JOB DETAILS:
The purpose of the USAID Feed the Future Institutional and Systems Strengthening (ISS) Activity is to is to build the capacity and strengthen the processes of Government of Uganda (GOU) ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), and industry apex organizations (national level umbrella bodies comprising private sector members in a particular field or sector) that are vital to driving inclusive agriculture-led economic growth. The Activity supports these entities to improve their internal processes and strengthen structures critical for sectoral coordination to enable them to fulfill their mandates better. This will create a more conducive environment for market actors to productively engage in the agriculture sector and contribute to the Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) Uganda Country Plan goal of reducing hunger, malnutrition and poverty as well as the USAID/Uganda Country Development Cooperation Strategy’s 2(CDCS) 2016 – 2021 five-year goal of strengthening Uganda’s systems to accelerate inclusive economic, health, and education outcomes.
The goal of the FTF-ISS Activity is to improve accountability, responsiveness and performance of key national-level MDAs and industry apex organizations that will enable them to better fulfill their mandates, creating a more conducive environment for market actors to productively engage in the agriculture sector.

The Activity’s objectives are:
• Obj 1: Improve the internal processes of selected MDAs and industry apex organizations, making them more responsive to the needs of their consumers, members and the general public.
• Obj 2: Strengthen key capacity elements of select MDAs and industry apex organizations to
perform their mandates.
• Obj 3: Improve the policy framework that supports the functionality of selected MDAs and industry apex organizations.
• Obj 4: Strengthen the “structures” or key vertical and horizontal linkages

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES
The Private Sector Engagement Manager, under J.E. Austin Associates, Inc. (JAA), a subcontractor, will provide technical support to the Contractor during implementation of the Activity. S/he will work with IAOs and support public private dialogue facilitation and institutional linkage building. JAA has assisted business and government leaders to implement strategic changes designed to achieve rapid growth that is economically, politically, socially and environmentally sustainable.
The Private Sector Engagement Manager reports to the Institutional Strengthening and Advocacy Director

Duties and Responsibilities:
• Lead private sector engagement activity stream, including strategy, planning, monitoring, staff oversight and development, and reporting.
• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with the private sector in Uganda, particularly with their representatives at the national apex organization level.

• Facilitate dialogue between apex organizations and other representatives of the private sector and between the private sector and the government, and coordinate efforts to respond to private sector priorities.

• Identify ways to strengthen incentives for IAOs, MDAs, and others in agriculture market systems in Uganda to collaborate and share; develop a map of IAOs and their roles in the market system and public-private dialogue; identify reform champions and develop a strategy for coalition-building efforts.

• Organize and facilitate public-private dialogues on important agriculture policy issues, including helping to strengthen multi-stakeholder dialogue platforms, strengthening Ugandan MDAs and IAOs’ ability to host the platforms, and including research institutions and other experts to support and engage in the dialogue.
• Manage the implementation of institutional frameworks, including strategic plans, advocacy strategies, communications strategies, business models, and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) frameworks, to strengthen IAOs and enhance their capacity to implement public policy.

• Help IAOs strengthen their engagement and communication with private sector organizations, companies, and farmers; manage technical assistance to support IAOs in
• advocacy campaigns while increasing their capacity to advocate effectively on behalf of their members.
• Help IAOs strengthen their communication and cooperation, including by coordinating

• information sharing, facilitating Communities of Practice, working groups, forums, and other mechanisms.
• Assist with implementation of key policies as part of Activity efforts, including technical training and consulting to apex organizations on the policy reform cycle, evidence-based advocacy, public-private dialogue, strategic communications, and monitoring implementation of reforms; provide inputs for other trainings for IAO Staff.
• Plan and implement meetings, events, and other activities to support IAOs, facilitate public private dialogue, and build institutional linkages.

• Ensure that activities are planned and delivered according to program standards.
• Contribute to the development of strategies and outreach related to private sector engagement, public private dialogue, strengthening IAOs, and linking institutions.
• In collaboration with MEL and other technical team members, strengthen data and monitoring to ensure that activities in private sector engagement, public private dialogue, strengthening IAOs, and linking institutions are tracked and appropriate response strategies are implemented; analyze and report on program and Activity progress and contribute to the Activity’s learning agenda.

• Contribute to annual work planning, reporting, training plans and other required technical tasks. Stay up-to date on global best practices, new developments and emerging issues in private sector engagement, public private dialogue, strengthening IAOs, and linking institutions
• Serve as the point of contact for/working with IAO counterparts to ensure activities are implemented as planned between the Activity and the IAOs.
• Supervise private sector engagement team members and STTA personnel who are working on matters related to private sector support

Qualifications:
• Master’s degree in field related to business, management, economics, political science, law, or
• development studies.
• Eight (8) years or more of professional experience in the fields of policy reform, agriculture, economic reform, and/or business management.
• Familiarity with, and ability to apply and adapt methods to engage the private sector in policy reforms, advocacy, public-private dialogue, and monitoring implementation of reforms.
• Previous experience supporting USAID funded projects or other development organizations on projects and programs.
• Ability to multi-task and capable of efficiently responding collaboratively to the needs of the project.
• Ability to identify and effectively respond to continuously evolving technical and strategic priorities.
• Ability to work well in a team and with minimum supervision.
• Excellent organizational skills and an ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
• Good supervisory and management skills.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills.
• Ugandan citizen.
• Oral and written fluency in English.