Program Manager - Central Asia Stunting Initiative - CASI

As the Program Manager for the Central Asia Stunting Initiative (CASI) at Aga Khan Foundation (Pakistan), you will lead the comprehensive planning, coordination, and execution of program activities aimed at reducing stunting and enhancing maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent nutrition across targeted regions in Pakistan. Based in Islamabad, this role involves close collaboration with country program teams, governmental agencies, development partners, and internal departments to ensure alignment with CASIs strategic goals and AKFs health and nutrition priorities. The position demands strong technical expertise and leadership to guide a multidisciplinary team and foster multi-sectoral efforts that integrate health, nutrition, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), food security, and early childhood development interventions. You will take ownership of managing all facets of the CASI program, including applying robust project management techniques, overseeing grant administration and budgeting, and ensuring rigorous monitoring and evaluation. Your pivotal role extends to nurturing stakeholder relationships, representing CASI in coordination forums, and driving data-informed adaptive management approaches. Leading a dedicated team of three professionals, you will promote a collaborative, accountable work environment while steering technical quality and programmatic innovations. This position requires a seasoned public health professional with at least a decade of experience in nutrition and health program implementation and a demonstrated capacity to operate effectively within large-scale development settings.
Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the implementation of CASI program plans, ensuring activities are executed on time and within scope across designated geographic areas.
• Provide direct supervision, mentorship, and technical guidance to a team of three program staff, fostering professional growth and ensuring high-quality program delivery.
• Coordinate closely with country teams, government entities, and development partners to harmonize efforts and integrate multi-sectoral approaches for community health system strengthening.
• Oversee grant management functions including budgeting, financial oversight, and compliance with donor and organizational requirements.
• Ensure adherence to global best practices, national health policies, and AKF technical standards in maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition programming.
• Lead efforts to monitor program performance, utilizing monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track key indicators and apply corrective actions as necessary.
• Collaborate with monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL) teams to support baseline, midline, and endline assessments and to promote learning and knowledge sharing across project sites.
• Champion data-driven decision making to refine program strategies and enhance impact based on evidence and community feedback.
• Represent CASI in relevant technical working groups, forums, and multi-stakeholder platforms to strengthen partnerships and advocate for integrated nutrition and health services.
• Promote inter-sectoral coordination spanning health, nutrition, WASH, food security, and early childhood development to optimize program outcomes.
• Drive the documentation and dissemination of program results, best practices, and innovations through reports, briefs, and communication materials.
• Ensure compliance with organizational safeguarding policies and uphold high ethical standards in all program activities.
• Manage program risks proactively while maintaining flexibility to adapt to emerging challenges and opportunities within the operational context.