India: Senior Programme Officer - WASH

Introduction:

The Aga Khan Foundation (India) (AKF (India)) is a member of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of 11 independent development agencies addressing the needs of poor and marginalised communities in more than thirty countries where it operates. Since 1978, it has operated in India, implementing programmes directly in urban areas and supporting work by other AKDN agencies and partners in rural areas. Active in seven states, its multi-sector programmes include civil society, early childhood development, education, community health, livelihood improvement and skill development, and water and sanitation. In addition, AKF works to strengthen civil society institutions and delivery of services through public systems.

Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a private, non-denominational development agency, which develops sustainable solutions to poverty and marginalization. It focuses on a small number of specific development problems by forming intellectual and financial partnerships with organizations sharing its objectives. Most Foundation grants are made to grassroots organizations testing innovative approaches in the field. With a small staff, a host of cooperating agencies and thousands of volunteers, the Foundation reaches out to vulnerable populations on four continents, irrespective of their race, religion, political persuasion or gender.

To make the most of its resources, the Aga Khan Foundation has a sharp focus, clearly defined objectives and a consistent approach to its work. It concentrates on selected issues in health, education, rural development, the environment and the strengthening of civil society.

For more information please log on towww.akdn.org***

Reason for Hire:

AKF (India) wishes to significantly strengthen its programmes in community health and behaviour change communication, especially around issues of hygiene and sanitation, health-seeking behaviour (adolescents in particular), and nutrition. It seeks an articulate, enthusiastic, and entrepreneurial Senior Programme Officer for Health who will work with the Director of Programmes and other colleagues to establish new programmes undertaking existing work to scale, document lessons and models for replication, increase AKDN’s profile and influence, and improve all aspects of programme design, implementation, and monitoring.

This role will be demanding and fast-paced, with opportunities for collaboration across the programme team of AKF (India) as well as with the leadership of other AKDN agencies in India. For the right individual, this will provide an exciting opportunity to shape AKF (India)’s work in health, develop multi-state initiatives, build strategic partnerships for AKDN, and raise the Foundation’s profile on health issues.

Responsibilities and Results:

· Take overall responsibility of the WASH practice including adolescent health and behavioral change communication. Networking with both current and prospective donors.

· Define and elaborate AKF (India)’s strategy for WASH and health portfolio. Design multi-state strategies and lead the policy advocacy initiatives of the organisation.

· The incumbent will be responsible for the successful delivery of all programmes under the WASH practice from end to end.

· Provide timely, high quality advice for ongoing programmes in the organisation, including policy and program design, implementation, reporting, technical advice and monitoring & evaluation.

· Ensure documentation of lessons learned, research / assessment findings and coordinate inter-package linkages on field activities.

· The incumbent needs to identify and cultivate corporate, government and philanthropic partners in the health sector and also expand awareness and appreciation of AKDN activities and approaches.

· Ability to work with trans-disciplinary teams; provide leadership and exhibit leadership qualities in challenging situations.

· Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities, providing the necessary inputs to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

· Initiate work as per project proposal and work plan, update the work plan on a quarterly basis or as per the requirement; develop annual work plan after the end of one year of the project.

· Will be required to participate in project related meetings with the donors, give presentations on the projects’ progress as well as the final report, besides participation in workshops and consultations.

· Manage and develop of appropriate monitoring and evaluation systems for all the health programmes.

· Prepare high-quality presentations, fact sheets, concept papers, proposals, and other materials for effective external communications, positioning, and partner engagement. This may include drafting content for opinion editorials, social media and press releases as well as technical writing.

· Organize meetings, workshops, conferences and project visits for internal or external groups as required.

COMPETENCIES & SOFT SKILLS

Leadership

1.

· An experienced manager with strategic thinking, strong domain expertise, good analytical and influencing skills.

· Capable of taking initiatives on their own with minimum level of supervision.

· Open to working in a multi-cultural environment and effectively with small and large teams.

· Mature, ‘people-oriented’ in approach.

· Exhibits self-awareness and personal management skills.

· Ability to establish a strong sense of purpose, high standards, and a sense of urgency for self and others.

· Strong sense of ownership for every deliverable and ability to deal with complexity.

Essential Skills

· Ability to negotiate well.

· Good IT skills and self-reliance in developing and formatting documents.

· Result oriented approach to work.

· Compatibility with Aga Khan Foundation’s Culture and its mission and vision

· Strong commitment to the development sector.

Communication and Representational Skills

· Excellent oral and written communication skills in English

· Should be able to clearly communicate complex information verbally and in writing.

· Strong external representational skills with the aptitude to articulate effectively

CANDIDATE PROFILE AND QUALIFICATIONS

Must Have:

· A post-graduate degree with 10 years of experience in WASH, health and behaviour change communication.

· Should be ambitious, energetic, and hard-working professional with a background in community health and is committed to improve lives among India’s most marginalised communities. Must share a sense of urgency about development.

· Good written and spoken English is essential and fluency in Hindi is also preferred.

· Should be a data-driven strategic thinker, who is both politically savvy and operationally astute.

· Must enjoy working in horizontal, cross-functional teams across departments and institutions and needs to be comfortable dealing with ambiguity, as well as situational authority and leadership.

· Should be capable of meeting short deadlines and producing quality materials with a fast turnaround.

· Should be a solution-oriented and a problem solver who should be versatile and would be willing to work around obstacles.

· Should have an ability to work in teams as well as should possess the ability to work independently and to multi-task.

Highly Desirable:

· In-depth knowledge of social sector issues in India with specific focus on community based Health programs and projects.

· Experience of working in the not-for-profit or development sector, having demonstrated commitment to the sector.

Travel: 20-25% of the times.

Third Sector Partners, a leading senior management and board search firm in the Not for Profit sector has been retained for this position. Interested candidates can send in their CVs along with three references and a cover note toakf.spohealth@gmail.com**with the subject line indicating “SENIOR PROGRAMME OFFICER”. Last date to receive application is 2nd March, 2015. PLEASE NOTE: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.**

Third Sector Partners, a leading senior management and board search firm in the Not for Profit sector has been retained for this position. Interested candidates can send in their CVs along with three references and a cover note to **akf.spohealth@gmail.com with the subject line indicating “SENIOR PROGRAMME OFFICER”. Last date to receive application is 2nd March, 2015.
PLEASE NOTE: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.**