Afghanistan Women in the Economy (WIE): Senior Grants and Subcontracts Advisor

Job Description

Promote: Women in the Economy (WIE)

Scope of Work

Senior Grants and Subcontracts Advisor

Kabul, Afghanistan

Level of Effort: 70 Days (including travel)

1. A. Project Background:

DAI is implementing the USAID funded Promote: Women in the Economy (WIE) across the five major population centers in the regional economic zones (Kabul, Mazar, Herat, Jalalabad and Kandahar) in Afghanistan. The objective of this project is to enable Afghan women to increase their participation in the mainstream, formal economy by securing employment with advancement potential and by helping women- owned and women-inclusive businesses grow.

DAI/WIE technical teams have identified a variety of areas in which women could be placed into paying jobs in the mainstream economy; however, due to lack of practical skills and experience, many of the potential applicants lack the skills set to successfully enter the workforce without significant training costs to the employer. Both Workforce Development (WFD) and Private Sector Development (PSD) components have identified specific areas and locations where job opportunities are readily available for trained candidates; the Senior Grants and Subcontracts Support Advisor will assist in the development and publication of Requests for Applications (RFAs), identify potential grantees, review and finalize budgets and support WFD and PSD teams in grant package finalization.

1. B. Objective:

The STTA will provide surge support to the Operations, WFD and PSD teams to follow up and awards resulting from RFAs published for various sectors and locations, and will travel to Kabul, Afghanistan twice between 01 Oct 2018 - 30 April 2019. WIE has identified a variety of potential activities that have a high potential for placement of women in the workforce, and requires surge support to solicit for and roll out multiple grants to ensure activities can be implemented during the fourth year of the project. In addition to the grants portion of components one and two, the STTA will provide all necessary contractual support for the two largest project activities, the training of 2500+ teachers, in cooperation with the Afghan Ministry of Education (MOE), and gender awareness training for 4000+ beneficiaries.

1. C. Tasks/Detailed Requirements:

• Assist as necessary with the travel payment documentation for 2500+ trainees, ensuring that all costs are accounted for and finalizing documentation for the field teams to use for the payment to trainees.
• As needed, provide surge support to the procurement department in the selection and contracting for 100+ venues across Afghanistan to hold Participatory Teacher Training in collaboration with the MOE.
• Assist WFD and PSD teams in the selection of grantees for awards resulting from a recently published batch of 15+ RFAs. Assist teams with the development of milestones and ensure that the team understands the activity and outcomes.
• Assist in the development of a procurement and logistics framework for gender awareness training activities, expected to roll out in all major urban centers and some semi-urban areas.
• Provide surge support in the subcontracting and procurement of venues, catering, facilitators, etc. as required for the implementation of gender awareness training activities.

• Assist the PSD team in identifying appropriate regional expansion areas for women’s microfinance

and banking training, and draft and release RFAs as necessary

• Ensure that project activities to train new public school teachers are on track and are able to be completed by deadline.
• Other duties as assigned by the Chief of Party.

1. Conditions of Work Requirements:

Work and living facilities are in high security zones with frequent security drills and protocols and limited access to medical facilities. General work environment and living quarters requires ability to walk numerous flights of stairs on a daily basis. Security protocols require the individual in this position to be able to quickly climb multiple flights of stairs while wearing 30 lbs. of personal protective equipment, walk swiftly or run across uneven terrain without assistance, and enter and exit project vehicles without assistance.

1. E. Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years’ experience in contracts, procurement, and grants management for USAID programs.
• Ability to manage complex procurements.
• Expertise in solicitation and subcontracting methods and ability to choose the best method based on project needs.
• Demonstrated experience managing and mentoring procurement and grants staff.
• Experience creating and improving efficient workflows.
• Experience working in Afghanistan required.
• Experience working with USAID rules and regulations, including knowledge of Afghanistan-specific regulations, required.
• Proven experience working with technical teams to translate programmatic objectives into Requests for Proposals or Requests for Applications required.
• Bachelor’s Degree required, Master’s Degree preferred.

1. Reporting

• The Grants and Subcontracts Advisor will report to the Chief of Party and work in WIE’s headquarters office in Kabul.

About the Organization

DAI delivers development. We do it in many of the world's most demanding environments, by integrating a broad range of disciplines. Over 40 years, our employee owners have built a forward-looking company — one that combines innovative thinking, deep technical knowledge, and professional project management. We approach our work with passion, analytical rigor, and open minds. By freely sharing what we learn, we have built a reputation as thought leaders who translate good ideas into action and action into results. Our global team of 1,500 development professionals welcomes each opportunity to solve a new problem, no matter how difficult. That's how DAI has earned the trust of the clients, partners, and people who work alongside us all over the world. DAI Advancing Human Prosperity SM