Job Summary
About the Company
Silver Jubilee Development Agency (SJDA) was established in 1984 and incorporated as a Company limited by guarantee under section 23 of the Companies Act 1913 (now, section 42 of the Companies Act, 2017) on October 30, 1984. The objective of establishing SJDA is to promote the socio-economic progress of the communities by developing and supporting programs and institutions.
Program Overview
The Poverty Elimination (PE) Program is SJDA’s integrated, institutional response to improve the Quality of Life of underprivileged community members by supporting families to increase their income. The PE Program is a flagship initiative to reduce multidimensional poverty in local communities in Pakistan. It focuses on enabling vulnerable families to move out of poverty through targeted interventions in income generation, access to finance, education, skills development, health, and social protection. The program aligns with the global vision of driving sustainable poverty elimination and promoting resilience through economic empowerment and social inclusion.
The program aims to:
- Increase the Employment and Self-Employment opportunities.
- Support to establish small enterprises.
- Improve Agricultural productivity.
- Improve Livestock breeding/rearing.
Position Summary
SJDA is seeking a dynamic Regional Program Manager to lead the implementation of the PE program in the Gilgit and Hunza Regions. The ideal candidate will possess strong managerial, technical, and operational expertise to oversee the execution of poverty elimination initiatives. This role requires working closely with a diverse team to design and implement sustainable strategies, systems, and processes to empower low-income families and foster economic advancement.
Reporting Relationship
Reports to the Head of Program Operations or any other person designated by SJDA.
Role and Responsibilities
Program Leadership and Strategy Execution
- Lead a multi-disciplinary team to deliver program objectives, ensuring the successful implementation of the program in the Region.
- Lead the development of comprehensive work plans and monitor performance to ensure alignment with program targets and strategic goals.
- Provide administrative and strategic leadership to the team, contributing to the design and execution of new and innovative initiatives to uplift families at the household and community levels through strategic planning and targeted interventions.
- Identify, pilot, and scale contextually relevant and innovative pathways out of poverty, based on local needs and evidence-based approaches in coordination with the Head of Strategic Development and Partnerships.
- Supervise regional staff, ensuring the delivery of high-quality family-level support, effective case management, and consistent technical supervision.
- Maintain close coordination with regional and local case review committees (CRCs), ensuring systematic progress sharing, review, and learning on a quarterly basis.
- Coordinate closely with government bodies, private sector partners, AKDN agencies, and community organizations to strengthen partnerships, enhance program outreach, and improve overall effectiveness.
Project Implementation and Team Management
- Oversee program delivery, ensuring adherence to approved policies, approaches, and procedures for cost-effective and sustainable outcomes.
- Coordinate with the relationship manager to identify employment, entrepreneurship, and skills enhancement opportunities for program beneficiaries.
- Ensure effective referral systems and appropriate follow-ups for complex cases requiring additional resources or intervention.
- Sample-based review of FDPs in the region periodically.
- Lead recruitment, training, and supervision of staff and volunteers.
Budgeting, Monitoring, and Reporting
- Ensure program implementation stays within approved budget limits and timelines.
- Monitor monthly and annual expenditures against budgets, preparing detailed financial reports for review by the Governance Committee(s) and Program Head.
- Develop and submit regular progress reports outlining key metrics, program parameters, and outcomes to all relevant stakeholders.
- Maintain high-quality documentation of program activities, ensuring accurate and consistent reporting of impact evaluation data.
Community Engagement and Communication
- Foster strong relationships with local communities, leadership, and other stakeholders to create a culture of transparency, trust, and responsiveness.
- Ensure clear communication with target families and beneficiaries, providing them with timely information about program activities.
- Act as the primary liaison between the Program Head, community leadership, and other external stakeholders in the region.
General Administration and Compliance
- Oversee the daily operations of the regional office, ensuring all administrative needs are met efficiently.
- Ensure all compliance requirements are met at local and regional levels.
- Assist staff in coordinating travel and logistical arrangements for program activities.
- Conduct regular performance reviews and set goals with direct reports, ensuring alignment with overall program objectives.
- Uphold confidentiality and safeguard all institutional documents, records, and sensitive information.
- Undertake other duties and responsibilities as may be required from time to time.
Required Skills
Key Attributes
- Demonstrated ability to manage sensitive information with discretion and integrity.
- Strong problem-solving skills and a collaborative, can-do attitude.
- Excellent people skills with a proven ability to foster strong relationships with team members, community leaders, and partner organizations.
- Experience in socio-economic development, with a focus on poverty alleviation and family empowerment.
- Strong leadership and motivational abilities, managing teams of professionals and volunteers from diverse backgrounds.
- Skilled in writing reports, preparing presentations, and ensuring high-quality documentation of program activities.
- Strong analytical and project management skills, with the ability to interpret data, plan and execute activities, manage timelines and resources, and support evidence-based decision-making.
- Experience in setting and measuring performance indicators, coupled with hands-on project planning and implementation skills.
- Comfortable with public speaking and delivering presentations to a variety of audiences.
Technical Skills
- Proficiency in MIS and MS Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Knowledge of budgeting, financial reporting, and project management is an asset.
Professional Experience
- Professional with a minimum of 10 years’ experience with reputed organizations (ideally in the field of socio-economic development).
- Experience in leading the delivery of projects and management of a multi-functional project team in a similar position.
Academic Credentials
- Master’s Degree from an HEC-approved university or from an internationally recognized university in social or management sciences.
Language Proficiency
- Strong communication skills in English and Urdu (both oral and written) as well as local language(s).
Travel and Schedule
- Position will be based in Gilgit with frequent travel across the regions.
- Flexibility to work beyond standard office hours, including evenings and weekends, and willingness to undertake extended travel within the region as required.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.