Grants Assistant

Through my work at CRA-North I led activities across KP, Sindh & Baluchistan which helped resilience and disaster recovery services for flood-affected populations, including: • Coordinated CCM Activities: A coordinated effort was established to lead CCM programs in different regions for delivering humanitarian assistance to flood-hit communities. • Developed RFAs: Developed Response and Feedback Approaches, provided funding packages to CSOs and CBOs and NGOs for assisting flood-vulnerable and marginalized communities during their reintegration and resilience phase. • Administrative and Financial Oversight: Administrative and Financial Oversight functioned to handle administrative processes alongside financial coordination points involving proposal assessment and grant allocation and performance tracking. • Stakeholder Engagement: The implementation partners received assistance to maintain DRR objectives while their activities aligned with CRA-North's resilience strategy. • Resilience and Flood Recovery Programming: The team worked alongside program staff and stakeholders for implementing Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) together with recovery plans that match local community requirements. • Grant and Budget Management: I led the review of technical and financial proposals and ran a resilience grants tracker system before overseeing grant deliverable verification procedures as well as full grant closure activities. I took part in Budget vs Actuals (BVA) meetings to guarantee budget adherence and maximize resource utilization efficiency. • Technical Review and Evaluation: Served as a core member of the Implementing Partner (IP) Technical Review Committee, leading IP selection, proposal evaluation, and alignment with CRA-North policies. Provided adaptive recommendations to maximize project impact and achieve strategic recovery goals. • Continuous Communication: Maintained active communication with implementing partners through which we established effective communication and kept our programs focused on DRR and resilience objectives.

Freelance Consultant - Proposal Development

Developing winning proposals and concept notes for NGOs, INGOs, and development organizations. Conducting research on funding opportunities, engaging with stakeholders, and crafting compelling grant applications. Ensuring compliance with donor guidelines while aligning proposals with organizational goals. Collaborating with teams on budgeting, strategy, and impact measurement to enhance proposal success rates. Specialized in funding from USAID, UN agencies, EU, DFID, and other major donors.

Manager Programs

As a Manager Program I played a key role in leading program development and implementation for Kurram Welfare Home, focusing on flood response, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), and emergency response. I worked directly with the Chief Executive and contributed to the organization’s strategic direction and operational success through the following responsibilities:  Program Development and Management: Designed and accomplished programs associated with the organizational goals, emphasize flood response, DRR, and emergency management. Established long-term projects objectives, budgets, and operational plans to ensure program sustainability and effectiveness.  Team and Stakeholder Coordination: Worked with a diverse team, ensuring that our progress met high standards in safety, quality, and beneficiary satisfaction. I also built strong partnerships, kept thorough records, and provided clear and timely reports on our progress.  Grant and Proposal Management: Worked on writing funding proposals, concept notes, EOIs, and RFAs, making sure they met donor requirements. I also kept track of grants for updates and follow-ups.  Strategic and M&E Tools Development: Helped create monitoring and evaluation tools, assisted in proposal development, and worked on project budgets to support disaster risk reduction and emergency management.  Documentation and Compliance: Ensured proper documentation of all project activities from start to closeout, following donor guidelines to maintain transparency and accountability.

Grants Associate

Grants Cycle Management: Handled the complete grants cycle, including solicitation preparation, reviewing documents, award management, and close-out processes and checked for errors and missing documents to ensure everything met the required standards.  Application Review & Pre-Award Assessments: Reviewed grant applications, conducted pre-award assessments, and monitored compliance. I also verified expense reports and submitted payment requests to the Finance department.  Record-Keeping & Documentation: Tracking of grants and procurement records, ensuring all documents were properly filed and archived for easy access.  Budget Negotiation & USAID Support: Helped negotiate budgets and assisted in getting USAID approvals.  Capacity Building & Stakeholder Training: I played a role in capacity building by organizing technical training sessions for stakeholders in the agribusiness sector, helping them gain new skills and knowledge.

Manager Grants

 Grant Activity Management: Drafting Requests for Applications (RFAs), writing Concept Papers, and preparing proposals for approval by the Project Coordination Unit.  Coordination & Team Management: Coordinated with regional teams to define roles, set responsibilities, and establish timelines for grantees. I assigned tasks to team members, ensured deadlines were met through follow-ups, and regularly updated the Grants Specialist on progress.  Grant Agreement & Advertisement Development: Managed the drafting and review of grant agreements and created advertisements for grant opportunities in both English and Urdu for local newspapers.  Payment & Documentation Management: Managed payment requests, making sure they were processed on time and properly documented. I also organized kick-off meetings and ensured all grant-related documents were maintained throughout the process.  Grants Management System & Portfolio Oversight: Contributed to developing a grants management system and oversaw a $16 million funding portfolio, ensuring smooth implementation and proper closeout of grants.

Office Manager

As an Office Manager, I handled daily operations related to booksellers, textbooks, general merchandise, sales, cash handling, and shipping/receiving. I made sure everything ran smoothly and efficiently. • I managed account reconciliation by checking ledger entries against invoices, journal vouchers, and purchase orders to ensure accuracy in payments and records. • I worked closely with publishers, authors, and designers to finalize textbooks on time for review and approval. • I drafted contracts, agreements, and memorandums for schools, suppliers, and contractors. I also negotiated with vendors and distributors to set up and manage product distribution networks and strategies. • I organized office record-keeping systems and provided executive-level administrative support, helping maintain smooth day-to-day operations.

Project Coordinator

Team Leadership & Coordination: I led a team of 16 professionals, including Managers, M&E Officers, Social Organizers, Engineers, and administrative staff. I reported directly to the Head of Programs, ensuring our work aligned with program goals.  Program Planning & Reporting: Developed detailed implementation plans (DIP) and baseline survey reports, submitted weekly/bi-weekly and monthly progress reports to donors, making sure all updates were timely and accurate.  Compliance & Field Monitoring: Monitored project activities to ensure they met donor regulations, conducted field visits, carried out technical assessments, and coordinated with PDMA/FDMA, district authorities, and other stakeholders.  Tracking Mechanism for TDPs: Managed the tracking system for Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs) from North Waziristan Agency, ensuring accurate reporting and quick response to humanitarian needs.  Risk Management & Emergency Response: Identified potential project risks and took proactive steps to address them. I also managed emergency response efforts to ensure quick and effective action when needed.  Project Execution & Compliance: Ensured all project activities were completed on time, within budget, and met quality standards. I prioritized tasks, coordinated with senior management, tracked team attendance, and ensured compliance with approved plans and donor requirements.

Senior Manager Grants & Contracts / Manager Programs

 Team Leadership & Management: Led a team of Managers, Assistant Managers, and Grant Officers, oversaw grant operations across Pakistan and reporting directly to the Director of Grants & Contracts while managing the full grant lifecycle.  Program Development & Capacity Building: Conducted capacity assessments of NGOs and Rural Support Programs (RSPs) to enhance competitiveness in agricultural value chains such as horticulture, livestock, dairy, meat, and fisheries. Drafted Requests for Applications (RFAs) and prepared approval packages for donor review.  Business Development & Stakeholder Engagement: Identified funding opportunities and built strong relationships with businesses, government agencies, and NGOs. Guided potential beneficiaries through the grant application process.  Grant Agreement Management & Compliance: Managed grant agreements in compliance with USAID regulations and donor policies. Coordinated with five regional offices to ensure smooth grant implementation and adherence to program guidelines.  Budget Management & Financial Oversight: Oversaw a $14.13 million grants portfolio, ensuring proper fund allocation, expense tracking, and financial reporting. Worked closely with finance teams to develop budgets, forecasts, and cost-effective strategies.  Monitoring, Evaluation & Communications: Collaborated with M&E and Communications teams to monitor projects, ensure proper branding, support field visits, and establish verification procedures for timely grant disbursement.  Portfolio Management & Impact: Supervised projects from inception to closeout, resolving implementation challenges and ensuring compliance with donor regulations. Contributed to the growth of Pakistan’s agribusiness sector, fostering economic development and job creation.

Assistant Manager Grants & Contracts / Programs

• Grant & Financing Operations Management: Reviewed and processed grant applications, ensuring all required documents were complete. Assessed project feasibility, financial sustainability, and long-term impact before approval. • Pre-Award Assessments & Approval Process: Conducted pre-award assessments, verified applicant information, and prepared cases for review by the appraisal panel. Drafted grant contracts, set project milestones, and established payment schedules. • Grant Portfolio Development & Impact: Developed a $24 million grant portfolio, supporting farmer enterprise groups, clusters, private sector SMEs, and NGOs in rural areas. Helped flood-affected communities by facilitating access to agricultural seeds, inputs, and fertilizers to restore farming activities. • Disaster Relief & Community Recovery: Played a role in disaster recovery efforts by supporting agricultural rebuilding initiatives, helping communities recover and regain their livelihoods after natural disasters.