WCSO Programme Support Consultant

The consultant will support the WCSO Unit on grantmaking, programme support, and knowledge management/communications for analyzing trends, challenges, and opportunities. The role involves programme support to grantmaking and partner management, facilitating coalition building and knowledge sharing among women-led civil society organizations, providing communications support, and administrative support.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical and operational support to the planning, processing and implementation of grantmaking and programme partner management processes, in line with UN Women rules, policies and procedures.
• Support review and drafting of key grantmaking documents including assessment criteria, application templates, overview documents for management approval, and more.
• Support the preparation, review and follow-up of partner documentation and grant management tools, including partner onboarding materials, FACE forms, programme partner agreements, workplans, budgets, risk management tools, RBCA/RP capacity assessment documentation, and other relevant compliance requirements in coordination with relevant colleagues.
• Coordinate with programme, operations, finance, procurement and sub-national teams to facilitate timely partner onboarding, agreement processing, amendments, and project closure processes.
• Support the review and tracking of partner submissions, including FACE forms, progress and financial reports, audit/compliance requirements, capacity building plans and related follow-up actions.
• Maintain organized records of grantmaking and partner management processes including master matrix, ensuring documentation is complete, up to date and accessible for monitoring and decision-making purposes.
• Support capacity development and accompaniment of programme partners on UN Women grant management, reporting, documentation and compliance requirements, as needed.
• Track active and closed projects and assist with programmatic processes including reviewing final project documents, reviewing all extension and amendment requests and provide feedback as part of quality assurance.
• Lead in organizing partner orientation sessions and induction trainings.
• Coordinate the planning of peer-to-peer exchange activities, learning events, and knowledge-sharing sessions among WCSOs partnered with UNW ACO.
• Identify learning needs, capacity gaps, and areas of mutual interest among partner organizations to inform the design of peer exchange opportunities.
• Facilitate consultations with WCSOs and programme teams to develop learning agendas and thematic priorities for peer-to-peer engagement.
• Lead and moderate virtual peer learning sessions, workshops and knowledge-sharing platforms, ensuring inclusive and meaningful participation.
• Develop knowledge products, summaries, and learning briefs to capture and disseminate experiences and practical insights generated through peer-to-peer learning.
• Foster collaboration, networking, and relationship-building among WCSOs to strengthen collective learning and mutual support.
• Coordinate with programme colleagues, subnational teams, and external stakeholders to ensure effective planning and delivery of learning activities.
• Develop/ contribute to the development of customized position papers for internal and external engagement purposes.
• Regularly monitor developments on working with WCSOs in Afghanistan at both the capital and province levels, analyze trends, challenges and opportunities across ACO’s WCSO partners and produce key knowledge products for internal and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to policy documents, briefs and other strategic papers/materials for use in the development and presentation of innovative and coherent policy and programmatic positions in WCSO engagement.
• Produce briefs analyzing results of overall programme in communications-oriented manner as well as partner spotlight briefs.
• Draft talking points, briefing notes, and PPT presentations as requested for CSO engagements for internal/external purposes.
• Draft public information materials and briefing packets based on provided data and analysis in coordination with ACO Communications team.
• Provide administrative support as necessary.
• Mentor and support national staff on programme, coordination, grantmaking areas.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, human rights, gender/ women’s studies, international development, or a related field is required
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A project/programme management certification (such as PMP®, PRINCE2®, or MSP®) would be an added advantage.
• At least two years of relevant work experience in international development, programme implementation including coordination, monitoring and evaluation, donor reporting and capacity building
• Experience in civil society, and with women’s issues, is desirable
• Experience in United Nations System is desirable
• Fluency of English are required
• Fluency of both Dari and Pashto will be considered an asset

Skills

• Project Management
• Programme Implementation
• Programme Coordination
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Donor Reporting
• Capacity Building
• Grantmaking
• Partner Management
• Knowledge Management
• Communications Support
• Coalition Building
• Civil Society Engagement
• Women’s Issues Expertise
• International Development
• Administrative Support
• PMP Certification
• Prince 2 Certification
• MSP Certification

Languages

English