Associate Director, School of Nursing & Midwifery

Aga Khan University; Karachi Division; On-site; PKR 2,500,000 - 5,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Aga Khan University invites applications for the position of Associate Director at the School of Nursing and Midwifery. The role reports to the Dean, driving strategic priorities into actionable initiatives with dashboards and KPIs.

It requires strong leadership, cross‑functional collaboration, and expertise in higher education operations and governance. Ideal candidates bring a Master’s degree and 7+ years of executive administration or strategic planning experience, along with excellent

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in MBA/Health Admin or related field.
• PM certification (PMP/PRINCE2/Agile) an advantage.
• 7+ years in executive administration or strategic planning.
• Strong understanding of academic operations in higher education.
• Proven leadership with cross-functional project management.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Translate strategic priorities into initiatives with measurable outcomes.
• Lead strategic projects from conception through evaluation.
• Conduct feasibility studies, market assessments, and business cases.
• Establish governance, milestones, KPIs, reporting, and risk plans.
• Develop dashboards and indicators to monitor progress.
• Collaborate with Finance, HR, IT, Facilities, Legal, Procurement, Marketing.
• Support Dean in developing partnerships and institutional collaborations.
• Prepare executive reports and recommendations for decision-making.
• Represent SONAM on committees and cross-functional groups.
• Lead special projects and assignments delegated by the Dean.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Analytics

Budgeting

Education

Master’s degree (MBA/Health Admin etc.)

Job description

The Aga Khan University is a private, international university committed to international standards of excellence in teaching, research and service. Its teaching hospital, the Aga Khan University Hospital has been accredited by the prestigious Joint Commission International for achieving the highest international healthcare standards.

Established in 1980, Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKU-SONAM) has the honour of being the founding academic entity of the University and a benchmark for nursing education in Pakistan. The school is committed to excellence in the field of education, research, nursing practice, and administration. It is also committed to providing the highest standards in nursing education programmes, in line with the University's vision and values.

As an equal opportunity employer, AKU believes in promoting a diverse and inclusive culture and is committed to adopt appropriate standards for safeguarding and promoting a respectful relationship with and between diverse workforce of its faculty, staff, trainees, volunteers, beneficiaries, wider communities, and other stakeholders with whom it works, including children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees/trainees and partners to share this commitment.

Aga Khan University invites applications for the position of Associate Director at the School of Nursing and Midwifery.

Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Dean, School of Nursing & Midwifery, you will be responsible to:

• translate the Dean’s strategic priorities into actionable initiatives, implementation plans, and measurable outcomes
• lead strategic projects and programmes from conception through implementation and evaluation
• conduct feasibility studies, environmental scans, market assessments, benchmarking, and business case development for new programmes, partnerships, and strategic investments
• establish project governance, milestones, KPIs, reporting mechanisms, and risk mitigation plans
• develop dashboards and performance indicators to monitor progress against strategic objectives
• facilitate collaboration with key University departments and stakeholders, including Finance, HR, IT, Facilities, Legal, Procurement, and Marketing & Communications
• support the Dean in developing strategic partnerships and institutional collaborations
• prepare executive-level reports, proposals, feasibility studies, and recommendations to support informed decision‑making
• represent SONAM on institutional committees, task forces, and cross‑functional working groups, as required
• lead special projects and strategic assignments delegated by the Dean.

Requirements:

• a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Health Administration, Public Administration, Strategic Management, Project Management, Higher Education, or a related discipline
• PMP, PRINCE2, Agile, or equivalent project management certification will be an advantage
• a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience, preferably in executive administration, strategic planning, project/programme management, in a higher education environment
• strong understanding of academic operations within a university or higher education setting
• proven leadership and project management capabilities, with experience managing complex, cross‑functional initiatives
• strong analytical, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and problem‑solving skills
• prior experience in developing business cases, feasibility studies, KPIs, dashboards, and executive reports
• excellent written and verbal communication, presentation, and report‑writing skills
• strong financial management, budgeting, and knowledge of institutional systems/processes
• ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively in a complex, fast‑paced environment
• experience with government relations and legal matters will be an advantage.

Comprehensive employment reference check will be conducted.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.