Programs and Partnerships Professionals

About AKF USA

Aga Khan Foundation USA (AKF USA) is a private, non-denominational, non-profit international development organization committed to alleviating poverty, disease and illiteracy, primarily in Africa, Central and South Asia. Aga Khan Foundation is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (www.akdn.org), a group of 10 private development agencies working to empower communities and individuals, often in disadvantaged circumstances, to improve living conditions and opportunities, especially in Africa and Asia.

Position Summary

AKF USA is currently seeking Programs and Partnerships Professionals at different levels including Officers and Managers. Members of the Programs and Partnerships Team are responsible for overseeing the grant management of a portfolio of assigned grants funded by North American donors, contributing to global program and proposal development, representing AKF USA at various networking events, conferences, and meetings of technical groups, and supporting public engagement. The positions also support AKF’s Global Partnerships Team. The Programs and Partnerships Professional roles will report to the Senior Manager, Programs and Partnerships.

The Programs and Partnerships Professionals will be based in Washington, DC with travel of up to 25% per year to Africa and Asia. Financial support is provided for relocation to DC if necessary. The starting salary range will vary depending on the role, with Officer level positions starting between $65,000 and $72,500 per year and Manager level positions starting between $80,000 and $87,500 per year, alongside a competitive benefits package.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall guidance, oversight, quality control and coordination for grant management across all components of an assigned grant portfolio funded by North American donors. Activities include work planning, budgeting, reporting, field missions, monitoring, evaluation, and learning, environmental compliance, gender equality, ensuring general compliance and provision of technical assistance. This will be done in collaboration with AKF USA’s Finance team, AKF USA’s Public Engagement team, other AKF country units, partner agencies, and AKF’s Global Program Team.
• Coordinate proposal development in response to solicited and unsolicited funding opportunities, collaboratively with other members of the Global Partnerships Team, AKF USA’s Finance team, AKF USA’s Public Engagement team, other AKF country units, partner agencies, and AKF’s Global Program Team.
• Contribute to other aspects of business development, such as (but not limited to) donor intelligence, opportunity scanning and identification, and pre-positioning.
• Provide support to AKF’s Global Partnerships Team, including on managing global processes related to resource mobilization and grant management, mentoring Partnerships staff in field offices, and providing support on program design and proposal development processes.
• Develop positive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, such as donor representatives for relevant projects, sectors and/or geographies, consultants, AKF and AKDN technical working groups, and other NGOs.
• Contribute to the visibility of, and engagement with, AKF USA’s work in international development in North America and abroad. This may include fostering partnerships, cooperation, and coordination with other organizations in the USA, Canada, and overseas; representing AKF USA at relevant provincial, national, and international forums and conferences; contributing to the development of project communications materials; and identifying opportunities to engage USA audiences in development, particularly related to women’s empowerment.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, such as international development.
• Officers require a minimum of three (3) years of experience while Managers require a minimum of five (5) years of experience in a program management, grant management, and/or business development role, preferably including at least one (1) year for Officers, and two (2) years for Managers in a position based in a developing country.
• Proven experience in business and proposal development for major institutional donors, such as (but not limited to) USAID, other US Government entities, Global Affairs Canada (GAC), United Nations agencies, the World Bank, and large US charitable foundations.
• Experience working on grant management or program management on international development projects funded by institutional donors, including experience meeting donor criteria in reporting, work planning, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Experience working on projects funded by USAID and/or GAC and other institutional donors is a requirement for Manager level positions, while experience working with institutional donors is an important asset for Officer level positions.
• Knowledge of, and experience with, results-based management.
• Knowledge of key concepts in gender equality and women’s empowerment and experience with integrating and implementing these concepts in programs.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. Candidates who can also work in French are strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated capacity to respect and safeguard vulnerable populations.

Ability to travel up to 25% of time per year, including to Africa and Asia.

Essential Skills and Attributes

• Dynamic, collaborative, and able to work in challenging contexts with patience, perseverance, and flexibility.
• Capacity to work independently, take initiative, set priorities, and manage a variety of activities simultaneously.
• Enthusiastic about learning from others and sharing knowledge.
• Demonstrated intercultural competence and ability to adapt professional skills to fit local conditions and constraints.
• Superb analytical, organizational, negotiation and problem-solving skills. Proven interpersonal and communication skills in diverse and cross-cultural settings.