation and project implementation with drug control, counternarcotics, crime prevention or rule of law objectives is desirable.
• Work experience in establishing and managing partnerships with government counterparts, development partners, private sector actors, NGOs, and implementing partners is desirable.
• Work experience in resource mobilization, donor engagement, fundraising, and project proposal development is desirable.
• Work experience in gender mainstreaming, advancing women empowerment and inclusiveness of vulnerable groups in the context of rural development, drug control or crime-related programmes is desirable.
• Work experience in leading a team implementing programme activities in a rural development context is desirable.
• Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.
• English is required at UN Level II for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Skills

• Project Management
• Programme Implementation
• Alternative Development
• Sustainable Economic Livelihoods
• Rural Development Policy
• Socio-Economic Development
• Value Chain Analysis
• Market Systems Development
• Market Access
• Budget Management
• Donor Reporting
• Compliance Management
• International Development
• Partnership Management
• Resource Mobilization
• Donor Engagement Strategies
• Project Proposal Preparation
• Gender Mainstreaming
• Women’s Empowerment
• Data Analytics

Languages

English