JOB DETAILS:

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

The Organization

Heifer Project International is a global non-profit organization founded in 1944 that works towards ending hunger and poverty while caring for the earth. Heifer International Uganda (HIU) began operations in 1982 and has since grown into one of the country’s leading agricultural and Community Development Organizations with focus on building pro-poor value chains that integrate youth, women empowerment and environmental sustainability. Driven by our Mission, Heifer has reached an incremental number of 4 million families in Uganda through agriculture and environmentally sound economic development programs. By 2030, Heifer Uganda’s Program goal is to support 400,000 smallholder farmers towards attaining a Sustainable Living Income and build sustainable and resilient economies.

The Function

Under the guidance of the Signature Program Technical Lead – Uganda, the Project Manager will provide strategic and operational leadership for Heifer’s projects in Uganda. This includes overseeing the entire project lifecycle—identifying opportunities, designing interventions, executing activities, and ensuring sustainability as well as building strategic partnerships. The role involves coordinating key project activities, managing budgets, and maintaining strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

The job holder will work closely with other technical teams and partners to align Heifer’s goals with local needs, co-create sustainable business models, and secure funding for future initiatives. They will track progress, address risks, and ensure timely project delivery, ensuring all activities are completed within budget and driving toward the realization of intended outcomes.

Responsibilities & Deliverables  

A. Identification of Opportunities (30%) 

• • Co-lead with the signature program lead to identify new project opportunities through market research, sector analysis, and donor trends to ensure alignment with Heifer’s strategic objectives.
  • Take a leading role in business development, actively cultivating external contacts, seeking out project opportunities, and leading the development of project(s) proposals.
  • Lead the development of high-quality project proposals, concept notes, and budgets to secure funding from donors and partners.
  • Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including government agencies, local organizations, private sector players, and international donors.
  • Cultivate and manage relationships with current and potential donors, ensuring ongoing communication and alignment with their expectations.
  • Coordinate partnerships (e.g., with Hello Tractor) to ensure access to critical resources, such as affordable tractors, for project implementation.

B. Project(s) Management (30%) 

• Oversee the complete lifecycle of project(s) from initiation through planning, execution, monitoring, and closure—while managing scope, timelines, budgets, risks, and quality controls. Ensure all activities align with the objectives and strategic direction of the overarching signature program.
• Coordinate and track project(s) progress, ensuring effective collaboration among cross-functional teams. Lead the project(s) with a focus on delivering high-quality, compliant outcomes whilst fostering a culture of collaboration and promoting performance excellence.
• Conduct regular site visits to project locations to offer on-ground support, assess progress, identify challenges, and gain a deeper understanding of field-level achievements and constraints.
• Manage project(s) financial operations, including budget preparation, financial oversight, profitability analysis, and responding to audit inquiries. Ensure sound financial management practices are upheld throughout the project lifecycle.
• Champion Gender Equity, Diversity, and Safeguarding principles across all project(s), ensuring these values are embedded in team practices, stakeholder engagement, and program implementation.

C. Project(s) Monitoring, Reporting & Documentation (20%) 

• Work with the Country PMEL to co-create the project(s) MEL frameworks and KPIs.
• Develop regular monthly, quarterly, and annual reports, ensuring they meet the standards for data quality, accuracy, and timeliness.
• Capture and document project success stories, beneficiary impact, and other key highlights for reporting and knowledge sharing. Provide regular updates through dashboards, reports, and presentations.
• Maintain a comprehensive and up-to-date beneficiary database, in line with the MLE framework, for tracking, reporting, and impact assessment.
• Ensure periodic project reviews are conducted, lessons learned are documented, and findings are shared with relevant stakeholders to inform future actions.
• Share insights, best practices, and challenges encountered in the project through documented reports and internal meetings.

D. Risk Management and Compliance (20%) 

• Identify and anticipate in a timely manner potential risks and issues; propose and advise mitigating measures to senior management so that project objectives are achieved.
• Foster regular, transparent communication to keep expectations clear, provide timely feedback, and ensure accurate reporting of performance metrics and goal progress to support accountability and team effectiveness.
• Ensure all project activities comply with national regulations, donor requirements, and financial reporting, while also meeting specific project deliverables and timelines.
• Integrate ethical considerations into project execution, promoting fairness, transparency, and active community involvement.
• Ensure adherence to internal project management standards (quality control, risk management) and collaborate with the MEL Manager to track compliance with regulations.

E.  Other duties as assigned by the supervisor 

• Any other job-related task assigned by the line manager.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies, Social Sciences, Agribusiness, Rural Development, or a related field.
• Project Management qualification.
• PMP certification, Project DPro certification, or Prince2 certification is desirable.
• The candidate will have at least 8 years of related working experience, of which 5 years must be in a supervisory role executing projects.
• Demonstrated experience in Value Chain Development and/or Market Systems Development.
• Demonstrated experience in effectively coordinating with multiple partners and stakeholders, including government agencies and donors.

Preferred Requirements 

• Professional Membership or Registration.

Key Behavioural Competencies 

• Accountability
• Professional Excellence
• Humility
• Customer Orientation
• Empathy
• Innovation