Regional Enterprise Development (ED) Program Officer

About WEE-RDP/MRRD:

The Mission of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) is to ensure the social, economic, and political welfare of rural society, especially poor and vulnerable people, through the provision of basic services, strengthening local governance, and promoting sustainable livelihoods. MRRD infrastructure and economic growth.

Afghanistan Rural Enterprise Development Program (AREDP) over the years while working for overall Enterprise development in five provinces, has consciously involved more women in its program. The program has facilitated women to build on their economic security through participation in Savings groups, Enterprise Development, Village Level Savings Groups (VSLAs), SMEs, etc. The fact that the overall women participation in AREDP program is about 58% on a weighted index, it talks volume on its intervention strategies and approach for women economic empowerment.

With the Government of Afghanistan’s step towards strengthening WEE and thereby taking up WEE-NPP ( Women Economic Empowerment – National Priority Program ), which is much more inclusive and one of its pillar is WEE-RDP ( Women Economic Empowerment-Rural Development Program ), AREDP with its experiences and successes so far, looking forward to be more systemic in its approach and work in partnership at all levels of its intervention and strengthen the business service providers and institutions in general and those of Women focused in particular.  AREDP while transitioning to WEE-RDP, would be more of a facilitating agency and involve Implementing Partners (IPs) & Facilitating Partners (FPs) who have been strengthened by Citizen Charter for overall growth of the rural economy.

WEE-RDP is designed to be a more women centric program and it would be scaled up to 34 provinces with better institutional alignment with WEE-NPP objectives. The new project intends to build on the overall experience of AREDP and would simultaneously leverage the institutional platform of CDCs established & nurtured under ongoing Citizen Charter program of MRRD. Under WEE-RDP, greater emphasis is being given to collaborating with non-governmental institutions, private sector entities, service providers and organizations and civil society organizations (CSOs) in implementation of project activities while fostering partnerships with both the public and private sector to leverage technical resources and access to finance. Synergies will also be built among potential government organizations (e.g. MoWA, MoLSAMD, MoCI, MAIL etc) and non-government and civil society organizations. The project will follow a demand-driven/market-led approach to establish market linkages at the national, provincial and local levels and special emphasis will be given to identify & support women centric sub-sectors.  Women led enterprises   and its further aggregation to higher level institutions will be promoted under WEE-RDP.

Summary of Duty:

The ED Regional Program Officer is responsible for looking after all activities of TA Unit in the region. He/She will work closely with District Coordinators and District BDSOs to achieve all objectives of TA unit in the region. He/She will be responsible for planning, implementing, supervising and reporting activities related to TA unit.

The ED Regional Program Officer will work in an office setting and also be required to travel districts to oversee District Coordinators and District BDSOs works and meet with EGs and PA at field. He/she usually report to senior-level staff members, TA Specialist, TA Unit Head, Deputy Director and Executive Director.

accomplishes this mission through donor funded national programs in the areas of governance,

Job Description:

Duties and Responsibility

The ED Regional Program Officer will be responsible for the following but are not limited to:

To conduct seminars for encouraging rural Enterprise Groups (EGs) and Producer Associations(PAs) to work together with WEERDP
To conduct need assessments for EGs and PAs registered with WEERDP in the respective provinces
To coordinate with Technical Assistance (TA) Unit’s District Officers, collect data for their deliverables, make report of their activities to Project Management Office.
Verify the activities of TA Unit’s District Officers in the field, assist them in performance and help them in preparing future plans.
To conducts soft skills and technical trainings as per the requirements of the rural enterprises on different topics including business administration, inventory management, book keeping and accounting, marketing, promotional materials , product development , production process etc.
To organize and conduct workshops and trainings in regards with Islamic banking and its benefits
To facilitate required documents and support the rural enterprises in access to finance where available and applicable
To facilitate different types of assessment based on the demand of WEERDP and provincial offices
To organize and conduct as facilitator the required documents for exposure visits and other capacity building trainings including concept note, terms of references, financial budget etc.
To organize exhibitions for the rural enterprises and its required documents
To conducts workshops on business plan development for the rural enterprises
To develop manuals and training materials for different types of soft and technical trainings
To develop strategies, manuals and guidelines for WEERDP as and when required
To facilitate and support the rural enterprises with simple technology in closed coordination of WEERDP
To formulate and develop business plans for the rural enterprises
To conduct baseline studies for the rural EG and PA registered with WEERDP
To facilitate and support the rural enterprises with the marketing linkage activities from local to regional and national markets and to facilitate exposure visit for them
To develop proper accounting and business management models for the rural EG and PA
To facilitate and conduct workshops for the innovation award and its introduction and process; to support the enterprises with the applications, specifications of equipments, and the selection process
To develop and analysis potential value chains in the respective provinces and support the actors for their capacity building; and to identify and develop plans for further development of the value chains
To prepare inventory management models for the rural enterprises and training them for proper inventories
To attend the capacity building session that will be conducted specifically for the interested BDSOs who will become BDSPs
To prepare regular reports, success stories, newsletters and other documents like impact analysis, updating MIS database, required by WEERDP and its provincial offices
Any other activities as and when assigned by the management of WEERDP, provincial manager and ED Unit.

Specific responsibilities Regional ED Program Officer

To develop and finalize the TA Unit guideline based on the experience and available program documents
To develop and finalize TA Unit strategies and submit to the ED Unit management
To develop and finalize training manual and Modules for the specified capacity building activities
To organize and conduct ToT trainings for the district BDSPs on specific topics as per the ToR
To assess the performance of the District BDSPs and visiting the EG and PA who have participated in the capacity building sessions
To visualize the graphic designs for the manuals and modules for the capacity building activities
To develop book of accounts for the registered EG and PA, provide proper training and orientation to the District BDSPS accordingly and publish the book of account if requested by WEERDP management and as per the concept
Any other task as assigned by the management of WEERDP

Job Requirements:

Qualifications, Experience, Skills and Abilities

Qualifications/Skills

Minimum a Bachelor Degree in Business Management , Commerce Enterprise Development, Master degree is preferred;
Excellent in English and Pashto/Dari languages

Experience and Abilities

Minimum 4 years of experience in Enterprise Development Projects/Programs or and similar activities in Afghanistan.
Professionalism – Understanding of Business Management in Afghanistan, Enterprise
Capacity Building, Marketing and how to sustain micro, small and medium enterprises.
Planning & Organizing - Ability to plan own work and manage conflicting priorities;
Communications - Good communication (spoken and written) skills including ability to explain and present program support services-related information/requirements and prepare written documents/communications in a clear concise style;
Teamwork - Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in the organization.
Computer Skill - Good computer skill using Word Excel and Internet.

Submission Guideline:

Interested Afghans with the required qualifications and experience should submit their applications electronically through vacancies.hrcsd@mrrd.gov.af
While submitting your applications please mention the Title of the position plus Vacancy Number in the subject of the e-mail; please do NOT submit any other supporting documentation or educational certificates with your application. If you are short listed you will be asked to submit electronic copies of your educational certificates and if you are invited to written test you will be required to present the original certificates. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date of the position. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for written test Note: In the interests of open and fair competition and a merit based selection process applicants are advised that lobbying for a position , whether by the applicant or by any person acting on his or her behalf, shall result in the immediate disqualification of the candidate from further consideration. Applicants are strongly advised to inform potential supporters of this restriction which shall be strictly enforced.

Please don’t forget to type the Vacancy Announcement Number (1464/020/HRCSD/WEE-RDP/MRRD) in Subject while applying online. Application without vacancy number will not be accepted. 

The Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is highly committed to increase women’s participation in government sector therefore women are highly encouraged to apply.

Submission Email:

vacancies.hrcsd@mrrd.gov.af