Project Manager, Brain and Mind Institute

Location
Karachi, Pakistan

Introduction:
Aga Khan University, chartered in 1983 as Pakistan's first private international university, is committed to the provision of education, research, and health care of international standards relevant to Pakistan and the region. The affiliated Aga Khan University Hospital provides state-of-the-art clinical facilities and well-equipped diagnostic services. The University currently has teaching sites in Pakistan, East Africa, the United Kingdom, and Afghanistan, and is a major component of the Aga Khan Development Network.

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.

The Brain and Mind Institute (BMI) is a newly minted entity at the Aga Khan University (AKU), with key hubs in Nairobi (for East Africa) and Karachi (for South and Central Asia). The BMI seeks to build capacity in the domains of mental health and neuroscience. In collaboration with partners, the Institute is advancing research leadership capacity and support service delivery across East Africa and South Asia, and other regions served by the AKU. The Institute supports a hub for scholarship exchange and action on mental health issues, as well as educational, clinical, and community-based programs. BMI’s research focuses on the context of today’s youth in Africa and South Asia, while our programmatic offerings address mental health related and brain health issues, including stigma and resiliency. A significant area of interest is the implementation of science-based programming in hospital and community settings that translate new discoveries into prevention and treatment programs.

This is a grant funded contractual position.

Responsibilities:

You will be responsible to:
• develop comprehensive project plans, timelines, and budgets
• coordinate with research teams, stakeholders, and all external partners
• allocate resources efficiently to ensure project milestones are achieved
• engage with PI and Co-PIs to define deliverables, expectations, and timelines
• provide guidance, support, and motivation to PI, Co-PIs, and research teams
• conduct regular meetings to track progress and address challenges
• monitor project activities and measure progress against plans
• identify potential risks and implement migration strategies
• ensure compliance with ethical institutional, and regulatory standards
• prepare progress reports, publication, and presentations for stakeholders
• facilitate communication across teams and external collaborators
• resolve conflicts or misunderstandings proactively
• assist with grant writing, proposals, and funding applications
• manage administrative tasks related to project documentation.

Requirements:

You should have:
•Master’s degree in a relevant field
• at least five years of work experience in a relevant field
• experience with research administration
• experience with projects in suicide, perinatal mental health, youth mental health, parenting, or related themes
• experience with community-based research and capacity building
• experience with planning and project management of research and social development projects
• excellent verbal and written communication
• ability to bring together colleagues, scientists, communities, youth, and other groups to develop and deliver on project plans
• excellent English writing skills, including the ability to prepare progress reports and scientific documents such as manuscripts
• critical thinking and understanding of research methodologies
• qualitative research skillset as an added advantage.

Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted.

Primary Location

Pakistan

Organisation

Aga Khan Hospital & Medical College

Employee Status

Contractual

Job Type

Standard

Job Posting

01/09/2026, 4:51:05 AM

Closing Date

13/09/2026, 6:59:00 PM