Senior Associate Jobs – Instiglio

Job Title:   Senior Associate

Organisation: Instiglio

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About the Company:

Instiglio ties funding to results, making sure every cent spent fighting poverty has the greatest possible impact. Our mission is to empower leaders in the social, public, and private sectors to improve the impact of social programs in developing countries by linking funding to results.

Description of the project

With support from funding partners, Instiglio’s Kenya office has been working since January 2024 to support relevant Government of Uganda (GoU) stakeholders in adopting innovative finance opportunities to promote effective and sustainably financed safe water services in rural areas. In response to core barriers identified within the rural safe water sector in Uganda, Instiglio has proposed the Delivery Accelerator (DA), a financial vehicle with tailored results-based methods. The DA aims to i) bridge the finance gap in the rural safe water sub-sector through innovative financing, ii) support the operationalization and effectiveness of Uganda’s rural safe water Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Framework, and iii) deliver more accountable results in the rural safe water sub-sector.

Instiglio is now designing the early working model of the DA, through the following key activities:

Construct a preliminary design of the financial vehicle: Instiglio is leading the technical design components of the Delivery Accelerator with a keen understanding of both the legal and financial protocols of the GoU and potential funders. We are defining and constructing key structural parameters of the DA, such as its legal framework, scope, and performance elements necessary for success. A prototype is being created based on feedback and collaborative co-design efforts with the GoU and other key Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) stakeholders. The design will be further informed by relevant legal and financial regulations, as well as by case studies and lessons learned from district-level piloting of performance-based contracts (see below). Insights from other financial vehicles and experiences in East Africa, particularly in the rural safe water sector, will be incorporated to ensure the design is tailored to the local context and addresses operational challenges. This will require extensive engagement with stakeholders both nationally and sub-nationally.

Performance management strategy: Instiglio is co-designing a performance management strategy for the rural safe water sub-sector with Uganda’s MWE and other stakeholders. This strategy intends to unify efforts, enhance accountability, embed a performance culture, enhance service delivery, and improve stakeholder capacity in the sub-sector. Instiglio is designing key performance indicators across the rural safe water value chain, as well as governance, measurement, and verification methodologies, in line with government priorities.

Performance contracts: Instiglio will support MWE in designing and implementing performance contracts between selected districts in Uganda and service providers, in line with the performance management strategy. These contracts will incentivize results in the sub-sector and develop lessons for the scaling of Uganda’s O&M Framework across the country.

Job Summary:   Senior Associates at Instiglio are a core part of project teams, overseeing most aspects of project execution and team management in close collaboration with Project Leads. You will gain expertise in results-based approaches and deepen your consultancy skills, translating complex concepts into easy-to-understand insights. You will advise clients on difficult, yet important, adaptations of their practices and lead teammates to deliver impactful projects that enhance development outcomes across Africa.

You will also play a leading role in growing the new Kampala office, including office setup, recruitment and capacity building, nurturing stakeholder relationships with both the donor community and government partners in East Africa that lead to project growth.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Some of your tasks will include:

• Senior Associates are likely to act as project managers of 1-3 project workstreams (reporting to a Manager) or stand-alone projects (reporting to a Lead).
• Leading and overseeing the development of technical components of RBF instruments and data-driven performance management systems.
• Leading the creation of proposals and client deliverables, articulating technical concepts in an eloquent and accessible manner.
• Managing project budgets and contracts with clients and subcontractors, anticipating issues, and proactively addressing them.
• Planning, delegating and overseeing tasks to effectively and efficiently achieve the best results within the team.
• Proposing, structuring, and overseeing data analyses to draw actionable insights/hypotheses.
• Preparing and delivering clear and effective presentations to stakeholders in the public and private sectors.
• Coordinating and motivating project teams and supporting team growth through coaching and mentorship within and outside of projects.
• Actively improving our RBF and Performance Management services and our delivery approaches.
• Managing the day to day running of the Instiglio office in Uganda and providing information to ensure compliance with relevant regulation.
• Engaging with stakeholders and counterparts in Uganda as representatives of Instiglio.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• At least 6 years of experience, including 4 years of relevant work experience in international development, management/ strategy consulting and/or in the public sector.
• Demonstrated experience in Results-Based Financing and/or Performance Management is an additional advantage but is not required.
• Experience working with governments and government agencies is highly desirable.

Knowledge

• Results-Based Financing mechanisms and/or experience related to the field.

Education

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Economics, Development Studies, Public Policy, Public Administration, Business, or related fields.

Language skills

• Exceptional written and oral communication skills in English.

Skills

• Proven track record in managing complex client projects and interacting with diverse stakeholders including experience working with Government of Uganda counterparts.
• Experience growing and managing teams in an entrepreneurial atmosphere.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, problem solving, and structured thinking.
• Ability to develop complex analytical frameworks and have exceptional working proficiency of the most common analytical principles to give structure to the analysis.
• Exceptional people skills: Ability to relate well with people from different backgrounds, build trust, and solve problems.
• Ability to communicate complex ideas in an eloquent and accessible manner.

How you can grow with us

Senior Associates at Instiglio have a chance to develop a variety of skills, with the guidance of more experienced senior staff. Instiglio has a strong feedback culture, with all staff receiving bi-annual formal, structured reviews, in addition to real-time feedback. Additionally, a mentorship system and development plans are in place to ensure that staff receive proper support in their professional development.

Working model and benefits

The selected candidate(s) will be based in our new Kampala office (with the possibility of remote work prior to office setup) and the opportunity is open to both local and international candidates, with the latter only being considered if they can demonstrate strong knowledge of the Uganda context.

Instiglio has adopted a hybrid working model i.e., a minimum of two (2) days a week at the office for face-to-face connections. Instiglio offers generous benefits, which include personal days, remote workdays, a company holiday additional to vacation, and parental leave, among others.

How to Apply:

Please apply by submitting your CV and cover letter (in English). In your cover letter answer the following questions: (1) Why are you a good fit for this role? (2) What is your motivation to apply to Instiglio? We will review applications on a rolling-basis.

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Only candidates selected for further assessment will be contacted.

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