Job Opportunity: Director, Afghan Women’s Design Center |
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Description Aid to Artisans and the Afghan Women’s Business Federation is seeking a Director of the Afghan Women’s Design Center in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Afghan Women’s Business Federation (AWBF) is a federation of women business associations that promotes direct economic opportunities for women. Aid to Artisans (ATA), a US-based NGO with over 30 years of experience in the artisan development sector, has been contracted to implement the Afghan Women’s Design Center (AWDC) as part of the AWBF. The AWDC, a key component of the AWBF, is a newly formed permanent institution that has been put in place with USAID funding to provide capacity building, design, and marketing services to women-owned handcraft and fashion businesses with the end goal of increasing market access for AWBF members. The AWDC offers a variety of classroom instruction and hands-on assistance in the areas of design and product development, production techniques, quality control, business management, and marketing through the use of local and international experts. The AWDC also focuses significant efforts on marketing in order to increase national and international market access for Afghan women enterprises, as well as building the capacity in Afghanistan to meet the needs of the artisan sector. Responsibilities <pre><code>1. Strategically develop and carry out program implementation and work plans designed to meet the AWDC program indicators and objectives, as defined in the program scope and grant agreement. 2. Plan, organize and implement product development, business training and marketing programs and activities in Afghanistan in close cooperation with Aid to Artisans’ Home Office (in the United States) and the AWBF. 3. Supervise the Design Center. Ensure that weekly priorities are clear and reasonable. 4. Assess needs of AWBF members. 5. Supervise Design Center staff and activities in Kabul and provinces. Help staff prioritize workload and responsibilities. Encourage staff development through coaching and mentorship. 6. Work closely with local marketing staff (AWDC and AWBF) and ATA Marketing (in US) to support local and export marketing efforts, with a special focus on identifying strengthening local design capacity and strengthening SME market links. 7. Manage program budget to maximize impact of limited program resources. 8. Liaise with current and potential funders, representing the AWDC, AWBF, and ATA to ensure transparency and close collaboration with donors. Ensure that shared goals are understood and met, and terms of the grant agreement are fulfilled. 9. Represent the AWDC in Afghanistan and internationally to project stakeholders and partners including USAID, CIPE, and the AWBF Board of Directors. 10. Act as ATA representative in Afghanistan. 11. Develop and implement a fundraising strategy in Afghanistan in coordination with ATA Home Office. 12. Develop a five-year business plan for the AWDC. 13. Act as critical link between the AWDC and ATA’s home office (US) operations. Communicate with ATA on a daily basis via email and telephone/Skype. 14. Report monthly on indicators, important events, problems, obstacles, lessons learned, and plans. Complete periodical (quarterly/semi-annual) funder reports. 15. Report any problems and make suggestion for the improvement of the program. 16. Coordinate AWDC activities with partner organizations, coordination bodies and other USAID and donor gender-based initiatives. 17. Monitor security situation, make informed decisions regarding staff movement, and relay information to ATA’s Home Office.</code></pre>Qualifications <pre><code>1. Diploma/degree or equivalent experience in handcraft, apparel or related design, business development, or craft sector project management. 2. At least 3-5 years of work experience in business skill development, project management, and/or management of training programs. 3. Previous management experience required. Previous experience in design and/or business management desired. 4. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Knowledge of Dari/Pashto preferred. 5. Ability to organize and motivate staff and beneficiaries. 6. Ability to look at the “big picture†and have vision. 7. Skilled at diplomacy and managing expectations of multiple stakeholders. 8. Must be willing to travel to provinces and internationally. Must be willing to live in Kabul for 80% of the year with periodical R&R breaks outside of the country. 9. Experience working in conflict or post-conflict country preferred. 10. Must be willing to increase knowledge and skill set by working with experts from around the world.</code></pre>Reports to Director, Programs and New Business, Aid to Artisans Also works very closely with Executive Director, Afghan Women’s Business Federation Salary Salary depends on experience. Please send CV, writing sample, and salary expectations via email to hr@aidtoartisans.org. Deadline for applications is December 31, 2007 Contact Info:
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