Head of Pakistan

Position description

ASI is a global advisory company that works locally to transform lives by making economies stronger, societies more stable, and governments more effective. ​​

We work on behalf of governments, foundations and companies that share our ambition to take on the big challenges facing the world. We believe we can achieve more in partnership with others than if we act alone. We partner with local governments, businesses and civil society organisations to create and deliver custom-made solutions, even in some of the most complex, challenging and fragile environments in the world. ​

As an employee-owned company that works in countries at all stages of development, we have a triple bottom line of financial, social and environmental accountability. ASI has undergone rigorous independent verification to become a B Corp – certifying that it demonstrates a balance of profit and purpose by meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and legal accountability.​

ABOUT ASI PAKISTAN​

ASI has been operating in Pakistan since 2006. It is one of our largest operations globally, with some 150 staff and consultants. Our Pakistan team is currently implementing the UK government’s highest profile programme of support to the federal government of Pakistan, focussed on macroeconomic reform. Alongside this we are delivering a major sustainable economic development programme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a politically sensitive programme which aims to improve UK-Pakistan collaboration on serious and organised crime, and a feasibility study of flood management options for greater Lahore, funded by the Australian government. ​

As well as its project teams, ASI Pakistan has a substantive operational platform, including a Head of Operations and Finance, full time security manager, and a cadre of non-project finance and HR staff. In addition, ASI has established a shared services Finance function based in Islamabad, which supports our projects worldwide. ​

The Head of Pakistan leads the Pakistan team, taking responsibility for client and broader stakeholder management, ensuring the quality delivery of our programmes, leading on partnership development and business growth activities in country, liaising with ASI’s technical teams and working to ensure that our delivery is underpinned by best practice compliance, operations and duty of care infrastructure.​

THE OPPORTUNITY​

Where would you like to take us?​

• We have a large and high-quality team of 75 in Pakistan, with an additional ~75 short term consultants working for us at any given time. As a professional services company our asset is our people. We prioritise maintaining a high quality, well supported and motivated team. The Head of Country is responsible for overseeing the evolution of this team, attracting new talent, driving collaboration and ensuring that we operate safely and efficiently.​
• We want to strengthen relationships and learning with our existing clients, FCDO and DFAT, and develop credible relationships with new clients (e.g. the EU, USAID, Foundations), who we believe we have much to offer. We aim to expand our work and drive impact in key technical areas, including Climate Change, Education and Investment that brings inclusive and sustainable growth.​

This vacancy comes at a key time for our work in Pakistan: ​

• A transition in government means that the new incumbents are keen to see quick results – this represents an important opportunity for our programmes and provides a foundation for creating transformative social impact.​
• Pakistan is extremely vulnerable to climate change and severely economically hamstrung – we have significant expertise and experience in these issues, which we aim to leverage to tackle these challenges through our work.​
• The Sustainable Energy and Economic Development (SEED) programme aims to attract investment to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and to support the government to improve the quality of and returns from public investment. Now entering its 5th year, we aim to consolidate investment results and embed sustainability of the reforms that we have enabled to date.​
• The Revenue Mobilisation Investment and Trade (REMIT) programme supports the mobilisation of tax revenue; addresses institutional blockers of investment; facilitates trade and competitiveness; and works to improve the quality of macroeconomic policy making. It provides critical support to key federal ministries, which will be ever more important under the new government, particularly as we enter critical months in the implementation of Pakistan’s IMF programme.​
• There is a healthy pipeline of future opportunities in ASI’s core sectors with a range of clients likely to be tendered within the next year. ​
• A portion of our global corporate services sit within the Pakistan platform and our expertise within Pakistan is increasingly used to inform our corporate services work globally.​

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES​

LEADERSHIP & DELIVERY​

• Lead the ASI Pakistan to deliver high impact programmes. As part of this lead a growing collaborative business and a vibrant, motivated team​.
• Role model a strong inclusive culture in the ASI Pakistan offices, reflecting ASI’s core values​.
• Develop and direct the implementation of ASI Pakistan’s corporate strategy​.
• As a Project Director, oversee the successful implementation of any Programmes where the Head of Pakistan is the designated Director​.
• Support other Project Directors in implementation and problem solving on their programmes across the Pakistan platform​.

CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT​

• Represent an escalation point for our clients. In particular client project leads, FCDO senior leadership and the FCDO commercial team. ​
• Develop a credible relationship with clients, understanding their priorities and pressures and being able to develop relationships of trust.​
• Facilitate regular catchups with clients, both formal and informal.​

PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & BUSINESS GROWTH​

• Build relationships with prospective clients to gather insight into upcoming opportunities​.
• Originate project concepts that we know speak to potential client needs​.
• Work closely with ASI technical leads on specific opportunities​.
• Develop a network to gather quick and reliable intelligence on projects and personnel and help to identify new talent​.
• Write or manage the writing of proposals to clients as part of a wider team​.
• Develop and maintain relationships with partner organisations and assess the complementarity of what they bring to potential opportunities​.

PEOPLE​

• Oversee the development and implementation of our Pakistan People Plan, which maps out how we are developing our organisational capacity​.
• Direct decisions on recruitment. Ensure that recruitment to our Pakistan team accesses the best possible candidates​.
• Oversee decisions on staff contracting (e.g. type, duration and terms of service)​
• Supporting the group Finance Director with oversight of the Pakistan shared services platform​

RISK & DUTY OF CARE OVERSIGHT​

• Actively manage risk across the business in Pakistan, where necessary escalating issues to the ASI Executive Team​
• Work with ASI Pakistan’s Security Advisor to ensure that we adopt a right sized response to threats​.
• Oversee ASI Pakistan’s Security Advisor’s performance and development, with support from ASI’s Global Head of Security & Operations​​

FINANCE & OPERATIONS OVERSIGHT​

• Oversee execution of the ASI Pakistan corporate budget and the performance of the Pakistan finance team ​
• Support the Pakistan Head of Operations to ensure that we have the right corporate set-up and contracts to serve our immediate and medium term needs​.
• Support the Pakistan Head of Operations and Pakistan Security Adviser in enabling the smooth access of international workers to Pakistan​.
• Ensure that ASI global legal, compliance and operations policies are applied consistently and fairly and manage the relationship with the global heads of ASI’s corporate function teams​.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS​

INTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS: ​

• Reports to: ASI’s Director of Geographies ​
• Line management responsibility for: Senior Managers responsible for Pakistan delivered projects, ASI Pakistan Head of Operations and Finance, Head of Security​
• Maintains close relationships with: ​
  • The project teams, including other project managers, Team Leaders and other key figures. ​
  • ASI’s Finance Director on all matters relating to finance and compliance. ​
  • Director of People and Talent ​
  • Head of Global Operations and Security​
  • Director of Legal, Ethics and Compliance ​​

EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS: ​

• ASI Clients and potential clients including FCDO, US government, DFAT, EU, World Bank, GIZ and private foundations. ​
• Representatives of federal and provincial governments in Pakistan​
• Key civil servants in Pakistani government institutions in which ASI has active projects or live opportunities. ​
• Local legal and other professional advisers ​
• Potential delivery/consortium partners ​

Qualifications

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IN THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE​
EXPERIENCE ​

• A successful track record in managing the delivery of high quality multi-million-pound projects with more than one client to achieve impact​.
• Proven experience of growing a portfolio of work, including securing large contracts and management of a business unit to significant growth in turnover​
• Proven ability to secure business in new client and/or geographic markets and to generate new concepts. ​
• Strong reputation in a specific technical field, evidenced by a strong network of clients, partners, influencers and associates​.
• Proven track record in developing successful teams. ​
• Experience of having resided and operating professionally in fragile or complex environments​.
• Experience of having managed a business unit in the services industry with its own profit & loss reporting, business planning, people management and associated accountability​.

QUALIFICATIONS ​

• A postgraduate degree in business management, economics, political science, international development or another relevant field from a top tier university​

ATTITUDE​​

• A passion for international development and achieving social impact, with a positivity that enthuses and motivates others. ​
• Interest and experience in work in developing and conflict-affected areas​.
• Proactive, enthusiastic, flexible, self-starting, resourceful​
• A growth mindset.​
• An interest in politics, and how to navigate politically sensitive environments​.
• High level of emotional intelligence ​
• Open-minded, flexible approach to problem-solving​
• Resilient to and patient in the face of changing circumstances and challenges​
• Determination to complete work to an extremely high quality​
• Trustworthy, reliable, professional, conscientious and accountable​

SKILLS ​

• Excellent leadership and people management skills​
• The ability to build effective, credible client relationships and networks​.
• Advanced project management and directorship skills​
• Advanced presentation skills​
• Excellent relationship-building skills​
• Complex proposal writing skills​.
• Advanced commercial and budget management understanding​

Application instructions

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