Program Manager job at Rooted Wisdom Africa

Position Summary

The Program Manager is responsible for the planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of Rooted Wisdom Africa’s programs. The position will directly oversee implementation of the Life Skills Program, Collegiate Education Training Program (CETP), Women’s Enterprise Training Program (WETP), Seeding Success/Farmer Field School, and Stitching Futures Program and manage the foundation’s farming initiatives and team.

The Program Manager is a hands-on implementation position. The individual will work directly with students, women, girls, families, schools, trainers, farmers, community members, and partners to ensure programs are delivered according to approved work plans, budgets, curricula, and organizational standards.

The Program Manager will lead participant recruitment, attendance, data collection, and follow-up; with the Finance & Operations Manager on budgets, procurement, and program expenditures; and with the Managing Director on program performance, partnerships, challenges, and strategic direction.

Key Responsibilities

1. Program Planning & Implementation -15%

• Develop annual and quarterly implementation plans for RWA’s programs.
• Implement activities according to approved program designs, budgets, timelines, and targets.
• Coordinate program calendars, training schedules, participant activities, school visits, and follow-up activities.
• Ensure required materials, trainers, venues, and other resources are identified in advance.
• Coordinate with the Finance and Operations Manager to schedule classrooms and Center activities.
• Identify implementation challenges and propose solutions to the Managing Director.
• Ensure program activities are completed according to annual organizational priorities and grant commitments.

2. Education Programs (Life Skills and Collegiate Education Training Program (CETP) – 5%

• Coordinate recruitment and selection of participating students.
• Maintain regular communication with students, families, and participating schools.
• Monitor student enrollment, attendance, academic progress, and other established indicators.
• Conduct or coordinate student and family follow-ups.
• Coordinate school-related documentation and payments with the Finance & Operations Manager.
• Identify students requiring additional support and bring significant concerns to the Managing Director.
• Maintain accurate program records and documentation.

3. Women’s Enterprise Training Program and Stitching Futures – 20%

• Coordinate participant recruitment, orientation, training, mentorship, and follow-up.
• Facilitate or coordinate delivery of business and financial literacy training.
• Support participants in developing and strengthening income-generating activities.
• Conduct participant and business follow-up visits as required.
• Monitor participant progress related to savings, business ownership, income, decision-making, and other established program outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen curriculum and participant support.
• Coordinate trainers and other technical support where required.

4. Seeding Success/Farmer Field School -25%

• Oversee participant recruitment, orientation, enrollment, and follow-up.
• Supervise and support Agricultural Officer(s) responsible for technical program implementation.
• Monitor the program work plan, participant progress, data, and achievement of established targets.
• Oversee program budgets, procurement, and implementation needs in coordination with the Finance & Operations Manager.
• Conduct periodic field visits to assess program quality, address challenges, and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure timely program reporting and provide information required for donor reports, proposals, and organizational reporting.

5. Participant Recruitment & Community Engagement -10%

• Work with the Finance and Operations Manager to conduct community awareness and participant recruitment.
• Ensure participant selection follows established eligibility criteria.
• Maintain positive relationships with parents, community leaders, schools, training institutions, and other stakeholders.
• Participate in community meetings and outreach activities related to assigned programs.
• Ensure participants understand program expectations and available support.

6. Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning – 15%

The Program Manager is responsible for programmatic data quality and supports routine data administration and entry.

• Ensure required baseline, monitoring, and endline information is collected using existing MEL tools and frameworks.
• Conduct or oversee technical/program-specific participant assessments.
• Review attendance and participant performance regularly.
• Verify program data for accuracy.
• Analyze program results with the Managing Director.
• Identify participants requiring follow-up.
• Document lessons learned and recommend program improvements.
• Provide program information required for donor and organizational reports.

7. Budget & Procurement Coordination – 5%

• Develop program budgets in collaboration with the Managing Director and Finance & Operations Manager.
• Prepare timely program requisitions.
• Forecast upcoming program expenses.
• Ensure expenditures remain within approved budgets.
• Provide required receipts and supporting documentation according to organizational procedures.
• Coordinate procurement needs with the Finance & Operations Manager.
• Monitor program supplies and identify needs before they affect implementation.

8. Reporting – 10%

• Prepare concise monthly program reports describing activities completed, participants reached, progress toward targets, challenges, and upcoming activities.
• Maintain program work plans and activity trackers.
• Provide data, participant stories, photos, and program information for donor reports and organizational communications.
• Immediately communicate significant participant, safeguarding, financial, or implementation concerns to the Managing Director.
• Support preparation of grant reports and proposals by providing accurate program information.

9. Partnerships & Resource Mobilization Support – 5%

The Program Officer will support—but will not independently own—the organization’s resource mobilization function.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintain positive relationships with schools, colleges, trainers, community organizations, and program partners.
• Identify potential local partnerships and opportunities relevant to assigned programs.
• Provide program data, budgets, stories, outcomes, and technical information needed for fundraising and grant applications.
• Participate in donor or partner visits when appropriate.
• Support the Managing Director and Executive Director in communicating program needs and results.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Development Studies, Education, Social Work, Community Development, Business, or a related field.
• 3+ years’ experience implementing community-based programs.
• Ability to manage multiple programs and recurring deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong computer skills, including spreadsheets and basic data-management tools.
• Experience with education, entrepreneurship, vocational training, agriculture, or women’s economic empowerment preferred.
• Experience working with NGOs or community-based organizations preferred.
• Fluent in Luganda and English.
• Applicants must be Ugandan citizens or already hold a valid work permit to be considered for this position.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an implementer. They are comfortable moving between planning a training, visiting a student, meeting with a school, following up with a women’s enterprise participant, coordinating a sewing instructor, reviewing program data, and preparing the next month’s work plan. This person should be highly organized, community-oriented, proactive, and deeply committed to ensuring that programs translate from plans on paper into high-quality services and measurable results for participants.

Position benefits include salary, accommodation and lunch stipend, communication stipend, insurance stipend. The position also provides an annual medical stipend.

• Develop annual and quarterly implementation plans for RWA’s programs.
• Implement activities according to approved program designs, budgets, timelines, and targets.
• Coordinate program calendars, training schedules, participant activities, school visits, and follow-up activities.
• Ensure required materials, trainers, venues, and other resources are identified in advance.
• Coordinate with the Finance and Operations Manager to schedule classrooms and Center activities.
• Identify implementation challenges and propose solutions to the Managing Director.
• Ensure program activities are completed according to annual organizational priorities and grant commitments.
• Coordinate recruitment and selection of participating students.
• Maintain regular communication with students, families, and participating schools.
• Monitor student enrollment, attendance, academic progress, and other established indicators.
• Conduct or coordinate student and family follow-ups.
• Coordinate school-related documentation and payments with the Finance & Operations Manager.
• Identify students requiring additional support and bring significant concerns to the Managing Director.
• Maintain accurate program records and documentation.
• Coordinate participant recruitment, orientation, training, mentorship, and follow-up.
• Facilitate or coordinate delivery of business and financial literacy training.
• Support participants in developing and strengthening income-generating activities.
• Conduct participant and business follow-up visits as required.
• Monitor participant progress related to savings, business ownership, income, decision-making, and other established program outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen curriculum and participant support.
• Coordinate trainers and other technical support where required.
• Oversee participant recruitment, orientation, enrollment, and follow-up.
• Supervise and support Agricultural Officer(s) responsible for technical program implementation.
• Monitor the program work plan, participant progress, data, and achievement of established targets.
• Oversee program budgets, procurement, and implementation needs in coordination with the Finance & Operations Manager.
• Conduct periodic field visits to assess program quality, address challenges, and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure timely program reporting and provide information required for donor reports, proposals, and organizational reporting.
• Work with the Finance and Operations Manager to conduct community awareness and participant recruitment.
• Ensure participant selection follows established eligibility criteria.
• Maintain positive relationships with parents, community leaders, schools, training institutions, and other stakeholders.
• Participate in community meetings and outreach activities related to assigned programs.
• Ensure participants understand program expectations and available support.
• Ensure required baseline, monitoring, and endline information is collected using existing MEL tools and frameworks.
• Conduct or oversee technical/program-specific participant assessments.
• Review attendance and participant performance regularly.
• Verify program data for accuracy.
• Analyze program results with the Managing Director.
• Identify participants requiring follow-up.
• Document lessons learned and recommend program improvements.
• Provide program information required for donor and organizational reports.
• Develop program budgets in collaboration with the Managing Director and Finance & Operations Manager.
• Prepare timely program requisitions.
• Forecast upcoming program expenses.
• Ensure expenditures remain within approved budgets.
• Provide required receipts and supporting documentation according to organizational procedures.
• Coordinate procurement needs with the Finance & Operations Manager.
• Monitor program supplies and identify needs before they affect implementation.
• Prepare concise monthly program reports describing activities completed, participants reached, progress toward targets, challenges, and upcoming activities.
• Maintain program work plans and activity trackers.
• Provide data, participant stories, photos, and program information for donor reports and organizational communications.
• Immediately communicate significant participant, safeguarding, financial, or implementation concerns to the Managing Director.
• Support preparation of grant reports and proposals by providing accurate program information.
• Maintain positive relationships with schools, colleges, trainers, community organizations, and program partners.
• Identify potential local partnerships and opportunities relevant to assigned programs.
• Provide program data, budgets, stories, outcomes, and technical information needed for fundraising and grant applications.
• Participate in donor or partner visits when appropriate.
• Support the Managing Director and Executive Director in communicating program needs and results.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong computer skills, including spreadsheets and basic data-management tools.
• Ability to manage multiple programs and recurring deadlines.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Development Studies, Education, Social Work, Community Development, Business, or a related field.
• 3+ years’ experience implementing community-based programs.
• Experience with education, entrepreneurship, vocational training, agriculture, or women’s economic empowerment preferred.
• Experience working with NGOs or community-based organizations preferred.
• Fluent in Luganda and English.