Programme Manager

Consortium Programme Manager (Internal Recruitment)

• YIGA | Karamoja and West Nile
• Apply by 14th September 2026 at 5:00 PM (E.A.T)

About Restless Development

Restless Development Uganda is a non-profit agency for Youth Led change. We support the collective power of young leaders to create a better world. We are independently registered and governed in Uganda. We also associate with The Restless Development Global Network which is registered in nine countries (India, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, UK, USA, Zambia and Zimbabwe) bound together by a vision for youth power. We run youth-led programmes to tackle the issues that young people care about the most. We also coordinate the

Youth Collective , a growing network of over 4000 local youth civil society groups and organisations in 185 countries. We are committed to creating an agency that walks the talk on power shifting, using the power shifting checklist, both internally and externally.

Our approach to safeguarding

Restless Development considers the welfare and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults to be an organisational imperative with primacy over the success of programmes or strategic objectives.

About YIGA

YIGA is The Promoting Youth Inclusion in Governance and Decision-making in Uganda Project. The project is supported by the Embassies of Ireland, Netherlands Sweden and Denmark under PACER and runs through December 2027. Restless Development leads the consortium implementing the project with Media Challenge Initiative (MCI) and Karamoja Youth Effort to Save the Environment (KAYESE). Building on implementation in Karamoja, the project is expanding to Arua, Terego and Madi-Okollo in West Nile, alongside activities that bring regional youth priorities into national discussions.

YIGA addresses the information gaps, limited opportunities and institutional barriers that prevent young people from influencing decisions about their communities. It helps young people understand local government planning and budgeting, gather evidence on public services, and raise their priorities with elected representatives, officials and community leaders. At the same time, it supports leaders to involve young people in decisions and respond to their concerns through practical action plans and regular follow-up.

In West Nile, this includes training Youth Accountability Advocates and youth councillors, supporting community barazas and Youth Leader Connect meetings, and monitoring service delivery with local governments. The project’s Youth Information Hub+ combines a physical hub in Arua and Karamoja, mobile and digital engagement approaches and digital resources with civic films, radio, storytelling and media literacy activities. Evidence from both regions will inform the State of Youth Civil Society in Uganda report and The National Youth Working Group discussions. Throughout, YIGA seeks to turn informed youth participation into decisions and services that better reflect young people's needs.

About the Role

The Consortium Programme Manager will lead YIGA delivery across Karamoja and West Nile, bringing the work of Restless Development, MCI and KAYESE together around agreed plans, responsibilities and results. The role will oversee programme quality, consortium coordination, budgets, risks and reporting, while ensuring that the West Nile expansion connects with existing work in Karamoja and national policy engagement.

Reporting to the Head of Programmes, the Consortium Programme Manager will line-manage Programme Coordinators and work closely with the MEL, finance, advocacy and communications teams. The Manager will help partners resolve delivery challenges, use evidence to improve implementation, and maintain constructive relationships with youth structures, local governments, PACER partners and the donor. Success means that youth priorities are supported by credible evidence, reach the right decision-makers, and receive documented responses and follow-up.

Job title: Consortium Programme Manager

Location: Moroto district-Karamoja Region, Uganda

Geographical coverage: Karamoja and West Nile, with national-level coordination and policy engagement.

Salary: UGX 117,282,458 gross per annum

Preferred start date: As soon as possible.

Duration: 1 year, renewable depending on funding and performance.

Reports to: Head of Programmes and Partnerships.

Direct reports: Programme Coordinators

Expected travel: Regular domestic travel to project locations in Karamoja and West Nile, and national engagements as required.

Key responsibilities

1.Programme leadership and delivery

• Lead joint annual and quarterly planning across Karamoja and West Nile, translating the project approach into practical workplans, budgets, partner responsibilities and delivery schedules that reflect the needs of each region.
• Oversee the West Nile expansion, including district inception, the rapid assessment and the sequencing of youth training, local government engagement, civic media activities and monitoring. Resolve dependencies with partners before activities begin.
• Review progress against agreed activities and outcomes, identify delays or gaps, and agree corrective actions with named owners and deadlines. Seek the required approvals before changing agreed scope, targets or resource allocations.
• Ensure that youth priorities and perspectives are reflected in local planning, budgeting and service delivery decisions. Guide teams to measure the response to youth engagement as well as participation in activities.
• Plan for sustainability by strengthening existing youth and government structures, supporting continued use of civic information and media resources, and identifying opportunities to sustain or extend effective approaches.

2.Consortium coordination and partnerships

• Coordinate delivery with MCI and KAYESE, maintaining clear activity ownership, communication and follow-up. Respect each partner's technical role, including MCI's leadership of civic media and the Youth Information Hub+.
• Prepare implementation updates and issues requiring decisions for consortium governance and technical working groups. Organise quarterly programme reviews and follow up commitments with consortium, district and PACER stakeholders.
• Maintain working relationships with local governments, youth-led organisations and community leaders. Support district teams to secure ownership of youth engagement activities and agree practical arrangements for responding to youth priorities.
• Represent YIGA in authorised donor, PACER and policy engagements. Work with the advocacy team to connect evidence from both regions to the National Youth Working Group and relevant national discussions.

3.Youth participation and responsive governance

• Guide the training and continued support of Youth Accountability Advocates and youth councillors so they can consult peers, understand planning and budgeting, monitor services and present clear requests to decision-makers.
• Oversee gender and youth inclusion assessments, Meaningful Youth Engagement training and district action plans. Ensure that quarterly follow-up examines what officials have done to involve young people in decisions.
• Connect community barazas, Youth Leader Connect meetings, radio dialogue and joint service monitoring with a clear follow-up process. Ensure that commitments, responsible officials and progress are recorded and communicated to young people.
• Coordinate the contribution of civic films, the West Nile Annual Film Forum and the Youth Information Hub+ to governance objectives. Support accessible information and constructive, non-partisan dialogue rather than treating media reach as the final result.

4.Programme quality, MEL and learning

• Work with the MEL Coordinator and MEL Manager to maintain consistent indicators, tools and reporting across partners and regions. Review the West Nile assessment and the extension of the end-of-project evaluation.
• Use programme evidence and learning to guide decisions and improve delivery. Lead quarterly reflection on what is changing for young people, which approaches are effective, and where the programme needs to adjust.
• Oversee biannual joint monitoring, review data quality and implementation findings, and ensure agreed actions are completed. Challenge unsupported claims and use verified evidence when reporting results.
• Support the State of Youth Civil Society in Uganda study and partner training in impact documentation. Work with MEL, advocacy and communications colleagues to turn findings into useful learning and policy materials.

5.Financial management and donor accountability

• Review expenditure, forecasts and activity progress with Finance and partner leads. Identify underspending, overspending or resource gaps early and agree action within delegated authority and approved budgets.
• Coordinate programme inputs to procurement and logistics planning, ensuring that delivery schedules reflect the time needed for organisational and donor approvals. Maintain accountability for the appropriate use of programme resources.
• Prepare and justify proposed budget changes with Finance, obtain required approvals and maintain a clear record of decisions. Escalate suspected irregularities or significant financial risks through the established channels.
• Lead consolidation and quality review of partner narrative reports and coordinate with Finance on financial reporting. Ensure donor submissions explain progress, evidence, challenges, learning and use of funds against the agreed reporting calendar.
• Coordinate responses to donor questions, monitoring visits, reviews and audits, ensuring that programme and financial records support the information submitted.

6.Team leadership and capacity development

• Line-manage Programme Coordinators through clear objectives, regular supervision, performance review and coaching. Clarify delivery responsibilities across the wider team without changing established reporting arrangements.
• Work with technical managers to strengthen staff and partner skills in youth engagement, programme coordination, evidence use, reporting and safeguarding. Follow up whether training improves day-to-day practice.
• Maintain effective coordination between programme, MEL, finance, operations, advocacy and communications staff. Address problems promptly and encourage staff and young leaders to raise concerns and suggest improvements.

7.Safeguarding, inclusion and risk management

• Maintain and review programme risks with partners, including civic space, political sensitivities, insecurity, weather, operational delays and participation barriers. Agree proportionate mitigation measures and escalate significant concerns.
• Ensure young women, young people with disabilities and those with limited literacy can participate meaningfully. Require teams to plan accessible venues, communication and feedback arrangements appropriate to their communities.
• Ensure staff, young leaders and partners understand safeguarding and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse responsibilities. Check that safe reporting routes are explained and concerns reach the designated safeguarding staff promptly.
• Oversee compliance with organisational policies, donor commitments and applicable requirements. Promote informed consent, respectful use of stories and images, confidentiality and non-partisan programme delivery.

Skills and experience

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in Development Studies, Governance, Public Administration, Political Science, Social Sciences, International Development, Project Management or a related field.
• A Master's degree in a relevant field is an added advantage.
• At least 4–7 years of relevant professional experience, including significant experience managing development programmes or projects.
• Experience in strategic programme management and delivery of donor-funded programmes, including governance, youth participation, civic engagement, accountability, advocacy or public service delivery.
• Experience managing programme budgets and resources, and supervising and developing multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience engaging local governments, civil society, youth-led organisations and other stakeholders.
• Strong programme reporting, performance management and donor engagement experience.

Desirable

• Experience implementing programmes in Karamoja and/or West Nile.
• Strong understanding of Uganda's decentralisation and local government systems.
• Experience working with consortia or multi-partner programmes.
• Experience in programme strategy, policy influence or resource mobilisation.

Please note: This position is an internal job opportunity, open to current employees and Restless Development alumni only.

To Apply

Please submit your CV and a cover letter that provides tangible examples of how your skills, knowledge and experience will support your ability to perform the key priorities outlined in the above job description (using no more than 750 words)

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