Senior Programme Manager

Based in Karachi with frequent travel across Sindh’s district and field offices, the Senior Programme Manager will serve as the most senior representative of ITA in the province. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role holds full accountability for all ITA operations in Sindh, including strategy development, programme delivery, financial oversight, fundraising, government relations, partnerships, compliance, and people management. The Senior Programme Manager will ensure the successful implementation of ITA’s diverse portfolio, which includes foundational learning, ASER, out-of-school children initiatives, girls’ and inclusive education, school meals, and other projects. This position is critical in driving growth and financial sustainability by cultivating a diversified funding pipeline, strengthening government partnerships, and positioning ITA as a leading partner in evidence-based education reform at provincial, district, and community levels.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Provincial Direction: Develop and lead a multi-year Sindh Provincial Strategy and annual operational plans aligned with ITA’s national strategy and the Government of Sindh’s education priorities. Set coherent priorities across projects to ensure systems change rather than isolated interventions. Identify emerging opportunities and risks, adapting ITA’s approach accordingly. Participate as a member of ITA’s senior leadership team, contributing to organization-wide strategy and policy decisions.

Programme Operations & Delivery: Provide leadership and oversight for all projects in Sindh, including TaRL, Pakistan Literacy Project, WFP School Meals literacy component, OOSC initiatives, ASER, and other donor-funded work. Ensure projects meet scope, quality, timelines, and budget requirements. Conduct regular portfolio reviews, track progress, and coordinate across districts to maximize synergies. Oversee timely and high-quality reporting to donors, government, and head office.

Financial Management & Compliance: Hold overall budget accountability for the Sindh portfolio, including budget preparation, approval, and monitoring. Review financial reports and forecasts, making timely decisions on reallocations and cost control. Ensure compliance with ITA policies, donor regulations, and Pakistani laws. Lead financial reporting, audits, donor reviews, and strengthen internal controls and value-for-money practices.

Fundraising, Resource Mobilisation & Business Development: Lead the Sindh resource mobilisation strategy with clear annual targets. Build and maintain a diversified funding pipeline across multilateral, bilateral, UN agencies, foundations, corporate partners, philanthropists, and government contracts. Prepare competitive, evidence-based proposals and budgets. Cultivate donor relationships through regular engagement and strategic dialogue. Track fundraising progress and report to senior leadership.

Government Relations, Policy & Advocacy: Act as ITA’s principal representative with the Government of Sindh and related departments. Manage formal agreements ensuring compliance and timely approvals. Represent ITA in technical working groups and policy forums. Use programme evidence to influence provincial policy and sector plans. Lead advocacy to scale successful models for government adoption.

Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement: Build and manage strategic partnerships with donors, UN agencies, INGOs, academic institutions, private sector, and civil society. Oversee sub-grantee relationships including due diligence and performance monitoring. Strengthen community and local leadership engagement to ensure sustainability.

People Management & Organisational Development: Lead and motivate all Sindh staff, fostering accountability, collaboration, and integrity. Manage workforce planning, recruitment, performance, and staff development. Apply HR policies fairly and address grievances in coordination with head office. Build leadership capacity and promote gender equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning: Ensure robust MEL systems with clear indicators and data quality assurance. Oversee ASER and other assessments, integrating findings into programme design and policy. Promote data-driven decision-making and document lessons learned.

Administration, Procurement, Assets & Logistics: Oversee office management, logistics, transport, and IT. Ensure transparent and compliant procurement. Manage assets and inventory safeguarding.

Risk Management, Safeguarding & Security: Maintain a risk register covering programmatic, financial, reputational, security, and compliance risks with mitigation plans. Ensure compliance with safeguarding, child protection, anti-fraud, and anti-harassment policies. Oversee staff safety, security protocols, and business continuity plans.

Communications & Visibility: Enhance ITA’s profile in Sindh through media, events, publications, and digital platforms. Ensure donor visibility and branding compliance. Represent ITA at relevant conferences and forums.

Required Qualifications

Master’s degree in education, public policy, development studies, management, or related fields. A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in the education or development sector, including at least 5 years in senior management overseeing multi-project, multi-donor portfolios. Proven expertise in financial management of large donor-funded budgets, including budgeting, forecasting, compliance, and audits. Demonstrated success in fundraising and business development with experience securing competitive grants and managing donor relationships. Established networks and experience engaging with the Government of Sindh and the provincial education sector. Strong leadership skills managing large, geographically dispersed teams. Excellent strategic thinking, decision-making, negotiation, and problem-solving abilities. Proficient in written and verbal communication in English and Urdu; knowledge of Sindhi is an advantage. Willingness to travel frequently across Sindh, including remote districts.

Compensation

The position offers a competitive hourly rate within the range of Rs150,000 to Rs200,000.

Work Location

This is an in-person role based in Karachi with regular travel across Sindh.