Programme Development Officer Required Uganda

Viatores Christi (VC) is a Dublin-based development organisation working within faith-based international development. VC works with over 30 partners across a range of sectors and countries. VC addresses needs through development and humanitarian assistance interventions and recruits, trains and places skilled personnel. VC works with partners to help provide access to health, education and livelihoods to local project stakeholders.  VC partners with the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to provide access to Irish Aid/Misean Cara funding and to support capacity building.  VC is now working with SHS to recruit, train and support a Programme Development Officer and provide technical assistance in the setting up of an SHS Development Office as part of the SHS strategic plan.

The SHS require a suitably qualified Programme Development Officer to work as part of the Country Management Team. His/her role is to help ensure that SHS develops and maintains effective donor, foundation and trust partnerships as well as close coordination with both Misean Cara and VC in Kampala and Dublin ensuring the effective coordination, writing, monitoring and development of fund-raising proposals relevant to the office’s strategic objectives.  A main focus of the country development officer is to set up a SHS Central development office in Kampala to streamline improve coordination of activities in SHS programmes across East Africa.

• Initiate monthly communication process with each project location and obtain basic situational analysis information from each site, which will then feed into the Strategic Planning process in Year 2.
• Train and mentor SHS central programme counterpart and site project co-ordinators in project cycle management, technical report writing, grant writing, monitoring and evaluation.
• Develop a policy and procedures document for best practice in programme delivery across all sectors where SHS operates.
• Provide training on the new Child and Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding Policy to each of the Congregation’s project site co-ordinators (Train the trainer methodology so the co-ordinators can train project staff).
• Design and establish suitable metrics for local project team to measure key indicators for the success of the organisation. Include any mandatory metrics required by local authorities where applicable.  Set up a database to record data and a process to facilitate regular monitoring and summary reporting of data from each project location.
• Engage local consultants to prepare and deliver a professional training workshop on leadership and good governance to staff, management and management board to help the board and management reflect, learn, review gaps within the current governance documents and structures and align with a clear work-plan

• Engage local consultants to prepare and deliver a professional training workshop on financial management and accountability to the local staff of SHS to increase their knowledge and improve their practice.
• Engage local consultants to carry out a participative strategic review and document a strategic plan for SHS in line with the Government’s line ministries & congregation vision and mission to set out the key strategic objectives for the congregation for the next 5 years, with plans to achieve those objectives (in line with capacity and resources)
• Work with the SHS council at regional level
• Explore new opportunities for possible future linkages and collaborations with the organisation including funding opportunities from private and government sources to continue developing the networking capacity area.
• Co-ordinate formal staff meetings of SHS project team every 2 weeks to ensure project is running as planned, progress on project is regularly assessed. Document Lessons learned and put mitigation plans in place for any off-track items identified and notify VC.
• Prepare and submit comprehensive 6-monthly project reports to VC, as per contract, and in the templates provided. Include stories of change and photographs where possible
• Liaise with VC Kampala and Dublin projects office on key areas around reporting and ongoing monitoring and evaluation
• Carry out any other assignments given by Country Director.
• Attend VC Venture online training programme
• Attend VC Network/mentoring meetings

Additional areas

• Flexibility to assist in other areas may be required at certain times
• Attendance at training events, conferences and other functions as necessary
• Compliance with current policies and procedures
• Attendance at fundraising or networking events as required

• SHS development office in Kampala established to facilitate a centralised co-ordination function for SHS programmes in the East African Region.
• Monthly communication process has been established with project co-ordinators at each programme location, leading to greater understanding of each programme’s competency & challenges, facilitating more effective decision-making.
• Increased knowledge and improved practice after training and ongoing mentoring in project cycle management, technical reports, grant writing, monitoring and evaluation.
• Increased competence and confidence of programme staff at each site following training and mentoring.  Greater compliance with funding requirements-Better quality applications and reports.
• Policies and strategy documents for best practice developed.
• Year 1: Database of key metrics; policies developed –
• Year 2-3: Creation of any other policies & strategies deemed relevant for best practice
• Child and Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding Policy has been rolled out to each of the Congregation’s project site co-ordinators (using Train the trainer methodology).
• Greater clarity exists around roles & responsibilities including oversight.
• Metrics established and regular reporting commenced by SHS Regional development office to SHS council and leadership team to facilitate decision-making
• Increased knowledge and improved practice after external professional training in leadership & good governance by a local consultant -help Board and management reflect, learn and review gaps within the existing governance documents, structure and also vision the SHS, they desire to see in the next 5 or so years & design a work plan to follow for that period.
• Increased knowledge and improved practice after external professional training in financial management by a local consultant
• Participative review has been carried out contributing to formulation of a 5-year strategic & operation plan for the congregation’s programmes, approved by SHS council & shared with relevant stakeholders
• Active partnerships developed by SHS to avoid duplication of services and enable referrals to existing services.
• Formal staff meetings held by SHS team every 2 weeks to ensure project is running as planned, progress on project is regularly assessed and mitigation plans are implemented in case of any off-track items identified and notified to VC.
• Formal comprehensive progress reports submitted to VC every 6 months as per contract
• External evaluation has been carried out and report presented to VC

• Degree in Development studies or equivalent
• Proven experience in a project/programme management position (i.e. someone who has managed a donor funded programme)
• Experience of establishing monitoring systems
• Proven experience of managing financial systems
• An understanding of managing for results or Results Based Management (RBM) and Project Cycle Management
• Experience of applying for and managing successful funding proposals for major donors an advantage
• Excellent English communication skills (both written and verbal) and excellent organisational and interpersonal skills are essential with an ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Facilitation and training skills to a high level
• Approachable, willing to be flexible, committed with a sense of humour.
• Ability to work with a wide range of people in a respectful and collaborative manner
• Understanding of development issues, particularly pertaining to Uganda, S. Sudan, Kenya
• Outgoing with an ability to interact with different groups of people

Accommodation is provided pro-bono if required