Diversity and Inclusion Officer

Job Highlight

This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute significantly to humanitarian and development efforts in Afghanistan by ensuring gender equality and social inclusion are at the forefront of a large-scale community resilience program. The incumbent will play a pivotal role in empowering women and vulnerable groups, mitigating risks, and driving principled project implementation, directly impacting millions of lives in a challenging yet rewarding environment.

About The Project Office

Since 1995, UNOPS has maintained an active presence in Afghanistan, delivering efficient, agile services in support of both humanitarian response and development efforts. Prior to August 2021, the Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) implemented projects across a broad range of sectors, including infrastructure, procurement, capacity building, and environmental protection. In response to evolving humanitarian needs, AFCO has shifted its focus to supporting life-saving initiatives and basic human needs. Current priorities include managing large-scale cash-for-work programmes, procuring emergency supplies, and providing inter-agency coordination, communication, and accountability support.

Role Purpose

The Diversity and Inclusion Officer (Gender) supports the Project in ensuring that project design and implementation adhere to a principled approach, actively engaging women as service providers and beneficiaries. This role focuses on integrating gender equality and social inclusion, mitigating risks, monitoring relevant indicators, and developing and overseeing the Sexual Abuse and Exploitation/Sexual Harassment (PSEA/SH) Action Plan, thereby enhancing the project's impact and sustainability for all beneficiaries.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming
• Support the project in the implementation of Gender and Diversity focused guidelines specific to the project and its stakeholders, based on the project’s legal framework, project development objectives and Results Framework indicators, its Operations and Training Manuals.
• Support all Project components in all aspects of gender equality and social inclusion. - Ensure FPs hire and retain adequate numbers of female staff and that FPs follow the UNCT Mahram policy that accounts for additional costs of women working (transport, Mahram costs, etc.).
• Support the Project in the promotion, incentivizing and evaluation of the inclusion and participation of women in the communities in project activities, as beneficiaries and workers.
• Ensure that FPs regularly consult with female staff and with community women to understand if they feel safe participating in the project activities and work with the FPs to develop strategies that help minimize any risks to women workers and beneficiaries.
• Monitoring, Reporting, and Risk Mitigation
• Support the process of assessing community compliance with the ECA, and of monitoring and reporting on continued adherence.
• Verify FP and TPMA reports of women’s participation with spot checks in the field.
• Support the project to collect, compile, analyze and report on the gender-disaggregated data on the inclusion of women, physically or mentally challenged persons, IDP/returnee, very elderly and other most vulnerable groups in the project beneficiary selection and project benefits.
• Input to FP and TPMA monitoring protocols and guidelines to ensure that gender and inclusion data is collected and that indicators are appropriately monitored.
• Closely monitor and inform the Management on policies/procedures/guidelines/laws issued by the de-facto authorities at central and field levels that could impact on the participation of women and other marginalized groups in project activities.
• Advise the design of the project GRM, including in-person, accessible complaint uptake channels for women and girls.
• Ensure appropriate protocols and mechanisms are in-place for addressing SEA/SH grievances and serve as a permanent member of the grievance redressal committee related to gender-based violence or sexual harassment.
• Assist the project in the implementation and compliance with the Project’s SEA/SH Action Plan, in accordance with the agreed timeline and budget.
• Capacity Building and Advisory Support
• Ensure that the overall training materials of the project are gender-sensitive and contextualized for project coverage areas.
• Support the project in gender-focused training for the Project Team, FPs and Contractors.
• Provide transactional support in training management and all project personnel, FPs, Contractors key personnel in the project’s gender and diversity norms.
• Ensure all project workers have been sensitized to and have signed a code of conduct that prohibits SEA/SH and that communities know how and where to report SEA/SH grievances.
• Perform other related duties as required by the Head of PIU.
  
  

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent: 2 years of relevant experience
  
  

• Specific gender-focused training by the UN, World Bank or international non-governmental (INGOs) organizations.
• Training in PSEA and demonstration of understanding of the basic tenants of the PSEA framework.
  
  

• A minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in gender, women’s empowerment and/or diversity management.
  
  

• Experience working with the World Bank, UN agencies or other donor agencies, government ministries, and/or non-governmental organizations (NGOs).