Focus Humanitarian Assistance

FOCUS Pakistan is looking for a seasoned and results-driven humanitarian professional with strong leadership, programme management, and operational oversight experience to lead its portfolio in Gilgit-Baltistan..The position is based in Gilgit but will require extensive travelling within the region and for official meetings at the head office in Islamabad or outside Pakistan. The incumbent will provide integrated leadership across programme implementation, operational systems, partnerships, and regional representation, ensuring effective, accountable, and high-quality delivery aligned with organizational strategy and humanitarian standards.

Core Competencies & Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Planning & Leadership

• Lead participatory development of annual and multi-year regional plans and budgets aligned with organizational strategy.
• Translate national strategies into measurable regional operational plans with clear KPIs and performance targets.
• Ensure integration of disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, gender mainstreaming, and inclusive approaches across programmes.

Programme Management & Quality Assurance

• Oversee the full programme cycle (design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting).
• Ensure timely, cost-effective, and high-quality delivery of donor-funded and internally funded projects.
• Strengthen monitoring systems to track results and ensure compliance with donor and organizational requirements.
• Lead risk identification, mitigation, and adaptive management in complex operational contexts.
• Oversee risk and conflict management related to programme implementation and organisational partnerships.

Operations & Compliance Management

• Oversee finance, procurement, logistics, administration, and IT functions within the region in compliance with organizational policies.
• Ensure strong internal controls, accountability systems, and effective budget oversight.
• Safeguard organizational assets and ensure staff safety and security protocols are implemented.

Team Leadership & Human Resource Management

• Lead and supervise multidisciplinary teams across programme and support functions.
• Foster a high-performance, inclusive, and collaborative work environment.
• Provide mentoring, performance management, and capacity development support to regional staff.

Partnership Development & Representation

• Represent FOCUS Pakistan at regional coordination forums with government authorities, AKDN agencies, donors, and partner organizations.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with provincial and district authorities.
• Contribute to resource mobilization efforts, including proposal development and donor engagement.

Knowledge Management & Innovation

• Promote documentation and dissemination of lessons learned, best practices, and impact stories.
• Encourage innovation and climate-smart, resilience-focused programming approaches.
• Facilitate cross-learning between regional and national teams.

Qualifications & Experience:
Education

• Master’s degree in Emergency Management, Disaster Risk Management, Climate Change, Environmental Sciences, Development Studies, Environmental Economics, Public Administration, Social Sciences, or a related field.
• Additional certifications in Project Management (e.g., PMP/PRINCE2), humanitarian standards, or financial management will be an added advantage.

Key Skills & Attributes

• Strategic thinking with strong operational execution capacity
• Proven leadership and team management experience
• Strong financial and budget management competence
• Excellent communication, coordination, and representation skills
• High integrity, accountability, and results orientation

Professional Experience

• Minimum 8–10 years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian response, disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, or development programming.
• At least 4–5 years in a senior management role, leading multi-sectoral teams and overseeing both programme and operational functions.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, donor-funded projects (institutional donors, bilateral agencies, or multilateral partners).
• Proven experience working in fragile, disaster-prone, or mountainous contexts — preferably in Gilgit-Baltistan or similar environments.
• Strong experience in budget management, compliance oversight, and institutional reporting.
• Experience in partnership management, coordination forums, and engagement with government authorities and development partners.

Technical Competencies

• Strong understanding of humanitarian architecture, disaster risk reduction frameworks, and climate adaptation strategies.
• Experience in settlements, resettlement planning, emergency response, and resilience-building initiatives is highly desirable.
• Sound knowledge of safeguarding, accountability to affected populations (AAP), and risk management principles.
• Familiarity with international humanitarian standards and coordination mechanisms.

Leadership & Behavioral Competencies

• Demonstrated strategic leadership and decision-making capability in dynamic environments.
• Ability to manage competing priorities under pressure while maintaining quality and accountability.
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation, and representation skills.
• High ethical standards, integrity, and commitment to humanitarian principles.
• Commitment to diversity, gender equality, and inclusive programming.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required.
• Proficiency in Urdu and/or local languages of Gilgit-Baltistan will be an asset.

The position is based in Gilgit City but will require extensive travel within the region, as well as official meetings at the head office in Islamabad or outside Pakistan.

This is a local posting only.

The last date to apply is March 8, 2026.

Social Development

Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS) is an international crisis response and disaster risk management agency dedicated to saving lives, alleviating suffering, and strengthening resilience in vulnerable communities affected by natural and man-made disasters. Through emergency relief, recovery, resettlement, and disaster risk reduction programmes, FOCUS supports communities in rebuilding safer lives and transitioning from dependence on humanitarian aid to sustainable, disaster-resilient futures. Working in close collaboration with its affiliates in Canada, the USA, and Europe, FOCUS delivers timely and effective humanitarian assistance while promoting long-term resilience and improved quality of life. As an affiliate of the Aga Khan Development Network, FOCUS partners with sister agencies, like-minded organizations, and donor partners to enhance living conditions and expand opportunities for people of all faiths and backgrounds in the regions where it operates.

South Asia

Pakistan

08-Mar-2026