AGA KHAN FOUNDATION (INDIA)
TERMS OF REFERENCE
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Position Name:
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Consultant - Technical Specialist Training and Capacity Building
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Location:
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Patna, Bihar
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Duration:
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December 2026 – August 2027 (9 months)
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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.
Background: As part of the Government of Bihar’s Satat Jeevikoparjan Yojana Shahari (SJY-Urban), the state rural livelihoods mission (JEEViKA) is leading the implementation of an urban livelihood enhancement programme, co-designed with BRAC International, as part of its Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative. SJY- Urban has four key pillars: (i) facilitating social protection to support basic income security and immediate needs (e.g. - food consumption support, crises relief, access to health and education); (ii) livelihoods promotion consisting of an asset transfer, skills training or cash transfer to manage the asset or access employment/ self-employment opportunities; (iii) financial inclusion to ensure direct access to convenient formal or informal financial services; and (iv) social empowerment through regular training and capacity building and life skills support to build confidence and resilience. The programme is under implementation in selected urban wards in the cities of Patna and Gaya. Given its wide-ranging experience and ongoing implementation of livelihood development programmes in Bihar, particularly for the most vulnerable, AKF is partnering with JEEViKA and BRAC International to provide technical support to operationalize livelihood ecosystem approaches and pathways in the urban context under this programme. AKF is part of the Project Management Unit, based at the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (BRLPS) (JEEViKA) and works closely with BRLPS and key government departments including the State Urban Livelihood Mission, the Urban Development and Housing Department and the Bihar Skill Development Mission. AKF also works closely with other implementing partners (Mobile Creches, Mahila Housing Trust, Project Concern International) on specific elements of the integrated programme focused on improving livelihoods for the urban ultrapoor.
Position Summary: The Technical Specialist - Training & Capacity Building will provide strategic and technical leadership for the design, development, delivery, and quality assurance of training and capacity-building interventions under the urban ultra-poor graduation programme. The incumbent will support programme participants, youth, Master Resource Persons (MRPs), and field teams through competency-based training, coaching, mentoring, and institutional capacity-strengthening initiatives. The position will work closely with the Technical Specialist - Urban Livelihood Development, Programme Management Unit (PMU), and field teams to ensure that training interventions are responsive to participant needs, aligned with identified livelihood pathways, and contribute to sustainable livelihood outcomes for vulnerable urban households.
Objectives of the Assignment: The primary objectives of the position are to:
- Design and develop training, coaching, and capacity-building curriculum aligned with identified livelihood pathways.
- Strengthen the capacities of programme participants, youth, MRPs, and field staff through structured learning interventions.
- Ensure effective integration of training and coaching within the graduation programme framework.
- Facilitate convergence with relevant government schemes, livelihood programmes, and skill development initiatives.
- Support documentation, learning, and dissemination of programme experiences and best practices.
Scope of Work: The Technical Specialist - Training & Capacity Building will be responsible for the following:
1. Training Design and Curriculum Development:
- Design and periodically update training, coaching, and capacity-building curriculum for identified livelihood pathways.
- Develop facilitator guides, training modules, assessment tools, and learning materials.
- Ensure the use of participatory, practical, and competency-based learning approaches.
- Integrate emerging livelihood opportunities, market requirements, and sectoral best practices into training content.
- Support in youth identification from SJY households for different trainings as per the opportunity available locally.
2. Training Delivery and Capacity Building:
- Plan and facilitate training programmes for programme participants, youth, MRPs, Cluster Coordinators, and other stakeholders.
- Support implementation of formal and informal skill development programmes, including onthe-job training where applicable.
- Strengthen facilitation, coaching, and mentoring capacities of MRPs and field teams.
- Monitor training quality and assess learning outcomes through appropriate tools and methodologies.
3. Programme Implementation Support:
- Support identification and mobilization of eligible households and programme participants.
- Provide technical guidance to field teams for implementation of training and coaching interventions.
- Mentor Cluster Coordinators and community-level cadres through regular field engagement and coaching.
- Participate in programme review meetings and provide technical recommendations for programme improvement.
4. Stakeholder Coordination and Convergence:
- Facilitate linkages with government schemes, skill development missions, livelihood programmes, and relevant institutions.
- Coordinate with training providers, technical agencies, employers, and market actors to strengthen livelihood opportunities.
- Support convergence efforts that contribute to participant employability, self-employment, and enterprise development.
5. Knowledge Management and Documentation:
- Document programme learnings, innovations, best practices, and case studies.
- Develop reports, presentations, fact sheets, concept notes, and communication materials.
- Support organization of workshops, exposure visits, learning events, and dissemination activities.
6. Other Responsibilities:
- Undertake any additional assignments and responsibilities assigned by the Technical Specialist - Skill & Enterprise Development and Programme Management.
Key Deliverables: The Technical Specialist shall deliver:
- Training and coaching curriculum developed and updated for identified livelihood pathways.
- Annual, quarterly, and monthly training plans.
- Training modules, facilitator guides, and assessment tools.
- Capacity-building interventions for participants, youth, MRPs, and field teams as per programme plans.
- Regular mentoring and coaching support to Cluster Coordinators and MRPs.
- Monthly, quarterly, and annual progress reports related to training and capacity-building activities.
- Case studies, success stories, learning notes, and technical briefs.
- Presentations and knowledge products for internal and external stakeholders.
- Recommendations for strengthening training quality, participant performance, and programme outcomes.
- Convergence strategies and partnership initiatives supporting participant livelihood opportunities.
Duration of Engagement: The position is a full-time contractual engagement for a period of 10 months, with the possibility of extension based on programme requirements, performance, and availability of funding.
Required Qualifications and Experience:
- Master’s degree in Social Work, Rural Development/Management, Sustainable Development, Education, Livelihoods, Skill Development, or a related field from a recognized institution.
- Minimum 7 years of experience in livelihood promotion, skill development, workforce development, training, and capacity-building programmes, including curriculum design and training facilitation.
- Demonstrated experience working with marginalized and vulnerable communities; experience with government programmes, development agencies, or NGOs preferred.
- Strong technical expertise in livelihood and entrepreneurship ecosystems, adult learning methodologies, participatory training approaches, coaching, mentoring, and community-based capacity building.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation, planning, coordination, problem-solving, documentation, reporting, and analytical skills, with the ability to work independently and in multidisciplinary teams.
- Proficiency in English and Hindi, commitment to serving vulnerable communities, and willingness to undertake extensive travel across programme locations and field areas.
How To apply
Please apply by 22nd November 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.akf.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.