About the DREAMS Project

CARE International in Uganda, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), is implementing the DREAMS project—Delivering Resilient Enterprises and Market Systems. This three-year initiative aims to enhance the economic resilience of 340,000 women by promoting gender-transformative Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE). The project focuses on advancing inclusive policies, catalyzing enterprise growth, and strengthening market systems that work for women.

Implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), DREAMS leverages Savings Groups (SGs) and Women-Led Enterprises as key platforms to build socio-economic resilience and promote inclusive micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) development. The project prioritizes support for underserved and displaced refugee women entrepreneurs in Northern and Southwestern Uganda.

In alignment with CARE’s digital financial inclusion agenda, DREAMS integrates the Digital Data Trail for Credit (DDT4C) initiative to digitize women's financial and business journeys. By equipping and supporting Digital Community Entrepreneurs (DCEs), the project facilitates women’s access to affordable credit and digital services, unlocking sustainable business growth and strengthening the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem for women.

1. Scope of work

The Enterprise and Market Access (EMA) maternity cover is critical to the successful coordination, execution, and oversight of the DREAMS Project's diverse field-level activities and partnerships. The role will provide technical leadership in capacity sharing with implementing partners, and in monitoring and reporting on project implementation progress.

A core responsibility of this position is to lead the development and implementation of enterprise and market systems and private sector engagement strategies, with a focus on designing inclusive business models that support the growth of women-led businesses—from micro-enterprises to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The EMA maternity cover will also oversee VSLA training and support to 14 CARE field coordinators in Northern Uganda, ensuring consistent technical quality and alignment with project goals.

The role is also integral to the rollout of the Digital Data Trail for Credit (DDT4C) initiative, providing hands-on support and supervision to Digital Community Entrepreneurs (DCEs) in the digitalization of savings groups and women-led enterprises, with a strong emphasis on enhancing access to credit and digital financial services.

In addition, the EMA maternity cover will coordinate partner capacity strengthening initiatives, monitor progress, and ensure effective documentation and reporting, supporting the broader vision of building inclusive and resilient market systems for women entrepreneurs.

2 Specific tasks.

A)       Strategic Oversight and Partnership Management

·        Provide technical and supervisory support to CARE Field Coordinators in alignment with CARE policies and standards.

·        Lead capacity-building and technical backstopping for partners and Field Coordinators, including the delivery of refresher training sessions to strengthen training approaches and program delivery.

·        Support partners in joint planning and implementation by co-developing work plans, offering on-the-spot technical assistance, and maintaining clear and consistent communication with private sector actors and other stakeholders.

·        Conduct regular monitoring and verification of partner activities, review narrative reports, compile milestone achievements, and facilitate timely submission of payment documentation to procurement and finance teams.

·        Work closely with the Project Manager and other team members to ensure oversight of work quality and seamless integration across project components.

·        Engage proactively with key project stakeholders—including local governments, relevant ministries (MoFPED and MGLSD), private sector actors, women’s groups, and development partners—to ensure coordinated and effective implementation.

·        Foster open communication and collaborative relationships with beneficiaries, partner organizations, and community leaders to enhance project ownership and sustainability.

·        In line with the Digital Data Trail for Credit (DDT4C) initiative, provide oversight and support for Digital Community Entrepreneurs (DCEs) in driving the digitalization of savings groups and women-led enterprises—enhancing access to credit and market opportunities.

B) Promote Gender Equality and Diversity and Safeguarding Practices

• Demonstrate behavior aligned with CARE’s core values, with an active commitment to gender equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Provide oversight and technical guidance to Women’s Rights Organizations (WROs) and Women-Led Organizations (WLOs) in the implementation of gender-transformative components of the DREAMS project.
• Champion the integration of gender-responsive strategies into enterprise development, digital financial inclusion, and market systems interventions.
• Lead the identification and execution of initiatives that advance CARE’s commitment to gender equality and diversity across project interventions.
• Ensure full adherence to CARE’s Safeguarding policies and procedures by all project personnel and stakeholders under their supervision, both directly and indirectly.

C) Monitoring, Reporting, and Documentation

• Track and verify implementation of DREAMS project interventions, including digital market development efforts under the DDT4C framework and other enterprise support initiatives.
• Guide and facilitate periodic reviews of market engagement approaches, identifying and sharing emerging best practices that support the growth of women-led MSMEs.
• Prepare and submit regular reports and updates on the progress of women entrepreneurs, with specific attention to digital adoption, enterprise growth, and credit access.
• Monitor the impact of advocacy strategies and contribute to their ongoing refinement in response to changing dynamics in the ecosystem.
• Lead and participate in monthly, quarterly, and bi-annual partner coordination, reflection, and learning sessions to inform adaptive programming and innovation across DREAMS.

• Collaborate with the MEAL team to leverage data and evidence in shaping adaptive learning strategies, especially those aimed at enhancing youth engagement and efficiency in agricultural and market systems.
• Drive the documentation and dissemination of lessons learned, success stories, and best practices to inform strategic decision-making and promote knowledge sharing across the project and partners

D) Any other duties assigned from time to time

·        Provide ongoing support to the Country Office in strategically engaging with locally led partner organizations, as needed.

·        Perform any other duties or assignments as delegated by the Supervisor.

3. Key Outputs

• Monthly Activity Reports: Timely and comprehensive reports documenting activities implemented, progress made, challenges encountered, and key learnings.
• Monthly Workplans: Clear, actionable workplans outlining planned activities, timelines, and deliverables aligned with project goals and implementation schedules.
• MERL Support Outputs: Accurate and up-to-date data submissions to Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) systems, including tools such as KoboToolbox and other relevant platforms, contributing to data-driven project decision-making.
• End-of-Engagement/Handover Report: A well-documented summary report detailing key accomplishments, lessons learned, pending actions, and clear recommendations to support continuity and effective transition.

4. Qualifications and Experience

Minimum Academic Qualification:

A bachelor’s degree in business administration, Social Sciences, Economics, Entrepreneurship and Business Development, or a related field from a recognized institution. A post graduate diploma in any field is a MUST.

Required Experience and Competencies:

• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in the NGO sector, private sector, or Government, preferably in technical roles supporting development programs in one or more of the following areas:
• Enterprise development
• Market systems development
• Private sector engagement
• Pro-poor financial services
• SME development
• Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE)
• Demonstrated experience engaging with diverse stakeholders at local, national, regional, and international levels.
• Proven ability in report writing and developing abstracts that contribute to program learning and knowledge sharing.
• Strong digital literacy for business, particularly in supporting digital solutions for women-led enterprises.
• Proficiency in data collection and analysis tools, like KoboToolbox and Excel, with the ability to generate insights from data.
• Solid training and facilitation skills, including the ability to mobilize communities, build capacity, and foster collaboration among development partners.
• Excellent communication skills—both written and spoken English—with proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other relevant tools.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills, including the ability to identify trends, interpret data, and recommend actionable solutions.

5. Supervisory arrangements

The EMA Maternity cover will report directly to the Financial Inclusion and Policy Advisor.

6. Contract duration

This is a temporary position for a maternity cover  for a period of four (4) months, from June 2025 to September 2025