Policy and Research Officer Job Placement - Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Youth Affairs (UPFYA)

Organization: Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Youth Affairs

(UPFYA)

Duty Station:  Kampala,

Uganda

Uganda

Parliamentary Forum on Youth Affairs (UPFYA) is an advocacy platform in

Parliament formed in 2008 by a section of youthful members of the eighth

Parliament with a shared purpose of using collective energies to effectively

and meaningfully represent youth issues through legislation, budget

appropriations and oversight.

Job Summary: The Policy and Research Officer will play a focal

role within the team that is delivering UPFYA’s Strategic Plan 2011 – 2016 a

copy of which can be found on UPFYA’s website. The purpose of the post is to

enable UPFYA:

• Monitor progress in the formulation and
  
  implementation of youth focused legislation and policies, monitor the
  
  future policy landscape as it relates to youth, and initiate appropriate
  
  research to inform current and future activities, and brief UPFYA’s
  
  membership and partners; and


• Maintain two-way communication with UPFYA’s
  
  members and stakeholders, youth leaders, youth civil society and young
  
  people themselves across the country.


• The post-holder will also deputise as
  
  necessary for UPFYA’s Coordinator.


• The current priority is policy and Research
  
  within UPFYA’s DGF funded multi-year project entitled ‘Enhancing Youth
  
  Participation in Governance Issues through Legislation’ and the DGF 1 +.

Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Work collaboratively with partners to take
  
  the lead for UPFYA in monitoring the internal and external environment to
  
  ensure UPFYA can respond effectively to issues affecting young people and
  
  those raised by young people;


• Regularly review policy proposals on the
  
  floor of parliament and in parliamentary committees to ensure they are
  
  responsive to the needs of youth;


• Offer technical support to the Coordinator in
  
  the analyses of information gathered through UPFYA’s activities and
  
  contribute to the planning of future UPFYA activities as a result;


• Offer technical support UPFYA members to
  
  generate oral questions and policy responses as and when needed on the
  
  floor of parliament and in parliamentary committees;


• The incumbent will identify gaps in policy
  
  and legislation and shortcomings in the implementation of existing
  
  policies and programmes to inform UPFYA’s future advocacy agenda;


• Initiate appropriate research, either through
  
  commissioning, in conjunction with partners or through direct delivery, to
  
  inform UPFYA activities and its membership and stakeholders;


• Produce policy briefs, working papers for
  
  UPFYA members and stakeholders and formulate and publish external policy
  
  papers on issues of concern to the youth;


• Take the lead on the formulation of reports
  
  of UPFYA activities from drafting to final production of publishable
  
  documents both in hard and soft format;


• Deliver verbal presentations and briefings in
  
  a range of settings;


• Assist the Coordinator in ensuring effective
  
  and timely reporting to, and communication and liaison with, internal and
  
  external stakeholders particularly UPFYA Board and members and youth
  
  networks across the country;


• Work in liaison with the Admin Assistant and
  
  Communications and ICT Officer ensure UPFYA works with partners to create
  
  and maintain a library of resources on youth related research and policy;


• Support the Programme Officer with the
  
  planning, organisation and implementation of UPFYA’s district, regional
  
  and national level activities;


• As a senior member of staff contribute to
  
  UPFYA’s financial management;


• Actively participate actively as a team
  
  member in UPFYA’s internal meetings including, on occasions, taking the
  
  minutes of such meetings;


• Significantly contribute as part of the team
  
  to the support and supervision of any interns placed with UPFYA;


• The post-holder will be expected to undertake
  
  any other specific tasks assigned to him/her by the Coordinator in line
  
  with UPFYA programme areas.


• In addition, the post-holder will line manage
  
  UPFYA’s Communications and ICT Officer.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience: 

• The Policy and Research Officer should hold a
  
  relevant bachelor’s level degree or its equivalent is a requirement and a
  
  higher level degree would be an added advantage.


• Prior experience of policy analysis and the
  
  production of high quality policy briefings, papers and reports;


• Familiarity with the workings of government,
  
  parliament civil society in Uganda;


• Familiarity with the current issues in the
  
  country especially youth related issues;


• Broad knowledge and understanding of the
  
  concepts of good governance and democracy in a multi-party dispensation


• Previous experience of undertaking and
  
  commissioning research both in the field and via the internet is desired


• Prior exposure and experience of working with
  
  organisations delivering fixed-term projects to tight deadlines is an
  
  added advantage


• Applicants that have worked  in similar settings have an added
  
  advantage


• Communication Skills – excellent written and spoken
  
  English and good interpersonal skills with the ability to build
  
  relationships and alliances;


• Information Technology – high level of computer skills
  
  (Windows, Excel, Power Point, Word, Internet and social media);


• Work Management and personal organisation –
  
  self-organised with the ability to manage time and tight schedules, and
  
  work effectively under pressure. The ability to work on own initiative,
  
  with a creative approach to problem solving and good attention to detail;


• Strategic thinking: analytical skills and the ability to
  
  anticipate developments and plan ahead

How to Apply: 

All

suitably qualified and interested candidates are encouraged to send an updated

CV and scanned academic documents to:

Room

31 East Wing, Parliamentary Building,

Email to: info@upfya.or.ug

NB: All applications should be via E-mail only

Deadline: Sunday, 3^rd April 2016.