Women and Children House (WCH) Project Manager W/M – AFGHANISTAN

ABOUT LA CHAINE DE L’ESPOIR

La Chaîne de l’Espoir is an international Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) founded in 1994. Its mission is to strengthen health systems to give everyone, especially children, the same chances of survival and development.

We work in 28 countries with a comprehensive approach, focusing on children, mothers and disadvantaged communities:

• Prevention and screening from an early age, particularly through school health programs.
• Care and surgery, to meet the most urgent needs of children and their mothers.
• Strengthening the medical and surgical workforce thanks to our international network of experts.
• Construction and equipment of hospital structures adapted to local needs.

POSITION ET MISSION

Context

La Chaîne de l’Espoir has been working in Afghanistan since the early 2000s. In 2005, it built the French Medical Institute for Children (FMIC) in Kabul, a non-profit pediatric hospital, to provide high quality medical and surgical care for young patients. Since 2006, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) has been responsible for the overall management of the FMIC, with La Chaîne de l’Espoir providing medical support and access to the most vulnerable populations. In 2016, the hospital expanded with the opening of gynecology, obstetrics and neonatology services, becoming the French Medical Institute for Mother and Child (FMIC). Services for adults have also been developed in recent years.

The goal of La Chaîne de l’Espoir is to increase access to healthcare in particular for the most vulnerable Afghans. To do so, La Chaîne de l’Espoir:

• Trains and supports the medical, paramedical and technical teams through short and long term volunteer missions.
• Provides free surgical treatment at FMIC and social care for the most vulnerable children and women coming from all the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, through the “Women and Children House” (WCH) project.
• Provides support to the 2022 newly established FMIC programme of care for children suffering of severe malnutrition.

Given the evolution of the situation in the country, and the severity of the humanitarian, economic and political crisis, in 2023, La Chaîne de l’Espoir decided to continue its support to the most vulnerable Afghan children and women, including the support provided to internal displaced people living in information settlements in Kabul.

General objective

The project manager will ensure the proper implementation of the project, guarantee its quality and suggest improvements. They will be in charge of the WCH project that is carried out by a team of 15 employees, including one Medical Officer and one Assistant to Medical Officer, Nurses, Midwives and Social Workers.

TASKS & RESPONSABILITIES

Implementation and operational monitoring

• Plan, supervise and monitor the implementation of the activities
• Supervise and support the operational team in the weekly planning and reporting of project activities
• Develop the referral systems by identifying relevant organizations that can refer children or women from provinces
• Supervise the recording of data and ensure the database is properly utilized
• Ensure quality implementation and monitoring of program
• Suggest any improvement of the activities, if necessary
• Work with the finance department, contribute to developing budgets relative to his/her program, monitor expenses, budget forecasts and cash needs
• Liaise with the French Medical Institute for Children teams on the activities carried out and solve problems arising
• Support the preparation of the medical missions with the WCH team
• Prepare and supervise the organisation of the ECHOES sessions

Staff management

• Define / review the job descriptions of the team under his/her supervision
• Assess the human resources needs
• Participate in the recruitment of the staff under his/her supervision
• Greet and brief the staff working on the program
• Train, manage and support the team under his/her responsibility
• Evaluate the skills and performances of the staff

Reporting / communication / representation

• Collect information and analyse the activities carried out
• Prepare program reports and ensure timely submission to the head of mission
• Participate in writing reports and proposals to donors
• Ensure that all reports are delivered on time and in the appropriate format
• Conduct proper advocacy with authorities and NGOs
• Write regular children’s stories in order to communicate about the project (newsletter, website…)
• Represent the organization when asked and/or delegated to do so (clusters, meeting with organizations…)
• Reply to headquarters information requests regarding specific needs

QUALIFICTION AND EXPERIENCE

Education:

An advanced university degree in project management or in a related field is required.

Work experience:

• Previous experience as project manager in the humanitarian sector
• Previous experience in health sector is an asset
• Experience in managing teams
• Experience of working in a tense security context

SKILLS AND QUALITIES REQUIRED

Personal qualities:

• Capacity to manage a project and a team (remotely if necessary)
• Ability to take initiatives
• Good interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills
• Rigorousness, thoroughness and working accurately
• Good analytical and reporting skills
• Good oral and written communication skills in English
• Dari or Pashto would be an asset.

CONDITIONS

Transportation, Accommodation and Meals:

• Transportation to and from the workplace is provided
• Single room in a collective accommodation provided
• Meals are provided for at the guesthouse or at the office

Holidays and R&R:

• 2 days of leave per completed month + 6 days of RNR every 8 weeks (=2 weeks every 2 months, travel days excluded and travel costs covered by La Chaîne de l’Espoir).

Accommodation:

Security context and local life: the security situation in Kabul remains unstable. The expatriate team works and lives on the site of the French hospital, a secure location.

Comfortable accommodation, with access to an outdoor space and sport facilities. Involves living in community (with other permanent expatriates and doctors who regularly come on missions) and respecting strict security rules.

CONTRACT CONDITIONS

• Expatriate position, 12 months full time contract. Possibility of renewal.
• Salary range: according to profile and experience
• Position based in Kabul

This job description may be subject to modifications in the future, depending on the evolution of the activities. These modifications will be defined and discussed between the employee and La Chaîne de l’Espoir.