JOB DETAILS:
About Us
AMI is pioneering practical business and management learning for Africa. We equip entrepreneurs with key tools to build their businesses, we help companies build motivated and productive workforces, and we run work-readiness and entry-level programmes for young people starting their careers.

AMI is expanding rapidly. With support from international social impact investors, we have established offices in Nairobi, Johannesburg, Kigali, Kampala, Lagos, Addis and Dakar, and worked for an impressive portfolio of clients in East, West and Southern Africa. We have trained over 94,000 individuals in over 39 African countries to date.

Job Description
AMI is looking for a Senior Programme Manager to oversee the end-to-end quality project delivery of AMI partner programmes. This is a chance for an outstanding entrepreneurial leader to be part of Africa’s transformation, and to help shape, build and scale one of its most innovative social businesses.

The Senior Programme Manager will be a part of the product team to implement partner-based programmes under the AMI Impact unit. You will be a key player in a dynamic, global team focused obsessively on results.

At AMI, we work hard, innovate constantly, and have fun in the process. This is a chance for someone with a passion for learning, leadership, and business growth to be part of Africa’s transformation. We are particularly interested in hearing from people with past experience managing grant-funded programmes, including report-writing related work.

The Senior Programme Manager must be a driven, organized, detail-oriented leader with great people and project-management skills and ability to manage complex programmes.

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Program Manager with a robust background in the agriculture sector and extensive experience within the Business Development Services (BDS) ecosystem in Uganda. The ideal candidate will possess a comprehensive understanding of the MSME landscape, including NGOs, capacity building, marketing stakeholders, and investors. Furthermore, the candidate should have a solid track record in financial services, project management, and entrepreneurship support, with specific experience in program design and implementation, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and evaluation, and capacity building initiatives.

Key Responsibilities.
Project Management
• Oversee the comprehensive lifecycle of AMI partner projects, from initiation to completion.
• Develop and execute detailed project plans, setting clear milestones and deliverables while adhering to strict timelines.

• Monitor project scope, manage risks, and manage project budget ensure high-quality outcomes using AMI’s ERP system.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain robust relationships with external stakeholders, including financial institutions, government agencies, NGOs, and other partners.
• Engage and coordinate with senior internal stakeholders, ensuring clear communication and alignment on project goals.
• Negotiate and secure necessary resources and support for successful project implementation.

Innovation and Product Development
• Collaborate with the design and product development teams to enhance the capacity of the Ugandan agriculture sector and MSMEs services..
• Ensure that innovative solutions are incorporated into project plans to enhance impact and efficiency.
• Lead and manage complex development projects that involve substantial innovation and product development aspects.

Supporting Entrepreneurs and MSMEs
• Design and implement targeted products and services tailored to the needs of MSMEs in the agricultural sector, including financial solutions and technical support.
• Support the development and delivery of comprehensive training programs that focus on needs assessments for MSMEs in the agricultural sector.
• Organize networking events that connect MSMEs with industry experts and potential investors to enhance business opportunities and partnerships.

Market Research and Analysis
• Conduct thorough market research to identify financing gaps, emerging opportunities, and trends relevant to MSMEs.
• Utilize insights regarding the local business landscape and economic conditions to shape informed project strategies and recommendations.

Monitoring and Evaluation
• Design and implement robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks that effectively measure the impact of projects.
• Utilize data-driven insights for ongoing decision-making, continuous improvement, and enhanced project effectiveness.

Internal Collaboration
• Organize and lead regular project team meetings to monitor progress, address challenges, and provide updates to stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product development, monitoring and evaluation, and partnership teams, to ensure cohesive and coordinated project execution.
• Share learnings and insights during impact collaboration sessions to inform future best practices and drive innovation.

Requirements
Required Skills and Experience:
• Demonstrated success in managing and coordinating complex development projects, especially those involving product development and innovation.
• Proficiency with project management tools and methodologies.
• Extensive experience working in the Agriculture sector and extensive experience in working with the BDS in Uganda.
• Experience in providing business development services to MSMEs.
• Experience with incubators, accelerators, or similar entrepreneurship support initiatives in Uganda
• Proven ability to engage and collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including senior internal and external parties.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.
• Ability to develop strategic plans and solve complex problems.
• Strong market analysis skills and understanding of local economic conditions.
• Experience in designing and implementing effective M&E frameworks.
• Ability to leverage data for project improvement.
• Experience working in multicultural environments and adapting to local contexts.

Education & Experience
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in business consulting, company training, enterprise development, or management education (essential).
• Proven programme management skills and experience, especially with grant-funded programmes (essential).
• Experience in entrepreneurial or high-growth environments (essential).
• Facilitation experience (preferred).

Skills and Attributes
• Good understanding of the Uganda entrepreneurial/ SME landscape and BDS Ecosystem.
• To be comfortable in both English and key native languages.
• Startup & high growth company experience
• Excellent writing, reporting and analytical skills.
• Have a consultant approach when presenting to clients and be able to meet aggressive deadlines.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Extensive project management experience
• Excellent analytical and negotiation skills
• A commitment to AMI’s values of excellence, innovation and accountability
• Self-motivated, and able to take full ownership of own deliverables
• Solid time management skills ie. able to manage competing priorities and outputs
• Willing to learn and collaborate with peers and internal stakeholders at AMI
• Thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
• Absolutely rock-solid integrity
• Willingness to participate in field activities and travel

Benefits
Why join us

A high-impact, diverse and ambitious team with common values:

• Be the best: We work really hard, are proud of what we do, and love delighting our clients with quality.

• Own it: We step up to the task, never pass the buck and hold ourselves accountable for delivering results.

• Push the limits: We ask why, embrace failure and try new things. We never settle.

• Do what’s right: We act with integrity, confront dishonesty, treat people fairly and strive to contribute to the greater good

• Always care: We don’t have ego – it’s always ‘team before me’. We are kind, we celebrate each other’s success, and we care enough to give honest feedback.

A dynamic office & team life:

• Monthly team social events and yearly offsite

• Regular learning and coaching opportunities

• A hybrid working model