AREA OF EXPERTISE
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Thematic Area
Governance Transparency
Rights-based Development
Community Stabilization
Human Rights Gender Justice
Peace Building and Preventing Violence
Psycho-social Assistance
Technical Area
Policy and Program Design and Implementation
Project Management
Results-Based Management
MEL
Capacity Development
Data Analytics Visualization
Business Operations Strategy Management
CAREER SUMMARY
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With a distinguished 20-year track record in development leadership, I am a passionate advocate for fostering community stabilization, peacebuilding, and inclusive progress. My expertise lies in spearheading impactful programs that address the root causes of conflict, promote gender justice and human rights, and equip vulnerable populations with the tools they need to thrive.
Fortunately, my entire career comprises development sector where I got integrated excel acceleration in leading complex projects from inception to sustainable impact. My proven strengths include (details in synopses of experiences)
Strategic Vision Conceptualizing and driving comprehensive community stabilization initiatives, fostering conflict resolution, and preventing violent extremism.
Psycho-Social Support Implementing effective interventions to address trauma and build resilience within communities.
Livelihoods Empowerment Designing and overseeing livelihood skills training programs, particularly for women, to create pathways to economic self-sufficiency.
Capacity Building Empowering local stakeholders government, civil society, and community leaders through effective training and knowledge-sharing.
Stakeholder Engagement Building strong partnerships and fostering collaboration across diverse groups to achieve shared goals.
Project Management Meticulously planning, monitoring, and evaluating projects, ensuring efficient resource allocation and impactful monitoring and evaluation.
Advocacy and Report Writing Driven by a commitment to leaving no one behind, I am adept at report writing and advocacy, ensuring clear communication of progress and garnering support for sustained impact.
Collaboration and Cross-Sectoral Partnerships Experience
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International Partners
WB, UNDP, UNESCO, DFID, JICA, CIDA, NORAD, RNE, GEF, IUCN, UNICEF, UNFPA, CIET (Canada), and Population Council etc.
Nation-wide Partners
SPO, NRSP, IRM, CHIP, Comwave ISIT, ECI, LEAD Pakistan, PPAF, SDPI, and various local NGOs.
Public Sector Partners
National Assembly Senate Secretariats, National Provincial Parliamentarians, EAD, MoWP, MNHSCR, PD Deptt. Punjab, Pakistan Masstransit Authority, Police Departments Punjab Baluchistan, Commissioner Rwp., Various DCO Offices, Foreign Services Academy, Secretariat Training Institute. NIPA, NUML, UET Lahore, GC University Lahore and Punjab University etc.
My Favorite Arena
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Since half of my career comprises serving UNDP and majorly its governance unit so my extensive experience aligns perfectly with UNDP's governance initiatives. I have proven ability to deliver tangible results in complex environments packed with full of stress. Decentralization, Human Rights and Local Governance Projects are my favorite arena.
KEY ACHIEVEMENT:
§ Have successfully organized various dialogues and high-level policy forums for strengthening local empowerment through devolution of power and strengthening justice through fundamental Rights etc.
KEY TASKS:
§ Develop opportunities for advocacy, visibility, and fundraising for the programme and lead initiatives to seek financing for core activities.
§ Identify areas to develop projects and manage yearly work planning, budgeting and implementing strategies.
§ Working with the financial management team and preparation with them the budget estimates and periodical plans of implementation and revising for variances.
§ Management all projects and teams under the public service programme.
Develop and apply M&E tools for effective implementation to achieve the deliverables.
KEY ACHIEVEMENT:
§ Updated the record of organizations operationalized in Pakistan working on family planning based or headquartered in Islamabad. Removed all bogus records and streamlined the system according the FP2020 / NIDI required standards.
KEY TASKS:
§ Identified the public (Federal & Provincial) and Private (NPIs and Donors) organizations working on Family planning (FP) etc. throughout Pakistan. Personally visited and coordinated with key officials thereof for research and data collection.
Scrutinized accuracy eliminating duplication of funds by Donors to various organizations / projects, analyzed, summarized and compiled the final data in the NIDI / UNFPA online form. Maintained also Meta data including all references, terms, definitions and estimation methodologies used, and finally submitted a comprehensive analytical report.
HRDF is a registered nationwide Non-governmental Organization (NGO) focuses mainly on Health, Education, Governance, Human Relief and Shelter for poor people in Pakistan.
KEY ACHIEVEMENT:
§ One of the worth-quoting things as acknowledgement of my professional worth I consider is; on successful accomplishment of various projects with HRDF, when I joined UNDP, HRDF continuously contacted me to join them back on a higher position. After completing sheer a year with UNDP, I accepted HRDF’s offer and rejoined them on the position mentioned.
KEY TASKS:
§ Assisting Country Head, identified areas to develop projects accordingly and managing yearly work planning, budgeting and implementing strategies thereof.
§ Researched to develop opportunities for advocacy, visibility, and fundraising for the programme and lead initiatives to seek financing for core activities.
§ Developed M&E tools for effective implementation to achieve the deliverables.
§ Controlled and supervised all relevant departments and operations thereof.
Designed many projects and their implementation strategies and devising tools for their regular Monitoring & Evaluation.
Pakistan Sustainable Transport Project (PAKSTRAN) was a project of United Nations Development Programme under its Environment and Climate Change Unit.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
§ To bridge the gap between policy makers and educational institutions, I functionalized the long initiated sluggish R&D Center at UET Lahore. I developed an operations manual along with M&E tools and formulated funding pattern for its sustainability after PAKSTRAN life.
§ I suggested recommendations to Punjab Mass-transit Authority regarding “development of feeder routes and generation of non-fair revenue for the sustainability of the Metro Bus in Punjab” which were decided to be put into the strategic plan of PMA.
KEY TASKS:
§ Comprehensive provincial policy making, work planning and resource management for successful implementation of component in Punjab.
§ Controlling all operations and associated human resource to keep the project operationalized in effective and efficient manner.
Devised M&E tools for quality assurance ensuring achievement of desired outputs.
HRDF is a registered nationwide Non-governmental Organization (NGO) focuses mainly on Health, Education, Governance, Human Relief and Shelter for poor people.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
· On my joining, HRDF lacked a flawless Operations Management Manual which caused severe managerial issues. I developed such a master piece that is still in use by HRDF like a constitution for the organization and projects management.
· HRDF had a shorter domain for activities with main focus on mere a Shelter Project. I convinced them to start small multi-dimensional projects which with the parallel to giving the organization a boost, created many vacancies for nation.
KEY TASKS:
§ Planed and implemented numerous developmental projects during the tenure.
§ Supervised all subordinating departments/teams and provided them technical support to accomplish the activities within time frame efficiently.
Monitored and evaluated the performance to align with the deliverables set.
SDPD was a project of UNDP.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
· Despite SDPD’s inception in DEC-2004, it was staffed first ever in JUL-2006 with mere two employees NPM & I, who executed the project alone for years. Our competency, commitment and hard work spelled cast in a dead project. The work beyond TORs, along with many benefits to the Project, rewarded me to be a good programme manager too.
· I was hired to manage two departments i.e. Administration and Finance. But my competency and versatility furnished me the opportunity to perform as Deputy Project Manager.
· Consecutive Five unqualified Annual Audit reports of the project depict my professional competence also in financial management.
KEY TASKS:
· Assisted NPM in all work planning, in-depth budgets preparation and implementation plans.
Preparation of reports, briefings & presentation materials, background information & documentation for meetings, missions, seminars and workshops etc.
Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment (DTCE) was a project of United Nations Development Programme under its Governance Unit.
KEY ACHIEVEMENT:
§ It was a unique job of my career which furnished me the opportunity to prove my competence and hardworking potential in the four important departments i.e.:
o Field Operations Team
o Community & Local Government Relations
o Project Management Unit
o Police Welfare & Community Relations
The quality of work, sense of responsibility and hardworking potential I showed in the project rewarded me to be headhunted by UNDP (the same employer) for a key position of another very important project by them listed above.
KEY TASKS:
§ Ensured all security measures for managing sensitive nature of events in field.
§ Liaised with government officials for smooth conduction of field events.
§ Managed all logistics, HR and procurement matters in the field.
§ Assisted department in-charge in Monitoring and evaluation of all training events.
Citizen Participation for Human Rights and Public Service Delivery at Grass Roots Level was a project by UNESCO.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
· The project honed my insights to sense citizens’ problems, their rights and provision of public service delivery thereto. It polished my observatory & analytical skills in parallel.
· The project rewarded me sense, competency and confidence to mix with communities rapidly to mobilize them to participate in their developmental initiatives.
KEY TASKS:
· In coordination with National Project Coordinator (NPC), devised Monitoring tools and a system to effectively track project deliverables and progress.
· Utilizing the Monitoring Tools, ensured quality of data up to the required standard.
· Ensured adherence to project performance monitoring during project implementation.
· Worked with NPC to assess and identify capacity gap areas of the staff and made sound recommendations in designing effective trainings for better results.
Coordinated with district authorities to ensure smooth field work..
Masoom Akhtar Chartered Accountant Company is an accredited external Audit company in Pakistan.
KEY ACHIEVEMENT:
· This detailed audit experience gave me several years jump in my professional career. Indeed it proved to be a shortcut for me to learn financial management very fast. Just in few months, I acquired expertise of complete financial management. As a proof, I got a key position to finance management in UNDP. Even now, this experience helps me to handle professionally the funds & financial matters in every organization confidently.
KEY TASKS:
· Assisted the Audit Manager in conducting complete annual audit of the said Club..
· Conducted stock taking of the entire Club and Physical Verification of Assets.
Assisting the Audit Manager, prepared the Management Letter (ML) and attended reconciliation meetings afterward and drafted the final report.
Having superb financial management skills.
The best delivery to the assignments with Field Teams.
MPhil leading to PhD
Superb Financial management skills.
A professional with versatile experience of management.