Country Representative job at NFT Consult

Reports To

Head of Operations East Africa, Rwanda

Contract Type

Permanent, full time (40 hours per week)

Organisation Overview

Our Client is a child-centred international non-governmental organisation supporting children and young people in Africa who face discrimination, such as lack of access to education, health and safe spaces. We give them the tools and skills they need to build their own futures.

We do not work alone. Together with partners, supporters, children and their communities, we fight for children across Africa to lead independent lives through urgent action in education, health and economic resilience. We believe that no child should have to fight for a safe, happy childhood, and we exist to ensure that every child in Africa can thrive from their early years through to adulthood.

Position Summary

The Country Representative is the primary contact between our client and its stakeholders in Uganda, and leads the successful implementation of programmes and strategic initiatives. The role provides leadership in driving the organisation’s vision and strategic direction in Uganda, ensuring that projects and programmes align with national priorities, donor expectations and the organisation’s mission.

The Country Representative has overall management of the Uganda office, provides high-level national and international representation of the organisation’s work, and is accountable for delivering the Uganda Strategic Plan. Working closely with the Regional and International Offices, the Country Representative leads a highly effective team and embraces the dual citizenship of an organisation that is nationally registered and rooted, yet part of an international organisation.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

1. Representation and Partnerships

• Lead the implementation of the organisation’s vision, mission, philosophy and principles in Uganda, in line with the International strategies and organisational priorities.
• Represent the organisation and maintain relationships with national government, national and international NGOs, donors, academia, social movements, CBOs and the media.
• Manage cooperative relationships with specialist institutions and partners, and lead the development of country-specific partnership guidelines aligned to the Strategic Plan.
• Oversee high-level engagements such as workshops, conferences, stakeholder meetings and site visits to raise the organisation’s visibility, partnerships and impact.

2. Strategy and Programme Delivery

• Lead and account for delivery of the Uganda Strategic Plan, including its implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• Ensure programme activities respond to changes in the political, social and economic environment.
• Develop and maintain contingency plans for emergencies, for approval by the International Office.
• Build the organisation’s capacity to document, share and learn from Children’s Rights work, and ensure reporting meets the highest standard.

3. Fundraising

• Develop a funding strategy and plan to mobilise and diversify resources in support of the Strategic Plan.
• Build working relationships with key donors in Uganda and develop appropriate local funding sources.
• Provide regular information to the organisation’s funding departments, donors and official funders as their funding mechanisms require.
• Position the organisation as a lead agency in the management of funds for Children’s Rights.

4. Communications, Campaigns and Research

• Develop a communications strategy that sets priorities, channels, audiences and messages and builds an appropriate public image for the organisation.
• Build sound relationships with the media and ensure published material accurately reflects the organisation’s views.
• Conduct campaigns that connect communities with duty bearers and build public awareness of and support for the cause.
• Encourage research that improves the quality of field work and influences policy to improve the lives of Ugandan children.

5. Operations, Finance and GovernanceTrack Investments

• Ensure financial integrity and accountability under the International Financial Management framework, and manage funds in line with approved policies, national law and donor regulations.
• Prepare budgets and financial plans, control expenditure and disbursements, and maintain an efficient internal control framework.
• Provide progress and financial reports to government, the Board, the International Office and donors as required.
• Work with the Board to uphold good governance, build a sound relationship with the Board Chair and members, and manage risk and policy implications.

6. People and Culture

• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, performance appraisal and development, ensuring gender equity and inclusivity.
• Work with the Head of Operations to appoint, develop and manage senior staff, and build a diverse, equitable and inclusive team.
• Foster an environment that supports innovation, continuous learning and teamwork, and promote staff exchange, secondment and development schemes.

7. Safeguarding and Risk

• Champion child safeguarding by integrating it into all programmes, operations and decisions; read, comply with and attend training on the Child Safeguarding Policy.
• Act as focal person for identifying and managing risks and crises related to operations in Uganda.
• Lead community initiatives that educate on and celebrate the benefits of child protection, and lead inductions for staff, volunteers, visitors and partners.

Key Performance Indicators

Proposed measures for the role, to be agreed annually with the Head of Operations East Africa.

• Fundraising: Funds mobilised against targets and diversification of the donor base.
• Finance: Budget utilisation, audit outcomes, and timeliness and quality of donor and financial reports.
• Programme Quality: Achievement of programme targets and quality of monitoring, evaluation, documentation and reporting.
• Safeguarding and Risk: Policy compliance, training completion, and timely reporting and handling of incidents.
• Partnerships and Visibility: Strength of partnerships, government, donor and media engagement, and campaign reach.
• People: Staff retention, completion of appraisals, and team engagement.

Qualifications, Experience and Competencies

Must have

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, development studies or management.
• Master’s degree in a relevant social sciences discipline from a recognised institution.
• At least 7 years in top management in development work, the education sector, health or poverty alleviation programmes, with proven initiative and flexibility in managing complex activities in a changing environment.
• Demonstrated senior management expertise, including developing multi-disciplinary professional teams delivering comprehensive poverty alleviation strategy.
• Proven fundraising experience, with emphasis on regular giving and corporate fundraising, and a track record in contract management with bilateral and multilateral donors.
• Proven experience managing complex financial control and management systems with a budget of over USD 500,000.
• Expertise in strategic and long-term planning, ensuring operational plans meet targets and reflect longer-term perspectives.
• Proven experience working and negotiating with government officials and donors at all levels.
• Proficiency in English and familiarity with the Ugandan context as it affects development strategies.

Desirable

• Experience as Executive Director or Country Director of a similar organisation.
• Knowledge of the Children’s Rights sector, with expertise in at least one specialist development field.

Competencies

• Sound, up-to-date knowledge of development concepts, methodologies and techniques.
• Excellent negotiation and communication skills, including sensitive diplomatic and government-level negotiations.
• Sound awareness of the political, social, economic and historic environment of the programmes, at national and community levels.
• Strong leadership and management skills; strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and management of crisis, conflict and risk.
• Technical skills: monitoring and evaluation, programme management, performance management, planning and budgeting, financial management, funding proposal development and relationship management.

• Lead the implementation of the organisation’s vision, mission, philosophy and principles in Uganda, in line with the International strategies and organisational priorities.
• Represent the organisation and maintain relationships with national government, national and international NGOs, donors, academia, social movements, CBOs and the media.
• Manage cooperative relationships with specialist institutions and partners, and lead the development of country-specific partnership guidelines aligned to the Strategic Plan.
• Oversee high-level engagements such as workshops, conferences, stakeholder meetings and site visits to raise the organisation’s visibility, partnerships and impact.
• Lead and account for delivery of the Uganda Strategic Plan, including its implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• Ensure programme activities respond to changes in the political, social and economic environment.
• Develop and maintain contingency plans for emergencies, for approval by the International Office.
• Build the organisation’s capacity to document, share and learn from Children’s Rights work, and ensure reporting meets the highest standard.
• Develop a funding strategy and plan to mobilise and diversify resources in support of the Strategic Plan.
• Build working relationships with key donors in Uganda and develop appropriate local funding sources.
• Provide regular information to the organisation’s funding departments, donors and official funders as their funding mechanisms require.
• Position the organisation as a lead agency in the management of funds for Children’s Rights.
• Develop a communications strategy that sets priorities, channels, audiences and messages and builds an appropriate public image for the organisation.
• Build sound relationships with the media and ensure published material accurately reflects the organisation’s views.
• Conduct campaigns that connect communities with duty bearers and build public awareness of and support for the cause.
• Encourage research that improves the quality of field work and influences policy to improve the lives of Ugandan children.
• Ensure financial integrity and accountability under the International Financial Management framework, and manage funds in line with approved policies, national law and donor regulations.
• Prepare budgets and financial plans, control expenditure and disbursements, and maintain an efficient internal control framework.
• Provide progress and financial reports to government, the Board, the International Office and donors as required.
• Work with the Board to uphold good governance, build a sound relationship with the Board Chair and members, and manage risk and policy implications.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, performance appraisal and development, ensuring gender equity and inclusivity.
• Work with the Head of Operations to appoint, develop and manage senior staff, and build a diverse, equitable and inclusive team.
• Foster an environment that supports innovation, continuous learning and teamwork, and promote staff exchange, secondment and development schemes.
• Champion child safeguarding by integrating it into all programmes, operations and decisions; read, comply with and attend training on the Child Safeguarding Policy.
• Act as focal person for identifying and managing risks and crises related to operations in Uganda.
• Lead community initiatives that educate on and celebrate the benefits of child protection, and lead inductions for staff, volunteers, visitors and partners.

• Sound, up-to-date knowledge of development concepts, methodologies and techniques.
• Excellent negotiation and communication skills, including sensitive diplomatic and government-level negotiations.
• Sound awareness of the political, social, economic and historic environment of the programmes, at national and community levels.
• Strong leadership and management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Management of crisis, conflict and risk.
• Monitoring and evaluation.
• Programme management and performance management.
• Planning and budgeting.
• Financial management.
• Funding proposal development and relationship management.
• Proficiency in English.
• Familiarity with the Ugandan context as it affects development strategies.

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, development studies or management.
• Master’s degree in a relevant social sciences discipline from a recognised institution.
• At least 7 years in top management in development work, the education sector, health or poverty alleviation programmes.
• Demonstrated senior management expertise, including developing multi-disciplinary professional teams delivering comprehensive poverty alleviation strategy.
• Proven fundraising experience, with emphasis on regular giving and corporate fundraising, and a track record in contract management with bilateral and multilateral donors.
• Proven experience managing complex financial control and management systems with a budget of over USD 500,000.
• Expertise in strategic and long-term planning, ensuring operational plans meet targets and reflect longer-term perspectives.
• Proven experience working and negotiating with government officials and donors at all levels.
• Experience as Executive Director or Country Director of a similar organisation is desirable.
• Knowledge of the Children’s Rights sector, with expertise in at least one specialist development field is desirable.