Food Security and Agriculture Cluster (FSAC) NGO Co-Chair

Job description

With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith. Come join our 31,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories! Employee Contract Type: Local - Fixed Term Employee (Fixed Term) Job Description: Job Purpose The FSAC NGO Co-chair strengthens effective, inclusive, transparent, and accountable NGO engagement and representation within the Afghanistan Food Security and Agriculture Cluster (FSAC). Hosted by World Vision Afghanistan and functionally guided by the National FSAC Cluster Coordinator, the position facilitates systematic consultation and information exchange with national and international NGOs, NGO coordination mechanisms, and Regional NGO Co-Chairs. The role consolidates and represents collective NGO priorities, operational concerns, and agreed positions; strengthens NGO participation in FSAC processes; and ensures effective linkages between national and sub-national coordination structures. The position co-chairs National FSAC coordination meetings and contributes to key FSAC processes, including the Seasonal Food Security Assessment (SFSA), IPC Acute Food Insecurity (AFI) Analysis, joint assessments and sectoral needs analysis, contingency and preparedness planning, seasonal prioritization, FSAC strategy development, partner information management, collective advocacy, and resource mobilization. The role ensures that NGO perspectives, regional priorities, field evidence, operational constraints, and programme information systematically inform FSAC analysis, planning, advocacy, and decision-making. The position promotes strong coordination and constructive engagement with FSAC partners, UN agencies, humanitarian coordination mechanisms, relevant authorities, civil society, and other stakeholders while contributing to the overall effectiveness, accountability, and transparency of FSAC coordination. When performing the FSAC NGO Co-Chair function, the position holder represents the collective and agreed interests of the NGO constituency and is expected to maintain impartiality between this representative function and their responsibilities as a World Vision Afghanistan employee. The position reports administratively to the WVA Programme Development & Quality Director and works closely with the FSL Sector Lead for sector-specific technical guidance and alignment. The National FSAC Coordinator provides functional guidance and follows up on delivery of the FSAC NGO Co-Chair responsibilities. NGO Coordination, Consultation & Representation Responsibilities Establish and maintain regular information exchange and consultation with national and international NGOs, NGO coordination mechanisms, and FSAC members. Establish a structured NGO constituency consultation mechanism to regularly identify, document and validate collective NGO priorities, concerns and positions for representation within FSAC, including differing views where consensus is not reached. Maintain strong links with Regional NGO Co-Chairs to understand regional priorities, operational constraints, response gaps, and emerging concerns. Represent the collective interests, priorities, concerns, and agreed positions of the NGO community during National FSAC meetings and other authorized humanitarian coordination forums. Ensure NGO representation is impartial, transparent, consultative, and based on constituency inputs rather than the interests of the hosting organization. Facilitate effective two-way communication between national FSAC structures and regional/sub-national NGO members. Mobilize NGOs to address gaps in Regional NGO Co-Chair arrangements where required. Encourage strong and diverse NGO participation in FSAC meetings, working groups, trainings, workshops, assessments, and other coordination processes. Proactively strengthen the meaningful participation and representation of national NGOs in FSAC coordination, assessments, technical processes, strategic planning and decision-making, including identifying and addressing barriers to their participation. Ensure NGO representation is impartial, transparent, consultative, and based on agreed constituency positions rather than the institutional interests of the hosting organization. 2. FSAC Coordination, Co-Chairing, Accountability & Transparency Responsibilities Co-chair National FSAC coordination meetings in collaboration with the FSAC Coordinator and relevant Co-Leads/Co-Chairs. Support preparation of meeting agendas, strategic discussion points, action tracking, and follow-up . Promote accountability and transparency in FSAC decision-making, coordination processes, and agreed actions. Follow up with NGO members on commitments and actions agreed through FSAC coordination mechanisms. Encourage FSAC members to regularly report achievements, operational coverage, response gaps, and implementation constraints through established FSAC reporting mechanisms. Strengthen communication and information flow between the FSAC Coordination Team and NGO membership. Contribute to strengthening the overall effectiveness of national and sub-national FSAC coordination . 3. Humanitarian Analysis, Assessments, Information Management & Strategic Planning Responsibilities Contribute to the development, implementation, analysis, and dissemination of the Seasonal Food Security Assessment (SFSA). Support NGO participation in the IPC Acute Food Insecurity (AFI) Analysis. Facilitate coordination of joint food security and agriculture assessments and sectoral needs analyses. Mobilize NGOs for assessment planning, data collection, validation, analysis, and dissemination exercises. Coordinate the collection, consolidation, review, and analysis of partner information on food security and agriculture activities. Support identification of operational coverage, duplication, geographic gaps, underserved populations, and emerging food security concerns. Contribute to contingency planning, preparedness, strategic response planning, and seasonal prioritization. Contribute to the development and implementation of the FSAC Strategy and Plan for 2027/28. Promote evidence-based decision-making by ensuring field realities and NGO operational evidence inform FSAC analysis and strategic planning. 4. Policy, Strategy, Advocacy & Resource Mobilization Responsibilities Contribute to FSAC policies, strategies, work plans, technical products, advocacy briefs, newsletters, and other coordination documents on behalf of the NGO community. Consult NGO members to identify common advocacy priorities and consolidate collective positions. Support collective advocacy on humanitarian priorities, food insecurity, operational constraints, humanitarian access, and response gaps. Support advocacy related to funding gaps and resource mobilization in coordination with the FSAC Coordination Team. Ensure advocacy messages and positions are evidence-based and reflect agreed NGO/FSAC priorities. Support communication of key FSAC priorities to relevant humanitarian stakeholders. 5. External Coordination, Partnerships & Humanitarian Representation Responsibilities Represent FSAC, as delegated and in coordination with the FSAC Coordination Team, in relevant humanitarian forums, including ICCT, working groups, contingency planning, preparedness meetings, and other inter-cluster mechanisms. Maintain appropriate dialogue with national and local authorities, relevant state institutions, and local civil society where feasible and in accordance with applicable HCT policies and humanitarian principles. Build constructive relationships with NGOs, UN agencies, donors, humanitarian actors, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders relevant to FSAC objectives. Ensure relevant information and decisions from external coordination forums are communicated back to the FSAC Coordination Team and NGO constituency. 6. Field Engagement & Regional Coordination Responsibilities Conduct regular field missions to regions, provinces, and districts, with a minimum of three field missions per year. Engage Regional NGO Co-Chairs, FSAC partners, communities, and relevant stakeholders to understand food security conditions, programme gaps, access constraints, and operational challenges. Support Regional NGO Co-Chairs and regional coordination structures where capacity or representation gaps are identified. Document field findings and ensure relevant regional and operational issues are elevated to National FSAC discussions. 7. Reporting, Documentation, Compliance & Other Coordination Support Responsibilities Maintain appropriate records of NGO consultations, agreed positions, decisions, commitments, and follow-up actions. Provide regular updates on activities, achievements, challenges, and emerging priorities to the FSL Sector Lead and FSAC Coordinator. Manage sensitive information appropriately and maintain confidentiality. Identify and disclose actual or perceived conflicts of interest and support their appropriate management. Comply with World Vision safeguarding, PSEA, Code of Conduct, security, and other organizational requirements. Undertake other relevant coordination responsibilities assigned by the FSAC Coordinator within the purpose and scope of the position. (Adhere to WV accountability standards.) Adhere to WV Child and Adult Safeguarding policy and standards. Adhere to WV accountability standards. To be aware and prepared to implement WV Afghanistan Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs plan 8.(Adhere to WV accountability standards.) Adhere to WV Child and Adult Safeguarding policy and standards. Adhere to WV accountability standards. To be aware and prepared to implement WV Afghanistan Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs plan KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND EXPERIENCE Required Education, training, license, registration, and/or Certification Master’s degree in agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, Development Studies, Humanitarian Affairs, Economics, International Development, or another relevant discipline. Training or certification in humanitarian coordination, IPC, food security analysis, humanitarian advocacy, cluster coordination, information management, or programme management is an advantage. Required Professional Experience Minimum 7-8 years of progressively responsible experience in food security, livelihoods, humanitarian programming, coordination, advocacy, or related fields, preferably with an NGO/INGO. Demonstrated experience in humanitarian coordination, preferably within the Cluster System, sector working groups, inter-agency coordination mechanisms, or similar multi-stakeholder platforms. Demonstrated experience representing NGOs or a broader constituency in coordination forums, including consulting members, consolidating diverse perspectives, building consensus and representing agreed collective positions. Proven experience facilitating and co-chairing multi-stakeholder coordination meetings and following through on agreed decisions and actions. Experience working across national and sub-national coordination structures and translating field-level priorities, operational constraints and evidence into national-level discussions and decision-making. Demonstrated experience engaging NGOs, UN agencies, government institutions, civil society, and humanitarian coordination mechanisms. Experience facilitating multi-stakeholder meetings, building consensus, and representing collective positions. Experience contributing to assessments, needs analysis, strategic planning, humanitarian advocacy, or response prioritization. Required Language(s) Excellent written and spoken English. Fluency in Dari and Pashto is highly desirable given the national and field-level coordination responsibilities. Required travel and/or work environment accommodations Kabul-based with regular travel to regions, provinces, and districts. Minimum three field missions annually, with additional travel based on FSAC priorities and operational needs. Ability and willingness to work flexibly during major assessments, IPC exercises, emergency responses, and strategic planning processes. Position’s physical requirements Good health and physical condition suitable for regular domestic travel and field missions, including travel to remote operational areas where required. Preferred Experience, Knowledge and/or other Qualifications Previous experience in a leadership, co-chairing, coordination or representation role within FSAC, another humanitarian Cluster, sector working group, NGO coordination forum or inter-agency coordination mechanism is highly desirable. Experience with IPC, SFSA, food security assessments, humanitarian analysis, and strategic response planning. Strong understanding of FSL programming, humanitarian coordination architecture, and the Afghanistan humanitarian context. Demonstrated experience in NGO coordination, representation, advocacy, and multi-stakeholder engagement. Strong facilitation, diplomacy, negotiation, consensus-building, analytical, and communication skills. Ability to consolidate and represent collective NGO priorities while maintaining impartiality. Experience with partner information management, gap analysis, donor engagement, and resource mobilization is an advantage. Good understanding of humanitarian principles, accountability, safeguarding, PSEA, and conflict-of-interest management. Strong digital literacy and proficiency in MS Office and relevant coordination/information-management platforms. Applicant Types Accepted: Local Applicants Only