Manager, Institute for Educational Development

The Aga Khan University (AKU), established in 1983 as Pakistan’s first private international university, is dedicated to delivering education, research, and healthcare of international standards relevant to Pakistan and the region. The Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), founded in 1993, aims to lead educational reform and improvement, particularly in developing countries, by enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of schools and educational institutions through innovation, policy development, training, and research. This position is a grant-funded, contractual role for eighteen months based in Karachi, Pakistan. The Manager will support the project leadership in managing day-to-day activities, coordinating with multiple stakeholders, and ensuring the successful implementation of educational development initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

The Manager will report directly to the Project Director and assist in planning and executing project activities and events. Responsibilities include providing administrative, financial, and human resource support for the project, supervising support staff, and working closely with internal and external stakeholders. Coordination with various units within AKU-IED and the broader university—such as Planning and Development, Research and Policy Studies, Finance, HR, Legal, Security, and Procurement—is essential. The role also involves liaising with the funding agency (UNICEF) and government stakeholders at provincial and district education departments.

Specific duties include supporting academic teams in capacity-building program planning and execution, ensuring timely completion of deliverables, and assisting in reviewing and adapting educational materials like training manuals and survey tools. The Manager will guide the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research (MER) Specialist in developing and maintaining project databases, revising work and M&E plans, and leading documentation and reporting efforts. This includes reviewing reports prepared by team leads and coordinating the preparation of progress and knowledge dissemination reports. Field visits to oversee project implementation and organizing events such as meetings, seminars, and policy dialogues are also part of the role.

Required Qualifications

Candidates must hold a master’s degree (16 years of education) in social or natural sciences from a reputable national or international university. A minimum of seven years’ experience in managing educational development or improvement projects, preferably within the education sector, is required. Proven skills in day-to-day project operations, staff supervision, and performance monitoring are essential. Experience in designing and implementing capacity-building programs for diverse education stakeholders is highly valued.

Strong expertise in project progress monitoring and report writing is necessary, along with excellent interpersonal, communication (both written and verbal in English and Urdu), analytical, organizational, leadership, and management skills. Proficiency in MS Office, SPSS, Excel, and related software is required. The candidate must demonstrate the ability to maintain confidentiality, work effectively under pressure, meet tight deadlines, and be willing to travel as needed. The ability to work collaboratively within a team environment is also important.

Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted as part of the recruitment process.