Project Manager-BRIGHT Project Uganda

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Fort Portal  •  ID:20121120  •  Full-Time/Regular

1. Introduction

The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is a public international organization (PIO) governed by an international board of directors with representation from developed and developing nations. The non-profit center focuses on increasing and sustaining food and agricultural productivity in developing countries through the development and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technology and agribusiness expertise.

IFDC is implementing the BRIGHT project, a 4-year program, funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) through the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Dutch development policy. The project is being implemented in collaboration with Agriterra, the Uganda Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), district local governments, and private sector actors. 

The BRIGHT project aims to build the resilience of 106,560 highland farm households in Kigezi,   Elgon, and Rwenzori regions in Uganda to recover from external shocks in an ever-changing context through absorption, adaptation, and transformation and, in so doing, improve food and nutritional security and incomes of all farmers, transition subsistence-oriented farm households to more market-oriented ones, through supporting households in integrated farm-planning and inclusive decision-making, introducing appropriate climate-smart agriculture technologies to strengthen local farming systems, ensuring natural resource conservation and development of strategic value chains. The central implementation approach of the BRIGHT project is the “Plan Intégré Paysan” (PIP) or (Integrated Farm Planning). The approach empowers farm households to develop actionable visions of household development, based on internal household aspirations, strength, opportunities available resources and guide household in inclusive decision-making.

IFDC is seeking to recruit a Project Manager to oversee the management of the BRIGHT project in Uganda for the successful implementation of project activities leading to tangible impacts on smallholder farmers’ farming practices and livelihood.

2. Duties and Responsibilities  

2.1 Leadership:

• Provide the overall vision and leadership in Integrated Farm Planning, household and community visioning, farming systems analysis, sustainable land use, and development of market-oriented value chains, as a basis for effective implementation of the strategies and activities of the project.
• Create and maintain good working relationships with the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) embassy in the target country represented by the Project Officer at the Embassy and provide regular updates on the project’s progress.

2.2 Overall programmatic management:

• Lead regular project management meetings and coordinate the activities of the project implementation partners.
• Oversee the management of the project’s grant and partnership fund, in conjunction with relevant staff and stakeholders, ensuring compliance with established protocols and best practices.
• Develop work plans, annual budgets, narratives, and financial progress reports according to the dates indicated in the grant agreement between the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands Uganda (EKN) and IFDC.
• Ensure timely and effective implementation of all program activities including project planning, implementation, and management; project finances and administration; outreach and reporting; monitoring and evaluation.
• Ensure that services provided to smallholder farmers integrate their priorities and socio-economic conditions and result in quality outputs.
• Monitor project overall expenditure and private sector contribution against budgets and ensure financial compliance to both donor requirements and IFDC procedures.
• Monitor all activities implemented by IFDC and project implementation partner organizations.
• Ensure the daily management of the project, including financial management and management of project staff and their daily activities.
• Coordinate the organization of training programs in response to identified training needs as planned in the project.

2.3 Communications and Outreach:

• Oversee the implementation of the Communications strategy of the project.
• Work with communication staff to support the development of external communication of the project.
• Maintain active interactions with the Government of Uganda, District Local Governments in relation to project activities.
• Develop progress reports for the Ministry of Agriculture and partner organizations as required.
• Any other activities as assigned by the Director, Soil Health & Agricultural Productivity Scaling or their designee.

2.4 Administration and finance:

• Financial oversight and maintaining the on-budget performance of the project
• Ensure sound financial management and compliance with laws.
• Supervise and be responsible for the financial and administrative aspects of the program, including budget management.
• Ensure that all activities are carried out within the program budget.
• Ensure the quality and smooth running of contracts with partners.

3. Reporting line

The Project Manager reports to the Director, Soil Health & Agricultural Productivity Scaling or his designee on all aspects related to the project.

4.      Application procedure

Interested candidates are required to apply online on the IFDC career portal. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

5.     Duty station

The Project Manager will be based in Fort Portal.

6.    Type of contract, Duration

The position is a full-time position arranged in one-year renewable contracts, subject to the availability of funding until the end of the project.

7.    Expected starting date.

September 1,  2023

Required Experience

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in agronomy, agro-economy, socio-economy, rural sociology, rural development, or related fields.
• At least 10 years of experience successfully leading the management of complex, results-based, international rural agricultural development programs (implementation, logistics, budget, staffing).
• Experience in implementation of Dutch Development Programs or other international donors funded projects.
• A working experience in Uganda's highland farming systems and demonstrated ability in the concepts, principles, methods, and techniques of smallholder farming systems, integrated farming household planning, sustainable land use, climate adaptation, market development and market-oriented value chains, financial inclusion, nutrition, and gender.
• High level and strategic thinking capacity and decision-making.
• Demonstrated skills in effectively collaborating with host governments, regional institutions, other EKN and development partner projects, local organizations, and private sector companies.
• Ability to successfully manage and develop staff as demonstrated by experience.
• Ability to manage partners, sub-contracts, and grant programs with all required reporting requirements.
• Ability to perform internal control functions to manage day-to-day operations of the project.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally in small audience and large audience settings.
• Affinity with the key trends in the Dutch development sector and experience in working with/in Dutch partnerships is appreciated.
• Ability to perform under pressure, work independently and be proactive with an entrepreneurial mindset.
• Willingness to spend long, highly interactive hours on detailed work that demands accuracy.
• High level of initiative, enthusiasm, adaptability, and flexibility.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and ability to produce quality activity reports.
• Ability to travel regularly in Uganda and in East and Southern Africa.