The Ugandan Jobline

Job Title: Head of Programmes (HoP)

Organisation: Self Help Africa Uganda (incorporating TruTrade) as part of the Gorta Group

Duty Station:  Kampala, Uganda

Reports to: Country Director Uganda

Annual gross salary: Range between UGX 108,000,000 and UGX 126,000,000

About US:

Self Help Africa (SHA) is an international NGO dedicated to the vision of an economically thriving and resilient rural Africa. We have 50 years of experience working with smallholder farmers, farmer associations, cooperatives and agribusinesses across Africa to help farmers grow and sell more food, improve diets, diversify incomes and make their livelihoods more sustainable and resilient to external shocks. SHA also builds awareness of issues affecting smallholders and represent their interests at policy and institutional level.

SHA is a core member of The Gorta Group which is composed of a group of innovative organisations driving sustainable economic and social change across Africa. Comprising Self Help Africa, Partner Africa and TruTrade, the Gorta Group combines expertise in market-based solutions to poverty and rural development; climate change mitigation and resilience; trade facilitation and farmer and worker rights; underpinned by an inclusive ethos that specifically targets women and youth. In August 2021, United Purpose joined the Gorta Group, which operates as Self Help Africa (SHA), bringing together two organisations with proud histories of assisting those in greatest need. United Purpose, formerly Concern Universal, has worked for more than 40 years as a leader in community-led development and grassroots innovation. SHA now has over 700 staff worldwide, as a result of the merger, and a global turnover of over €40m.

We are currently implementing a portfolio of 80 projects in Bangladesh, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda and Zambia funded by a variety of institutional and private donors including the European Union, Irish Aid and World Food Programme. In 2020, we supported close to eight million people in rural communities across sub-Saharan Africa, Brazil and Bangladesh.

Job Summary:   Under the overall supervision of the Uganda Country Director (CD), the Head of Programmes (HoP) is key member of the Country Management Team (CMT), along with the Head of Financial Accounting (HoFA). The HoP is responsible for ensuring that Self Help Africa (SHA) Uganda’s programmes contribute to the vision of Self Help Africa of “a thriving and resilient rural Africa”. The HoP shall provide overall leadership at a strategic and operational level for the Country Office (CO) and ensures that SHA’s vision and overall programme goals are met. The HoP provides managerial, technical, mentoring and administrative support to a high performing programme team of Project Managers, Technical Advisors and Project Officers, leading effective planning and coordination across a growing and exciting project portfolio. He/she is the lead for the design of new and innovative programmes and coordinating the development of funding proposals for new or ongoing projects in line with agreed upon Country Office goals and strategic direction.

Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

Leadership and Strategic Direction

• To lead and engage with the programme team to promote SHA’s values in their day to day work
• Participate in the strategic development of the Uganda programme, as a key member of the CMT
• In liaison with the CD and programme team, design programmes and strategies in line with SHA’s mission, priorities and guidelines
• Assist the CD in programme fundraising, identifying new areas of need and potential areas for project development and donor funding in Uganda

Programme Management

• Overall responsibility for the management of all SHA projects in Uganda consistent with good practice in project cycle management.
• Ensure adherence to timelines for all proposals and review proposals as necessary; Ensure strict compliance with donor contract requirements and reporting deadlines.
• Coordinate effective implementation of programme activities, including the development of work plans and facilitate their timely implementation, developing annual programme budgets and monitoring budget expenditure.
• Prepare programme reports such as Quarterly and Annual Programme performance indicators reports, Donor Reports, Board reports and other ad-hoc reporting needs.
• Support regular (monthly and quarterly) and highly rigorous approach to monitoring and evaluation, with a focus on outcomes, including systems for monitoring performance toward specific goals and objectives and developing and overseeing the baseline, mid-term, end term and impact evaluation component.
• Ensure SHA complies with all legal and donor requirements in programme areas.
• Ensure good working relationship with all programme stakeholders including government, civil society, private sector and beneficiaries, ensuring they are fully involved in planning and design, implementation, monitoring and reporting of programmes as appropriate.
• Lead the CO efforts to integrate emergency preparedness planning into our programmes and ensure that the CO is ready and able to respond to emergencies when they occur with support from HO emergency response person/unit.
• Ensure the integration of cross-cutting themes into strategy and operational frameworks. Specifically support capacity development and monitor integration of the following: advocacy and policy influencing; inclusion especially youth, gender and disability sensitivity; nutrition; and environmental factors.

Operations Management

• Ensure expenditure and budget tracking are compliant with programme scope and donor guidelines
• Ensure regular communication is maintained among field sites including between the field, the Uganda Head Office and the programme support staff in HQ and the UK
• Ensure adherence to timelines for all proposals and review proposals as necessary; Ensure strict compliance with donor contract requirements and reporting deadlines;
• Travel to the project sites as and when needed

Safety and Security

• Ensure field site safety and security guidelines are prepared and reviewed at least biannually
• Ensure all safety or security incidents (fires, vehicle accidents, theft, etc.) are appropriately recorded and reported by project coordinators to relevant parties
• Actively monitor field site safety and security and advise the CD of new developments

Logistics/Finance/Administration

• Liaise with Desk Officer, Head of Compliance at HQ and Uganda CD in identifying areas for improvement across all support areas.
• Work closely with the HoFA and Project Managers to prepare and review budgets and anticipated results.

People Management

• Provide direct line management to Programme Coordinators and Project Managers and through them support the management and development of all project staff.
• Maintain good team communication, engender excellent team dynamics and actively manage all direct reports to ensure optimum performance across all programme staff.
• To mentor and coach direct reports as part of people management brief to ensure SHA attracts and retain the best talent within the Uganda programme
• To ensure a Performance Development Review (PDR) is completed for each direct report (to include a training needs analysis) and the follow-up meetings as agreed.
• Ensure compliance with all organisational HR policies and procedures and local labour laws in relation to the selection, recruitment and retention of all programme staff.
• Assist in the recruitment of all new programme staff.

Representation

• In coordination with the CD and Programme Support Coordinator, represent SHA at national, regional and international levels; to donors, local and national government authorities, other NGOs, and any other parties as required
• Support the CD’s strategic co-operation initiatives with government, private sector and national/international NGOs and CBOs active in the programme areas
• In coordination with the CD, lead on national and regional policy engagements.
• Ensure that relationships and formal agreements with government and partners are maintained and updated as appropriate
• Ensure proper programme documentation and sharing with partners within and external to SHA programme;

Authority

• The HoP approves SHA financial transactions, signs cheques, recruits staff, etc., as per the SHA operations manual. S/he inputs to project proposals including budgets, and submits to donors after CD and HO approval. S/he can negotiate directly with donors based on agreed upon framework with the CD. The HoP deputises the CD when required.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal applicant must hold a Masters or similar degree in Agriculture/Business Management, Rural Development, Project Management, Development Studies or any field related to development work.
• A least five years’ successful experience in a senior position with responsibility for project management and design.
• An ability to communicate effectively in English in a variety of settings such as staff meetings, donor negotiations, discussions with government and other partners, and training workshops
• Strong conceptual-level writing skills in English, as well as experience in editing the written work of others
• An ability to lead a large group of diverse and committed individuals and mould them into a coordinated and cohesive team
• A willingness and ability to coach, mentor and otherwise support the development of staff
• An ability to help others to plan and think strategically about their work
• Strong understanding of and practical experience in rural livelihoods, food and nutrition security, agribusiness and related activities.
• Knowledge of the NGO sector in Uganda.
• Excellent English language skills with excellent verbal, analytical, and organizational skills – a good communicator, with proven experience in reporting for international donors.
• Good team-worker; able to live and work closely with a small team with minimum direct supervision.
• Commitment to international and humanitarian NGO codes, standards and practices.
• Driving licence
• Excellent analytical skills
• Excellent writing and presentation skills
• Ability to work under pressure and on own initiative
• Ability to contribute to a small team environment
• Excellent interpersonal skills

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified candidates Please download the Application Form Download Here. The qualified candidates should upload a completed application form, motivational letter and CV at the link below.

Click Here

Deadline: Sunday 7^th November 2021 at 5pm

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