WPHF Project Management Support, Home-Based with travel to Afghanistan, International Consultant

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

UN Women has been working in Afghanistan since 2002 (as UNIFEM until 2010). Afghanistan has emerged as one of the world’s most complex emergencies. The crisis dynamics in the country are multi-layered, and Afghanistan’s people are facing the devastating effects of successive decades of conflict, increasing poverty, economic decline and natural disasters, all of which are amplified by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As per the Humanitarian Response Plan 2022, 24.4 million Afghans – more than half of the country’s estimated population of 42 million – are projected to be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2022, with a staggering 55 per cent of the population expected to face crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity. In this context, Afghan women and girls face unique vulnerabilities as gender inequality is interwoven with conflict dynamics and humanitarian needs. Women’s fundamental rights have been continually threatened since the Taliban takeover and the limited gains made over the past twenty years are now at risk of being erased – and at worst regressed. The contest around gender norms remains at the center of the political, peace and security landscape in Afghanistan, putting women and girls at the frontlines of this crisis. Responding to this crisis, the UN Women Afghanistan Country Office is consolidating its programming under the humanitarian-peace-development nexus, anchored in the Country Office Strategic Note (2018-2022), and continues to deliver on its triple mandate across four thematic areas: 1) Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action; 2) Ending Violence Against Women; 3) Women Economic Empowerment; and 4) Women’s Leadership and Participation. UN Women Afghanistan thereby capitalizes on its five Sub-Offices located in the provinces Balkh, Bamyan, Herat, Kandahar and Nangarhar respectively, and is part of inter-agency Joint UN initiatives, such as the Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA).

The Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is a global partnership that mobilizes resources to support local women’s organizations in fostering peace and responding to humanitarian crises. WPHF works to amplify the voices of women in conflict-affected regions, ensuring their active participation in peacebuilding and humanitarian efforts. In Afghanistan, WPHF plays a crucial role in empowering women-led organizations and strengthening gender-responsive humanitarian action.

To enhance operational efficiency and ensure smooth implementation of WPHF activities, UN Women seeks a full-time consultant to provide administrative, monitoring and evaluation support. Reporting to the GIHA Programme Manager and in close coordination with the WPHF Secretariat, grantees, and key partners, the consultant will be home-based but will undertake an initial four-week mission to Kabul to facilitate in-person coordination with stakeholders, onboarding, and administrative setup.

Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work

Administrative Support

• Provide logistical and administrative support for WPHF activities.
• Assist in partnership processing, including contracts, risk management, reporting and payments in compliance with UN Women’s policies.
• Maintain and update administrative records, ensuring efficient file management and documentation.

Financial and Grant Management Support

• Assist in financial tracking of WPHF grants, ensuring timely disbursements and reporting.
• Support in the preparation of financial reports, ensuring compliance with UN Women financial regulations.
• Liaise with grantees to facilitate administrative requirements, such as audits and compliance checks.

Coordination and Liaison

• Act as a liaison between implementing partners and UN Women, ensuring timely communication and follow-ups.
• Organize and coordinate virtual and in-person meetings, drafting minutes and action points.
• Oversee coordination with coordinators and programme associates at the sub-national level to ensure quality partner implementation, reporting, and monitoring.
• Provide support in donor reporting by collecting relevant administrative and programmatic data.
• Lead Afghanistan WPHF inputs into the global annual report.

Provide technical assistance and capacity development to project/programme partners

• Coordinate and provide technical support in the implementa