PROFILE: Seasoned humanitarian and development leader with over 19 years of global experience, specializing in strategic planning, program quality enhancement, and crisis management in volatile environments. Proven track record of steering multi-disciplinary teams to deliver high-impact programs across organizations such as Save the Children, DAI, Palladium, Islamic Relief, IRC, ARC and Euro Charity Trust in regions including Asia, Africa, and Central America. I possess deep collaborative experience with various stakeholders and the most prominent donors, including BHA/USAID, UKAid/FCDO, ECHO, and EU. With academic foundations in Engineering and Management, complemented by a diploma in Sustainable Development and certifications in PMP and Project DPro, I have a robust suite of skills. My career is characterized by a keen ability to set definitive goals, strategically align resources, drive significant change, and deliver high-impact results, ensuring substantial value for investment.
PROFILE HIGHLIGHTS:
Humanitarian Involvement: I have been at the forefront of significant global humanitarian efforts, including the 2022 Pakistan floods, the 2021 Afghanistan crisis, Cyclone Idai in Malawi, the Pakistan Super Floods, the Haiti earthquake, and other significant events from 2005 to 2012.
Development Leadership: My roles have ranged from leading Sida's CSO Project and USAID's Livelihood Program in Malawi to managing DFID-funded initiatives in Pakistan, driving projects integrating community development with sustainable practices.
Strategic Planning: As a senior team member, I have spearheaded strategic planning across organizations like SCI, IRC, ARC, Islamic Relief, and Euro Charity Trust, orchestrating development strategies that align with organizational and regional goals.
Program Excellence: My expertise in designing, developing, and managing programs meets rigorous donor standards. Partnering with USAID, FCDO, SIDA, and the UN, I have directed and secured funding, ensuring compliance and exceptional performance across sectors.
Environmental Stewardship: With a solid background in environment and climate, I have worked internationally to address environmental challenges, leveraging a global perspective to implement practical solutions.
Grants and Financial Oversight: My experience extends to financial management, including budget oversight, contract negotiations, and ensuring donor compliance.
Risk Management: Skilled in risk assessment and mitigation, especially in challenging environments affected by prohibited parties, ensuring operational integrity and legal compliance.
Research and Evaluation: A seasoned MEAL expert, I have led multi-country evaluations for UNICEF and developed comprehensive monitoring systems, significantly enhancing program accountability and impact.
Thematic Focus: Development: Programme Operations, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Management, One Health Systems Integration, Public Health Policy, and Strategy
As Provincial Lead for the Fleming Fund, I direct initiatives combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) using a One Health approach, integrating human, animal, and environmental health systems. My role involves strategic planning, executing grant activities, and collaborating with government officials and stakeholders to enhance AMR surveillance and response. I lead efforts to strengthen health system capacities and advocate for sustainable, data-driven public health policies.
Key Contributions:
ü Led strategic execution of AMR initiatives, aligning with national health standards.
ü Built strong multi-sector partnerships, enhancing integrated health responses.
ü Promoted sustainable health policies, improving system effectiveness and public health outcomes.
Thematic Focus: Development: Stakeholder Engagement and Relations, Project and Financial Management, Leadership and Organizational Representation, Safety & Security
As Team Leader for the PSSD DAF in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, I served as the key liaison for external stakeholder relations, including engagements with senior government officials and partner organizations. My responsibilities centered on leading strategic project management, facilitating coordination meetings, and directing capacity-building workshops. I managed comprehensive project and financial oversight, ensuring alignment with both internal standards and external regulatory requirements, and played a pivotal role in maintaining robust safety and security protocols for the team.
Key Contributions:
ü Strengthened stakeholder relations for sustained organizational support.
ü Directed strategic project initiatives, improving operational efficiency and stakeholder satisfaction.
ü Maintained rigorous safety and security standards, ensuring a safe working environment for teams.
Thematic Focus: Development & Humanitarian: Programmes Operations, Programme Development, IP, Monitoring & Evaluation, Nutrition, WASH, Education, CP& CRG, Shelter, Relief, Rehabilitation, Donor Liaison, Safety & SecurityAs a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), I am responsible for overseeing and ensuring strategic development of high quality, evidence based, innovative programs, in all settings and contexts that deliver immediate and lasting change for children and contribute to Save the Children’s global breakthroughs: Learn, Survive and Be Protected.Keeping track of Country Strategic Plan (CSP) roll-out, analyse its pace/implementation and to identify solutions to challenges. Designing robust learning and knowledge management processes are ensures rolling those out.As Programs Director, effectively and efficiently coordinating operations systems, processes and activities so that programs are delivered on time according to organisational strategy, donor requirements and within allocated budgets. Taking lead on aspects related to staffing structure and management, security and logistics planning for program implementation, and implementation of M&E systems.Leading on achievement of the global Operations and Programme KPIs, and contribute to achievement of other global KPIs.
Thematic Focus: Humanitarian and Development: Programme Operations with a focus on, Health & Nutrition, Livelihood & FSL, Relief & Rehabilitation, WASH, Shelter
During my short tenure with AAH, I have contributed to the overall design and delivery of the programmes in respect to the Country Strategy: Key areas:
Consultative development of the country Programme strategy
Operational management of all technical sectors
Ensured accountability to beneficiaries, government counterparts and donors
Recruited and inducted staff in PD/grants, programmes, MEAL, IM, research, operations
Initiated to develop systems for project development, Programmes, MEAL, research and operations
Thematic Focus: Evaluation, Female Gentile Mutilation, End Child Marriage, Community Engagement, C4D, Social Norms
Responsible for leading and managing Evaluation, financial and administrative aspects of the Multi Country Evaluation assignment.Leading a skilled, professional team to plan and implement this multi-country evaluation which have two purposes: accountability and learning.This evaluation will provide both the donor (vertical accountability) and the expected beneficiaries (horizontal accountability) with solid evidence on the extent to which community engagement interventions to reduce child marriage and/or FGM in each one of the concerned countries have attained their envisaged objectives.With respect to learning, this evaluation is expected not only to inform the programme implementation strategies in the years to come but it will also shed some light on some potential corrective actions that need to be explored further in the future.
Thematic Focus: Organizational Development, Program Development, Grants Management, Baselines, Monitoring & Evaluation, Hospital Administration, Health Mobile Clinics (Health on Boats Project), WASH, Education, Shelter, Relief, Rehabilitation, Donor Liaison, Safety & SecurityAs country head, was responsible for leading and managing programmatic, financial and administrative aspects of the Malawi program. Led a skilled, professional team to plan and implement a range of programs. Developed and executed a country-specific strategic plan, annual operational plans, and generated new funding to secure program expansion. Being the primary representative in Malawi, worked hard to maintain technical leadership, expanded the country program, and maintained strong partnerships by ensuring strong collaboration with local government, international donors and collaborators.Key Accomplishments:
Developed and rolled out the country strategy Management Toll kit prepared and trained all the senior staff member
Floating hospitals (Hospital on boats -innovation) introduced to reach the remote islands
Heavy machinery reg machines introduced & reduced drilling time from one week to six hours
Consulting – Systems Management
Establishing project management and project offices, set-up and optimization of processes, portfolio management. Ensuring project quality, outside assessment and feedback. Establishing and Empowering Startup Businesses through coaching and mentoring i.e. Business/organizational structure, staff recruiting, office setup till sustainable operationalization.
Professional Development
Trainings-Hard skills: Planning, project management, efficiency assessment
Soft skills: Self-improvement, leadership & motivation, teamwork
Simulations: Training in realistic project simulation, intense experience and feedback.
Thematic Focus: Grantees Management, Program Development (Proposals), Research, Baseline, Monitoring & Evaluation, Primary Health Care, WASH, Education, TGs, Voice, Advocacy & Accountability, Donor Liaison, Govt & Parliamentarian Coordination, Safety & Security
Initiated and devised appropriate as well as innovative solutions by executing partners funded under the grant to achieve overall objectives. Delivered technical oversight and supervised work-plan of the grants, and scheduled resources to meet delivery requirements and customer/beneficiaries needs of the enterprise services. Developed, nurtured, and led on key strategic relationships to respond to appropriate opportunities to enhance external engagement and knowledge exchange activities Key
Accomplishments:
Assured programmatic success in the direction and evidence of the project in accordance with the original innovation envisaged public health system of Pakistan & DFID.
Functioned in close collaboration with various stakeholders, such as DFID, Government, Parliamentarian and Media, and guaranteed buy-in of the grant projects for scalability, reliability, and ownership
Ensured Value for money in all grants through innovative approaches & devised Grants Manual for the organization Thematic Focus as CE Manager: Capacity Building, Human Development, Empowerment, RME, Voice & Accountability, Advocacy and Primary Health Care including Nutrition Key Accomplishments:
Spearheaded a sizeable team for direct and indirect staff members and managed a multi-million GBP project funded by DFID for health governance, community empowerment, voice, accountability, and advocacy.
Organized research, monitoring, and evaluation teams along through MIS and project/program management tools to assure quality deliverables.
As a Lead Development Consultant, I played a crucial role in the growth of organization, helped to identify business weaknesses and actualizing opportunities for growth. Backed up by a thorough understanding of business administration. Worked with the key decision-makers within the company and colleagues working in sales, marketing and accounts.
My role to included the following tasks and areas of responsibility:
Identified new business opportunities, Developed networks with potential customers.
Devising different strategies with orientation and capacity building
Liaising with colleagues and making sure aims are shared and worked towards.
Delivered project management training i.e. PMP, PMD Pro-01, Entrepreneurs Mentoring
Thematic Focus: Relief & Rehabilitation, Water Sanitation & Hygiene Promotion, Shelter, School & Health Facilities Construction, Disaster Risk Reduction, Renewable Energies, Product and Process Innovation, Primary Health Care, Mental health, Livelihood, Islamic Micro Finance, Orphan, IPs (Grants) managementI worked on three positions with Islamic Relief i.e. Head of Programmes, National Programme Manager and Provincial Programme Manager actively liaised with the program development teams to design and devise new proposals & programs; and supervised development program team along with 05 Provincial Area Offices under the above thematic areas. Managed IPs, Engaged Stakeholders, and Liaised with Donors & the Government of Pakistan for smooth program implementation. Extended support to Islamic Relief Programs in other countries including Afghanistan, the UK, and China through best management practices.
Key Accomplishment:
Successfully delivered as Interim Country Director IR Pakistan for 04 Months
Managed various projects (worth multi million GBP) successfully with a widespread presence throughout Pakistan and AJK
Initiated renewable energy (solar systems) project for 1000 household in the inaccessibly areas of Baluchistan
Trained field office staff on Project Management Tools & Techniques which added value to the programme quality
Managed country program according to the country strategy and established a robust MIS system for quality assurance at field level.
Established and integrated sectorial and thematic strategies at field level in line to the country strategy
Secondment
Earthquake Haiti Emergency Response Team
Thematic Focus: IDPs Camp Management, Shelter construction, BHUs Constructions, Water Sanitation, DRR, M&E, primary Health Care, GBV/Protection, Psychosocial support
Provided Socio-technical support and advice to the Managers and Deputy WatSan Managers, WatSan Engineers, WatSan Technicians, and Health Field staff to ensure successful project (s) conclusion on budget, on scope and schedule. Ensured Accountability for handling projects in Baluchistan, AJK-Kashmir, and Pakistan earthquake affected areas, flood affected areas and Refugees camps.Key Accomplishment:
Served as a Senior Program Coordinator successfully and led a team under the above thematic to design project proposal for internally displaced persons from Swat, Malakand in 2009.
Proficiently managed USAID-OFDA projects for IDPs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from project initiation to implementation, monitoring, and evaluation followed by closures.
Designed the ARC Country Strategy as a leading member
Introduced ARC to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and got the NoCs from the Govt through effective coordination with authorities
Thematic Focus: Proposal Development, Health Facilities Construction, Water Sanitation, Community Development & Hygiene Promotion, Donor Liaison & NetworkingWith IRC I worked as EH Manager and as Snr Health Infrastructure Manager, led the whole Project/Program Design, Planning, Execution, Monitoring and Evaluation and managed Environmental Health Managers to build coordination with local Govt authorities and UN Agencies for the health infrastructure along with water and sanitation projects smooth implementation in the Earthquake affected areas of Northern Pakistan. All progress/status reports Monthly, Quarterly (internally and externally) disseminated in time.
Key Accomplishments:
Introduced Project Management Tools and Techniques in the fragile environment which saved our time, efforts and other resources
Ensured proper Supply and procurement of construction materials and kept tracking of expenses and follow up on budgets.
Led the WASH Cluster with Unicef in Mansehra where more than 100 INGOs/NGOs responding the Earthquake Emergency
Remained an active part of the proposal development team, secured one of IRC’s large program funding i.e. PRIDE (Better Health)
Two months assignment to support Cross border programme for Afghan Refugees
He is a good team leader and having above the mark skills to motivate staff for the accomplishment of tasks.
Good work accomplished by Ghulam Farooq Khan.He brings passion,enthusiasm and generosity to his work.