About the Organization:

Accountability Lab (AL) is a nonprofit think-and-do tank dedicated to enhancing governance through the empowerment of active citizens, responsible leaders, and accountable institutions, thereby fostering social and economic change. The Lab focuses on empowering youth, civil society organizations, and government institutions through a diverse range of interventions centered on human resource development, innovation, technology adoption, and citizen-centric policymaking, all aimed at enhancing accountability and promoting inclusive governance

Position Summary
The Programs and M&E Manager is responsible for leading the effective planning, delivery, and oversight of Accountability Lab Pakistan’s (ALP) program portfolio. The role ensures that projects are strategically designed, efficiently implemented, and aligned with donor requirements and organizational priorities. This includes translating strategic objectives into actionable work plans, managing day-to-day program execution, and ensuring timely delivery of outputs and outcomes with measurable impact. A core component of the position is the establishment and management of robust Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) systems that generate reliable data, drive evidence-based decision-making, and promote adaptive management and continuous improvement across all initiatives. In addition, the Programs and M&E Manager will play a central role in stakeholders’ coordination and donor engagement. The position requires cultivating strong partnerships with government counterparts, donors, civil society, academia, media, and community actors while serving as a trusted focal point for program reporting, compliance, and visibility. The incumbent also provides strategic guidance to senior leadership on emerging trends, risks, and opportunities within the development landscape, while mentoring and supervising program and MEL teams to foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and high performance. Through strategic direction and operational excellence, the role ensures that ALP’s programs deliver sustainable results and reinforce the organization’s credibility as a leading governance and accountabilityactor in Pakistan.
Duty Station
Islamabad, Pakistan, with frequent domestic travel to project locations.

Duration
Full-time; 12-month.
Remuneration
Rs. 250,000 – 300,000
Reporting & Line Management
Reports to Director Programs and Executive Director

Application Process:
Eligible applicants are invited to submit their CVs and Cover Letter to
[email protected] by September 5, 2025. The deadline will be strictly observed.
The cover letter must introduce the applicant, her/his background as it relates to the above
qualifications, a statement of the applicant’s motivation in applying for this position, and the
first possible starting date should the applicant be selected.
The shortlisted candidates will be contacted within two weeks after the closing date for an
interview.

Primary Responsibilities
Strategic Guidance & Direction
• Provide overall strategic guidance to ALP’s programs, ensuring alignment with
organizational mission, country strategy, and evolving donor priorities.

• Support the Director Programs and Executive Director in shaping medium- and long-
term strategies, programmatic directions, and institutional growth pathways.

• Identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities in Pakistan’s development sector and
advise senior leadership on program positioning and resource mobilization.
• Actively participate in strategic reviews and annual portfolio planning processes,
ensuring integration of learning and evidence into strategic decision-making.
• Guide the development of organizational approaches and frameworks for adaptive
programming, innovation, and sustainability.
Program Leadership & Delivery
• Provide oversight of all projects from start-up to close-out, ensuring on-time, on-budget,
and results-driven implementation with strong quality assurance.
• Translate theories of change and log frames into annual work plans, detailed
implementation plans (DIPs), procurement plans, and risk registers.
• Lead weekly portfolio reviews to track milestones, burn rates, risk/issue logs,
safeguards, and deliverables; trigger adaptive actions.
• Ensure program start-up packages (PMPs, MEL Plans, indicator reference sheets, data
pipelines, communications/visibility plans) are completed and socialized.
• Manage consultants/technical experts with clear SoWs, outputs, and QA checkpoints.
• Training and capacity building of AL teams, projects’ stakeholders and beneficiaries.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL)
• Develop and operationalize MEL frameworks (ToC, log frames/RF, KPIs, data quality
assurance protocols, baseline/endline designs, outcome harvesting).

• Establish mixed-methods data systems (e.g., Kobo, XLS, Survey Monkey, Google Forms
etc) with routine and beneficiary feedback/complaints mechanisms.
• Lead learning reviews/after-action reflections; capture lessons, case studies, and
evidence to inform adaptive management and future design.
• Ensure high-quality, timely donor and internal reporting; triangulate field data, partner
reports, and qualitative insights.
• Build partner and staff capacities on MEL tools, results documentation, outcome
mapping, and utilization-focused evaluation.
Program Design, Business Development & Grants
• Contribute in co-creation of concept notes, and full proposals (technical + MEL + budget)
aligned to donor priorities and ALP strategy.
• Conduct context/gap analyses; integrate cross-cutting themes (GESI, youth, digital
transformation, safeguarding, conflict sensitivity).
• Develop realistic work/budget structures (WBS), value-for-money rationales, and
staffing/partnering plans.
• Oversee sub-granting cycles: calls for proposals, selection criteria, due diligence, award
letters, capacity strengthening, and performance management.
Organisational Development, Partnerships and Safeguarding
• Serve as primary contact with funding partners and coordination forums; ensure
compliance with award terms, reporting schedules, and visibility requirements.
• Present program results, lessons, and evidence to sector working groups, government
platforms, and public events to enhance ALP’s contributions and organizational visibility.
• Structure and manage MoUs/partnership frameworks; oversee due diligence, capacity
strengthening, and performance monitoring.
• Coordinate multi-stakeholder platforms (government, CSOs, academia, media, private
sector) for co-delivery and policy uptake.

• Uphold safeguarding, PSEA, ethics in research, data privacy, conflict-sensitivity, and do-
no-harm standards.

Financial Stewardship & Compliance
• Co-own portfolio budgets with finance department; forecast, monitor burn rates, and
flag variances; implement cost-saving and reprogramming measures.
• Lead quarterly portfolio finance reviews integrating program progress, MEL learning,
and risk/compliance status.
People Management & Culture
• Supervise recruitment, onboard, coach, and performance-manage staff; set Objectives
and Key Results (OKRs) and run quarterly performance conversations with development
plans.
• Foster inclusive, respectful, and high-performing team culture; promote wellbeing and
resilience practices.

Required Qualifications
• Master’s degree (Development Studies, Public Policy, Social Sciences, M&E, or related).
• 5+ years of progressive experience in international development program management
with at least 3 years leading MEL systems and teams; experience with INGOs and
bilateral organizations strongly preferred.
• Proven track record in proposal design, results frameworks, budgeting/forecasting, and
donor compliance.
• Demonstrated partnership management with government/CSOs and facilitation of
multi-stakeholder processes.

• Communication: high-quality reporting, brief writing, presentation to technical and high-
level audiences.

Core Behaviours
• Strategic thinking and systems orientation; data-driven decision-making.
• Collaboration and partnerships; political economy awareness.
• Integrity, accountability, and commitment to do-no-harm and safeguarding.
• Coaching mindset; inclusive leadership and team resilience.
Compliance, Ethics & Safeguarding
• Adhere to ALP’s Code of Conduct, anti-fraud and anti-corruption policies, data
protection/privacy, PSEA, child safeguarding, and whistleblowing mechanisms.
• Ensure all program activities pass risk/safeguarding screens and integrate mitigation
measures proportionate to context risks.