Rural Development Programme (RDP) Director

Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a private international, nonprofit, and non-denominational development agency. It seeks sustainable solutions to long term problems of poverty, with special emphasis on the needs of rural communities in mountainous, coastal and other resource poor areas across the world. Concentrating its efforts in health, education, rural development and strengthening civil society sectors, AKF’s approach is based on long-term commitment that is maintained through political and social uncertainty. Aga Khan Foundation, Afghanistan is part of a dynamic network of development agencies currently operating in over 30 countries across Central and South Asia and East and West Africa. AKF,A currently manages and implements the largest, multi-sectoral development programme within the network and has built a strong reputation with the Government of Afghanistan, donors and local partners in a number of technical fields. At present, it is seeking an exceptional individual to fill the position of Rural Development Programme (RDP) Director at its National Program Office Kabul – Afghanistan

Job Summary: The RDP Director is responsible for strategic direction, external representation and overall implementation of an ambitious set of rural development and governance programmes in central and northeast Afghanistan, which include: market-based natural resource management, micro and small enterprise development, rural energy supply, social protection, water and sanitation and local government and civil society capacity building. The RDP Director’s responsibilities include leading the process of programme development and annual planning, guiding field implementation, drawing lessons from previous experience and adjusting interventions accordingly, motivating and mentoring staff, liaising with donor and government representatives and oversight of all financial and grant related matters relating to the RDP.
The Programme Director reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer, and works in close collaboration the Finance Director, Sector Heads, and Regional Directors.

Main Duties and Responsibilities: • Coordinate and manage annual and project-specific planning processes; • Direct field activities through a Kabul-based and regional programme teams; • Mentor and support a diverse teams of international and national professionals, with special focus on national staff capacity building; • Maintain budgetary oversight, while ensuring the quality and timeliness of all donor reporting; • Maintain close contact and collaboration with relevant government departments and donors, in a manner that enhances the programme’s ability to attract and sustain the moral, intellectual, financial support of these partners; • Situate the rural development programme within the overall strategic, institutional and programmatic framework of AKDN; • Improve the collection, analysis and management of information on achievements; and the ability to learn from experience, adjust programmes as appropriate, and share lessons with a broader community; • Any other tasks relevant to the Core Responsibilities and Duties of this position, as assigned by the supervisor.

Required Qualifications and Experience: • A Masters degree in a relevant field, with at least 10 years of related experience designing and directing programmes at a senior level; • Excellent communication skills; • Excellent knowledge of oral and written English; the ability to communicate in Dari and/or Pashto will be an asset; • Extensive experience in preparing, managing and monitoring large budgets; • A proven ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with government and donors, and to attract and secure significant financial resources; • Demonstrated capacity to build and nurture the capacity of a cohesive team of international and national professionals; • Strong managerial and leadership skills; excellent ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines; • Self-motivated, pro-active, efficient, reliable and creative; • Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word and Excel).

Application: Applicants meeting the above requirements are requested to submit a cover letter along with their CV and the names of three references electronically to Jobs.afghanistan@akdn.org. No later than October 15th 2011 or submit hard copy to AKF, National Programme Office House No 43 Main Road Wazir Akbar Khan Kabul Afghanistan.