Aga Khan Schools - General Manager (Strictly Confidential)

Role Description
Reporting to the newly created Board of Aga Khan Schools, the General Manager will drive forward the
recommendations emerging from the current Education Strategic Review. Arriving at a time of
significant change, they will lead and ensure a coherent approach to pre-tertiary education delivery
within AKDN, consistent with the core principles outlined above.
The General Manager will be fully accountable for delivering the strategic vision for pre-tertiary
education. They will ensure effective operational management of the new organisation, through the
creation a robust team at headquarters and effective local and regional management structures.
As a senior leader within the AKDN, the General Manager will also be expected to work as an effective
partner and collaborator with their peers across the wider network, building strong, trusting and ethical
relationships and thus contributing to the broader vision of AKDN.
Specific responsibilities will include:
• presenting to the Board proposed strategic and operational plans, and annuals budgets, to ensure
progress in delivering AKS’s agreed objectives;
• reporting regularly and advising the Board on the progress of these strategic and operational plans;
• identifying risks against agreed milestones and putting in place relevant mitigation plans in
accordance with approved frameworks, procedures and policies;
• ensuring effective oversight of the AKS system, through management teams at the headquarters and
at the country and regional levels;
• ensuring that core functions such as finance, audit, operations, human resources, construction,
resource mobilisation and communications are appropriately staffed and implemented at
headquarters and throughout the AKS system;
• proposing a development strategy to ensure AKS’ long-term financial sustainability;
• delivering approved academic strategies to ensure high quality learning outcomes;
• building and fostering relationships with both internal and external partners in order to identify areas
of possible collaboration and/or synergy to further enhance AKDN’s education activities;
• articulating the vision and purpose of AKS with passion and conviction, and representing AKDN’s
education activities to a wide range of audiences and stakeholders, including governments, other
NGOs, and potential partner organisations;
• working closely with other AKDN entities (particularly those involved in education), stakeholders
and partners and serving on various boards and committees as appropriate;
• ensuring that graduates of AKS are able to access high quality tertiary institutions of learning;
• contributing to both the global and national policy development of pre-tertiary education and
pedagogy;
• keeping abreast of developments in the education sector, especially in the areas of school
improvement, teacher development, pedagogy, curriculum development and education technology,
and fostering a climate of continuous enquiry and adoption of best practice.