Designation: Program Manager
Reporting to: Executive Director
No. of Position: 1
Preferred: Only Female Candidates
Position Summary
The Program Manager shall serve as the senior programmatic leader of the organization, providing strategic, and technical leadership to ensure the effective implementation of AALI's Vision, Mission, and Strategic Framework.
The person shall be responsible for strengthening program quality, institutional systems, implementation strategies, and organizational effectiveness while ensuring that all program interventions uphold the organization's values, legal framework, and commitment towards gender equality, equity, and egalitarian society.
The Program Manager shall mentor program leadership, strengthen institutional capacities, guide evidence-based decision-making, and promote a culture of accountability, excellence, innovation, and continuous learning across the organization.
Key Result Areas (KRAs) & Responsibilities
1. Strategic Program Leadership
• Provide strategic leadership for the planning, implementation, review, and continuous strengthening of all program interventions.
• Translate the organization's strategic priorities into effective program strategies and implementation plans.
• Ensure that program interventions remain aligned with AALI's Vision, Mission, Strategic Framework, and organizational objectives.
• Identify institutional challenges, and implementation risks, and recommend strategic solutions.
• Provide strategic inputs to the Executive Director on program priorities, organizational planning, and institutional development.
2. Program Quality, Monitoring & Performance
• Establish and oversee systems for program planning, monitoring, evaluation, learning, and quality assurance.
• Ensure timely, effective, and high-quality implementation of program activities across all thematic areas.
• Monitor & Review program performance against approved plans and organizational priorities and recommend corrective measures wherever necessary.
• Promote evidence-based planning, program improvement, and continuous organizational learning.
• Ensure effective documentation of program achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and impact.
3. Leadership, Mentoring & Team Development
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and professional guidance to Program Coordinators, Consultants, and program teams.
• Build leadership capacity within the organization by developing second-line and third-line leadership and promoting ownership and accountability.
• Strengthen collaboration, coordination, and effective communication across program units.
• Conduct periodic program reviews and provide strategic guidance for continuous improvement.
• Foster a work culture that encourages innovation, teamwork, learning, and professional excellence.
4. Program Systems & Institutional Strengthening
• Strengthen program implementation systems, internal processes, and quality standards across the organization.
• Identify institutional gaps and recommend systems and process improvements that enhance program effectiveness and organizational sustainability.
• Promote institutional learning through knowledge management, documentation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
5. Organizational Governance & Compliance
• Ensure program implementation complies with applicable laws, statutory requirements, organizational policies, donor obligations, and internal governance standards.
• Strengthen program accountability through effective planning, monitoring, documentation, and reporting systems.
• Support organizational compliance relating to Trust governance, program documentation, internal controls, and institutional processes.
• Promote ethical conduct, transparency, professionalism, and accountability across program operations.
6. Strategic Advisory Role
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the Executive Director on program effectiveness, institutional priorities, organizational strengthening, and emerging sectoral developments.
• Provide programmatic perspectives during discussions relating to prospective partnerships, organizational growth, and institutional sustainability.
• Undertake any additional responsibilities assigned by the Executive Director in furtherance of the organization's mission and strategic objectives.
Educational Qualifications
Essential
• Bachelor's Degree in Law (LL.B.) from a Tire-1 university.
Preferred
• Master's Degree in Law (LL.M.) or Postgraduate qualification in Human Rights, Gender Studies, Public Policy, Development Studies, Social Work, Development Management, or a related discipline.
• Professional certifications in Program Management, Project Management, Monitoring & Evaluation, Organizational Development, Governance, or Human Rights will be an added advantage.
Experience
i) Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible experience in program leadership within a reputed non-profit organization, civil society organization, or development sector institution.
ii) Demonstrated experience in leading multidisciplinary program teams and managing complex program portfolios.
iii) Proven experience in program planning, implementation, monitoring, institutional strengthening, legal analysis, policy interpretation, and organizational systems development.
iv) Sound understanding of Trust governance, statutory compliances, organizational policies, and program management within the non-profit sector.
Core Competencies :
i) Strategic Leadership: Ability to provide visionary leadership and translate organizational priorities into effective program strategies and measurable outcomes.
ii) Program Management: Strong expertise in program planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, quality assurance, and impact assessment.
iii) Critical Thinking: Ability to strengthen institutional systems, establish effective program processes, identify organizational gaps, and develop sustainable solutions that improve program quality and organizational effectiveness.
iv) Leadership & People Development: Demonstrated ability to mentor, coach, and develop high-performing teams while fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous professional growth.
v) Organizational Governance: Strong understanding of Trust governance, statutory compliances, organizational policies, internal controls, ethical standards, and accountability frameworks.
vi) Analytical & Decision-Making Skills: Excellent analytical, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities with a strategic and solution-oriented approach.
vii) Communication & Knowledge Management: Excellent drafting, facilitation, presentation, documentation, and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate complex legal and programmatic issues.