Job Title: Head of Programs
Organisation: Teach For Uganda (TFU)
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
Reporting to: Managing Director
About Organisation:
Teach For Uganda (TFU) is an indigenous non-profit Organisation that nurtures leaders who are committed to advancing equitable access to quality education for children in low-income communities in Uganda through a two-year teaching as collective fellowship. We recruit, train and place graduates from varied academic backgrounds to serve as full-time teachers (fellows) in underserved primary schools to improve foundational literacy and numeracy skills for children while developing their leadership skills. Post fellowship, our alumni become lifelong advocates of quality education as community leaders, social entrepreneurs, and policy influencers collectively addressing the systemic challenges that hinder children from fulfilling their potential. We currently operate in 10 districts i.e., Mukono, Bugiri, Namayingo, Buikwe, Mayuge, Namutumba, Kayunga, Hoima, Kikuube and Kagadi; impacting over 100,000 children in 182 schools.
Job Summary: The Head of Programs is responsible for leading the design, execution and scaling of the Teach For Uganda program, ensuring that it effectively recruits, trains and supports fellows to improve foundational literacy and numeracy skills in the short term, while preparing them to become lifelong advocates of inclusive quality education as alumni. This role involves strategic leadership, team management, partnership development, program coordination and the continuous improvement of program outcomes. The Head of Programs will report directly to the Managing Director.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Program Leadership & Strategy (25%)
- Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for the Teach For Uganda program that aligns with the organization’s mission, goals and strategic plan.
- Lead the design and execution of the Fellowship program, including recruitment, selection, training, and ongoing support of Fellows.
- Ensure that the program meets its impact goals, such as student outcomes, Fellow development, community engagement and alumni leadership.
- Collaborate with the senior leadership team to refine and strengthen the program model based on data, feedback, and best practices.
- Oversee the development and execution of a robust recruitment strategy to attract high-potential candidates from diverse backgrounds. Ensure a rigorous and equitable selection process is implemented that identifies candidates who demonstrate the leadership qualities necessary to drive educational change.
- Work closely with the marketing team to build brand awareness to reach potential applicants and ensure branding and visibility provisions are also included in program designs and proposals.
- Oversee the design and implementation of the training curriculum for Fellows and coaches, ensuring it equips them with the skills, knowledge, and mindsets required to be effective educators and leaders.
- Refine the existing support system for Fellows, including mentoring, coaching, and professional development opportunities throughout their two-year commitment to ensure it meets the expected objectives.
- Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement among Fellows and staff.
Partnerships & Stakeholder Management (20%)
- Build and maintain strong relationships with Ministry of Education and sports, local governments, educational institutions, local and international organizations, and schools to ensure successful placements and support for our fellows and programs.
- Engage with key stakeholders, including funders, policymakers, and community leaders, to advocate for the program and secure resources.
- Represent Teach For Uganda at conferences, events, and meetings to build strategic partnerships and advocate for and raise awareness of Teach For Uganda’s work.
- Collaborate with the Fundraising and partnership Manager in joint proposal writing and project design for effective implementation of program activities and projects.
- Oversee that all field staff actively participate in important stakeholder coordination meetings at district level to represent TFU’s interests and also ensure they furnish key district officials with monthly program reports.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Impact (20%)
- With the support of the MEAL team, implement a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework to track the progress and impact of the program.
- Deliver demonstrable impact and take accountability for overall program quality and learning for the Teach For Uganda program
- Regularly assess program outcomes, including student literacy and numeracy achievement, Fellow development, and long-term Alumni leadership impact on educational equity.
- Use data-driven insights to inform program improvements and strategic decisions.
- Prepare and present detailed program reports to the Managing Director, Board of Directors, and funders.
- Deliver demonstrable impact and take accountability for overall program quality and learning for Teach For Uganda program.
- Work with the MEAL Manager to develop, implement and embed a knowledge management system, that will ensure the sharing of knowledge across the program.
- Conduct ongoing monitoring of the program in all our areas of operation to learn and adapt strategies to enhance program quality and impact.
- Oversee that the program and projects develop and implement annual work plans and budgets which are regularly updated and executed in line with the strategic plan and Teach For Uganda standards.
- Together with Senior Program Officers, develop program and project improvement plans and/or functional dashboard to monitor and track timely submission of key donor deliverables and ensure effective and timely implementation of the projects and the program
- Organise program/project joint review meetings with stakeholders to ensure planning/implementation of the program/projects are informed by the outcomes of the reviews.
- Develop, regularly update and implement a risk management plan for all programs
- Maintain a schedule for reporting of all program activities. Review and submit required reports including donor and department narrative reports, quarterly performance indicator tracking tables, baseline and evaluation reports in collaboration with the MEAL Manager.
- Together with the fundraising manager, lead in ensuring overall timely reporting of donor-funded projects, reporting requirements are met and all reports are subjected to rigorous quality assurance processes
- Submit monthly progress reports to the managing director – highlighting progress of implementation and impact of the Teach For Uganda program and projects.
Team Management and Leadership (25%)
- Lead, mentor, and manage a diverse team of program staff, ensuring high performance and professional growth.
- Conduct Monthly program meetings to set and review progress on priority goals and ensure activities are effectively coordinated and implemented to avoid overlap.
- Oversee the recruitment, training, and performance management of the program team.
- Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and mission-driven work environment.
- Mobilize program staff to develop strategic concepts and plans for program innovation and fundraising in alignment with Teach For Uganda’s strategy
- As a member of the senior leadership team of Teach For Uganda, contribute to decision-making on all critical organization-wide issues, such as resource mobilization & allocation, culture, capital development, strategic planning, policies and procedures.
Budgeting and Financial Planning (10%)
- Facilitate periodic planning and budgeting for the program and projects in line with planning and budgeting guidelines and timelines in collaboration with Finance Manager.
- Monitor program and project budget expenditures to ensure they are within the planned time frame and approved budgets .
- Collaborate with the Finance Manager to train programs staff on budgeting and finance tools and systems to increase their capacity to manage budgets effectively.
- Review and approve requisitions, accountabilities and procurement requests to ensure they meet the financial guidelines of Teach For Uganda.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- Bachelor’s in education or related field and a masters degree
- Minimum 7-10 years of experience in educational programming, program management, or a related field, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
Skills and Attributes:
- Experience in teacher training, curriculum development, or educational leadership. Excellent leadership, communication (written and verbal), and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and motivate high-performing teams.
- Proven experience in the education sector.
- Proven experience in resource mobilization, proposal writing, and writing high-quality donor reports
- Ability to extensively travel for program monitoring and provide on-site technical support to field teams
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic, and demanding environment. Knowledge of the Ugandan non-profit landscape and relevant legal/regulatory frameworks is a significant advantage.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and relevant operational management software like outlook
- Passionate commitment to Teach For Uganda’s mission and vision for educational equity.
- A deep commitment to Teach For Uganda’s mission and values of educational equity.
Key Competencies:
- Strategic Vision
- Leadership and Team Management
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Data-Driven Decision Making
- Innovation and Adaptability
How to Apply:
Please email your resume with 3 professional referees and a one-page cover letter to [email protected] Please indicate the position applied for in the subject line of your email not later than 30th July, 2025. Your cover letter should include why you are interested in Teach For Uganda and in this position.
Deadline: 30th July 2025
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Level of Education: Bachelor Degree
Work Hours: 8
Experience in Months: 84