Program Manager, Community Engagement Careers – Geneva Global Inc.
Job Title: Program Manager, Community Engagement
Organisation: Geneva Global Inc.
Duty Station: Uganda
About US:
Geneva Global Inc. is a philanthropic advisory firm headquartered in the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania (USA). Founded in 1999, Geneva Global provides independent research, advice and grant management to philanthropic investors. Geneva Global assists clients in cutting through the complexities of international giving to connect the best community-owned solutions to humanitarian needs. On behalf of our clients, our work has directly benefitted more than 60 million people through 1,500 projects in over 100 countries. Geneva Global provides strategic advice, independent research, active program and grant management, as well as impact measurement. Its international network of on-the-ground experts provides community-based approaches to catalyze positive social change.
Job Summary: The Program Manager, Community Engagement will serve as a key member of a multidisciplinary team to ensure the successful implementation of the Northern Uganda Education Program (NUEP) and of other developmental initiatives of Geneva Global on behalf of its clients in the North (and potentially moving into other regions in the future). NUEP operates in the districts of Gulu, Amuru, Nwoya, and Omoro to address the region’s serious out-of-school children problem. The Program Manager, Community Engagement brings technical leadership in the management, development, and implementation of Geneva Global, Inc.’s (“GGI”) Self-Help Group and broader community empowerment and parental support initiatives in support of their children’s learning at school and at home. This entails primarily the delivery of client-supported programs and all other activities managed by GG-U and the development of new initiatives on behalf of GGI.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Lead the design, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation of program elements relating to GG-U’s Self-Help Group, community school program, and other parents and community education support initiatives in Uganda, including:
- Lead in the technical aspects of program management, developing work plans, elaborating strategies, and preparing support materials for use in the training of IP agents and for use by IP agents in their work with the Self-Help Groups, Community School Committees, and parents of Speed School learners.
- Guide Implementing Partners in their understanding and implementation of (i) the SHG components and support SHG Promoters in its delivery, (ii) the Community School component, and (iii) broader parental and community engagement in support of their children’s learning in Speed School classes (and beyond).
- Lead technically in the design, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of all SHG, Community School, and parental/community engagement activities, coordinating and consulting with fellow NUEP members, IPs, government education authorities and agents, and other stakeholders, as relevant.
- Contribute to the development of the SHG, Community School, and broader parental/community engagement programs budget and adhere to program budget requirements, ensuring the rigorous financial management of all related program activities and all necessary project and program documentation.
- Join with IPs and other partners (e.g., DEOs) to advocate for and support the model’s adoption by government and other education initiatives, as appropriate.
- Monitor and support Implementing Partners in their planning, implementation, and monitoring/data collection of all SHG, Community School, and broader parental/community engagement-related activities and outcomes.
- Collaborate with the NUEP PM, Monitoring and Evaluation to ensure a rigorous collection of all relevant data for the Community Engagement component and to conduct a thorough analysis of the results along with their effective communication to the IPs and other relevant stakeholders to inform actions and decisions moving forward. Participate actively in initiatives managed by GGI (headquarters) to strengthen the SHG, Community Schools, and broader community engagement components of the Speed School program and to capture these as formal technical documents, media products, research studies, and more; and to contribute more widely to the consolidation of GGI’s overall SHG and community assets.
Analysis and research of the program elements to contribute towards their strengthening and gradual official adoption by government
- Manage the design, implementation, and analysis of any research initiatives to study the SHG, Community School and broader community engagement components, coordinating with and supporting NUEP’s contracted research partner (Pincer Group) and guiding the involvement of the IPs, GGI, and other partners, as relevant.
- Write the SHG, Community Schools, and broader community engagement sections of the quarterly and annual program reports, in line with reporting requirements and deadlines.
- Conduct or lead landscape studies of community engagement activities, challenges, and opportunities in potential implementation areas and use the results to inform the program design, planning, implementation, and partner engagement.
- Provide input and expertise when working with our research and any academic partners before, during, and after their program evaluation activities.
Organizational and Technical Advisory
- With the other Program Managers, provide continuous supervision, monitoring, and support to Implementing Partners in their overall operations and administration of: (i) the grants they receive from GG-U, including equally: their training, monitoring, and support of Self-Help Groups, Speed School classes, pre-school classes, Community Schools, and broader community engagement and advocacy efforts; (ii) their data collection and delivery to GG-U; (iii) their program reporting; (iv) their financial accounting and reporting; and more.
- Work with the GGI Client Services and Marketing departments to ensure the preparation of client materials and the coordination, planning, and participation of client (donor or potential donor) visits in-country.
- Cooperate and collaborate with members of the Geneva Global team in other countries.
- Assist in identifying and training GG-Ug and other GGI staff or consultants, as needed;
- Assist in the prospecting and development of additional development opportunities in Uganda, and in other countries, as required, including contributing to Geneva Global’s understanding of the region and sector-specific issues.
- Contribute to the overall strengthening of the GGI Education (and larger) global portfolio, including participation in technical discussions, analysis, and strengthening of the SHG/community engagement programs and related models, development of technical and communications products, program planning, sector research activities, and other aspects;
- Support the overall administrative, financial, and logistical management of NUEP operations, as requested by Country Director and/or GGI.
- The Program Manager, Community Engagement shall perform such other duties, tasks and activities as GGU/GGI may assign or specify from time to time. International travel may be required.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The applicant must hold a Master’s Degree in Business, Microfinance, Community Engagement and Advocacy, Development Project Management, or related fields, or other relevant background with significant (10 years or more) experience in business, microfinance, or community empowerment in leadership positions.
- Significant knowledge of community development, financial and social empowerment, and community engagement.
- Good knowledge of community issues that affect children’s schooling negatively–e.g., household and gender-based violence, health, land rights, among others–and experience working in one or more of these areas is desirable
- Knowledge of Uganda’s education system
- Possess and demonstrate good and positive communication skills, including internally and externally, orally and in writing, and in English and Acholi;
- Must be comfortable in being a pro-active member of the Senior NUEP team.
- Must be comfortable working with and communicating with students’ parents, local authorities, and community groups.
- Must be comfortable working with multiple local and international NGOs/CBOs.
- Must manifest professional presentation and conduct with grantees, partners clients and fellow employees and directors of NUEP and GGI
- Must be a leader who seeks to identify and communicate potential problems and propose solutions to solve them.
- Must be able to function effectively in a loosely structured but complex work environment that is constantly and rapidly changing as a result of project development in other sectors.
- Must have the flexibility to deal rapidly with problems which require a range of skills and priorities.
- Must have strong facilitation skills and work as a team player in problem solving.
- Must understand and be aware of other managers’ scope of responsibilities and be willing to discuss with and when required defer decisions to these managers to ensure coordination of projects’ implementation.
- Must have the ability to carry out responsibilities and make decisions independently.
- Must be a patient and good communicator who can function in an organization working with multi-national staff; and whose sites are located in regions of the country difficult to access during wet season.
- Must be willing to spend significant time traveling to and working in more inaccessible areas of the region, including overnight stays.
- Must be computer literate including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and E-Mail.
- Must be patient, diplomatic, and professional.
- Must be eligible for full-time employment in Uganda.
How to Apply:
All candidates who wish to join Geneva Global should submit their applications online at the link below.
Deadline: 31st January 2019
: List of Current Job Vacancies / Opportunities in Uganda