Job summary:

The Programme Manager will lead the design, development, and execution of Pearl Initiative’s (PI) Governance in Technology Programme. This role will build Pearl Initiative’s thought leadership and impact in strengthening and enabling the technology and artificial intelligence sector in the GCC Region. Programming will especially focus on advancing corporate governance; ethical, strategic, and accountable decision-making; transparency and disclosure; and governance-enabled innovation amongst technology actors and investors. They will lead the business development, revenue generation, and fundraising initiatives of the programme, ensuring high-impact and compliant delivery of all projects and contracts.

Success in this role requires a strategic, detail-oriented, and relationship-driven leader who can design and implement high-impact programming. This includes managing a strategic regional working group, delivering targeted interventions and projects, producing research and thought leadership that address the evolving needs of the sector, and hosting convenings and dedicated trainings.

Key responsibilities:
Programmatic development and innovation
• Lead the design, development, planning, and budgeting of the programme strategically aligned with organization goals and impact objectives ensuring cost-effectiveness and efficient resource allocation.
• Drive programmatic innovation within existing offering, identifying opportunities to enhance programme effectiveness, efficiency, and impact.
• Identify and enable cross-programmatic synergies, intersections, and collaborations.
• Identify and integrate subject matter experts, executive trainers and coaches, researchers, and any other third parties to co-create programmatic projects and deliverables.
• Co-create a strategic communications strategy, including priority social media channels and email campaigning, for the programme.
Business development, community enablement, and financial sustainability
• Develop and execute a business development and market stakeholders’ engagement strategy by identifying key target markets, potential funding sources, and partnership opportunities.
• Manage an annual market engagement calendar.
• Co-define funding targets to cover programmatic costs and work towards reserving longer-term working capital to ensure the financial sustainability of the programme.
• Explore and develop new revenue streams for the programme to diversify funding and enhance financial sustainability.
• Develop and lead community-building initiatives, such as workshops, convenings, online forums, and networking events, to facilitate knowledge sharing, collaboration, and relationship development.
• Represent the organization by actively participating in relevant events, building new relationships with potential partners and collaborators, and promoting the organisation’s programmes.
• Lead the development of compelling proposals that effectively communicate the value proposition of programmes to potential funders and partners, highlighting impact, sustainability, and strategic alignment with their objectives.
• Negotiate and finalise funding agreements and partnership contracts.
Projects management and contracts compliance
• Manage the design, execution, and timely high-quality delivery of collaborative needs-based projects and flagship initiatives, focused on research, executive education, capacity-building, and convenings.
• Adopt best practices in project management across all projects and initiatives, defining clear project scopes, developing detailed project plans, assigning roles and responsibilities, and implementing robust tracking and reporting.
• Manage programme teams and insourced third parties to ensure high accountability, strong performance, and preemptive risk management.
• Oversee the successful execution and delivery of all projects in line with contractual obligations, project timelines, and quality standards.
• Run projects and initiatives with careful cost control and resource allocation to support efforts to achieve financial sustainability with long-term working capital.
• Proactively communicate project and initiative updates to clients, partners, and internal stakeholders with timely reports on progress, challenges, and successes.
Expertise development and thought leadership
• Identify, study, and learn from market needs and pain points through research and stakeholder engagement to identify strategic opportunities for impact and growth.
• Lead the development of market-driven solutions by translating identified market needs and pain points into actionable programme initiatives.
• Curate and convene the programme’s working group, bringing in together working group members and special guests.
• Monitor the market’s offering, notable trends, and any disruptions to consistently strategically position the programme.
• Produce a consistent pipeline of high-quality, original bi-lingual content (e.g., op-eds, articles, blog posts, white papers, research reports, and working group position papers) that showcases expertise and generates meaningful conversations within the industry.
• Build a strong online presence by actively engaging in priority social media channels (e.g., LinkedIn, Twitter, industry-specific forums) to share content, participate in discussions, and network with other thought leaders.
• Cultivate relationships with journalists, analysts, and other industry influencers to amplify thought leadership and reach a wider audience.
Team mentorship and development
• Mentor and coach Programme Associate, providing timely and actionable feedback, creating teachable opportunities, and offering programme career guidance.
• Define and monitor the development plan of Programme Associate, with regular pulse checks, ensuring time and any needed resources are allocated for training.
• Enable career growth, including promotions, for Programme Associate.
Impact measurement and reporting
• Co-define quarterly and yearly key impact metrics and engagement KPIs for the programme, ensuring milestones are achievable and validated with feasibility assessments.
• Develop surveys and feedback forms for programmatic impact and performance based on impact strategy, methodology, and templates.
• Coordinate data collection of surveys and feedback forms for programmatic impact and performance.
• Analyze data of surveys and feedback forms to study and learn from achieved and non-achieved programmatic impact and performance, based on key impact metrics and engagement KPIs identified in impact strategy.
• Develop an impact baseline assessment for the programme to measure progress towards meeting key market needs and addressing critical market gaps.
• Recommend and implement programmatic improvements, expansions, and other strategic directions from data and insights.
• Prepare impact reports and communicate findings on key impact metrics and engagement KPIs at key programme and project milestones.
• Curate, co-author, and publish programme specific sections for the annual report.
Tech-enabled skills development
• Proficiently use tools and technology solutions to strengthen team productivity, project management, business development, and research through continuous learning and training.
• Attend expert-led or executive training workshops relevant for programme development, project management, impact management, storytelling and writing.
• Attend expert-led or executive training workshops relevant for programme and related special topics.
Qualifications and experience
• A master’s degree in a relevant field such as Business Administration, Computer Science, Engineering, and / or the social sciences, or a related discipline, with proven expertise and strong analytical skills.
• Additional certifications in project management, corporate governance, data governance, impact measurement, or technology management are highly desirable.
• At least 7 years of relevant experience in managing, coordinating, and executing programs, academic institutions, think tanks, research centers, member-based networks/councils, or non-profit organizations.
• Work experience in the private sector, including tech companies, startups, or entrepreneurial ventures is highly desirable.
• Work experience in governance in the tech sector is highly desirable, with a deep understanding of governance and impact frameworks, regulatory compliance, and sustainability practices in the industry.
• Demonstrated experience leading in business development, revenue generation, and / or fundraising for programmes, projects, and / or initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver programmes independently while managing and building relationships with multiple senior market stakeholders, partners, and vendors.
• Demonstrated acumen in AI governance, ethical AI, and emerging regulations in AI/technology, including familiarity with frameworks like ISO/IEC 42001 (AI Management System), GDPR, and responsible AI practices.
• Expertise in research, impact analysis, impact-driven programme development, and curriculum design is highly desirable.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, and a portfolio of published writings is highly desirable.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Fluency in Arabic is highly desirable.
Personal attributes
• Self-initiator and self-learner
• Emotional and social intelligence
• Strategic and solutions-driven
• Passionate about subject area
• Hardworking and meticulous
• Natural leader and team manager
• Collaborative and adaptive
• Open and transparent communicator
• Purposeful and driven by impact
• Strong work ethic

Year: 2024

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