Job Opening

Title: Co-Program Manager
Application Deadline: Jan. 20, 2008 or until position filled
Starting Date: Immediately upon agreement between candidate and organization
Location: Queens (Flushing), New York

Women for Afghan Women is a non-profit, grassroots organization based in New York City and Afghanistan committed to ensuring the human rights of Afghan women.

WAW’s Community Outreach program in Queens, NY provides direct services to hundreds of low- income, undereducated immigrant families each year. We offer ESL classes, a Girls Leadership Training Program, legal referrals, immigration services, a photography class, a walk-in crisis center for women/children with health, housing, financial, educational and employment problems, a domestic violence referral service, direct assistance for children having problems in school.

Summary Description:
The co-program manager is a full-time employee with a variety of high-level individual responsibilities and responsibilities shared with the co-manager, all related to carrying out the mission of WAW. The co-program manager reports to the Executive Director.

Individual Responsibilities:
The co-program manager will work under the supervision of the ED to perform the following functions:
• Advocates for Afghan women at local and national government levels and with other organizations.
• Develops partnerships with Afghan organizations in US to influence government policy on Afghanistan, particularly as it relates to women.
• Maintains high level of knowledge about situation of women in Afghanistan.
• Maintains professional and public relations for WAW through interactions with public policy makers, and media contacts
• Serves as representative for WAW at public events
• Writes program reports to funders.

Shared Responsibilities:
• Plan and implement WAW’s Community Outreach Program.
• Develop new programs to fulfill WAW mission of empowering women and advocating for women’s rights
• Reach out to the community to increase enrollment in WAW programs
• Continue and expand relationships with NGOs, schools and universities, etc.
• Prepare program updates at monthly meetings with board
• Research new grant opportunities for CO program
• Prepare first draft of grant proposals for CO program

Requirements:
• Commitment to the mission and goals of Women for Afghan Women
• Ability to participate effectively in a team-based, information-sharing environment, to collaborate and cooperate with others.
• Good organizational skills, initiative, demonstrated capacity to perform effectively within a multicultural work environment, ability to deal with confidential matters in a discreet and reliable manner.
• Capacity to plan, prioritize and deliver tasks on time
• Willingness to accept additional responsibilities as required by the demands of the job.
• Ability to communicate sensitively and effectively across different constituencies (religious institutions, community groups, city officials).
• Strong interpersonal, writing and research skills.
• Evidence of capacity to be a self-starter, self-motivator, to take initiative.
• Must have work authorization in the U.S.

Qualifications:
• 3 years experience in community organizing or advocacy work
• Knowledge and understanding of issues in the Afghan American community and Afghanistan
• Knowledge of Farsi and/or Pashto
• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree

Technical Expertise:
• Strong computer skills
• Excellent verbal and writing skills in English

Application:
Send resume and a cover letter explaining your interest in this position, how your background and experience make you an excellent candidate, and how you believe you might enhance the organization. Email these to:

Manizha Naderi
manizha@womenforafghanwomen.org