Fresh Jobs at Aga Khan Foundation

Key Responsibilities
Program Planning, Co-ordination & Execution:

• Co-ordinate day-to-day initiative workflows by monitoring the design phase work plan and supporting smooth implementation.
• Support in the drafting of relevant project documentation, specifically, the specific required modules.
• Sharpen the modules content based on coordinated feedback from relevant colleagues, particularly, the design coach and the donor to ensure accurate and timely final module compilation and submission.
• Support in the development of the Organizational Learning and Measurement Evaluation framework and ensure it aligns with the organizational Vision and Strategy for Change.
• Co-ordinate the review and updating of the Organizational Structure including review of the existing Institutional Strengthening Plan (ISP) in alignment with the Organizational Vision and strategy for Change.

Institutional Liaison & Coordination

• Serve as the primary focal point for joint government-civil society technical working groups or steering committees' engagements.
• Diplomatically navigate Partner, National and County bureaucratic channels to secure necessary approvals, memorandums of understanding (MoUs), and letters of support for successful roll-out and implementation of the project initiatives.
• Organize and facilitate high-level government site visits, study tours, and policy briefings necessary for increased awareness and appreciation of the importance of systems-change

Government & Partner Relations

• Support in building new, strengthening existing and maintaining a robust network of contacts within key Partners, National and County sectors, including the Ministry of Education, Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development (KICD), National Council for Children’s Services (NCCS), Council of Governors (CoG), County Departments of Education, Health, Nutrition, Social Protection, Partnerships and Policy and Finance.
• Keep the project team timely updated on shifting government priorities, personnel changes, county leadership timelines, emerging legislative opportunities and bottlenecks.

Compliance, Reporting & Documentation

• Compile internal organizational reports/progress briefs, official government reports/communique with high-potential recommendations for adoption.
• Secure formal institutional sign-offs on project data, pilot evaluations, and joint transition or exit strategies.

The requirements

Required Qualifications, Experiences and Skills

• Experience: 5+ years of professional experience in early childhood development as well as government relations, public policy engagements, or inter-agency liaison roles within Kenya. Experience in working closely with National & County Governments is highly critical.
• Devolution & Systems Literacy: Exceptional understanding of Kenya's Early Childhood Development (ECD) space including devolution structures, national & county budget cycles, public participation frameworks, and the split mandates between various National Government (Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, National Council for Children’s Services) and devolution will be an added value.
• Communications: Demonstrate high-level strategic communication, negotiation, convincing both verbally and written communication skills. Ability to draft formal government letters and MoUs in a professional tone.
• Languages: Strong written and fluent verbal communication in English and Kiswahili. Basic understanding of the local languages will be an added advantage.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher in Education, Development Studies, Project Management with professional development competencies in teams' management and stakeholder engagement or an equivalent field.

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Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Systems Advocacy

• Drive the overarching strategic vision of the ECD systems-change initiative, ensuring all activities address root causes rather than just surface symptoms.
• Interface directly with high-level institutional stakeholders, including County Executive Committee Members (CECMs) for Education and Health, Sub-County Administrators, Members of the County Assemblies, national ECD networks and other relevant partners and stakeholders on the ground.
• Systems-Change facilitation and ensure programme goals align with institutional and policy guidelines or shifts.
• Lead formal execution of agreed commitments including signing of MoUs where needed.
• Champion the institutionalization of community-led ECD models into County integrated Development Plans (CIDPs) and annual budget allocations.

Team Management & Oversight

• Manage and collaborate with relevant field officers, independent consultants, specific specialists (gender, design & innovation, data & insights) and or evaluators.
• In collaboration with the Programme Director periodically appraise relevant team and recommend strategic role assignment and adjustment to align with emerging needs thus, maximize overall efficiencies.
• In collaboration with the Programme Director oversee contractual agreements, procurement processes and onboarding of relevant structures contributing to timely processes and results.

Risk Management & Adaptive Governance

• Identify, track, and mitigate high-level project risks (e.g., changes in county political leadership, shifting local security contexts, or systemic resistance to policy changes).
• Guide the project team through complex adaptive pivots, transforming field roadblocks into strategic levers and learning opportunities.
• In collaboration with the Programme Director convene and facilitate project steering committees, advisory boards, and donor review sessions.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Compliance

• Contribute to designing the initiative’s Learning and Measurement Evaluation (LME) Framework to facilitate timely tracking and measure systemic shifts (e.g., policy implementation, resource flows, and power dynamics).
• Compile comprehensive, high-quality progress reports, impact case studies, for donors, institutional partners, and government.
• Ensure strict adherence to all organizational and partner policy guidelines and standards are maintained at all times.

The requirements

Required Qualifications, Experiences and Skills

• Experience: 5+ years in project management within social development sector, public policy engagement, or public health sectors in Kenya. At least 2 years must be in a leadership role managing teams, partners and compiling quality donor reports. Further, demonstrate experience in delivering highly successful educational or systems-change programmes.
• Domain Expertise: Deep practical knowledge of the Kenyan Early Childhood Development (ECD) landscape, including policies and community/parental involvement, devolution structures (County government systems), and community-health frameworks (e.g., the CHP strategy), strong relationship building and maintaining positive influence amongst partners.
• Education: Master’s or bachelor’s degree in education, Project Management, Development Studies, Public Health, Social Sciences, or a related field. Professional certifications (e.g., Management Fundamentals, Understanding Systems- Change) are highly valued.
• Negotiation & Influence: Proven track record of successfully navigating government bureaucracies, building coalitions, and managing high-stakes multi-stakeholder relationships.
• Languages: Strong written and fluent verbal communication in English and Kiswahili. Basic understanding of the local languages will be an added advantage.