What we are looking for

NRC is looking for a Humanitarian Access Working Group Coordinator to join the Afghanistan mission. The HAC Manager is responsible for co-leading the Humanitarian Access Working Group. The role holder is expected to ensure strong collaboration and collective outcomes, provide guidance to the NRC Access Focal Point, and advise NRC Afghanistan on broader access issues.

If you are an experienced and seasoned leader with a background in developing and integrating distinctive strategies; with strong analytical expertise and high integrity; and strong interpersonal, networking, and stakeholder management skills and able collaborate with others while building sound, constructive relationships, then this is the role for you!

What you will do

• Leadership and strategic direction to the Humanitarian Access Working Group.

• Primary focal point for NGOs to the HAWG. Co-lead the Humanitarian Access Working Group.

• Foster collaboration among humanitarian actors.

• Humanitarian advocacy and negotiation support.

• Humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law compliance promotion.

• Humanitarian Country Team Access Strategy, Humanitarian Access Working Group Engagement Strategy, and Joint Operational Principles review and revision.

• Humanitarian Country Team endorsed Humanitarian Access Working Group workplan development and execution of workplan activities.

• Guidance and advisory development and implementation monitoring.

• Represent the Humanitarian Access Working Group before donors, authorities, and stakeholders.

• Coordinate efforts, to address emerging access issues, across clusters, working groups, NGO fora and other coordination platforms.

What you will bring

• Conflict/post-conflict humanitarian work experience in volatile environments.

• Humanitarian access technical knowledge. Experience managing and advising on the same.

• Humanitarian access dilemmas undermining the delivery of effective humanitarian assistance in hard-to-reach areas expertise.

• Forum leadership or coordination contribution experience.

• Humanitarian principles understanding.

• Policy and strategic guidance drafting and implementation experience.

• Industry access tools, resources, and methodologies familiarity.

• Protection principles knowledge in high-risk settings.

• Analysis, coordination, and stakeholder management experience.

• High risk, insecure, complex, and volatile context exposure.

• Afghanistan context and the Afghan humanitarian community response experience and knowledge.

• English fluency, both written and verbal.

What makes this position attractive?

• Access to people in need by humanitarian actors, and people’s access to humanitarian services remains one of the greatest challenges that the humanitarian community is facing in Afghanistan. Considering the challenging context and complex operating environment, the current need for access coordination is great.

• The Humanitarian Access Group (HAG) in Afghanistan was formed in 2015 and served as an important platform dedicated to improving humanitarian access. A smaller national access working group (NAWG) was created in 2022 but significant developments in the operating environment led to the group undergoing a redevelopment led by OCHA and NRC. The result was a newly formed Humanitarian Access Working Group (HAWG) co-chaired by OCHA and NRC and that is responsible to provide technical strategic advice to the Humanitarian Country Team and support collective approaches to overcome access challenges. The HAWG became operational in November 2023 and has become a key body in supporting humanitarian leadership and operational partners on access issues.

• Since the Taliban take-over of Afghanistan in August 2021, a reduction in conflict has meant that access has improved. However, a withdrawal of diplomatic and development actors, and an assertive new authority has created challenges in maintaining principled humanitarian access, not least due to the deteriorating position with regard to women’s rights.

• The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is complex, protracted, and worsening. The country recently underwent a regime change in a short space of time. The current regime has limited resources and/or systems in place to provide basic services. In addition to this, internal displacement has taken place due to conflict, climate change, and the economic crisis currently experienced in the country. Afghanistan is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis with a risk of systemic collapse and human catastrophe.

• This is an opportunity to contribute to the protection and assistance of vulnerable and crisis-affected women, girls, boys, and men. NRC is one of the leading humanitarian response agencies (particularly for Afghans who have felt forced to flee their homes due to conflict), maintaining a presence of 11 provinces and over 600 staff around the country; and notably in the country’s most troubled provinces. NRC Afghanistan is the largest INGO in the country, at a programmatic, field coverage, and staff count level.

• NRC Afghanistan operates a diverse grants portfolio providing services within Education; Protection; Information Counselling and Legal Assistance; Shelter and Settlements; Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene; and Emergency core competencies.

• Meaningful work that responds to the diverse needs, priorities, and concerns raised by beneficiary communities. NRC Afghanistan meets immediate humanitarian needs, prevents further displacement, and contributes to durable solutions.

• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to join our work culture that empowers every employee to share ideas and take responsibility.

What we offer

• Kabul, Afghanistan duty station.

• 12-month contract duration.

• 10% travel, approximately.

• Grade 9 in NRC’s International Salary Scale, with accompanying terms and conditions. NRC offers a competitive compensation and benefits package.

• NRC is an equal opportunities employer and aims to have staffing diversity in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, and physical ability.

• We think outside the box, encourage ideas, and give responsibility to all employees at all levels. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative.

The full Job Description can be found on our website.

How to apply

In order to view the Job Description, get more information, and to apply, please click here.