CARE INTERNATIONAL IN UGANDA

CARE is a global leader dedicated to ending poverty. CARE works in 100 countries to save lives, defeat poverty, and achieve social justice. We seek a world of hope, tolerance, and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and all people live with dignity and security. We put women and girls at the centre of our work because we know that we cannot overcome poverty until all people have equal rights and opportunities. CARE has been working in Uganda for over 50 years. Our ambition is to improve the lives of one million people in Uganda every year through lifesaving and gender transformative programs.

Program SUMMARY

CARE Uganda program is comprised of Livelihoods, Climate Justice, Gender Justice, and Humanitarian Action, spread across five sub-regions: Karamoja, Southwest, Eastern, Northern and West Nile. Our annual budget is approximately $15 million, funded by various donors. Since 2017, CARE Uganda’s Humanitarian program has steadily evolved from protection and life-saving services to include a strong focus on NEXUS, Disaster Preparedness and Urban programming. We continue to provide protection and life-saving support to refugees as needed while concurrently working with national and local governments to strengthen national and district Disaster Preparedness and deepening our URBAN programming across emerging cities like Gulu, Arua, Hoima, Fortportal to address the unique protection and economic security needs of urban refugees, especially women, and girls.

Job SUMMARY

The Program Manager (PM) is responsible for defining the strategic direction of CARE’s Humanitarian and Nexus program, securing program funding, and ensuring effective program delivery, and budget management. The PM is responsible for program quality and learning oversight, external representation, and networking to grow the visibility, and influence of CARE’s Humanitarian and Nexus program. The PM will ensure the program is properly resourced with a competent, motivated, and performing team. S/he will ensure the program strategy is robust, contextually aligned and models protect and empower women and girls.

CARE is looking for a dynamic Ugandan professional who can consolidate the work already done in humanitarian programming, but also steer the organisation towards and through this exciting transition. CARE is looking for a person with solid experience in emergency protection and lifesaving response, Disaster Preparedness, good understanding of NEXUS and URBAN programming. Exposure to the Grand Bargain Work stream for Humanitarian programming and Charter4Change (Localization of Humanitarian Aid) processes in Uganda. If you possess these qualities, and you are passionate about gender equality, then you are the person we are looking for. We strongly encourage qualified female candidates to apply.  

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

1.     Program STRATEGY & Business DEVELOPMENT (20%)

The Program Manager (PM) is responsible for developing the program strategy including emergency preparedness plan, program focus, approaches and models. The PM is responsible for developing position papers and profiling the program to potential donors and partners, establishing strategic relationships and networks and gathering intelligence on upcoming funding opportunities, establishing winning consortia, developing competitive proposals and securing viable funding for the program ($3M/year). This will require the PM to deliver high quality results from current programs, establish good relationships with current and potential donors and be first to know about upcoming funding opportunities. The PM should be able to influence funding priorities of donors by pro-actively sharing emerging innovations and stories from ongoing programs with current and potential donors. The PM should constantly review the program strategy, approaches and models to ensure the program is protecting and empowering women and girls and aligned with government priorities, regional and global development landscape including global goals and CARE International vision 2030.

2.     Program MANAGEMENT Oversight (20%)

The PM is responsible for ensuring timely delivery of planned deliverables across all projects as per approved project proposals, budgets and grant agreements (IPIAs). This will require the PM to ensure all Initiative Managers secure the required staffing, partners, consultants, volunteers, equipment and other resources on time.  This will require PM to provide effective oversight for planning, implementation and regular reviews of all project activity work plans and budgets, providing timely remedial actions. It will require the PM to ensure proper management of sub-granting process and supervision of implementing partners as per CARE’s award and sub-award policy. It will require the PM to ensure effective budget management oversight including effective budget planning and monitoring of budget utilisation for all projects to ensure a culture of zero tolerance to overspends and underspends and ultimately, No-Cost Extensions (NCEs). It will require the PM to ensure effective program risk management across all projects, where risks are clearly defined and managed by IMs using appropriate risk management system and tools.

3.     Program QUALITY & LEARNING (20%)

The PM is responsible for program quality, accountability and learning across all projects, ensuring all projects deliver high quality results empowering women and girls. This will require PM to embrace and embed CARE quality markers (gender, resilience, governance) across the cycle of all projects, regularly monitoring and reporting progress of all projects using the established MEAL system including quarterly program dashboards and global PIIRS reporting system.  It will require the PM to maintain a solid PQL field footprint and consistent field presence across all locations where the program is implemented across the country. It will require the PM to establish and implement effective reporting mechanisms which allow all projects to report progressively and account for their resources to donors, government of Uganda, beneficiaries and CARE: this will include individual monthly reports from IMs and PMs as well as quarterly project reports. The PM will ensure the quality, transparency, timeliness and consistency of these reports and the reporting mechanism. The PM will ensure quality engagement of all projects at all PQL platforms including monthly Program Review Meetings (PRMs) and quarterly PQL workshops. It will require the PM to define the research, evaluation and learning agenda and partnerships for all projects and ensure that the research is robust, evaluations are rigorous and learning is continuous across the program. It will require the PM to effectively manage a growing body of knowledge and credible evidence generated through research, evaluation and learning, and to use the knowledge and evidence to inform the design of new projects, inform strategic debate/discourse and influence development policy, practice and programs. It will require the PM to ensure robust communications and visibility across different platforms like CARE shares, media and social media using high quality content from program results, knowledge and evidence.

4.     Strategic ENGAGEMENT & External Representation (15%)

The PM is responsible for external engagement, representation and influencing systemic change at the highest level using different platforms, networks and coalitions. This will require the PM to regularly represent the program within CARE global networks and across different external platforms including Technical Working Groups and INGO coordination mechanisms and especially with Women’s Organisations and networks at national and international level. It will require the PM to regularly engage with and maintain strategic relationships with current and potential donors, relevant GOU line ministries, INGO and local NGOs implementing similar programs. It will require the PM to regularly engage with and maintain strategic relationships with research, evaluation and learning partners. It will require the PM to engage and maintain influential relationships with advocacy coalitions, social media platforms and mainstream media. It will require the PM to bring credible knowledge and evidence from the program to inform strategic discourse, policy debate and advocacy initiatives positioning CARE as evidence-based and data-driven actor within the sector. It will require the PM to produce think pieces, research papers and publications to inform and influence strategic and technical debates/discourse within the sector and especially on how the Emergency program is contributing to gender transformation and empowerment of girls and women. This will require the PM to establish a structure for external engagement and mechanism for reporting back to ensure feedback is shared and applied across CARE.

5.     Team LEADERSHIP & People MANAGEMENT (15%)

The PM is responsible to hiring, training and retaining a gender-balanced, competent and motivated team of professional staff, consultants and volunteers by establishing a collaborative team culture, high team performance standards and transparent team performance management practice using appropriate combination of reward, recognition and reprimand. As CARE ambassador, the PM is required to ensure gender equity and diversity within the team and nurture CARE’s core values and code of conduct. The PM will promote continuous learning and professional development of the team through on-job learning, relevant exposures and appropriate stretch assignments. The PM will ensure transparent and visible work flow across the team through Microsoft TEAMs platform, Outlook Calendar etc. The PM will ensure that annual performance goals and regular evaluations are concluded in time.

·       Practice a behaviour that is consistent with CARE’s core values, and promotion of gender equity and diversity goals.

·       Plays a leadership role in identifying and implementing initiatives that enhance CARE’s commitment to gender and diversity.

·       Ensure that CARE Safeguarding policies and procedures are adhered to by all and the staff that S/he supervisors both directly and indirectly

·       Ensure that staff and related personnel under your jurisdiction are familiar with the following organizational policies and procedures and can identify when needed how these may have been breached, The CI Safeguarding policy, Protection from Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse and Child Abuse, The anti-discrimination and harassment policy, The code of conduct and the organizations Values.

7.     Any other duties assigned from time to time (5%)

·       Step in and cover for Program Director from time to time

·       Take on stretch assignments assigned from time to time

PROBLEM SOLVING             

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, AND KNOWLEDGE

Essential:

1)     Masters degree in relevant field of study from reputable institution is required.

2)     At least 10 years of relevant field experience with reputable international organisations managing similar programs with similar complexity and context.

3)     Experience in disaster preparedness and emergency response with technical grounding in either social protection or economic security (livelihoods & cash-based programming).

4)     Good understanding/appreciation of NEXUS & URBAN programming in similar context.

5)     Exposure to the Grand Bargain Work stream for Humanitarian Programming.

6)     Experience in Charter4Change (Localization of Humanitarian Aid) processes in Uganda

7)     Experience in gender transformative approaches, including specific experience in working with and empowering women and girls in emergency or conflict or disaster settings.

8)     Experience in developing emergency program strategies, approaches and models.

9)     Experience in emergency program design, proposal writing, resource mobilisation. 

10)  Experience in managing a diverse and complex team of emergency professionals.

11)  Experience in networking and strategic relationships management in emergency setting. 

12)  Conceptual abilities, strategic thinking and analytical writing skills. 

13)  Good communication, presentation, public speaking, discussion and negotiation skills.

14)  Good research, evidence-generation, policy debate and advocacy skills.

15)  Organizing skills and capacity to multi-task in rapidly changing & fast-paced environments;

16)  Knowledge of and demonstrated personal commitment to relevant organizational codes of conduct for emergencies, including anti-fraud and anti-corruption, safeguarding etc

17)  Leadership and interpersonal skills and proven experience influencing others without necessarily directly managing them;

Desired:

1)     Professional training and experience in project management, Monitoring and Evaluation.

2)     Professional training in budget management, people management and communications.

3)     Professional training in research, analytical writing, advocacy and policy influencing.

4)     Professional experience in working with young people, displaced & refugee communities.

5)     Professional experience in economic empowerment models including financial inclusion.

6)     Professional training and experience in gender equality women and girls’ empowerment

COMPETENCIES

• Excellence: Sets high standards of performance for self and/or others; successfully completes assignments; sets standards of excellence rather than having standards imposed; ensures interactions and transactions are ethical and convey integrity.

• Integrity: Maintains social, ethical, and organizational norms; firmly adheres to codes of conduct and ethical principles inherent to CARE.

• Communicating with Impact: Diplomatically, logically, and clearly conveys information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the recipient / audience and helps them understand and retain their message.

• Facilitating Change: Supports and manages the change process at CARE Uganda by developing a culture affirmative of change; encouraging others to seek and act upon opportunities for different and innovative approaches to addressing problems and opportunities; critically analyses evolving and fluid situations; facilitates the implementation and acceptance of change within the workplace; actively engages with resistance to change.

• Strengthening Partnership: Identifies and utilizes opportunities within and outside of CARE Uganda to develop effective strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas/departments/units or external organizations to achieve CARE’s objectives.

• Management Excellence: Makes the connection between values and performance. Influences the performance of others, and ultimately, the performance of the organization. Sets direction, coaches & develops, promotes staff wellness & safety, practices & promotes compliance, models gender equity & diversity, communicates effectively.

• Developing Teams: Uses appropriate methods and a flexible interpersonal style to help build a cohesive team; facilitates the completion of team goals.

• Diversity - Promotes, values, respects, and fully benefits from everyone’s unique qualities, background, race, culture, age, gender, disability, values, lifestyle, perspectives or interests; creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes diversity.

• Adaptability- Expected to adjust well with the country, the country office operating environment and with the Project team to function effectively and efficiently

• Coaching - Ability to enhance skills and capacity of staff working in the field and office for them continue to serve CARE in the future program activities.

SIGNATURES: