1Information we collect

Employer accounts: When an employer registers to post a job, we collect an email address and password (managed securely through our authentication provider), along with company name, job details, and an optional company logo.

Job applications: On listings that let you apply directly through Afghan Job, we collect your name, email, phone number, and the CV file or note you choose to submit, so we can pass your application to the employer and let them track it.

Browsing: Job seekers do not need an account to search or browse listings on this site.

2How we use your information

We use the information collected to review and publish job listings, deliver applications to the correct employer, let employers manage their own applicant pipeline, respond to enquiries, and maintain and improve the site. Job postings are manually reviewed by Afghan Job before publication. We do not use any automated or AI-based system to score, rank, or filter your application — once submitted, your application is reviewed directly by the employer who posted the listing, as part of their own hiring process.

3Payments

Employers who wish to post a job purchase credits through WhatsApp, PayPal, or HesabPay. Payments made through PayPal are handled entirely by PayPal under their own privacy and security practices; we do not receive or store your card or bank details. Payments confirmed via WhatsApp or HesabPay are recorded manually on our side (amount and package only) to add the correct number of credits to your account.

4How we share your information

We do not sell personal information to third parties. We share information only as needed to run the site:

With employers: When you apply for a job through Afghan Job, your name, contact details, CV, and note are shared with the employer who posted that listing.

With our hosting and database provider: Account data, job listings, and applications are stored securely with our backend provider (Google Firebase) to keep the site running.

Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the safety and rights of Afghan Job and its users.

5Cookies and advertising

Afghan Job may display advertisements served by third-party providers, including Google. These providers may use cookies or similar technologies to show ads based on your visits to this and other websites. You can learn more about how Google uses this information, and manage your ad preferences, at policies.google.com/technologies/ads.

6Data security

We rely on our backend provider's secure authentication and database systems to protect account and application data. No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7Data retention

Employer accounts and their job listings are retained for as long as the account is active. Applications submitted through Afghan Job are retained so employers can review and manage their hiring pipeline. You can contact us at any time to request deletion of your data.

8Your privacy rights

You may ask us to access, correct, or delete personal information we hold about you, or ask us any question about how your data is used, by contacting us using the details below.

9Third-party links

Job listings may link to external company websites or contain third-party contact details for applying. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external sites.

10Contact us

If you have questions about this policy or how we handle your data, you can reach us via the Contact Us link in the footer of this site.

1Use of the Site

Afghan Job is a job listing platform connecting employers and job seekers across Afghanistan. Job seekers may browse and apply to listings free of charge. Employers may submit job postings, which are reviewed before publication and may be subject to a listing fee.

2Accuracy of listings

Job listings are submitted by employers and reviewed for basic compliance before publication. We make reasonable efforts to verify listings but cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or legitimacy of every posting. Job seekers should exercise their own judgment and never pay a fee to apply for a job or provide banking details during an application process.

3Employer responsibilities

Employers are responsible for the content of their job postings and confirm that they have the authority to post on behalf of the organization named. We reserve the right to remove any listing that violates these terms, contains false information, or does not comply with our content standards.

4Job applications

When you apply to a listing through Afghan Job, the information you submit — including your name, contact details, and CV or note — is provided directly to the employer who posted that vacancy. Afghan Job passes applications along and lets employers manage their own hiring pipeline, but we are not the employer and do not make hiring decisions on their behalf.

5Employer credits and payments

Employers use credits to publish job listings on Afghan Job; publishing a listing deducts one credit from the employer's account balance. Credits are purchased via WhatsApp, PayPal, or HesabPay, as described in our Privacy Policy. Creating an account, browsing, and managing your dashboard do not require credits — credits are used only when a listing is published.

6Prohibited use

You may not use Afghan Job to post fraudulent, misleading, unlawful, or deceptive job listings; impersonate another person or organization; misuse applicant information for any purpose other than genuine recruitment; or attempt to interfere with, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to the Site or its systems. We reserve the right to remove content and suspend accounts involved in prohibited use.

7Account responsibility

Employers are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their account credentials and for all activity that occurs under their account. If you believe your account has been accessed without authorization, contact us using the details below.

8Limitation of liability

Afghan Job acts solely as a platform connecting employers and job seekers. We are not a party to any employment agreement and are not liable for disputes, damages, or losses arising from the use of listings found on this Site.

9Changes to these terms

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

10Contact

Questions about these terms can be sent via the Contact Us link in the footer of this site.

1Match the vacancy number and job title exactly

Almost every NGO vacancy in Afghanistan asks applicants to include the vacancy number and exact job title in their email subject line or cover letter. This isn't a formality: many organizations use automated filters or manual sorting systems that rely on this information to route applications to the right hiring manager. If your subject line doesn't match what's requested, your application can be missed entirely, regardless of how strong your CV is.

Before you send anything, re-read the "Submission Guideline" section of the job posting and follow it precisely.

2Lead with a short professional summary

Recruiters reviewing a large number of applications often spend less than a minute on an initial CV scan. A 3-4 line summary at the top, stating your years of experience, sector (health, education, protection, WASH, etc.), and key skills, helps a reviewer immediately understand whether you're a fit before they read further.

Avoid generic summaries like "hardworking and motivated individual." Instead, be specific:

"Public health professional with 4 years of experience implementing BPHS/EPHS programs in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, with strong skills in HMIS reporting, community health worker supervision, and donor compliance."

3Structure your work experience around responsibilities and results

For each position, list your role, organization, location, and dates clearly, followed by 4-6 bullet points describing what you actually did, not just your job title's general duties. Where possible, include specifics: number of health facilities supervised, size of the team you managed, number of beneficiaries reached, or reports you were responsible for producing.

Avoid copying the exact wording from a job description you found online. Recruiters read many CVs and can often recognize when responsibilities have been copy-pasted rather than genuinely described.

4Include the qualifications that were explicitly requested

Most Afghan NGO vacancies list specific, non-negotiable requirements: a particular degree, a minimum number of years of experience, specific language skills (often Dari, Pashto, and English), or a required certification (like EPI training for health roles). If you meet these requirements, state them clearly and early in your CV so the reviewer doesn't have to search for them.

If a vacancy requires nationality-specific eligibility (for example, "Afghan nationals only" or "open to Afghan and international candidates"), make sure your application reflects your eligibility clearly.

5Keep formatting simple and consistent

Many organizations still review CVs by printing them or opening them on shared office computers with older software. A CV built with unusual fonts, heavy graphics, tables, or multiple text columns can display incorrectly or be difficult to read. A clean, single-column format in a standard font (like Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman) with clear section headings remains the safest choice.

Save your CV as a PDF unless the organization specifically requests a Word document. This ensures the formatting doesn't shift when opened on a different computer.

6Keep your CV to a reasonable length

For most mid-level roles, two to three pages is appropriate. Senior or highly technical positions can occasionally run longer, but avoid submitting a CV that reads as a complete career history going back decades unless the organization specifically requests one (some UN roles, for example, use standardized long-form Personal History Forms, so check the submission guideline for this).

7Prepare your documents in advance

Many Afghan NGO vacancies require supporting documents alongside your CV: a national ID (Tazkira), educational certificates, or a specific application form template provided by the organization. Reading the submission guideline carefully before you apply, and preparing these documents ahead of time, means you won't miss a deadline scrambling to gather paperwork at the last minute.

8Final note

Deadlines for humanitarian and development vacancies in Afghanistan are often short, and many organizations state clearly that late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Building a strong, well-organized CV once, and adapting it slightly for each vacancy's specific requirements, is the most effective way to make sure your application gets a fair review.

1Why organizations use salary scales instead of fixed salaries

Most established NGOs and UN agencies use an internal salary grading system rather than negotiating pay individually for each hire. This approach exists for a few practical reasons:

• Internal equity: it ensures staff performing similar roles, with similar experience, are paid consistently, regardless of who negotiates harder.
• Donor compliance: many organizations are funded by grants from donors like USAID, the EU, ECHO, or UN agencies, which often require transparent, auditable pay structures rather than case-by-case negotiation.
• Budget predictability: a fixed scale allows organizations to plan multi-year project budgets accurately, since staffing costs are one of the largest line items in most humanitarian programs.

2How salary grades typically work

Most organizations divide roles into numbered or lettered grades (for example, Grade 5, Grade 8, or Scale B, Scale C) based on the seniority, technical complexity, and level of responsibility of the position. A driver or cleaner role sits at the lowest grades, mid-level technical and program roles (like a Project Officer or M&E Officer) sit in the middle, and senior management or highly specialized technical positions (like a Country Director or Chief of Party) sit at the top.

Within each grade, there is usually a salary range rather than a single number. For example, a Grade 6 position might have a defined minimum and maximum monthly salary. Where a new hire is placed within that range typically depends on:

• Years of directly relevant experience
• Educational qualifications
• Specialized skills or certifications relevant to the role
• Internal equity with existing staff in similar positions

3Why some postings list a specific number and others don't

You'll notice some vacancies, particularly from smaller or newer organizations, or roles funded by a single short-term contract, list an exact salary figure (for example, "15,000 AFN per month"). Larger, more established organizations with formal HR systems are more likely to reference an internal scale, since they need consistency across many simultaneous vacancies and country programs.

Neither approach means one type of employer pays better than the other. It simply reflects how formalized their internal HR structure is.

4What this means for you as an applicant

Since many postings don't disclose an exact figure upfront, here's what's reasonable to do:

1. Apply anyway. A "salary scale" listing doesn't mean the pay is low; it's simply the organization's standard practice. Many salary scales are competitive, particularly for INGOs and UN-funded projects.
2. Ask during the interview stage, not before. It's generally appropriate to ask about the specific salary range for your grade once you've been shortlisted or invited to interview, rather than in your initial application.
3. Research the organization's general reputation. Organizations funded by major institutional donors (UN agencies, USAID, ECHO, World Bank-funded projects) tend to have more standardized and often higher salary scales than smaller, locally funded NGOs, though this isn't a universal rule.
4. Factor in benefits, not just base salary. Many NGO and INGO positions include benefits beyond base pay: health insurance, transportation allowances, hardship or hazard pay for postings in less accessible provinces, and sometimes housing support for staff relocating from another region.

5A note on contract types

Salary is also connected to contract type. Many humanitarian positions in Afghanistan are project-based or fixed-term, tied to the funding cycle of a specific donor grant (commonly ranging from a few months to one or two years, sometimes with extensions). This is standard practice across the sector and doesn't necessarily reflect instability in the organization; it reflects how humanitarian and development funding is typically structured. Understanding this upfront can help you plan your career moves and evaluate opportunities realistically.

6Final note

Salary scales exist to create fairness and consistency, not to hide information from applicants. If a posting doesn't list an exact number, it's worth applying regardless, and asking clear, direct questions about compensation once you reach the interview stage.

1Understand what makes INGOs different

INGOs typically operate with funding from international donors (governments, UN agencies, or private foundations) and are held to strict compliance, safeguarding, and reporting standards as a condition of that funding. This shapes almost every part of their hiring process:

• Formal, structured interviews: often panel-based, with multiple interviewers scoring candidates against a fixed set of competencies.
• Reference and background checks: including checks against international misconduct disclosure schemes (sometimes called "Misconduct Disclosure Schemes" or similar), particularly for roles involving contact with vulnerable populations.
• Safeguarding and PSEA policies: Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse standards that every staff member is expected to understand and uphold, often covered directly in interviews.
• Written tests or case studies: especially for technical, program management, or M&E roles, where candidates may be asked to complete a written exercise before or during the interview stage.

Knowing this in advance helps you prepare more effectively than treating the process like a typical job interview.

2Tailor your application to the specific technical area

INGOs in Afghanistan work across many sectors: health, nutrition, WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), education, protection, livelihoods, and emergency response. Each sector has its own technical language, standards, and frameworks (for example, BPHS/EPHS in health, or Sphere standards in emergency response).

If you're applying to a health-sector role, referencing your familiarity with the Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS) or Ministry of Public Health guidelines signals genuine sector knowledge. If you're applying to an M&E role, referencing specific tools (Kobo Collect, ODK, DHIS2) demonstrates practical experience rather than general familiarity.

Avoid submitting a generic CV to every vacancy. Tailoring your application to the sector and specific role substantially improves your chances of being shortlisted.

3Prepare for competency-based interview questions

Many INGOs use a competency-based interview format, where questions are structured around specific behaviors rather than hypothetical scenarios. A common format is: "Tell me about a time when you had to manage a conflict within your team." rather than "How would you manage a conflict?"

A useful way to prepare is the STAR method:

• Situation: briefly describe the context
• Task: what you were responsible for
• Action: what you specifically did
• Result: the outcome, ideally with a measurable detail

Preparing two or three real examples from your work history in advance, covering teamwork, problem-solving, and handling a difficult situation, makes it much easier to answer these questions clearly and confidently.

4Understand the realities of project-based contracts

Most INGO positions in Afghanistan are tied to specific donor-funded projects, which typically run from several months to a few years, sometimes with extensions if funding continues. This is standard across the sector and isn't a sign of an unstable organization; it reflects how humanitarian funding cycles work. It's reasonable to ask, at interview stage, about the likelihood of extension or the organization's track record of securing follow-on funding for similar projects.

5Be ready to discuss field conditions honestly

Many INGO roles, particularly at the field or provincial level, involve travel to remote districts, work in insecure environments, or postings away from major cities. Interviewers will often ask directly whether you're willing and able to work under these conditions. Answering honestly, rather than simply agreeing to secure the job, benefits both you and the organization: taking a role you can't sustain due to travel or security constraints often leads to early resignation, which reflects poorly for future applications.

6Female candidates: know your rights and the organization's commitments

Many INGOs operating in Afghanistan have explicit policies supporting the participation of female staff, sometimes including provisions like mahram travel support, women-only facilities at field sites, or flexible arrangements in line with local context. If a posting states that female candidates are highly encouraged to apply, it's worth asking directly, at interview stage, how the organization supports female staff in the specific role and location you're applying for.

7Follow up appropriately, and know when to move on

Most INGO postings state a shortlisting or response timeframe (commonly 2-4 weeks after the closing date). If you don't hear back within that stated window, it's reasonable to conclude the position has been filled or you were not shortlisted, rather than following up repeatedly. Continuing to apply to other suitable vacancies, rather than waiting on a single application, is the most effective way to build momentum in a competitive job market.

8Final note

Getting hired at an INGO in Afghanistan is competitive, but the process is also more structured and predictable than many other sectors, which means genuine preparation makes a real difference. Understanding the sector's language, preparing concrete examples for competency-based interviews, and being honest about your capacity and constraints will put you ahead of many other applicants.