How can you make a difference?

Since late 2021, UNICEF Afghanistan Country Office (ACO) has received significant funding from International Financial Institutions (IFIs), namely the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Given contextual circumstances, this scale of funding is anticipated to continue in the coming years in a challenging environment where political complexities and human rights violations will likely remain the reality. The bulk of funding received from WB and ADB has primarily been for Health and Education. However, it is an important source of funding for Nutrition, WASH in facilities, cross-cutting programmatic priorities such as Gender and PSEA as well as program support/operations costs.

The Senior Advisor, IFI Coordination reports to the Representative for overall guidance and direction. The Senior Advisor, IFI Coordination is responsible for providing strategic direction and positioning in UNICEF Afghanistan’s engagement with IFIs and for ensuring the continued development and strengthened engagement with IFIs on a broad sector portfolio. This position also includes liaising across all sections in the Afghanistan Country Office as well as with HQ and Regional Office to advise on the implementation of the IFI grants and the increased risks that come with operating with IFIs. This strategy will ensure that results for children are leveraged, this new way of working with IFIs is effectively managed, and risks in partner engagement are navigated and managed successfully.

The incumbent works directly with the Representative to ensure that all engagement with IFIs is fully and effectively managed, any risks are fully mitigated and made aware to senior management, and regular meetings are held across the organization to ensure full awareness and understanding of IFI program negotiations and implementation.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Act as internal coordinator for ACO with the ADB and WB. Reviews all requests for compliance and alignment with grant agreements and related commitments to the Banks as well as interprets UNICEF ways of working with IFIs and donor issues.
• In collaboration with the Representative and Deputy Representatives, put in place and manage office-wide coordination for the WB and ADB projects primarily with non-programmatic but compliance issues.
• Coordinate cross-functional elements of the ADB and WB Projects across the various sections in the ACO, Regional Office (RO), and Headquarters (HQ).
• Support the sectoral sections in preparing proposals, aligned with corporate standards, and overall agreements between UNICEF and IFIs ensuring quality submissions in a timely and systematic manner through constructive engagement.
• Establish and maintain an overall fruitful project management approach for WB and ADB projects so that ACO has visibility of all key milestones and can holistically interact, negotiate, communicate, report, and monitor compliance and performance of the projects building on what already exists.
• Ensure common approaches in agreements and engagement across the sectors with the different arms of the ADB and WB
• In collaboration with the ACO Risk Officers, ensuring key project risks are identified and monitored to inform ACO management decision-making and risk appetite
• Support frequent strategic conversations within ACO and with the Regional Office and HQ on the partnerships and jointly mitigate risks
• Manage the joint ACO-IFI risk register and mitigation plan and ensure its joint ownership and regular reviews and updates
• Monitors the overall project progress (program and financial) and identifies project strengths and bottlenecks. In consultation with the relevant ACO sections and/or RO and HQ divisions, as required, resolve any potential issues that could hinder the achievement of planned results.
• Review all WB and ABD projects related documents including administrative and Operations Manuals to identify areas for enhancing content to support project objectives, comply with Bank requirements as well as comply with UNICEF’s policies and procedures.
• Acts as ACO’s main focal point on the WB and ADB projects to internal stakeholders (HQ divisions and regional office), ensuring engagement with program leads in relevant discussions
• Coordinates/contributes to the preparation of project progress reports, and donor and financial reports, as required. Confirms the accuracy of reports prior to approval by the Representative.
• Provides the secretariat for the Representative led / Dep Rep chaired IFI task force for coordination across projects and sections and country/ field offices.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) is required in one of the following fields: international relations, political science, communications, international development, or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of ten years of relevant professional work experience in the area of partnerships, coordination, and external relations is required.
• Work experience in or familiarity with Afghanistan or the South Asia region and humanitarian context would be an asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergencies is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Eligible UNICEF International Professional (IP) Staff Members on fixed-term, continuing, or permanent contracts applying to a Temporary Appointment, which is dedicated to L3 (or L2) Response, may be able to retain a lien and their fixed-term entitlements. The conditions of the temporary assignment will vary depending on the status of their post and their current tour of duty, and relocation entitlements may be limited as per the relevant policies.