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Terms of Reference 

Program Manager, Foundations for Health and 
Empowerment 

Location: Ottawa, Ontario 

 About AKFC 
Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) is an international development 
organization and registered charity. AKFC partners with communities, businesses, 
and governments to find innovative, lasting solutions to global challenges. 
Working in Africa and Asia, we invest in local institutions and systems that anchor 
progress over the long term. In Canada, AKFC mobilizes funding and expertise, 
and promotes awareness of global issues. AKFC is an agency of the Aga Khan 
Development Network, one of the world’s most comprehensive development 
organizations. Since 1980, AKFC has helped millions of women and men to unlock 
their own potential to build a better life. Learn more at akfc.ca. 

Position Summary 

AKFC is seeking an experienced Program Manager to oversee the overall grant 
management of the Foundations for Health and Empowerment (F4HE) program 
that is co-funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and AKFC. The Program 
Manager will provide oversight, leadership, and coordination support to all F4HE 
implementing partners to ensure the project is implemented on time, on budget, 
achieving all intended project outcomes, and remaining compliant to all donor 
requirements. The Program Manager will work closely with AKFC, the F4HE 
Regional Team, AKF’s Global Partnerships Team and Global Program Team, and 
various AKDN implementing agencies in each of the F4HE countries. 

F4HE (2020-2027) is active in five countries (Afghanistan, India, Kyrgyz Republic, 
Pakistan and Tajikistan). With a budget of $67.3 million (GAC: $49 million, AKFC: 
$18.3 million), F4HE aims toâ¯improve the health and wellbeing, and enhance the 
equitable development and empowerment, of women, girls, their families, and 
their communities.â¯F4HE is comprised of four components: Foundations for 
Health (F4H), Foundations for Children (F4C), Advancing Gender Equality 
through Civil Society (AGECS), and Advancing Canadian Champions for 
Development (ACCD). F4HE is executed by the Aga Khan Foundation Canada 
(AKFC) and implemented by Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) units in each country, 
in partnership with Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS), Aga Khan Education 

<a href="https://www.akfc.ca/" target="_blank">https://www.akfc.ca/</a>
<a href="https://www.akfc.ca/our-work/foundations-for-health-and-empowerment/" target="_blank">https://www.akfc.ca/our-work/foundations-for-health-and-empowerment/</a>

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Services (AKES), Aga Khan University (AKU), and University of Central Asia 
(UCA), and in close collaboration with local government, communities and civil 
society organizations (CSOs). 

The Program Manager for F4HE will be based in Canada (Ottawa, Ontario), with 
travel of up to 30% per year to project countries. Support is provided for relocation 
to Ottawa if necessary. 

The Program Manager will report to the Senior Manager, Programs and 
Partnerships. 

The starting salary range for this position is between $82,000 and $90,000 per 
year, alongside a competitive benefits package. 

Responsibilities 
 • Act as focal point for the F4HE grant and provide overall guidance, oversight, quality 

control and coordination for the project. 

 • Build relationships and maintain coordinated communications with AKFC, the F4HE 
Regional Team, AKF’s Global Partnerships Team and Global Program Team, AKF country 
units, AKDN implementing agencies and other local partners. 

 • Be responsible and accountable for all F4HE reporting and donor compliance 
requirements, including the preparation and submission of annual work plans, quarterly 
and annual technical and financial reports, and other deliverables as stipulated in the 
F4HE Grant Agreement. 

 • Analyze project performance on output and outcome indicators and other results-based 
management (RBM) and monitoring and evaluation benchmarks, and recommend and 
implement procedural changes to improve operations to meet objectives. 

 • Ensure integration of gender equality considerations in all aspect of program design, 
implementation and management. 

 • Collaborate with AKFC, AKF country units’ finance teams and the F4HE Regional Finance 
Manager to ensure timely and quality financial reports are produced and shared with 
AKFC. 

 • Analyze, synthesize, and articulate the lessons, challenges, and risks emerging from the 
project, working with the F4HE Regional Team, AKF country units, and AKDN partners 
to integrate these into project planning and implementation. 

 • Support the F4HE Regional Team in the implementation of the project’s Learning Agenda 
to inform and improve policy and practices in health, early childhood development, and 
gender equality both nationally and within the region. 


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 • Coordinate the planning and execution of regional events and workshops together with 
the F4HE Regional Team, AKF country units, and local administration teams. 

 • Ensure AKF country units and AKDN agencies are supported and provided with 
information to engage GAC counterparts at their country level and connect these efforts 
with AKFC in Ottawa for coordination and consistency. 

 • Organize F4HE governance meetings, including for the Project Oversight Committee, the 
Project Steering Committee, and the Sub-Project Steering Committees. 

 • Prepare briefing notes, summaries, background papers and program analysis for a variety 
of audiences as needed and assigned. 

Qualifications &amp; Experience 
 • Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, such as international development. 

 • Minimum of five to seven (5-7) years of experience in a program and grant management 
role, preferably including at least two (2) years in a position based in a developing country. 

 • Exceptional written and oral communication skills in English. 

 • Experience working on grant management or program management on international 
development projects funded by institutional donors, including experience meeting donor 
criteria in reporting, work planning, RBM, and monitoring and evaluation. 

 • Experience working on large-scale projects funded by GAC. Knowledge of, and experience 
with, results-based management, preferably for GAC programming. 

 • Knowledge of key concepts in gender equality and women’s empowerment and experience 
with integrating and implementing these concepts in programs. 

 • Knowledge of, and experience with, financial management, preferably for GAC 
programming. 

 • Demonstrated capacity to respect and safeguard vulnerable populations. 

 • Ability to work irregular hours in order to accommodate the needs of the project and the 
overseas project teams. 

 • Ability to travel up to 30% of time per year to F4HE countries. 

Essential Skills and Attributes 
 • Ability to work well in teams and particularly teams that span across multiple geographies 

and time zones. 

 • Capacity to work independently, take initiative and manage a variety of activities 
simultaneously while meeting strict reporting deadlines and keeping colleagues and senior 
managers well informed. 


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 • Ability to facilitate collaborative and participatory processes with partners and 
stakeholders. 

 • Superb analytical, organizational, negotiation and problem-solving skills. Proven 
interpersonal and communication skills in diverse and cross-cultural settings. 

 • Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge through training, capacity building and 
mentoring. 

 • Ability to work in challenging contexts with patience, perseverance, and flexibility. 

 • Demonstrated intercultural competence and ability to adapt professional skills to fit local 
conditions and constraints. 


Apply 

Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter and resume via email to <a href="mailto:akfc.hr@akdn.org" target="_blank">akfc.hr@akdn.org</a> 
indicating “Program Manager, Foundations for Health and Empowerment” in the 
subject line. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Short-listed candidates will be 
invited for an interview and asked to complete a written assignment. 

Deadline for submissions: August 8, 2025 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. 
Please note that applicants must be eligible to work in Canada, and should confirm their 
eligibility in the cover letter. 

AKFC is committed to advancing gender equality and inclusion through our programming and 
operations in Canada and overseas. AKFC requires all employees to review and abide by the 
AKFC Gender Equality Policy. 

AKFC recognizes the importance of safeguarding and is committed to ensuring it manages a 
wide range of risks such that beneficiaries, staff, other associates and the organization as a 
whole are kept safe from harm. 

AKFC welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations 
are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. 

<a href="mailto:AKFC.HR@akdn.org" target="_blank">mailto:AKFC.HR@akdn.org</a>
<a href="https://www.akfc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AKFC-Gender-Equality-Policy.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.akfc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AKFC-Gender-Equality-Policy.pdf</a>
<a href="https://www.akfc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/AKF-Safeguarding-Manual-July-2020-v.2-compressed.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.akfc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/AKF-Safeguarding-Manual-July-2020-v.2-compressed.pdf</a>

<ul>	<li>Terms of Reference</li>
	<li>Program Manager, Foundations for Health and Empowerment</li>
	<li>About AKFC</li>
<ul>	<li>Position Summary</li>
	<li>Responsibilities</li>
	<li>Qualifications &amp; Experience</li>
	<li>Essential Skills and Attributes</li>
</ul>
</ul>

1 Aga Khan Foundation Canada Job