POSITION DESCRIPTION
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Position Name:
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Project Manager (Strengthening Early Childhood Ecosystems)
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Position Location:
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New Delhi
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Reporting To:
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Programme Officer – Early Childhood Development
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Position Tenure:
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Up to April 2029, renewable as per programme funding and need
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About the Aga Khan Foundation (India)
The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a leading global development organization working to tackle the root causes of poverty. For almost 50 years, AKF has helped create strong community institutions that support sustainable, locally driven initiatives to improve the lives of millions of people. AKF's programmes aim to ensure that infants have the best possible start in life, families are healthy and well-nourished, children and young people can access quality learning opportunities and grow to fulfil their potential, and adults can develop future-facing skills so they can gain employment or start their own businesses. We believe that women and young girls should not be limited in their choices or opportunities and are dedicated to fostering inclusive communities in which all voices are heard and valued. As our climate changes, we are working with the communities we serve, and especially farmers, to adapt to its challenges and opportunities and contribute to a healthy planet. But the issues we face are evolving rapidly. To meet them, we use innovation to empower communities to develop new solutions that can be quickly tested and refined, ensuring they are relevant, feasible and sustainable. Through partnerships with local communities, government agencies and programmes, we are building a future where we all thrive together.
AKF primarily works across seven thematic areas - agriculture, building community resilience to climate change, work and enterprise, education, early childhood development, WASH, health and nutrition, and strengthening community institutions to sustain and lead development interventions.
AKF started its operations in India in 1978 and implements programmes in both rural and urban areas across four states (Bihar, Delhi, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh). AKF's current interventions are under implementation across 1635 villages and 93 urban wards, benefiting 3.9 million people, 2/3rd of whom are women.
Project Details
The project strengthens the quality of Early Childhood Development services by integrating gender equity and socio-emotional learning as cross-cutting components across home, Anganwadi Centres, and community settings. Through improved pedagogy, caregiver engagement, and system partnerships, it aims to enhance foundational learning, reduce early learning gaps, and promote equitable early learning opportunities for all children.
Position Summary
The Project Manager (Strengthening Early Childhood Ecosystems) will lead the implementation of AKF’s ECD programme in Patna and Muzaffarpur in Bihar and Vikarabad in Telangana, strengthening all aspects of programme design, execution, and monitoring. The role will focus on ensuring highquality field implementation, liaising with government officials at district and state levels, and supporting coordination across programme components. The Programme Manager will collaborate closely with the State and National team to design and test innovative models, document learnings, and support scale-up of successful approaches.
Key responsibilities include overseeing programme implementation and donor reporting, ensuring visibility and recognition of the programme at block and district levels, and conducting field visits to monitor quality. The role entails quarterly programme reviews for reflection, supporting timely procurement and grant management processes, and providing strategic and operational support as required.
This is a demanding and fast-paced role that offers an opportunity to contribute to AKF’s growing influence in ECD at both state and national levels through evidence-driven, community-based initiatives.
Key Responsibilities Programme Management (25%)
- Lead the implementation of programme activities to ensure delivery against agreed milestones and targets. Prepare annual work plans and budgets, and ensure implementation of grant management procedures, in conformity with AKF and donor agency guidelines.
- Develop effective monitoring and feedback mechanisms. Review the programme periodically, including regular field visits, to support and guide the team, ensure that the project is on track, identify gaps in delivery, and devise strategies to reduce implementation gaps, as needed.
- Manage a team of academic coordinators/training leads/consultants, district/project coordinators, and ECD facilitators to facilitate the programme activities.
- Responsible for all grant management activities, including regular reviews of implementation progress, and tracking of programme implementation and impact.
- Ensure compliance on deliverables and budgets and drive non-negotiables.
- Support the development of donor progress reports, both technical and financial.
- Assist in the timely execution of grant management procedures, in conformity with AKF and donor agency guidelines.
- Document learnings and best practices from field implementation and facilitate cross-learning between states.
- Provide technical support to strengthen the quality and impact of ECD programmes across implementation states – this will include training and capacity building of field implementation teams.
- Coordinate with the Finance team for budget planning, expenditure tracking, and financial reporting.
- Ensure timely fund requests, disbursement, and effective utilization of donor funds.
- Monitor budget variance and support in revising financial projections as per programme needs.
- Ensure compliance with donor financial guidelines and organizational policies.
- Facilitate donor field visits and respond to information requests as needed.
- Prepare periodic progress reports (monthly, quarterly, annual) for internal and donor submission.
- Ensure adherence to donor reporting formats, timelines, and communication protocols.
- Interface with vendors / suppliers to ensure that project related materials are procured and reach the intended place / stakeholder in a timely manner.
Training and technical support (25%)
- Facilitate the training of team members to build their capacities on pedagogy, facilitation, and other areas relevant to the programme.
- Organise and facilitate workshops/training for AWW, PRI, SHGs and any other relevant stakeholders.
- Mentor the team so that they can support government functionaries - Anganwadi supervisors, Anganwadi workers, Anganwadi helpers, PRI, SHG and parents/caregivers.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Results and Learning (15%)
- Support the development of M&E processes and ensure that outputs and outcomes are measured properly and regularly.
- Support the development of donor progress reports, both technical and financial, and any other programme updates as required for other internal/external stakeholders.
- Document processes, learnings and best practices from field implementation. Ensure regular exchange of knowledge among team members, other colleagues across AKF and government officials.
- Provide feedback to the national team and closely work with them to design iterate, and deliver new initiatives required by communities, in alignment with AKF's strategy, national and state priorities.
- Compile case studies and field stories for knowledge sharing.
Government liaison and partnerships (25%)
- Liaise with Education, ICDS and other government departments relevant to the programme at the state and district level. Share reports and technical notes on best practices and learnings with the government to enable the adoption and scale-up of the programme.
- Support the development of technical partnerships and collaborations with other agencies active in the district and state, especially those who are members of the state ECCE consortium.
- Coordinate with, and provide necessary support to, other agencies/experts who are engaged in specialist activities for the project.
Other activities (10%)
- Organise meetings, workshops, and project visits for internal or external groups, as required.
- Support resource mobilization for the programme, including the development of presentations, project briefs, funding proposals and detailed budgets.
- Any other responsibilities assigned by the Programme Officer – Early Childhood Development, as per organizational requirements
Required Qualifications and Skills
- Master's (post-graduate) degree in education / social work / social science / any relevant field.
- Minimum 3-5 years of relevant professional experience, especially in ECD/ECCE programmes.
- Experience of working with government departments at district or block level.
- Good understanding of government policies and programmes on education and ECD.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Hindi.
- Good documentation, data analysis and presentation skills. Proficiency in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint is required.
- Excellent interpersonal and team skills - needs to lead a diverse team.
- Excellent project management and coordination skills.
- Strong facilitation skills and ability to facilitate workshops through participatory methods.
- Analytical, articulate and well versed with the subject to communicate effectively and succinctly with a wider audience.
- Conversant with emerging technologies in the education and development sector.
- Excellent time management skills with demonstrated ability to prioritize.
- Willing to travel extensively to project locations.
- Solution-oriented and creative. Needs to be comfortable dealing with ambiguity and respond flexibly to a changing field situation.
- Committed to improving lives among India's most marginalized communities and shares a sense of urgency about development.
How To apply
Please submit your updated CV, accompanied by a cover letter stating the reasons for your interest in the position by 30th April 2026 using the link below –
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.
All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks. AKF also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. You can find out more on this scheme on this link: https://misconduct-disclosure-scheme.org