Project Manager

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 &ill-health with special emphasis on the needs of rural communities in mountainous &other resource poor regions, primarily in Asia, Africa &the Middle East. Its main areas of focus are education, health, rural development, environment &strengthening civil society.

AKF(P) is seeking a high calibre professional for the position of “Project Manager” supporting an Integrated Package of Health Systems Strengthening, Nutrition and Immunizations in Pakistan (SNIP) reporting to the Advisor Health & Nutrition. This will be Islamabad-based position with frequent travel to the project areas.

Background

The SNIP project is an innovative partnership between Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, The Power of Nutrition and Aga Khan Development Network that will help to drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals by delivering an integrated service package, generate demand, and promote health behaviors for immunization, health and nutrition services, as well as deliver tangible benefits for communities in Gilgit Baltistan, Balochistan and Sindh provinces, this project will generate data, evidence and learning to fill gaps and discover what works in this under-resourced area.

The Project Manager (PM) will be responsible for overseeing the project and ensuring quality and timely delivery of interventions and impact for all aspects of the project. This includes providing quality and technically sound design support; provide technical support to implementation teams leveraging  in depth knowledge, technical expertise and ; facilitating quality and timely planning, monitoring, evaluation,  learning and reporting; effectively managing the grant including ensuring key milestones are met, compliant and timely procedures and processes are implemented and; effectively engaging all relevant and local stakeholders in the process of implementation and achieving the expected results.

Duties & Responsibilities

Technical Support, Planning and Implementation

• Organise a multi-stakeholder design workshop(s) in consultation with the provincial and district authorities and AKDN agencies that develops and finalizes a three (3) years implementation plan, project management framework, objectives and key results. 
• Ensure project is designed in coordination and consultation with federal and provincial EPI, nutrition and MCH departments, ensure alignment of the project with the Government strategic direction and priorities.
• Ensure effective project documentation is in place and regularly updated through mapping union councils with low immunization and associated health facilities vaccination centers.
• Support the preparation of district level plans including immunization clinics with locally appropriate strategies of reaching out to target children; strengthening nutrition interventions integrated with the MCH and immunization services; community engagement plan supporting and actively facilitating women and children’s access to services.
• Provide evidence-informed technical guidance to the project and implementing agencies ensuring technical support for program implementation, oversight and quality assurance. 
• Ensure a focus on gender equality in the design and operationalization of the project, including enlisting the support of the gender advisor in the project.
• Develop functional linkages with the national and provincial stakeholders to support project implementation with the sharing of resources, avoiding duplication and prioritizing remote low performing geographies.
• Establish and act as secretary for the Project Advisory/ Technical Committee comprised of representatives from EPI, Nutrition and MCH Directorate, WHO, UNICEF, TPoN, MoHealth and AKDN.
• Facilitate provincial coordination using existing provincial committees to strengthen coordination mechanism and troubleshooting among key partners.
• Support DHMTs with involvement of key stakeholders ensuring district level context specific planning, implementation, and monitoring of project activities.

Grant Management

• Ensure effective operationalization of the SNIP project by ensuring timely recruitment of project staff with required skills and experience and ensuring effective onboarding and supervision.
• Conduct field visits to monitor work plan progress according to timelines, quality, grant compliance. 
• Prepare quality progress report with qualitative and quantitative data evidence, providing in depth analysis of achievements, associated challenges, and proposed mitigations.
• Actively work with finance team to oversee management of project budget, ensure compliance with grants contracts, and agreed work plan.

Organize timely, periodic programme and financial reviews with partners to ensure on time implementation of approved work plan and budget. 

Identify areas for programme acceleration or course correction in line with project timelines, budget and results.

MERL

• Support the design of the learning agenda and associated MERL plans for all components of the project.
• Support assessments, evaluation, research and learning, providing input on MERL design analysis, articulation and dissemination of results with the provincial and national authorities for evidence-based planning.
• Responsible for the dissemination of project achievements, research findings, lessons learned, best practices, case studies, with the stakeholders in collaboration with the AKF communications team.

Required Qualification & Experience

• The incumbent should be MBBS and preferably Masters in Public Health, Nutrition and Data Management or related science field from a well-reputed and recognized university.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience and expertise in the design, implementation, management, monitoring & evaluation of immunization, health and nutrition programmes in Pakistan. The incumbent must have expertise in immunization services, including direct field experience in immunization service delivery.
• Experience of working with Government Health/ EPI Departments with solid field-based experience of implementing similar programmes, be able to engage stakeholders and field teams on practical, operational solutions.
• Optimal knowledge and skills of project/programme data management and can demonstrate a high level of monitoring and evaluation processes and systems.
• Experience of financial management, budgeting and implementing donor-funded programmes of similar size and scale is essential.
• Outstanding writing skills, good knowledge of MS Office, Analytical tools and packages, advanced analysis, and dashboard interpretation.
• Flexibility to travel and ability to work in a diverse team environment.

AKF (P) offers a competitive remuneration package & conducive working environment. The recruitment, selection policy & procedures reflect our commitment to equal opportunity & the safeguarding of children, vulnerable adults, beneficiaries, partners, community members &employees in accordance with AKF(P)’s Safeguarding policy & AKDN Code of Ethics. Females are encouraged to apply.

The deadline for the applications is July 12, 2024. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.