Regional Project Manager At Aga Khan Foundation

Title: Regional Project Manager

Reporting Line/Supervisor: Regional Education and ECD Advisor

Location: Nairobi

About the Aga Khan Foundation

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), was established by His Highness the Aga Khan in 1967. AKF is a private, not-for-profit international development agency that seeks to provide long-term solutions to society’s problems. AKF brings together human, financial, and technical resources to address challenges faced by the poorest and most marginalised communities in the world. AKF has a special focus on investing in human potential, expanding opportunity, and improving the overall quality of life, especially for women and girls. AKF’s primary areas of focus are Education; Early Childhood Development (ECD); Health and Nutrition; Civil Society; Agriculture and Food Security; and Economic Inclusion.

AKF is committed to ensuring girls and boys, women and men, are equipped with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values to help them interact effectively with the world and be contributing members of a pluralistic society. This demands AKF assumes a holistic, life-long, and systems approach to education. AKF ensures all interventions are globally informed, locally rooted, are embedded in government and community interests and structures, and work to promote social inclusion, equity, and pluralism.

About AKF’s Education Programme

As a development agency, AKF partners with a global network of local government schools, government education actors and systems, and civil society actors within education systems to co-develop and test affordable and scalable evidence-based models about how best to create quality, equitable learning environments and improve holistic learning outcomes for the most marginalised children. AKF is currently partnering with a diverse set of funding partners including bi-lateral, multi-lateral, and foundations to deliver education programming in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Purpose of the position

AKF is seeking a dynamic, enthusiastic, and self-motivated individual to provide effective project and grant management leadership to an 18-month innovative education project being delivered in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Reporting to the Regional Education and ECD Advisor, the Regional Project Manager will lead on supporting the education programme teams to effectively deliver all project activities and interventions on time, on budget, and with quality. In addition, the Regional Project Manager will be responsible for a media campaign around the culture of reading and the power of play for learning as well as some regional activities.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support Area Programme Managers and programme teams to effectively implement all activities under the project on time, on budget, and with quality
• Rapidly identify possible delays in project implementation and coordinate processes to ensure all delays are minimised and the project remains on track
• Manage the implementation of selected activity areas including the media campaign in Kenya and regional activities
• Manage procurement, selection, and project partnerships with creative and media partners, research partners, and others engaged in the project
• Ensure all materials developed through the project are of high quality, promote the power of play, are gender responsive and broader social inclusion
• Collaborate with the regional education team to ensure all materials developed through the project are amplified through the project, AKF’s broader education portfolio, AKF’s global platforms, and other opportunities as they arise
• Collaborate with the finance team to ensure financial compliance and accurate financial reporting.
• Work with the Regional Education Coordinator to ensure all narrative and financial reporting is submitted with quality and on time to the donor
• Coordinate and contribute to the education community of practice to support the learning and professional development of the education teams across the region
• Ensure the project adheres to AKF’s child protection and safeguarding policies
• Any other roles and responsibilities as determined by the Regional Education and ECD Advisor

*Note: The roles and responsibilities outlined above are not meant to be an exhaustive list of tasks. The need for flexibility is required and the job holder is expected to carry out any other related duties that are within the employee’s skills and abilities whenever reasonably instructed*

Required Qualification, Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• MA in Education, International Development, Business Administration, or related field
• Proven experience of working in social programming with a minimum of 5 years relevant experience working in international development
• Strong and practical experience in project management with experience with Foundation donors an asset
• Experience collaborating with diverse teams and partners in designing new programmes
• Experience in working independently, under high pressure and fast-moving conditions
• Experience managing diverse partners to achieve timebound results
• Strong ICT skills, experience in Microsoft office package and emerging new software including Online and offline applications.
• Experience providing remote support to teams
• Excellent time management skills
• Strong accountability, inter-personal skills and working collaboratively with diverse internal teams
• Committed to acting ethically and upholding safeguarding standards towards all staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries of the organisation
• Excellent communication skills in English, Swahili an advantage