Reporting to the Country Director, the Education Programme Manager (EPM) is responsible for leading the education portfolio and co-lead the ECD portfolio. The EPM will be responsible for developing and maintaining a robust portfolio of education and ECD programmes, grant management, high quality delivery of existing programmes, promoting learning and innovation, fostering effective partnerships, and enhancing visibility of AKF and AKDN in the education sector in Uganda. The EPM will work closely with the AKF(EA) Regional Education and ECD Advisor based in Nairobi.

Effective programme and grant management: Ensure high quality delivery and management of all donor grants for education and ECD.
Implement/improve grant management system, processes, guidelines and tools and effectively manage all donor funded grants
• Enable field teams develop and implement project implementation plans, PMFs, workplans, budget, and narrative and financial reports
Develop and/or finalise narrative progress reports and workplans for donor projects. Ensure timely and quality reporting to donors as per the contract agreements. Analyse the reports and develop recommendations to address identified challenges.
• Manage all communications with donors to maintain positive partnerships and relationships with all delivery and consortium partners
• Ensure full compliance to AKF and donor requirements on reporting, financial management, and results/targets
• Support project teams to develop their understanding of and capacity to adhere to donor compliance
• Contribute to project quarterly/semi-annual progress reviews focused on project performance including quality of delivery, implementation against plans, and financial burn-rate. Provide feedback to senior management on progress, challenges, and next steps from these.
• In collaboration with the finance team, monitor project budgets, review quarterly reports, and ensure accountability and compliance
• Lead on setting up new education and ECD projects, including start-up plans, inception workshops, and recruitment plans, to ensure successful start of projects
• Maintain consistent communication with all relevant personnel including project managers, MECP-U Programme Director, country finance team, regional education advisor, and AKF Uganda Country Director.

Programme Development and Resource Mobilisation: Lead education and ECD programme development for AKF and ensure AKF has a robust pipeline of grants to support programming in education and ECD in Uganda
• Develop an understanding of AKF and AKDN strategy and programming priorities in the education and ECD sectors in Uganda and more broadly for East Africa
• Lead programme development for education and ECD aligned to AKF(EA) strategy and to meet AKF/AKDN priorities in the sector for Uganda
• Scan funding opportunities and respond to relevant opportunities/call for proposal.
• Work with AKDN and non-AKDN agencies to identify joint programmes and synergies
• Lead or partner on programme development, concept and proposal development with AKDN agencies and/or other organisations
• Develop concepts and proposals for new programmes or to fund extensions or continuations of existing programmes
• Proactively engage donor agencies, foundations, and other funders to mobilise resources for education and ECD programming
• Broker, develop, and manage partnerships with government and non-government education stakeholders
• Stay informed of major relevant sector related developments in Uganda and work collaboratively with Country Director, Regional Education Advisor, Regional Programme Manager (Health), Regional Partnerships Leadership, and the Uganda programme team to identify opportunities for new programmes and strategic partnerships.

The requirements
Skills and Competencies:
Programme and Award Management:
• Demonstrated experience in implementing and improving grant management systems, processes, and tools.
• Proven ability to develop and implement project implementation plans, workplans, and budgets.
• Strong communication skills to manage relationships with donors and consortium partners.

Monitoring and Evaluation:
• Proficiency in developing and operationalizing Performance Measurement Frameworks (PMFs).
• Experience collaborating with Monitoring and Evaluation teams to ensure data-driven decision-making.
• Ability to organize technical advisory services to strengthen M&E systems for education and ECD projects.

Quality Assurance and Improvement:
• Experience developing and introducing quality assurance systems/protocols for education programs.
• Proven ability to conduct field visits for program quality/data audits and provide technical support.
• Familiarity with integrating findings and learning from monitoring data and qualitative studies for program improvement.

Programme Development and Resource Mobilization:
• Strong understanding of AKF and AKDN strategy and programming priorities in education and ECD.
• Proven success in leading program development for education and ECD aligned with organizational strategies.
• Experience in scanning funding opportunities, responding to proposals, and brokering partnerships with government and non-government stakeholders.

Learning, Policy Engagement, and Communications:
• Ability to lead a robust learning and dialogue framework to influence policy and practices.
• Proficient in developing and implementing a policy engagement agenda and workplan.
• Strong communication skills for producing policy documents, learning briefs, case studies, and communication materials.

Education and ECD Portfolio Management:
• Minimum 3 years’ work experience from a senior level project implementation position in a humanitarian/recovery context with specific experience and expertise in technical education, project management, ECD portfolios, preferably in an international development context.
• Track record of successful implementation of programmes focusing on teacher transformation, school leadership, community engagement, climate education, and system strengthening.
• A graduate degree in Education or a relevant field is desired.

Stakeholder Engagement and Partnership Building:
• Demonstrated experience in building and maintaining positive relationships with donors, government agencies, NGOs, and community stakeholders.
• Proven ability to foster effective partnerships and collaborations with both AKDN and non-AKDN agencies.

Resource Mobilization:
• Successful track record in mobilizing resources for education and ECD programming through engaging with donor agencies, foundations, and other funders.
• Experience identifying joint programs and synergies with AKDN and non-AKDN agencies.

Policy Influence and Advocacy:
• Experience in engaging with relevant ministries, parastatal bodies, and technical working groups to influence and inform national education policies, strategies, and regulations.
• Active participation and contribution to dialogues and discussions on education and ECD strategy formulation within AKDN and at the national level.

Leadership and Team Management:
• Previous experience leading and managing teams in the education and ECD sector.
• Strong leadership skills to foster a culture of learning, innovation, and collaboration within the program teams.
• Contextual understanding and knowledge of the Education sector as well as experience working with various stakeholders in Education in Uganda.
• Familiarity with Education related minimum standards.
• team leadership – experience building team capacities.
• working collaboratively with technical and operational colleagues within a matrix structure, including capacity strengthening.
• integrated programming and/or coordinating multiple sectors/CCs.
• University degree – In Education or any other relevant field.