Program Specialist

Location: Peshawar

Qualification: Bba (Hons)/ Mba/ Social Sciences/ Economics or equivalent

Experience: Min. 3 years in relevant department/industry  

Job Description:

Startup Selection and Onboarding:

• Develop and implement rigorous selection criteria to identify promising early stage tech startups with high growth potential.
• Design, manage and continuously improve the onboarding process, ensuring startups receive essential information, resources, and support to integrate smoothly into the program.

Program Development and Delivery

• Collaborate with the Project Director to design and deliver comprehensive incubation programs tailored to the needs of each cohort of startups. Align with the Project Director on strategic direction and seek approval for major programme changes
• Manage the curriculum, including workshops, mentorship sessions, and speaker engagements, and milestone reviews – ensuring content remains relevant, current, and impactful.
• Recruit and manage program instructors and facilitators with relevant expertise.
• Maintain a documented program calendar and ensure all sessions, events, and milestone reviews are delivered on schedule and to the expected standard.

Startup Coaching and Mentorship:

• Coach and mentor startups on critical business issues like market validation, business model development, fundraising, and team building.
• Facilitate connections between startups and relevant mentors within the incubation center network.
• Track and monitor individual startup progress towards program milestones and goals. Identify at-risk startups early, escalate to the Project Director where needed, and implement corrective support plans to get startups back on track.
• Maintain an up-to-date tracker for all cohort startups, recording milestone achievements, investment raised, revenue generated, and other KPI-relevant metrics for reporting to the Project Director and Ignite.
• Conduct structured mid-programme and end-of-programme reviews for each startup, with documented outcomes and recommendations. 

Community Building and Engagement:

• Foster a collaborative and supportive community environment within the program, encouraging knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning.
• Organize networking events and activities to connect startups with potential investors, partners, and customers.
• Cultivate a positive and motivating program culture that empowers startups to succeed.

Data Analysis and Program Improvement:

• Collect and analyze data on startup progress, program effectiveness, and participant feedback.
• Identify areas for improvement and revise the program curriculum and delivery methods based on data insights.
• Develop reports and presentations showcasing program impact and success stories.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Collaborate effectively with the Project Director, other department heads, and program staff to ensure seamless program execution.
• Communicate program updates and progress reports to stakeholders, including investors, partners, and mentors.
• Proactively address challenges and provide timely support to participating startups.

Management-directed responsibilities:

• Perform any additional duties assigned by senior management to support organizational priorities and evolving business needs. Ensure timely execution with professionalism and accountability.

Cross-departmental support / shadowing:

• Collaborate with and shadow own and other departments as required to ensure operational continuity and knowledge sharing.
• Provide support on interdepartmental tasks when needed by the management 

Required Skills:

• Strong communication skills.
• Strong networking skills.
• Management Skills
• Operational efficiency
• Technical knowledge of incubation and startup ecosystem
• Leadership
• People management skill