The Bosnian coach was appointed by Hull after the club narrowly avoided relegation to League One and the club's spending was shackled by an EFL transfer embargo.
Despite those challenges, Jakirovic has turned his side into one of the Championship's entertainers and guided them into the play-off spots with a four-point cushion and four games to play.
And in doing so, the 49-year-old has been nominated for the Manager of the Season award on a shortlist alongside Frank Lampard, whose Coventry team is running away with the title.
In an exclusive interview with Flashscore, Jakirovic discusses the rigours of Championship football and his pride at putting Hull in contention for a surprise Premier League return.
Your first season in English football, how have you found the relentless nature of the Championship?
"I have to say that before the season, or rather right after signing with Hull, I consulted with many players and coaches who had been through the Championship, so I roughly knew what to expect.
"But then again, as with everything in life, the most important thing is to see for yourself and gain your own experience so you can put it into practice.
"It should be noted that, together with my staff, I have worked at three clubs that regularly play in European competitions and in that rhythm of two games a week, so it wasn't a problem for us to adapt and optimise the training process.
"However, they don't compare the Championship to the NBA for no reason. Take the example of Easter week. On Good Friday we played away in Oxford, and by Monday we were already hosting Coventry.
"So, you don't have time for celebrations or mourning, nor for massive preparations. All in all, I’d say we’ve adapted well, which the results suggest as well."
How has your relationship developed with the club over the season?
"We clicked from the start, without a doubt. For any coach, the most important thing is to feel trust from the club leadership. That kind of support has been present here from the beginning.
"The club owner, Mr Acun, insisted on my arrival from the start, and as it goes in life, you like to be where you are wanted and where you feel accepted.
"Communication upon arrival was easy, and we’ve continued in that tone this entire time. We have all the necessary conditions, the fans have recognised our efforts - we average about 20,000 fans at every game, which is an important extra motivation.
"Hull and Yorkshire as an environment are quite vivid; everyone who has visited here has been positively surprised. So we are satisfied from that side too.
"The team was in a very difficult situation last year, only securing survival in the final round. This year we are doing great things, and that is certainly an additional reason for the great optimism surrounding the club."
You are in the play-offs as we enter the final few games of the campaign - what would it mean for Hull to return to the Premier League, especially after finishing 21st last time out?
"Yes, we are currently in the play-off spots with four rounds to go, but that still needs to be confirmed on the pitch. Every subsequent game is a final, and we are heading into the home game against Birmingham this weekend with that mindset.
"It’s hard to talk about promotion to the (Premier League) right now, especially since we haven’t even mathematically secured the play-offs yet, and you know what kind of 'hell' would await us there.
"Regardless, it would be the crown of everyone's career - both a potential play-off run and promotion, if it were to happen. But we won't look that far ahead.
"We desperately need three points this weekend, and then we'll see what the math and the table say in the final three rounds."
What has sparked that improvement?
"Hard work and belief in the process have paid off, I would say. Since the first round in Coventry, where we played a tough draw against the current first-placed team, there was a huge indicator of quality.
"It’s worth emphasising that, due to a transfer embargo, we literally put the team together on the fly. After that, we were hit by numerous injuries, so while preparing for some matches, we were just counting who would be healthy and available in the midst of it all.
"And then, when you keep a team together through all of that, when you instil a mentality that never gives up, results cannot fail to follow.
"Again, there are the fans and the positive atmosphere around the club that followed us, and I think all of that created a beautiful story that we are currently living."
You noted your pride in being up for manager of the year in the Championship - what do you put that success down to?
"I’ve emphasised it before and I’ll repeat it without issue — everyone at the club is responsible for this. From the team and my staff to the people working hard in the club and the community...
"Ultimately, it is certainly a matter of great pride. To be among such names, alongside someone like Frank Lampard in such a competitive league, is a huge success.
"I don’t know how the award ceremony itself will go, but being nominated as one of four names out of so many coaches is an honour, a point of pride, and an obligation for the future."
How have you handled the pressure of a play-off push? You have experience in big competitions from your previous managerial roles. Has that helped?
"I must first point out that everyone in the public saw us in a desperate fight for survival. We all promised ourselves that we would go game by game and then take whatever was offered to us. Now we are where we are.
"As for me personally, I’ve simply gained vast experience through all these years in the coaching business. Like I said, you don't create massive euphoria after wins, and after losses, you take everything positive and draw lessons.
"I haven't changed my coaching philosophy since the beginning, but I have upgraded myself at every club. Every experience is a lesson, even the negative ones.
"You know how to handle a new situation and you know what ultimately brings results. That kind of experience is beyond measure."