USAID Afghanistan Agriculture Program

DAI Global, LLC (DAI) is implementing a new USAID-funded agriculture program which aims to reinvigorate agricultural livelihoods and catalyze private sector engagement to address food insecurity, income gaps, target populations’ empowerment, and communities’ resilience to climate change. The activity actively facilitates implementation with and through local systems actors (such as anchor firms, business development and advisory service (BDAS) providers, education and financial institutions, and local communities). This approach centers a competitive, performance-based Partnership Facility (PF) to design interventions that: incorporate local Afghan knowledge, engage target populations, and leverage resources to ensure local ownership and sustainability. Utilizing performance-based grants, DAI will partner with stakeholders to achieve the below three objectives.

Using a private sector-led, market systems development (MSD) approach, the activity is aimed at driving local system actor behavior change. In doing so, the activity endeavors to meaningfully improve Afghan lives and agriculture sector performance through the following objectives:

              Objective 1: Food Security Improved Through Increased and Inclusive Resilience, Productivity,                    Diversification, and Stability of Agricultural Value Chains

              Objective 2: Enhanced Communities’ Resilience to Climate Change-Induced Shocks, Specifically                Water Stress

              Objective 3: Target Population Economic Empowerment Strengthened

Are you an Afghan citizen? *
Have you ever worked for or been recruited by DAI before? *
What is your level of education? *
What is your level to read and write in Dari? *
What is your level to read and write in Pashto? *
What is your level to read and write in English? *
Have you ever worked or are you working or have been hired or recruited by DAI, partners or subcontractors of DAI previously or currently? *
 

Position

Local Gender Specialist 

Base of Operations

Remote, Afghanistan

Level of Effort

20 Days - Short-Term Independent Consultant Agreement 

Position Reports to

COP, DAI Senior Gender Advisor
 
Purpose

The Gender Specialist will support the development of a gender analysis for the project, identifying critical information from the local context on gender-related issues within the Activity´s scope to inform actionable interventions to address findings. This will entail primary and secondary data collection including conducting key informant interviews and a literature search, sending this data in a timely and organized fashion as requested to DAI’s Senior Gender Advisor, collaborating on analysis of these data, holding regular meetings with the Senior Gender Advisor as needed, and writing and/or collaborating on drafting portions of the Women’s Integration Strategy Plan (WISP) and Gender Analysis and Action Plan. The Gender Specialist will support a Senior Gender Advisor (team lead) who will be responsible for leading the development of the report. Based on the analysis, both the Senior Gender Advisor and the Gender Specialist will identify and provide recommendations to integrate GESI sensitive interventions and indicators across the Activity Annual Work Plan and AMELP. 

Scope of Work

The duties of the position include but are not limited to the following:

Conduct Gender Analysis:

  • Review existing literature and data on gender dynamics in Afghanistan. Share data with the Senior Gender Advisor. Write up key findings from literature and primary data.
  • Support the Senior Gender Advisor through the collection of primary and secondary data from local input to conduct analysis of data across the five domains as per ADS 205.3.2:
    1. Laws, Policies, Regulations, and Institutional Practices
    2. Cultural Norms and Belief
    3. Gender Roles, Responsibilities, and Time Use
    4. Access to and Control over Assets and Resources
    5. Patterns of Power and Decision-making
    6. Safety and Security (from ADS 201)
                                      
  • Assist with the development of research design, protocols, and tools.
  • Send all data files to the Senior Gender Advisor in a timely and organized fashion with formatting as directed.
  • Reliably participate in regular check-in calls with the Senior Gender Advisor as necessary.
Capture relevant information: 
  • Engage with local stakeholders and experts to gather qualitative data.
  • Facilitate interviews with diverse stakeholders to understand the multifaceted aspects of gender issues and conduct focus groups if appropriate as determined in collaboration with the Senior Gender Advisor.
  • Conduct secondary literature review and analysis.
  • Take extensive notes (and recordings if culturally appropriate) of all interviews, including initial analysis of field notes as directed by the Senior Gender Advisor.
  • Write up field notes, including initial analysis/highlights, and send them to the Senior Gender Advisor each day that primary data is collected.
Intervention Design:
  • Support the Senior Gender Advisor (Lead) in the identification of interventions to inform the project´s activities based on the gender analysis findings.
  • Support the Senior Gender Advisor (Lead) in the design of indicators.
Reporting: 
  • Provide relevant input to develop the gender analysis report.
  • Participate in meetings with the project team related to the design of Year 1 Annual Work Plan Activities to provide local context and recommendations related to the WISP and gender analysis and action plan.
  • Collaborate on the presentation of findings to the project team. 
Deliverables: 
  • Written information including emails, documents, and reports with local information to inform the gender analysis.
  • Primary data (e.g., interview transcripts) and initial analysis, including field notes.
    • All data must be sent to the Senior Gender Advisor in a timely and organized manner in the requested formats.
  • Writing portions of the Gender Analysis and Action Plan
  • Oral and written input to inform the WISP and design Y1 AWP interventions.
  • Other duties as assigned by the COP, DAI Senior Gender Advisor. 
 
Qualifications 
  • An advanced degree in gender studies, business administration, public administration, economics, or other relevant field is required or a bachelor’s degree plus 10 years of relevant experience or a master’s degree plus 8 years of relevant experience is required.
  • Experience in working on gender issues in Afghanistan is required.
  • Ten years of experience working on donor-funded projects in a related role with supervisory experience is preferred.
  • Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate with counterparts and field project teams. 
  • Proficiency in using Microsoft Suite (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and MS Word) computer software.
  • Proficiency in speaking and writing Dari or Pashto is required.
  • Fluent English is required, including demonstrated report-writing skills in English.
How many years of relevant professional experience do you have? *
Do you have experience working on donor-funded projects in a related role? *
Do you have skills in using Microsoft Suite (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and MS Word) computer software? *
Do you have supervisory experience? *

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About DAI

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work.  DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.