Required Experience and Education

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in social work, public health, international development, or a related field strongly preferred.

• At least 10 years of experience managing multi-sectoral, child- and family-focused international development projects funded by US donors.

• Demonstrated experience working with government ministries, national child protection authorities, and child-focused community-based organizations in Uganda.

• Experience leading projects with multiple partners.

• Experience with U.S. Department of State-funded projects preferred.

Strategic Leadership & Program Management

• Provide overall leadership, vision, and direction for the program, managing compliance with ChildFund policies and donor regulations and priorities.

• Oversee the design, implementation, and monitoring of activities that strengthen child protection systems’ capacity to protect and promote all child rights, ensuring that children have the services and support needed to grow into resilient adults.

• Guide implementation of integrated, holistic early childhood development (ECD) interventions targeting pregnant women, infants, and young children. These will include nutrition and physical health activities, parenting and parental support, and early childhood education activities.

• Oversee programmatic coherence across components such as social service workforce capacity building, temporary care and shelter for children and families, family reunification, and comprehensive case management for basic and life saving needs.

Technical Oversight

• With support from ChildFund technical staff, guide the development and implementation of evidence based strategies for child protection systems strengthening, ECD, and alternative/family-based care.

• Provide high level technical direction on implementing existing laws, policies, and institutional frameworks related to child protection, ECD, and alternative care, and identify opportunities to address current legal and policy gaps.

• Oversee capacity building initiatives for the social service workforce, including training on identification of vulnerable children, case management, emergency response, and family based care.

Stakeholder Engagement & Representation

• With support from ChildFund technical staff, serve as the primary liaison with the U.S. Department of State, government ministries, civil society organizations, and international partners.

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with national child protection, education, and health authorities, community based organizations, and service providers.

• Represent the program in high level forums, technical working groups, and stakeholder meetings.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning & Compliance

• Ensure rigorous monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems to track progress, measure outcomes, and inform adaptive management. This includes designing, adapting, and/or using impact-focused measurement tools and metrics, as well as using statistical analysis to demonstrate change.

• Oversee compliance with donor regulations, organizational policies, and safeguarding standards.

• Promote a culture of learning, accountability, and continuous improvement across the program team and partners.