Program Manager | ReliefWeb

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
Section: Programs
Reports To: Country Director
Technical Relationships: M&E, Communication, Finance and Admin teams
Positions Supervised: Project Coordinators/ Managers

Project Officers Job Summary

Under the direct supervision of the Country Director (CD), the Programs Manager serves as a senior manager on all aspects of the Uganda Programmes. H/she assists the CD with general program development and implementation activities, including the management, supervision and coordination of the four strategic programs – Applied Learning; Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate change Adaptation; Education; and Food Security and Wealth Creation.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities

1. Supporting the development and implementation of current programs and contribute to the development of new initiatives that contribute to national and regional priorities;


2. Supporting in the effective strategic monitoring and evaluation of four program interventions, measuring the impact of the programs and, when relevant, its timely readjustment;


3. Strengthen relationships with partner organizations, including donors, government, the private sector and government departments to achieve the strategic outcomes


4. Advising program counterparts and ‘Uganda’s Country management team and guiding relevant Uganda team on the design and formulation of program interventions, contributing to realization of IIRR country priorities.


5. Developing and maintaining strategic partnerships, supports resource mobilization efforts in cooperation with the Uganda Country Management team;


6. Provide direction and coordination of the four Program lead managers, ensuring operational excellence in execution of Uganda programs in accordance with the Strategy 2015


7. Work with the CD to develop technical proposals and prepare budgets for assignment bids;


8. Providing strategic management and oversight of planning, budgeting and implementing of all Uganda interventions including resource allocation, mobilization and control and cost efficiency;


9. Ensuring the effective monitoring of Uganda program interventions in the evaluation of development results, in terms of progress made towards achieving intended programmatic goals in Uganda.


10. Assuming acting functions in the absence of, or by delegation from the CD, of all programmatic matters of the Uganda office;


11. Other duties as assigned

Minimum Education, Skills and Abilities

• Masters Degree in the following fields: Development studies, Agro Enterprise, Social sciences or any other related field. Experience in Value chain development will be an added advantage,


• Minimum 8 years’ experience in development and atleast 5 years in a management role;


• Strong leadership and people management skills at a senior level;


• Experience in developing new programming, ideally across multiple sectors;


• Experience in developing and implementing quality control and learning systems for complex development programmes;


• Experience of working across geographical and organization boundaries, across cultures & diverse development stakeholders.


• Superior oral and written communication skills in English;


• Flexibility regarding assigned work hours and location


• Experience and knowledge of local cultures


• Experience in writing proposals;


• Ability to work calmly under pressure to beat deadlines while maintain quality.


• Evidence of fundraising success across multiple programs

Competencies / Attributes / Knowledge and Skills:

• Excellent written & oral communication skills in a multicultural environment.


• Excellent rapport building, networking, partnership building and relationship management experience.


• Ability to maintain and manage good working relationships internally & externally.


• Excellent facilitation skills


• Good team player, flexible and capable of working with a multinational country team;


• Appreciation of and sensitivity to local culture.


• Ability to set priorities between competing demands for resources.


• Manage own tasks and priorities effectively and with minimal supervision.


• Strength of character, competence, commitment and creativity

Special working conditions:

• The incumbent may have to work odd and/or long hours at a time to complete special requests for the Institution or projects.


• Commitment to the realization of team goals, objectives and targets.