Responsibilities:

Background and Objective of the assignment:

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. UNDP has been working in Afghanistan for more than 50 years on climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihood, and rule of law. Under the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in close coordination with other UN agencies, UNDP is supporting Afghan people’s aspiration for peace, prosperity, and sustainability. UNDP is currently implementing its flagship crisis response programme, ABADEI (Area Based Approach to Development Emergency Initiatives), as part of the ongoing UN-led response to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and the breakdown of Afghanistan’s economy following the August 2021 shift in power.

The ABADEI Strategy is a tailored area-based integrated programming approach to support basic human needs, complementing short-term humanitarian life-saving assistance with the safeguarding of livelihood and the strengthening of community resilience. It is centered around addressing worsening poverty and vulnerability, supporting community resilience and social cohesion, addressing climatic vulnerability and enabling the rehabilitation of small-scale infrastructure vital for basic human needs. It supports the creation of immediate sources of income through vocational skills training, cash-for-work, cash for market, small businesses and livelihood opportunities with particular focus on agri-business and regenerative agriculture infrastructure and services (critical for food security) that are under threat. It is sensitive to the chronic and newly emerging vulnerabilities of Afghan women and girls and aims at providing them assistance in a manner that does not exacerbate their susceptibility to violence and deprivation of opportunities and rights.

The Digital Associate will work in close coordination with the UNDP ABADEI team and will be responsible for providing technical support to design and implement digital interventions within the ABADEI programme. S/he works under the guidance and supervision of the UNDP Central Region Manager and in close collaboration with team members. The incumbent will also work closely with partners, UN Agencies, technical advisors and experts, and civil society to help implement project activities in on promoting digitalization.

His/her main responsibility is to collect data from the field and survey, plan, design digitalization and innovations related projects and then monitors projects on the field. S/he will assist in coordinating between UNDP and stakeholders on implementation of the activities expected on digitalization and innovation. The incumbents will be assisting the UNDP ABADEI team in coordination with project implementation on digital related activities. The incumbents will be responsible for providing full support in implementation of the UNDP ABADEI programme digitalization activities and necessary technical assistance will be provided from the UNDP ABADEI team.

Duties & Responsibilities

Scope of work:

The Digital Associate will undertake the following to ensure the success of the project:

– Support effective design and implementation of digitalization interventions within the ABADEI programme, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Map innovation solutions supporting the digitalization of businesses and employment opportunities to youth and women in Afghanistan.

• Develop relevant supporting documents within the topics of innovation and digitalization that are applicable in the context of Afghanistan, particularly in the Central region.

• Provide recommendations on promotion of digital skills and knowledge of youth, women and population of Afghanistan.

• Map existing educational institutions, stakeholders, platforms, private sector companies interested in promoting digitalization and explore possible partnership.

• Provision of targeted advisory services related to concrete measures or practical steps regarding the promotion of innovation, competitiveness and digitalization of businesses and educational services.

• Review the project initiatives with the scopes defined in the project document and provide recommendations for mainstreaming digitalization.

• Provision of substantive support to the implementation of project activities aimed at improving access for vulnerable groups/ private sector / civil society organizations to digital innovations in employment, entrepreneurship, innovative financing, and business continuity.

• Provide support on conducting national / regional campaigns, launching initiatives, and publications.

• Contribute to the effective monitoring of project activities related to innovation and elaboration of project activities.

• Monitor initiatives related to digitalization and innovation aimed to improve skills and livelihood of people.

• Provide technical support on implementation of digitalization activities in line with the ABADEI program strategy including stakeholder consultation, community participation.

• Design digital interventions to youth and women, as well as improving capacity of private sector companies.

• Assess the existing digitalization and innovations at the community level practices in the target sites; assess to what extent these practices consider future climate change scenarios and improving livelihood of population.

• Carry out a preliminary costing exercise along with a calculation of potential beneficiaries for potential digital initiatives.

• Develop a terms of references, article and success stories related to digitalization and innovation.

• Support to prepare capacity development materials on digitalization and innovation; provide technical support in conducting capacity building initiatives.

• Coordinate with partners and stakeholders in the process of implementing digital initiatives.

• Identify and document best practices and lessons learned from digital interventions.

• Regular visit will be required within selected project sites identified on digitalization.

• Monthly meeting to be conducted with the UNDP Central Region team in Kabul.

• Perform any other duties as required by the supervisor.

Institutional arrangement: The Digital Associate will work under the supervision and guidance of the UNDP Central Region Manager and in close collaboration with UNDP ABADEI team. Advice and support will also be provided by the UNDP CO Programme team.

Payment: Monthly bases

Duration of the assignment: 4 months (May 2023 to August 2023)

Duty station: Kabul city, Central Region of Afghanistan.

Qualification:

Experience and Skills:

Bachelor’s degree in management, computer sciences, information and communication technologies, public administration, economics, social sciences, or related fields.

Experience and Skills:

• Minimum of 3 years with Bachelor’s degree of relevant experience in the design and implementation of digital and innovation related projects/programme.

• Proven experience in conducting assessment and analysis of digitalization and innovation related activities.

• Direct working experience in the area of innovation, digitalization and provision of consultations to partners is a must.

• Ability to organize and conduct trainings and presentations in online workshops and seminars.

• Strong knowledge and understanding sub-national institutional contexts of Afghanistan in terms of promotion of innovation and digitalization.

• Previous experience of working with community-based NGOs and private sector companies is an asset.

Competencies: 

• Strong interpersonal, digital and communication skills.

• Good oral and analytical communication and writing skills

• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.). Knowledge of programming softs is a strong advantage.

• Good team player, self-starter, has ability to work under minimum supervision and maintain good relationships.

Language Requirements:

Proficiency in written and spoken English and fluency in local languages, Pashto and Dari is required.

How to Apply:

https://careers.ahg.af//Home/view_job/QcrCWRUZAy244FRzSNUeeCLUIQqWvSiFv6590N4AMpE                         

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