Program Manager

The Agency For Accelerated Regional Development (AFARD) in collaboration with six partners (African Agribusiness Incubation Network (AAIN), Omia Agribusiness, Agromax, Tropical Institute of Development Innovations (TRIDI), Uganda Rural Development and Training Institute (URDT) and Gudie Leisure Farm (GLF) and partnership with the Mastercard Foundation will implement a 5-year program, “Sustainable Inclusive Youth Employment Pathways (SIYEP)” in West Nile, Karamoja, Acholi, and Central and Western Uganda as part of the Young Africa Works Strategy to address unemployment
challenges faced by young women in Uganda. The program will directly reach 258,000 young women (7% refugees and 5% young women with disabilities (YWWDs)) and transition 90% into work, and 70% into dignified and fulling work. This will be achieved through institutional strengthening, market relevant training, skilling, incubation, and access to capital and markets.
The program will work directly with Technical, Vocational, Education and Training (TVETs), Local Artisans, and incubation centers and in collaboration with local and central government entities such as Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES), Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MoGLSD), National Council of Higher Education (NCHE), Uganda Business and Technical, Examinations Board (UBTEB), Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT), Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URBS), Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), NGOs, CBOs, and existing Young Africa Works partners.

JOB TITLE: Program Manager (1 vacancy)
Reporting: AFARD Director of Programs

Duty Station: Nebbi
Employment terms: Full time; Fixed Term: 5- years renewable annually based on satisfactory performance and availability of funds.
Job Summary
Responsible for AFARD’s SIYEP component of skilling delivering on time within budget and scope and ensuring effective coordination and collaboration among SIYEP consortium partners.
Roles & Responsibilities
Program Leadership and Management
• Lead annual and quarterly planning, implementation, monitoring and learning with strict adherence to the program goal, outcomes, outputs, and timelines.
• Manage human resource and assets of the program.
• Monitor and evaluate progress, identifying lessons and areas for improvement.
• Ensures gender and safeguarding and disability inclusion are mainstreamed in the program activities.
Consortium Coordination and collaboration
• Participate in regular consortium reflection events to review progress, share knowledge and decision-making.
• Manage and resolve conflicts and challenges that may arise during implementation.
• Ensure project communications are timely, relevant, and accurate, including regular status updates, managers’ weekly catch-up and monthly meetings.
Budget and Financial Management
• Oversee the budget and expenditures, ensuring effective financial management and compliance with the funding requirements.
• Work closely with the Accountant to review financial reports and make budget adjustments as needed.
• Support the finance team during internal and external audits.
Documentation, Reporting and Learning
• Prepare regular progress reports, including narrative and financial reports.
• Ensure accurate and timely documentation of program activities, achievements versus targets, challenges and mitigation measures, lessons learned, and best practices.
Risk Management
• Identify potential risks to the successful implementation of the program and develop risk mitigation plan.
• Ensure effective and functional monitoring, quality control and feedback mechanisms are in place and used to support continual improvements of project implementation.
Stakeholder Engagement
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders including private sector, TVETs, government departments and development partners.
• Represent the program at relevant meetings, events, and fora, advocating for the goals and objectives of the program.
Person specifications:
• Masters degree in Development Studies, Social Sciences, Education, Vocational/Technical Education, Agriculture, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Youth Development, management studies.
• Additional training in project planning, gender, disability inclusion, safeguarding, and financial management will be an added advantage.
• At least 3 years of experience in the design, delivery and quality assurance of youth skilling, entrepreneurship/business development programming in Uganda.
• Knowledge of current best practices in entrepreneurial skilling and workforce development for vulnerable and at-risk youth.
• Demonstrated experience in working with government MDAs, TVETs, private sector, local artisans and other humanitarian and development organizations.

Signed Application and a 2-pager motivation letter plus relevant academic & experience credentials, CV with names and daytime contacts of three referees,
and your daytime phone contact numbers in 1-file PDF format should be addressed to “The Human Resources Office” and e-mailed to procurement@afard.net latest on May 23, 2025 at 5:00PM. In the subject area of your email, indicate the position you are applying for.
Polite Notice.
• Qualified females and refugees are highly encouraged to apply.
• Only complete applications will be accepted and considered for review.
• Only those who are ready to start immediately will be shortlisted.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• Successful applicants will be required to start immediately after appropriate screening checks including criminal records, child and sexual abuse, exploitation and/or harassment. By applying, job applicants consent to these screening checks
• Knowledge of relevant approaches for strengthening learning environments at the community.
• Demonstrated experience in developing operational tool (curricula, policies, guidelines) and documenting lessons learned.
• Familiarity with work in refugee-host community settings is an added advantage.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills (in English), including the ability to work effectively with diverse groups of youth.
• Familiarity with participatory and youth-centered methodologies.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams and partners.
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to execute a range of job duties and changing priorities.
• Experience working in refugee-host community settings.
• Exceptional skills in report writing and tracking results
• Exceptional interpersonal, teamwork and networking skills
• Willingness to travel to remote districts as and when required