Program Officer job at Agency for Integrated Rural Development (AFIRD)

ABOUT AFIRD

The Agency for Integrated Rural Development (AFIRD) is a Ugandan non-governmental organization committed to empowering smallholder farming communities to achieve income, food, and nutrition security through sustainable farming systems while contributing to agriculture and environmental policy development. AFIRD’s vision is “A society free from hunger and diseases living in a peaceful and green environment.” The organization promotes sustainable livelihoods, agroecology, environmental conservation, youth empowerment, advocacy, and institutional development. AFIRD is committed to gender equality, social inclusion, safeguarding, and equal opportunities in both its programmes and workplace.

Position Details

Report To: Program Manager

Duty Station: Nkoowe, Wakiso District, Uganda, with frequent field travels

Employment Type: Full-Time

Number of posts: 2

Probation Period: Four (4) months.

Duration: One year, renewable subject to satisfactory performance, organisational need, and availability of funding.

Position Purpose

The Program Officer will support the planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of AFIRD’s programmes. The Officer will work with communities, partners, government departments, and other stakeholders to ensure activities are delivered according to approved work plans, budgets, donor agreements, and AFIRD policies.

The Officer will also support AFIRD’s consultancy assignments through research, training, field assessments, community engagement, and project design.

Responsibilities

The Program Officer shall:

• Prepare and implement project activities according to approved work plans and budgets.
• Coordinate field activities, community mobilisation, training, and stakeholder engagements.
• Conduct monitoring visits and track progress against agreed targets.
• Collect and verify project data in collaboration with the M&E team.
• Prepare accurate activity, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
• Maintain project records, including attendance lists, field reports, case studies, and accountability documents.
• Support budgeting, requisitions, expenditure accountability, and donor compliance.
• Identify implementation challenges and recommend corrective action.
• Maintain effective relationships with communities, partners, and local government.
• Support proposals, research, resource mobilisation, training, and consultancy assignments.
• Document lessons, good practices, and stories of change.
• Promote the meaningful participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups in programme planning, implementation, monitoring, and learning processes.
• Observe safeguarding, gender equality, social inclusion, and AFIRD policies.

Qualifications and Experience

• A bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agroecology or a related field.
• At least three years of relevant experience in programme implementation, community development, research, training, or consultancy work.
• Experience working with donor-funded projects and community-based organisations.
• Practical skills in community mobilisation, monitoring, stakeholder engagement, and report writing.
• Experience supporting research, surveys, assessments, or consultancy assignments is an advantage.
• Good computer skills, including Microsoft Office and digital data-collection tools.
• Strong written and spoken English.

Other Desirable Skills & Qualities

• High integrity, professionalism, accountability, and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated commitment to AFIRD’s values in the execution of assigned duties.
• Demonstrated understanding of gender equality, social inclusion, and safeguarding principles in community development programmes.
• Strong planning, facilitation, communication, and reporting skills.
• Ability to ride a motorcycle.
• Ability to manage several activities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and within multidisciplinary teams.
• Interest in sustainable rural development, agroecology, and community empowerment.
• Ability to maintain good relationships with communities, partners, and clients.
• Willingness to travel regularly within Uganda.
• Knowledge of local language (Luganda) spoken within the areas of operation is an advantage.

• Prepare and implement project activities according to approved work plans and budgets.
• Coordinate field activities, community mobilisation, training, and stakeholder engagements.
• Conduct monitoring visits and track progress against agreed targets.
• Collect and verify project data in collaboration with the M&E team.
• Prepare accurate activity, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
• Maintain project records, including attendance lists, field reports, case studies, and accountability documents.
• Support budgeting, requisitions, expenditure accountability, and donor compliance.
• Identify implementation challenges and recommend corrective action.
• Maintain effective relationships with communities, partners, and local government.
• Support proposals, research, resource mobilisation, training, and consultancy assignments.
• Document lessons, good practices, and stories of change.
• Promote the meaningful participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups in programme planning, implementation, monitoring, and learning processes.
• Observe safeguarding, gender equality, social inclusion, and AFIRD policies.

• Community mobilisation
• Monitoring
• Stakeholder engagement
• Report writing
• Microsoft Office
• Digital data-collection tools
• Research, surveys, and assessments
• Planning and facilitation
• Communication
• Budgeting and expenditure accountability
• Training
• Ability to ride a motorcycle
• Ability to manage several activities and meet deadlines
• Ability to work independently and within multidisciplinary teams
• Gender equality, social inclusion, and safeguarding
• Strong written and spoken English

• A bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agroecology or a related field.
• Experience working with donor-funded projects and community-based organisations.
• Demonstrated understanding of gender equality, social inclusion, and safeguarding principles in community development programmes.
• Knowledge of local language (Luganda) spoken within the areas of operation is an advantage.