Introduction
The Outreach and Research Programme of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health has ten community-based field sites across Pakistan (including four in Karachi) and focuses on research for betterment of women and child health. The Department has a Nutritional Research Laboratory as well as an Infectious Disease Research Laboratory that cater to the needs of its research projects. It has well-acclaimed work to its credit both at the national and international level.
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.
Responsibilities
You will be responsible to provides high-level executive and research coordination support to the Department Chair, who also serves as Principal Investigator (PI) on multiple large-scale, externally funded international research grants. This role entails a combination of strategic coordination, delegated authority, personal support, and institutional liaison responsibilities. The incumbent manages all travel, visa, and expense-related matters, represents the Chair in official capacities including with her delegated signature authority, supports departmental and research operations, and facilitates logistical and administrative needs of research faculty, collaborators, and international guests. Additionally, the incumbent is responsible for end-to-end scheduling of the Chair’s clinical assignments and engagements with department stakeholders, managing critical faculty documentation including OPPEs, and ensuring efficient time allocation across the Chair’s diverse portfolio. Specific responsibilities include to:
• serve as the Chair’s primary administrative and executive liaison
• manage calendar, emails, and meeting schedules
• sign official documents and internal correspondence on her behalf
• exercise discretion on confidential and time-sensitive matters
• handle and finalize the OPPEs of over 100 faculty members
• manage scheduling of clinical assignments and all institutional meetings of grants / projects
• coordinate domestic and international travel for the Chair and collaborators
• handle visa documentation, appointments, and itineraries
• plan institutional visits of international guests
• facilitate scheduling and logistics of research meetings and workshops
• liaise with collaborators and research staff for tasks such as procurement, manuscript submission, and onboarding
• track administrative compliance across multiple grants
• represent the Chair in internal and external meetings as needed
• act as point person for key stakeholders
• draft high-level communications, presentations, and reports
• process reimbursements, disbursements, and track spending for Chair’s travel and departmental needs
• maintain accurate and timely documentation
• organize events, donor visits, webinars, and internal briefings
• coordinate high-stakes meetings involving cross-functional departments.
Requirements:
You should have:
• Master’s degree in Business Administration or a related field from a reputable institution (additional certifications in project management, communications, or public administration are a plus)
• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive experience in executive support, program management, or research administration in an academic or research setting
• demonstrated experience in high-level administrative functions and managing complex institutional workflows
• excellent organization and multi-tasking skills with the ability to handle confidential matters with discretion
• strong communication and interpersonal skills to manage relationships with national and international stakeholders
• capacity to act with delegated authority, including signing documentation, managing schedules, and decision-making in coordination with the Chair
• ability to coordinate across departments, external partners, and funding agencies
• high proficiency in computing, travel planning tools, and report generation
• willingness to travel locally and internationally.
Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted.