Sajjad is a strategic leader with over 25 years’ experience in managing international development and humanitarian assistance programmes in multisector streams. He has been providing technical and operational guidance through programme conceptualisation, management and policy advocacy for interventions in the areas of socio-economic development, conflict and post conflict stability and resilience.
He has served in leadership roles as a Country Director, Chief of Party, Team Leader and Technical Advisor for medium to large scale programmes for education, capacity building, training and skill enhancement. He developed organisational strategies, M&E plans, programme operation mechanisms, tools and systems. He developed human resource policies, managed transformation and changed strategies for international educational and cultural organisations. He attained this skill set by programme development and oversight of USAID, FCDO and EU funded programmes.
During 2017-2019, he was responsible for oversight of a GBP 24 million portfolio and represented the British Council in the province of Punjab. He was Senior Responsible Officer for Punjab Education & English Language Initiative (PEELI), which is a GBP 4 million government led and co-financed initiative for capacity building at the school level. He provided leadership and oversight to FCDO funded GBP 3 million “connecting classrooms and school leadership programme” and GBP 3 million “take a child to school programme” and a GBP 9.5 million program for capacity of building of CSOs.
He oversaw and coordinated efforts of the British Council and Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan for innovative and collaborative research, higher education leadership, quality assurance and standard setting, distance learning, international mobility and transnational education. In 2018, he co-led the efforts to launch Pak-UK Education Gateway, and US Pakistan Knowledge Corridor Programme which aims to enhance partnership between the higher education sectors of Pakistan, USA and the UK. Under the higher education leadership programme, I coordinated the efforts for faculty development and training of deans and VCs in the UK.
In 2013-2017, he led establishing GAIN in Pakistan for the Palladium Group, developed country strategy, conceptualised, designed and negotiated a USD 6 million programme for fortifications of staple foods in Pakistan. He led the Central Asia Regional Fortification Programme for GAIN from Pakistan and Afghanistan, initiated the evidence building on adolescent girls’ and nutrition, and conceptualised the programmes for agriculture and nutrition. He coordinated the legislative reform for fortification in Pakistan and offered support for strengthening SUN networks and secretariats.
During 2008-2011, he established the country programme of International Relief & Development from onset, developed country strategy, business intelligence and designed programmes for humanitarian assistance. He led the execution of USD 35 million programmes for emergency relief, early recovery and DRR in response to the displacements caused by 2010 floods and military operations.
During 2003-2008, he served as advisor for USAID’s largest Local Governance Programme (USD 900 million) in Iraq, managed by Research Triangle Institute (RTI) for strengthening governance and democracy in Iraq. He built the capacity of provincial councils, civil society, human rights organization and established democratic process and legal frameworks in 6 provinces. He also led the political participation and civil society fund of DFID for the British Council.Sajjad possesses charismatic representational skills to leverage relationship with donor, diplomatic community and in country leadership in politics, civil society, businesses and media. He honed excellent analytical and communication skills at all levels of strategic stakeholders with demonstrated ability to think strategically, navigate politically sensitive terrains and develop solutions.