Special Projects Coodinator, Graduate School of Media and Communications

SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR

Department

Graduate School of Media and Communications, East Africa

Location

Aga Khan University, Nairobi

Introduction

The Aga Khan University (AKU) is a not-for-profit institution and an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network. AKU was founded in 1983 as Pakistan’s first private university and starting in 2000, is now in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Afghanistan and the United Kingdom.

The Aga Khan University’s Graduate School of Media and Communications (AKU-GSMC) was established in 2015 as the premier source of education and training of journalists, media and communications executives and entrepreneurs in East Africa and beyond. AKU-GSMC is guided by the principles of global excellence and local relevance and helps individuals to transform their careers and organizations as they reap the benefits of innovation.

 Job Purpose/Summary 

 Reporting to the GSMC Dean or her designate, the Special Projects Coordinator will support the Dean and the Associate Dean in the coordination, implementation, evaluation, reporting and other logistics for other donor funded projects.

Key Roles and Responsibilities 

• Support the training department with logistics and participant experience.


• Work closely with the Dean and Training Manager to develop various training project budgets, recruit partners/participants, and coordinate logistics and program implementation.


• Working closely with the Grants Manager to support the GSMC team with proposal and grant writing for potential training/capacity building grants and partnerships.


• Ensure that all aspects of a project are organized and in conformance with timeline and deliverables requirement


• Develop and maintain project performance database that tracks overall progress and achievement of milestones


• Report project risks and outcomes to appropriate management channels, and escalate issues according to project work plan


• Act as the point of contact and communicate project status to all participants

Relevant Experience and Qualifications

• The minimum requirement is a University Degree in media, communications, journalism, public relations, or a related field is usually required. In some cases, degrees in project management or business administration may also be acceptable.


• A master’s degree in media, communications, or project management is an added advantage.


• Ability to manage multiple projects, timelines, and stakeholders efficiently.


• Have strong verbal and written communication skills for effective coordination between faculty, trainers, students, external partners, and vendors.


• Proficiency in project management software like Trello, etc basic familiarity with media production tools like Adobe CC.


• Should have experience working within teams, managing team dynamics, and delegating tasks appropriately.


• Understanding of budget creation, monitoring, and reporting for projects.


• Ability to anticipate issues and come up with creative, practical solutions to keep projects on track.


• Ensuring that all aspects of a project are well-executed, from content quality to logistical details keeping in mind the delivery timelines.


• An understanding of media law, ethics, and standards, especially in academics  or training contexts.


• Experience with planning and executing events, conferences, lectures,  workshops and trainings.


• Have strong networking skills to build and maintain relationships with industry professionals, partners, and sponsors.


• The ability to inspire and motivate teams, particularly when working with students or junior staff.


• Flexibility in handling the fast-paced and dynamic nature of media and academic environments.


• Sensitivity to diverse perspectives, especially in global media contexts, is important.