Programme Officer

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), is a private, non-denominational, international development agency established in 1967. It seeks sustainable solutions to long-term problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy and ill-health with special emphasis on the needs of rural communities in mountainous and other resource poor regions, primarily in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Its main areas of focus are education, health, rural development, environment and strengthening civil society.

The Aga Khan Foundation (Pakistan) [AKF(P)] is seeking high caliber professional for the following position to be based in Islamabad, Pakistan.

POSITION:

Programme Officer – Women’s Economic Empowerment and Recovery Project (BEST4WEER)

Based in Aga Khan Foundation Office Islamabad, the Programme Officer will be responsible for coordination, streamlining and timely execution of activities, ensure achievement of agreed deliverables and processing of quality periodical reports. The position reports to Manager, Rural Development AKF (Pakistan). He/She will work collaboratively with BEST4WEER team at AKFP and field implementation team at AKRSP to support execution of activities per approved workplan and in compliance with donor and AKF guidelines/policies and in cognition of regulatory framework. Programme Officer will also have a supporting role in liaising with all internal and external stakeholders to help implementation and achievement of project results.

BACKGROUND:

Women’s Economic Empowerment and Recovery in northern Pakistan will reduce social, cultural and institutional barriers for women’s engagement in economic and social spheres in order to create an enabling environment. It will support the social and economic agency of women to facilitate economic empowerment and recovery in the COVID-19 context. The Project will engage with traditional leaders, families, market actors, employers, civil society and the legislature to create acceptance for increased social and economic access by women and challenge gender norms around women’s roles in the workplace and public sphere. The Project will also engage business associations, employers, market leaders and the legislature to ensure policy frameworks and delivery mechanisms, which protect women in public spaces, are understood, accepted and enforced. Additionally, the Project will seek to enhance social and economic agency of women by providing women with economic knowledge, skills and abilities, while addressing unpaid work and the disproportionate burden of childcare shouldered by women in Pakistan, to enable them to gain access and control over economic assets to support recovery during COVID-19.  In collaboration with key stakeholders including Government relevant departments and communities, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) will implement the Programme in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral with close oversight by AKFP.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The main role and responsibilities include but are not limited to;

• Provide support to Programme manager and team in ensuring deliverables / results in line with donor agreement and guidelines.
• Support and facilitate communication between all internal and external stakeholders.  
• Support and facilitate implementing partner in synching and operationalization of activities, workplans and project processes.
• Facilitate and support project team in executing activities included in workplan and assist in the design of implementation strategies and budget requirements.
• Ensure procurements in approved plan are initiated on time, processed, and approved in line with donor and organizational guidelines.
• Facilitate periodic/annual progress review (Programme and financial) and update/adjust workplan, procurement plan and other associated documents.
• Ensure Project activities are implemented in letter and spirit and report on developments in agreed format and frequency.
• Preparation and timely submission of quarterly/six monthly/annual progress reports in liaison with Finance team. 
• Periodic monitoring and follow-up at field level.
• Facilitate/Support internal / external studies required for project in line with agreed monitoring framework/PMF.  
• Prompt liaison with the Manager, Rural Development and the assigned project Focal Personnel by different stakeholders including AKF Canada and AKRSP for effective implementation of action. 
• Identification, communication and mitigation of any unanticipated project or external risks.
• Timely assistance to implementing partners (relevant staff) in flagging and resolving programmatic issues.
• Keep management informed of project progress, issues, challenges, and partner needs.
• Work closely with relevant staff to conduct third party review and produce, highlight, and disseminate project information / progress / data in line with donor visibility guidelines.
• Facilitate donor / other stakeholders in field monitoring missions.
• Facilitate / complete additional tasks assigned by management to further cause of project.
• Support and facilitate holding of project steering committee meetings and assist in preparing required documentation/information for meeting and drafting minutes of the meeting.  
• Any other assignment given by supervisor and AKF (Pak)

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCES

Education 

• (Required) At least Masters/ MBA in Project Management, Management, or a relevant field from a reputed and HEC recognized university. 

Experience 

• (Required) Minimum 5-8 years of hands-on experience in project/Programme management
• (Preferable) Experience of work in women economic empowerment projects
•  (Preferable) Experience of implementing GAC funded projects
• (Preferable) Experience of work in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral

Technical Knowledge 

• Excellent writing, reporting and communication skills specifically for donor funded projects. 
• Computer literate (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.). 
• Good knowledge of project management cycle. 
• Good understanding of mainstreaming Gender, Environment and Safeguarding into projects. 

Soft Skills 

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Urdu. 
• Highly proactive and passionate about work. 
• Capable of producing high quality results within often tight deadlines. 
• Ability for multitasking and working under pressure. 
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to perform in complex environments.
• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with all levels of management. 

AKF(P) offers a competitive remuneration package and conducive working environment. AKF(P) recruitment and selection policy and procedures reflect our commitment to equal opportunity and the safeguarding of children, beneficiaries, partners, community members and employees in accordance with AKF(P)’s Safeguarding policy.

We are an equal opportunity employer and women are encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is May 19, 2021. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.