Programme Manager

Aga Khan Foundation

AGA KHAN FOUNDATION (INDIA)
 
POSITION DESCRIPTION
 
Position Name:
Programme Manager 
Position Location:
Lucknow 
Programme Theme:
WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene)
Reporting To:
State Lead – Health, Nutrition and WASH, (Uttar Pradesh) 
Position Tenure:
Full-time employment contract up to October 2023, renewable based on programme funding and need.
 
About the Aga Khan Foundation (India)
 
The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) brings together human, financial and technical resources to address some of the challenges faced by the poorest and most marginalized communities in the world. Special emphasis is placed on investing in human potential, expanding opportunity and improving the overall quality of life, especially for women and girls. The Foundation primarily works across seven thematic areas - agriculture and food security, climate resilience, education, early childhood development, work and enterprise, health, nutrition and WASH, and the strengthening of community institutions to lead development interventions. AKF is a member of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of 11 development agencies addressing the needs of poor and marginalized communities in more than thirty countries where it operates. 
 
AKF started its operations in India in 1978, and today implements programs in both rural and urban areas across six states (Bihar, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Delhi).
 
Programme Details
In partnership with charity: water, AKF has initiated a rural drinking water supply programme that is in alignment with AKF’s overall WASH strategy and the Government of India’s flagship scheme of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) that aims to provide assured potable water through tap connections to every rural household by 2024. 
 
In line with AKF and charity: water’s goal of helping as many people as possible gain reliable and lasting access to clean and safe drinking water and move up the drinking water ladder, the proposed initiative aims to ensure safe and reliable water supply at the household level in 30 villages of Uttar Pradesh by providing improved water points closer to people’s homes. Strong community level processes, empowering communities with knowledge regarding water quality and close engagement with local government institutions, and a focus on source sustainability measures are some of the other key approaches of this intervention to ensure the long-term functionality of water points. At the same time, the programme will facilitate comprehensive water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programming to ensure improved health impacts. 
 
Position Summary
The Programme Manager will lead and implement the programme in the identified villages of Barabanki and Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh. S/he will be responsible for planning, implementing, and monitoring the programme as well as ensuring the delivery of a high quality, impactful programme as per agreed timelines. The position will provide strategic direction to the implementation team comprising of Civil engineers, Area Coordinators for the two districts, an M&E position and a Finance and Admin Assistant. The position will report to AKF’s State Lead for Health, Nutrition and WASH.
 
Key Responsibilities
 
Programme Planning and Implementation
  • Lead, supervise and monitor the programme team as per the approved implementation plan. As team leader, the position will be required to mentor and handhold the project implementation team and provide strategic direction to ensure the delivery of a high quality programme.
  • Plan and prepare a detailed implementation schedule for the 'Rural water supply schemes Programme' with the programme team 
  • Ensure the sustainability of programme interventions
  • Ensure the implementation of a community-centric approach in all activities, commencing with community mobilization, empowerment of village institutions for participatory planning, implementation, operation and maintenance of proposed water supply schemes
  • Support the programme team and ensure community awareness raising and capacity building of local institutions (Gram Panchayat-GP) and community- based groups to develop plans for improving water access and ensure the active participation of women and other socially excluded groups in programme planning and implementation.
  • Promotion of WASH-related livelihood opportunities such as SHG led O&M Model, handpump repairing and water quality testing
  • Guide and support the Civil Engineer of the programme in finalizing RFP and tender documents, and facilitate hiring and onboarding of a construction agency for construction of drinking water schemes in the programme area
  • Coordinate field visits from the AKF Delhi office, donor visits and visits by other partners/stakeholders
Govt. Liaising & Institutional linkages
  • Ensure that the implementation of the programme is aligned with the overall objectives of the Jal Jeevan Mission and the programme complements the achievement of the goals of the Mission
  • Liaise, build, and maintain productive collaboration with block/ district/ state level Government officials (eg Rural Development Department, Panchayati Raj Department, MGNREGA etc.) and other agencies/ departments
  • Regular participation in block/ district/ state level government meetings / workshops and share information on AKF's work in the area
  • Identify opportunities to leverage funding under government programmes and facilitate access to government schemes/ entitlements for participating households
  • Support VWSC in finalizing & collection of O&M costs/ water tariff and creating and maintaining financial records of collection and expenditure
  • Support the Programme Coordinator and Civil Engineer in trial runs, commissioning and hand over of the drinking water supply schemes with a robust plan of operation and maintenance.
  • Ensure high level engagement of the community and other stakeholders to ensure wider replication of the community led piped water models integrated with source sustainability and grey water management
Ensuring high quality programme delivery, review and monitoring
  • Institutionalize systems for regular financial and programme reviews. Identify and resolve bottlenecks in implementation.
  • Ensure visibility and communication of programme progress and achievements as per the grant agreement with the donor.
  • Support the development of regular progress reports and programme briefs as required
  • Undertake regular field visits in the programme area and ensure systems for regular monitoring to ensure high quality construction of water supply schemes and distribution network as per technical design.
  • Implement technology-based monitoring system at every level of implementation
  • Carry out assigned administrative responsibilities as part of the management function
Documentation & Reporting
  • Ensuring timely collection of programme data/reports, its review, update and submission/ dissemination at relevant forums
  • Ensure regular updating of Programme Management Information Systems (Monthly /Quarterly/ Annual MIS)
  • Support the identification and documentation of best practices and case studies from across the programme
  • Identify best practices and document lessons learned and share learning with relevant stakeholders
  • Carry out any other additional duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the organization from time to time. 
Qualifications and Skills Required
  • Post-graduate in Social Sciences, Agriculture, Rural Management, Rural Development or related fields.
  • Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in the field of rural development. Preference will be given to candidates having experience of managing water sanitation and hygiene programmes. Experience of working on rural water supply schemes and infrastructure development will be an added advantage
  • Strong skills in budgeting and financial management, team management, reporting and M&E
  • Ability to establish strong linkages and liaison with government and other stakeholders
  • Excellent communication skills in Hindi and English, both written and verbal
  • Solution-oriented, creative problem-solver, who can be versatile and is willing to work around obstacles
  • Excellent computer skills in MS Office especially in MS-Word and PowerPoint along with database management
To apply by 15th October 2022 on the given link
https://forms.gle/XrZuviRNxy49k6xR8
 
The Aga Khan Development Network is an international group of private, non-denominational development agencies and institutions that seek to empower communities and individuals, often in disadvantaged circumstances, to improve living conditions and opportunities. Visit us at www.akdn.org
 
The Aga Khan Foundation is committed to the principles of equal opportunity and will strive to ensure that all job applicants, staff and volunteers, do not suffer negative discrimination on the basis of their religion, race, caste, color, nationality, social class, sex, place of birth, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, HIV status, age etc. or any combination of these. 

  • Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
  • Full time
  • Commensurate with Experience
Apply now