Kyaninga Forest Foundation (KFF) is a Ugandan NGO working in Western Uganda to promote sustainable agroforestry practices, enhanced biodiversity through indigenous tree adoption, and conservation of threatened areas though indirect participatory forest management practices.

To strengthen their fast growing team they are looking for a Programme Manager.

Based in Fort Portal, in the Kabarole District of Western Uganda, KFF was established to provide a focal point for the restoration and management of degraded and destroyed forests. Over the last 5 years, KFF have established themselves as a knowledge hub for agroforestry, biodiversity, conservation and ecosystem restoration.

They have strong European partners such as BOS+ who work globally and support them in their interventions, as well as the United States Forestry Service who has recently committed to funding their Collaborative Forest Management projects. In addition to many other partnerships with a diverse range of NGO’s such as Join For Water, Iles De Paix and Rikolto. They also put a strong emphasis on using scientific validation to shape their approaches and have partnerships with Augsburg University, ETH Zurich as well as local universities such as Mountains of the Moon and Makerere University. Currently they are constructing a research and education centre which will provide a training location to farmers and students alike, as well as offering researchers the opportunity to utilise state-of-the-art scientific equipment. Finally, they ensure that they have close relationships with local government bodies as well as national conservation agencies such as the Ugandan Wildlife Authority.

Role

KFF is looking for an experienced programme manager to develop, implement and monitor forest restoration and community based agroforestry projects within Western Uganda. Working closely with KFF’s Directors, the programme manager will help in the implementation and development of our new 5 year plan. Through engagement with subsistence farmers, local government and complementary development partners, implement long-term, sustainable and scalable forest landscape restoration and community agroforestry. Reporting to the Directors, this role has a lot of room for personal and professional development. Potential candidates will have the opportunity to shape the role and grow with the organisation, over the coming years.

Job Purpose

The Programme Manager will work closely with the field staff and will take overall responsibility for effective and efficient management and delivery of the projects through annual strategic planning, budgeting, reporting, managing resources (human and material), and day-to-day project operations consistent with project goals and to the highest standards of programmatic quality.

We offer

• Working hours: Monday to Friday 08.30 – 17.00, (working outside these hours may be needed on occasion).
• Stunning working environment on the edge of Lake Kyaninga and Kyaninga Forest, with multiple national parks in close proximity.
• Young, creative team, looking to bridge the gap between the development sector and the academic world.
• As a small NGO, our salary scales are also constrained but there are options through grant writing to increase the base pay through successful proposal writing.
• Options to learn about different forest management techniques, applied agroforestry, conservation of rare species, community group trainings and also different research projects..

Key Responsibilities

• Project reporting to donors, board members, management, and relevant others.
• Coordinate finances to ensure project invoices are accurate, submitted on time, and comply with KFF and contractual requirements as well as the regional policy frameworks.
• Strategic planning with management and field staff.
• Develop comprehensive project plans to be shared with the field staff and implementing partners.
• Ensure effective communication within all levels of the organization and with all stakeholders.
• Track the requirements and timelines for reporting and deliverables as dictated in the project agreement.
• The Programme Manager will be responsible for oversight of KFF’s responsibilities under these agreements, expanding and maintaining partnerships of KFF.
• Participate in the planning and implementation of fundraising and team building events.
• Communications, including social media, newsletters, donor reports, annual reports.
• Develop spreadsheets, diagrams and process maps to document achievements and needs with the management team.
• Undertake any other duties that might be considered appropriate by the Directors.
• Work on Monitoring and Evaluation to measure performance using appropriate project management tools and techniques.

Key Relationships

• Work closely with the Directors to retain KFF’s core values and realize the strategic vision.
• Liaise with local, district and national authorities as required.
• Work with staff and team leaders to clarify specific requirements of each project and to problem-solve challenges in achieving set objectives.
• Collaborate with the accountant to meet budgetary objectives and make adjustments to project constraints based on financial analysis.

Professional Development

• Supported in continuing professional development through the use of self-education, reflective practice, and active participation in the supervision and appraisal processes.

Education and Experience

• An M.Sc., or equivalent experience in, Forestry, Forest ecology and conservation, Economics, Rural development, Agro-ecology or equivalent.
• Minimum 5 years of work experience in a similar role.
• Experience with project management. GIS knowledge a bonus

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent proficiency in verbal and written English with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work well on own initiative as well as part of a growing team.
• Display effective interpersonal and communication (verbal and written) skills.
• Flexible and adaptable attitude with a “can do” approach.
• Critical thinker and ability to see “outside the box” with proven ability to multitask and meet deadlines.
• Excellent computer literacy and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite.
• Valid vehicle license is highly desirable.
• Effective time management and organizational skills
• Experience in developing log frames and work plans and delivering projects against milestones and targets.