Innovation Coordinator

BACKGROUND

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a leading global development organisation working to tackle the root causes of poverty. For more than 50 years, we have helped create strong community institutions that support sustainable, locally driven initiatives to improve the lives of millions of people. By combining local knowledge with global best practices, we strive to bring about transformative and long-lasting improvements to quality of life. Working alongside the agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network and through partnerships with local communities, civil society, and businesses, as well as governments and international aid agencies, we are building a future where we all thrive together. AKF has been operating in Tajikistan since 1993 and, through its programme partners, continues to work in more than 60 districts and towns across the country. Together with state institutions, AKF Tajikistan (AKFTjk) directly contributes to the objectives of Tajikistan’s National Development Strategy and supports national efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

JOB PURPOSE

The Innovation Coordinator will play a key role in driving the development and implementation of AKF Tajikistan’s Innovation agenda across all programmes. He/She will serve as the design lead for a portfolio of human centred design (HCD) led projects and manage the design process.

DUTY STATION AND REPORTING LINE

The Innovation Coordinator will report to the Head of Programmes of AKF Tajikistan (TJK) with dotted line coordination with Local Impact and Improving Community Resilience (ICR) project managers and will be based in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The incumbent will be required for frequent and extended field visits to project locations throughout the country.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Innovation Strategy

Develop and lead the implementation of an innovation strategy/work plan. Track progress, measure results, and gather feedback to continuously improve AKF Tjk’s innovation strategy/workplan. Develop plans and strategies to ensure the sustainability of innovation initiatives.

Project Scoping

Support the development of innovative projects and programs in line with AKF Tajikistan Programme Framework. Identify opportunities for strengthening and expanding the impact of human centered design (HCD) across AKF’s programmes and projects. Support teams in project design and proposal development.

Human Centred Design (HCD)

Identify opportunities and scope design challenges in close collaboration with teams based on AKF Tajikistan programme framework.
Plan the design processes, methods, and tools to use. Create learning plans, identify the right questions to ask, and collaborate with other designers to find creative ways to answer them.
Support the projects and teams in conducting design processes and workshops. Prepare and facilitate workshops to move the design work forward.
Participate in and lead data collection through stakeholders’ interviews, literature review and data analysis.
Employ a variety of traditional and non-traditional research methods, including creating research plans, conducting interviews and focus groups, shadowing participants, participatory observations, expert interviews.
Coordinate the teams’ work throughout the entire design process.
Conduct HCD capacity development workshops and facilitate relevant in-person and virtual learning experiences to build design capacity of local teams, volunteers, and stakeholders.
Provide timely reports on the progress of the design processes.
Build prototypes and test solutions with target audiences to collect feedback and iterate on solutions.
Support the design teams in developing project proposal packages including implementation plan, budget, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning plan and playbook.
Impact Measurement. Monitor and evaluate the performance of innovation initiatives and recommend changes as needed.
Present and communicate best practices and results of HCD related work across projects for internal and external stakeholders. Identify and engage with external stakeholders to build relationships, secure funding, and increase awareness of the AKF Tjk’s work in innovation.
Contribute to other project documents such as reports, communications materials, case studies, presentations, concepts, and proposals.

Project Management & Mentorship

Work collaboratively with the Design Team and project managers, program leads to lead on challenge identification, solution development, and pilot implementation.
Create an overall strategy, framework, and plan for working with these design projects.
Engage with key project partners and donors to ensure they are bought-in and contributing to the project. Closely engage external stakeholders of each design challenge.
Work closely with Local Impact Country Manager and ICR Project Manager and project staff to find opportunities and linkages to all aspects of AKFTjk’s work.
Oversee the implementation of the HCD piloted projects under the Local Impact and ICR and support the project officers / project managers with daily questions and concerns.
Support the Local Impact and ICR project with HCD assessment and contribute to the project mid-term and End-line evaluation in developing and analyzing the HCD related questions.
In coordination with communications officer, develop communication materials related to HCD pilot projects under the Local Impact and ICR projects.
Contribute to Local Impact’s and ICR quarterly, semi-annual, and annual donor level reports. Update the monthly HCD tracker and contribute to the government report in a quarterly manner.
Work closely with ICR Project Manager and project staff to explore innovations. Document and share the progress, learnings, challenges, barriers, and other information with the design team, project managers, Head of Programme and the Global Lead.
Identify risks of harm to beneficiaries and address these appropriately throughout project implementation.

Values and Attitudes:

Leadership. A natural collaborator and a proven leader. Ease with multidisciplinary teams and can set strategic direction for development interventions.
Designer at Heart. A believer that great design creates impact, both in its ability to deliver needed solutions and delight through unexpected details.
Solutions Oriented. Solution-focused and medium-agnostic, willing to step out of your core skill set or discipline to find the correct solution to a challenge.
Systems Thinking. A systems thinker and can logically visualize complex systems.
Translator. Skilled at turning human insights into concrete design concepts.
Interdisciplinary. Knowledgeable about how to support other disciplines in their work and champion their success.
Visual. Able to articulate the value of human-centered design through verbal and visual presentation.
Experimenter. Comfortable with trial and error and have experience prototyping and experimenting at different levels of fidelity.
Curiosity. Insatiable curiosity and a passion for experimentation.
Flexibility. Able to work in diverse work cultures. Able to switch seamlessly between self-directed independent work and highly collaborative teamwork.
Passion. Excited about rooting great design in human needs, motivations, and behaviors.
Diversity and Inclusion: Treats all people with dignity and respect; sensitive towards others; open and understanding toward other people’s cultures, values, autonomy, and faiths; demonstrates compassion and empathy; is courteous to others with respect for their background, religion, gender, and age.
Integrity and Commitment: Demonstrates equity, transparency, and integrity with high personal and organizational ethical standards; is fair, honest, and trustworthy with respect for confidentiality; inspires and builds trust; values and advances community-level agency in decision-making for projects.
Ethics and Safeguarding: Committed to acting ethically and upholding safeguarding standards towards all staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries of the organization.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Master’s degree in international development, Sociology, Economics, Programme/Project design or another related field.

Experience:

HCD: Fluency in the human centred design (HCD) process, from qualitative research and synthesis to ideation, prototyping, and implementation (would be an asset)
Training/Capacity building: Experience in conducting/facilitating training and building capacity. Ability to use new and innovative training methods.
Social Development: Experience or demonstrated interest in tackling poverty-related challenges.
Project management: Demonstrated experience planning and leading project planning and research activities, such as interviews, group sessions, and observations.
Project Implementation and M&E: Proven experience in leading pilot and large-scale implementation of solutions along with monitoring, learning and evaluation.

Other skills:

Mindset: Open, curious, and willing to experiment.
Team Management: Ability to manage teams comprised of members with diverse backgrounds that come from different organizations.
Empathy: Ability to listen, engage, and learn from communities.
Creative Problem Solving: Ability to imagine novel and creative solutions to complex social problems.
Presentation: Ability to clearly communicate HCD, and other related findings/solutions to the wider groups such as government partners, donors, other stakeholders.
Facilitation: Foster participation and get people to come up with ideas, thoughts and perspectives that add value.
Writing skills: Proficient writing skills in English and Tajik.
Training: Experience in training and building the capacity of non-designers.
Cultural sensitivity: ability to connect easily with new people.
Language: Spoken and written fluency in English and Tajik is essential. Proficiency in Russian is an additional asset.

APPLICATION PROCESS

The CV and Cover Letter to AKDN Carrer Center through the www.the.akdn/careers/2152946 link by no later than 20th March 2024. Only a full package will be considered.

AKF strongly encourages qualified female applicants for this position. AKF seeks to ensure that male and female employees are given equal career opportunities and that staff members are able to keep an appropriate balance between work and private life.

For more information on the Aga Khan Foundation and Aga Khan Development Network visit: http://the.akdn

AKF Tajikistan recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to equal opportunity, safeguarding of children from abuse and zero tolerance of sexual harassment.

DISCLAIMER

By sharing their cover letter and resume with AKF in response to this job application, applicants consent for AKF to keep this information on file for recruitment and human resources management purposes.