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About the Aga Khan Foundation

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the quality of life and sustainable development of communities across the globe, with a focus on Education, Health and Nutrition, Agriculture, Climate Resilience, Civil Society, and Work and Enterprise. AKF implements inclusive and innovative programmes to empower individuals and communities to realise their full potential. AKF currently implements programmes in 13 countries: Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar, Mozambique, Pakistan, Portugal, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, and Uganda. AKF’s Head Office is in Switzerland, and there are Resource Mobilisation Offices in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States.

About AKF Work and Enterprise

AKF’s Work and Enterprise portfolio includes an exciting array of initiatives promoting employment and entrepreneurship, preparing individuals for decent work and opportunities to kickstart their enterprises, with a focus on women and youth. In recent years, AKF has made a deliberate shift to focus on digital and green pathways for youth, given the changing nature of work and the new opportunities created by rapid technological advancements (e.g. digital platforms, automation, AI), demographic shifts, and climate change. Some examples of AKF’s emerging portfolio include support to green and tech start-ups and small businesses through the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)’s enterprise accelerator – Accelerate Prosperity, to digital hubs and skills boot camps for youth in Portugal and Pakistan, to new 21st-century skills programmes for young women and men in Central Asia. 

Purpose of the Role

The Digital Skills and Employment Specialist will play a pivotal role in designing, implementing, and evaluating programmes to equip individuals with the skills and support necessary to transition into the job market. This entails engaging skills providers, tech employers and global platforms for remote and online work to increase income-generating opportunities. This role requires a dynamic individual passionate about leveraging technology to drive socio-economic empowerment and inclusive growth.

Duties and Responsibilities

Programme Design and Development

• Lead market diagnostics to identify in-demand digital skills for emerging employment opportunities, including both local and remote work arrangements;
• Design flagship initiatives around digital work to address identified needs, with a focus on digital literacy, coding, AI, data analytics and other in-demand skills for remote work;
• Leverage various existing AKF and partner investments, from enabling infrastructure (Energy, IT Parks, co-working spaces), education and skills programmes to employer engagement initiatives;
• To support fundraising efforts, prepare high-quality strategy briefs, concept papers, and proposals for AKF’s digital skills and jobs programmes. 

Programme Delivery Support

• Develop impactful digital skills and job readiness courses and innovative delivery methods in partnership with skills providers and employers to reach youth at scale;
• Foster partnerships with local and global educational institutions and training providers to facilitate skills development;
• Build strong partnerships with local and global employers and online platforms for internships, apprenticeships, job placements, and remote work;
• Build capacity of country units to improve the quality of implementation of digital jobs programmes;
• Provide technical assistance to the Accelerate Prosperity programme to support its business training and investments in digital and tech startups.

Insights and Knowledge Sharing 

• Act as a thought leader, reviewing and sharing relevant global good practices within AKF;
• Analyse programme data and use insights to refine and improve programme strategies and interventions continuously;
• Disseminate learnings and best practices from digital skills programmes through workshops, conferences, and publications across AKF and externally;
• Cultivate partnerships with government agencies, private sector stakeholders, and civil society organisations to advance the digital skills and work agenda.

Skills and Experience

• Excellent and up-to-date understanding of the future of work and its implications for developing countries;
• Proficient in digital skills and a good understanding of online work platforms; 
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English;
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to conceptualise new initiatives;
• Adept at building teams and working collaboratively across countries in an inclusive and culturally sensitive manner.