Programme Manager - We Can Work job at Light for the World

Programme Manager - We Can work

Place of Work: Kampala, Uganda

Duration: Full-time (40hrs/week)/ fixed-term

Starting date: August 1, 2026

Please note that this is a national position. We will not be able to accept applications that need visa sponsorship.

About Us

At Light for the World, we believe in a world where people with eye conditions and disabilities can fully exercise their rights to health, education, work, and protection in emergencies.

We are a global development organisation working to empower people with disabilities and improve eye health in low-income countries. For over 30 years, we have strengthened health systems, promoted inclusive education, and advanced economic empowerment, focusing on the poorest and most marginalised.

For more information on Light for the World, see https://www.light-for-the-world.org/.

About the role

We Can Work Programme

In line with its economic empowerment strategy, Light for the World with funding from Mastercard Foundation will implement an 8 year project dubbed We Can Work, a regional signature disability program that uses a system and mindset change approach to impact the lives of at least 1,000,000 young women and men with disabilities and enables them to access dignified and fulfilling work. The program works with umbrella Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and Entrepreneurship Hubs in Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria.

With our partners, we will effect change at the level of individuals (including households and communities), organizations and institutions. Young persons with disabilities will act as change agents and provide disability inclusion advisory services and confidently advocate for disability-inclusive policies and practices among key system actors.

Throughout the eight-year partnership intervention, the key ingredients of our work with young women and men with disabilities in the lead will be:

• Engaging caregivers and communities through positive and empowering messaging around disability and inclusion;
• Driving co-creation processes to inform inclusive economic development;
• Developing agency of young women and men with disabilities through the We Can Work Academy; and amplifying voices of young persons with disabilities.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Role Profile

Reporting to the Head of Programmes, the primary purpose of the role is to manage the planning, implementation, reporting and coordination of the We Can Work programme in Uganda. This includes partnership management and ensuring timely and coordinated high quality interventions of the We Can Work team. The WCW Manager will further manage the interactions with the WCW Programme Management Unit.

Primary responsibilities

Program /Project management

• Ensure project planning, implementation and coordination, monitoring and evaluation.
• Responsible for programme narrative and financial reporting,
• Ensure implementation of safeguarding policy
• Ensure quality of project implementation as per the standard
• Ensure donor requirements and compliance are met within Light for the World quality standards
• Be actively involved in co-creation and innovation initiatives as part of We Can Work program

Project design and development

• Ensure project proposals of the partners are in line with the overall strategic objectives and Theory of Change of the We Can Work Program
• Provide strategic guidance and advice to the partners on the preparation of project proposals and workplans focusing on complementarity, feasibility and budget development.
• Represent and translate the needs and realities of partners towards the organisation

Grant Contract, Financial Management, donors’ compliance and Reporting

• Responsible for overall budget planning, and management together with grant team.
• Ensure partners project periodic narrative and financial reports, annual, bi-annual, Annual Partner Output Monitoring (APOM), partner reports are submitted according to the agreement.
• Ensure donor reports are also submitted on time and are of high quality.
• Work with the Grant Officer to upload the project documents and project agreement onto Sextant.
• Ensure regular budget monitoring, proper forecasting and partners,
• Follow up and ensure that project implementation is in line with the funding agreement.
• Support and guide partners on proper budget utilization and reporting.

Monitoring and Evaluation and Follow up

• Conduct periodic and regular on-site monitoring visit, supportive supervision and follow up to assist partners and ensure projects are on track/progress.
• Contribute to the development of quality baseline, mid-line and end line assessments.
• Support Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, Learning and Adaptation (MERLA) team to document programme / projects of the partners under the role holder’s portfolio.
• Ensuring quality and timely reporting,
• Collate and document best practice and learnings for communication in collaboration with MERLA and Quality & Innovation team
• Support the MERLA team in the development of monitoring tools and reporting formats.

Capacity building and technical support

• Collaborate with technical directors and experts/ grant leads to ensure quality project implementation
• Identify gaps of partners that need capacity building interventions in relation to relevant thematic areas.
• Support partners in the implementation of capacity assessments and evaluations.
• Support partners in the preparation of detailed activity implementation plans and financial utilization according to the agreed budgets.
• Identify gaps and provide technical support to partners in respective thematic areas through sharing updated information and technical documents
• Assist partner staff in the effective execution of project activities and encourage them to do monitoring and follow-up of activities.

People management

• Line management your team including role profile development, recruitment, appraisal, coaching, and mentoring,)
• Support staff development through coaching mentoring and recommending and conducting relevant trainings
• Protecting staff benefits under their line management according to the organisation’s policies/ regulations in collaboration with Human Resources.

Partnership, Advocacy and networking

• Be the first and main point of contact for the Mastercard Foundation team in country
• Build relationships with the organisations that receive funding through the Young Africa Works program in country
• Participate in the different national and international meetings/forums to increase evidence-based advocacy to influence policy and practices.
• Create awareness on public forums about Light for the World vision/mission, disability inclusion and the We Can Work programme.
• Support partners and DPOs/OPDs to establish better relationships with key government sectors, CSOs, academies and business enterprises (Public private partnerships (PPPs).
• Facilitate the establishment of strong collaboration and working relationships among Light for the World partners.
• Ensure joint planning and collaboration with other like-minded organization.
• Create partnerships with key government and other stakeholders
• Ensure partnership management for respective mandate areas
• Foster advocacy and networking on mandate areas at regional national and international forums.

Representation

• Represent the Country Director and/or the Head of Programmes as may be delegated
• Represent Light for the World in different local/international meetings/events/Technical Working Groups/task forces/forums as may be deemed necessary

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Development studies, International Development, Sociology, Social Sciences, Programme Management or related field.
• Minimum of 7 years’ project management and grant management experience in a similar INGO or recognized NGO role which explicitly involved donor-funded projects.
• Excellent people skills with experience in collaborating in a diverse and dynamic team
• Knowledge and experience of disability inclusion and/or working with organizations of persons with disabilities
• Experience in partnership management, including government liaisons.
• Proven effectiveness in leading and coaching professionals.
• Professional intensive experience and hands-on knowledge on broader capacity building, with excellent facilitation skills.
• Innovative and strategic thinker always ready to adapt and learn.
• Tech savvy with proficiency in the use of MS Office software packages.
• High levels of integrity, accountability, and honesty.

• Ensure project planning, implementation and coordination, monitoring and evaluation.
• Responsible for programme narrative and financial reporting,
• Ensure implementation of safeguarding policy
• Ensure quality of project implementation as per the standard
• Ensure donor requirements and compliance are met within Light for the World quality standards
• Be actively involved in co-creation and innovation initiatives as part of We Can Work program
• Ensure project proposals of the partners are in line with the overall strategic objectives and Theory of Change of the We Can Work Program
• Provide strategic guidance and advice to the partners on the preparation of project proposals and workplans focusing on complementarity, feasibility and budget development.
• Represent and translate the needs and realities of partners towards the organisation
• Responsible for overall budget planning, and management together with grant team.
• Ensure partners project periodic narrative and financial reports, annual, bi-annual, Annual Partner Output Monitoring (APOM), partner reports are submitted according to the agreement.
• Ensure donor reports are also submitted on time and are of high quality.
• Work with the Grant Officer to upload the project documents and project agreement onto Sextant.
• Ensure regular budget monitoring, proper forecasting and partners,
• Follow up and ensure that project implementation is in line with the funding agreement.
• Support and guide partners on proper budget utilization and reporting.
• Conduct periodic and regular on-site monitoring visit, supportive supervision and follow up to assist partners and ensure projects are on track/progress.
• Contribute to the development of quality baseline, mid-line and end line assessments.
• Support Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, Learning and Adaptation (MERLA) team to document programme / projects of the partners under the role holder’s portfolio.
• Ensuring quality and timely reporting,
• Collate and document best practice and learnings for communication in collaboration with MERLA and Quality & Innovation team
• Support the MERLA team in the development of monitoring tools and reporting formats.
• Collaborate with technical directors and experts/ grant leads to ensure quality project implementation
• Identify gaps of partners that need capacity building interventions in relation to relevant thematic areas.
• Support partners in the implementation of capacity assessments and evaluations.
• Support partners in the preparation of detailed activity implementation plans and financial utilization according to the agreed budgets.
• Identify gaps and provide technical support to partners in respective thematic areas through sharing updated information and technical documents
• Assist partner staff in the effective execution of project activities and encourage them to do monitoring and follow-up of activities.
• Line management your team including role profile development, recruitment, appraisal, coaching, and mentoring,)
• Support staff development through coaching mentoring and recommending and conducting relevant trainings
• Protecting staff benefits under their line management according to the organisation’s policies/ regulations in collaboration with Human Resources.
• Be the first and main point of contact for the Mastercard Foundation team in country
• Build relationships with the organisations that receive funding through the Young Africa Works program in country
• Participate in the different national and international meetings/forums to increase evidence-based advocacy to influence policy and practices.
• Create awareness on public forums about Light for the World vision/mission, disability inclusion and the We Can Work programme.
• Support partners and DPOs/OPDs to establish better relationships with key government sectors, CSOs, academies and business enterprises (Public private partnerships (PPPs).
• Facilitate the establishment of strong collaboration and working relationships among Light for the World partners.
• Ensure joint planning and collaboration with other like-minded organization.
• Create partnerships with key government and other stakeholders
• Ensure partnership management for respective mandate areas
• Foster advocacy and networking on mandate areas at regional national and international forums.
• Represent the Country Director and/or the Head of Programmes as may be delegated
• Represent Light for the World in different local/international meetings/events/Technical Working Groups/task forces/forums as may be deemed necessary

• Excellent people skills with experience in collaborating in a diverse and dynamic team
• Proven effectiveness in leading and coaching professionals.
• Professional intensive experience and hands-on knowledge on broader capacity building, with excellent facilitation skills.
• Innovative and strategic thinker always ready to adapt and learn.
• Tech savvy with proficiency in the use of MS Office software packages.
• High levels of integrity, accountability, and honesty.

• Master’s degree in Development studies, International Development, Sociology, Social Sciences, Programme Management or related field.
• Minimum of 7 years’ project management and grant management experience in a similar INGO or recognized NGO role which explicitly involved donor-funded projects.
• Knowledge and experience of disability inclusion and/or working with organizations of persons with disabilities
• Experience in partnership management, including government liaisons.