Technical Support Quality Assurance

PARWANA PAIKAN

***** · 202-***-**** / ******.*******@*****.***

Summary

Former career diplomat with strong interpersonal and cultural skills. Extensive experience in project implementation and monitoring, including educational exchange programs. Experience managing visa processes and coordinating domestic and international travel arrangements. Dedicated team player, experienced in managing partners, vendors and staff. Effective communicator, able to present complex and sensitive information to stakeholders at all levels. A confident self-starter, able to prioritize and balance complex workloads. Adept at providing technical support, coordinating teams, and ensuring operational efficiency and compliance with procedures. Excellent written and spoken skills in English, French, Dari, and Hindi and proficiency in Microsoft Office Programs, including Excel. Education

MA, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, 2011

Political Science with a focus on peace and conflict resolution studies BA, Kabul University, 2006

Law and Political Science

Professional Experience

Deputy Head of Mission 02/2019 – 02/2024

Afghanistan Embassy and UNESCO, Paris, France

● Managed and supervised the successful implementation of multiple projects, ensuring technical excellence and operational efficiency.

● Coordinated with senior advisors to provide quality assurance of technical deliverables, including editing, reviewing, and compliance of reports.

● Maintained regular communication with partners on joint project progress and funding levels, provided feedback to supervisors.

● Developed and managed educational exchange programs with French institutions and UNESCO, managed project timelines, budgets, performance and annual reporting. Provided oversight for all embassy operations, including procurement, grants, finance, administration, personnel, and travel. Deputy Director General 10/2016 - 02/2019

Directorate of Human Rights and Women’s International Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Kabul, Afghanistan

● Drafted employment agreements and collected supporting documentation to complete administrative procedures for onboarding and repatriation of employees and consultants.

● Served as technical lead for recruitment, procurement, and grants management, developed scopes of work, recruited candidates, and participated in selection processes.

● Developed strategic vision and objectives of the section based on general foreign policies. Provided oversight for development of annual and quarterly work plans, monitored and evaluated impact of activities.

PARWANA PAIKAN 1

● Developed and maintained a cooperative working relationship between the directorate and international organizations and partners such as UN-Women, USAID and foreign embassies.

● Conducted field visits in provinces of Afghanistan to provide technical and managerial oversight of projects. Identified learning opportunities and contributed to client reporting and project improvement sessions. Supported the development of learning products and promoted uptake of learning.

Desk Officer 07/2015 – 10/2016

Directorate General of the United Nations and International Conferences, MFA, Kabul, Afghanistan

● Acted as national liaison officer between Afghanistan and the International Atomic Energy Agency

(IAEA)-Austria. Assisted and coordinated IAEA training programs for Afghanistan with Afghanistan’s Atomic Energy High Commission.

● Drafted program implementation reports. Managed data collection and maintained records in a standard filing system. Organized and coordinated domestic and international training programs for staff.

Diplomat and Political Officer 04/2012 – 07/2015

Embassy of Afghanistan, Tokyo, Japan

● Acted as political and economic officer, tracked political developments around the world and prepared reports.

● Developed and managed project budgets, monitoring funding levels and preparing budget projections. Coordinated preparatory meetings for the 2012 Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan.

● Developed work schedules for local staff, supervised and monitored their activities. Program Associate 04/2007 – 02/2009

Afghan e-Quality Alliances (AeQA), Kabul Afghanistan USAID program to build capacity in Afghanistan higher education institutions

● Liaised between AeQA and US Embassy Kabul in managing J-1 visa process and managed international travel arrangements for Afghan University Professors participating in exchange programs in the United States.

● Supervised, developed, and evaluated staff, provided performance feedback and identified opportunities for professional growth. Participated in training events to build project management competencies and disseminate knowledge across the team.

● Managed administrative filing system, organized meetings, workshops and conferences. Coordinated and assisted in the design of Masters Programs for Afghan Universities and the Civil Service Commission of Afghanistan.

● Developed and managed project budgets, monitored funding levels. Conducted field visits for technical and managerial oversight and identified learning opportunities for project improvement. Other

Volunteer, Mentor of Diplomacy and Peace-building online classes for girls in Afghanistan Co-founder, Conseil des Femmes Franco-Afghan, based in France. Publications:

Atlantic Council, Tribune in Le Monde, Worlds’ Feminist Foreign Policies and the Fate of the Afghan Women, Tribune in Le Monde PARWANA Paikan 2

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