ASTYE Program Lead

Job Level Specifications

Essential

• Master’s degree in agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Development Studies, Entrepreneurship
  
• Minimum of 10 years relevant experience leading a similar program area
  
• Experience managing large donor-funded programs with a minimum threshold of $20 million.
  
• Experience working within multi-partner or consortium delivery models.
  
• Proven experience in complex program management in market systems development, market facilitation, youth engagement and development, livelihoods and/or agriculture and value chain programming including financial services, youth skilling and agricultural inputs and outputs markets.
  
• Demonstrated ability to apply strategic and systems thinking in program design and delivery in complex operating environments.
  
• Proven experience in adaptive management and evidence-based decision-making.
  

Strategy and Vision

• Provide strategic directions and leadership to all aspects of the ASTYE program in line with the Mastercard Foundation strategy and GOAL’s operational strategy - From Crisis to Resilience.
  
• Lead the relationship management with the Mastercard Foundation, GOAL Uganda’s Senior Management Team as well as the GOAL Global teams.
  
• Provide leadership to teams undertaking Agri food system inquiry, strategy documentation and the identification of appropriate potential partners.
  

Program Management

• Working closely with the GOAL Uganda Senior Management Team, Head of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL), Head of Partnerships and GOAL Global Program Technical, MEAL and partnership teams, to design, implement and measure the ASTYE program and provide for cross program/country learning and reporting.
  
• Manage efficient rollout of all operations in accordance with agreed work plans, budgets and implementation strategy.
  
• Ensure regular coordination meetings and grant health checks are conducted with the Program Management Unit, Finance, Communications and MERL teams to review implementation progress, budget utilization, and risk mitigation.
  

MEAL Management

• With technical support from the GOAL Global MEAL & MIS teams, design a comprehensive MEAL system to allow for adaptive management, individual case management, learning and reporting.
  
• Ensure that program teams are trained in data collection for the MEAL system and that data (in an appropriate format), is available at the point of need for program teams.
  
• Ensure that the MEAL teams provide regular quality assurance to data and that accountability mechanisms are in place and are responded to.
  

Partner Management

• Oversee the identification, due diligence, co-design engagement and (technical, organizational and MEAL) capacity strengthening of CSO implementing partners, ensuring that partnerships are transparent, effective, compliant and aligned with the program GOAL.
  
• Oversee the identification, due diligence, and co-design of engagement with private sector partners, ensuring that partnerships are based on existing business models that present opportunities to unlock system level constraints and could lead to sustainable changes at scale in agrifood systems. Where appropriate, build into programing technical and business capacity strengthening with private sector partners.
  

Finance Management

• Responsible for the financial management of the program, including overseeing budgets and managing spend.
  
• Ensure rigorous compliance with the Mastercard Foundation and GOAL requirements and organizational policies, proactively identifying and mitigating financial and contractual risks.
  
• Oversee risk mitigation measures and ensure timely and narrative reporting to HQ and the Mastercard Foundation.
  

Team Management

• Provide inspirational management and mentorship to the Program Management Unit (PMU)/ ASTYE steering committee to foster a culture of trust and respect where team work, identification of problems and potential solutions, adaptation and a commitment to quality and attention to detail are rewarded.