Job Description
Introduction to the Aga Khan University:
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 honor of being the founding academic entity of the University and a benchmark for nursing education in Pakistan. The Aga Khan University (AKU) recognizes the need to enhance its research portfolio to foster innovation and contribute significantly to knowledge advancement and societal well-being. To meet this need, the AKU Research Office proposes the Guiding Research and Nurturing Talent (GRANT) Writer’s initiative aimed at supporting principal investigators (PIs) at AKU SONAM in their research endeavors.
As an equal opportunity employer, AKU believes in promoting a diverse and inclusive culture and is committed to adopting appropriate standards for safeguarding and promoting a respectful relationship with and between the 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.
Job Role / Responsibilities:
You are required to:
- conduct thorough research to identify potential funding sources, including government agencies, private foundations, corporate entities, and international organizations
- maintain a comprehensive database of potential funders and their specific requirements
- work closely with the PIs assigned by the Dean to understand their research objectives, and craft compelling grant proposals tailored to the requirements of funding agencies
- collaborate closely with Principal Investigators (PIs), faculty and staff to develop proposals that align with AKUSONAM's strategic goals and meet the funding agencies' requirements
- assist in all academic aspects of proposal development, including conceptualization, literature review, methodology design, and writing, ensuring the research's significance, innovation, and potential impact are articulated
- assist in providing necessary project details to SONAM’s finance team to create a detailed grant budget that complies with funding agency requirements
- ensure timely submission of grant proposals, follow up with funding agencies, and maintain open communication to track proposal status
- liaise with internal (faculty, administrators) and external (funding agencies, partners) stakeholders to facilitate grant writing and foster future opportunities
- to submit at least ten to twelve grant proposals annually and achieve a specified success rate in securing funding
- provide regular reports on grant proposals and secured funding, sharing them with SONAM's research unit
- collaborate closely with the nursing school through regular meetings with department heads and researchers to identify potential projects and funding opportunities
- attend faculty meetings, participating in research seminars, and maintaining an open-door consultation policy.
Requirements:
You should have:
- at least Masters preferably in Health Sciences field
- at least 3 years of grant writing experience
- strong research, analytical, writing, and communication skills, with the ability to work independently and in a team
- knowledge of grant writing best practices and funding agency guidelines
- establish clear communication channels to inform the grant writer about ongoing research and educational initiatives with the Dean and Associate Dean Research and Innovations, SONAM
Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted.
