Q-Sourcing Limited trading as Q-Sourcing Servtec is a manpower management solutions firm operating in the East African Region in the countries of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and South Sudan.

On behalf of our client
Ripple Effect
in the NGO Sector, we are looking for a competent
,
skilled, and experienced
PROJECT DIRECTOR

MEAL Director (1)

Communication Manager (1)

Program Managers (3)

About the Project

The Youth Economic Empowerment through Livestock Development (YEELD) Program is a five-year initiative aimed at improving the socio-economic well-being and resilience of financially disadvantaged young people aged 18–35 years in the Teso, Bukedi, and Ankole sub-regions of Uganda through livestock value chains. The program seeks to create 250,000 work opportunities, including for 200,000 (80%) young women, 5% persons with disabilities (PWDs), and 3% refugees and displaced persons (RDPs). YEELD is being implemented across 20 districts in the three sub-regions through a consortium coordinated by Ripple Effect, dfcu Foundation, and Multi Community Based Development Initiative (MUCOBADI), and Action For Development (ACFODE) as a social and inclusion partner in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

The Project Director
provides overall strategic, technical, and
operational leadership, and coordination for the YEELD project, ensuring delivery
of impact, compliance with partnership requirements, coordination with Consortium
partners and stakeholders, achievement of program goals focused on systemic
transformation of the livestock sector to create dignified and sustainable
employment opportunities for young people, especially women and refugees. The
role balances donor accountability with local ownership, aligning with
Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy and Uganda’s national
development priorities.

The Project Director will lead partner engagement,
provide strategic guidance and capacity support, and ensure effective
coordination across all implementing partners. He/She will lead programme
management unit (PMU), a member and secretary to the steering committee, ex-officio
to the Ripple Effect oversight committee, be accountable for partner
performance, ensuring high-quality delivery, compliance with agreed objectives,
and achievement of project outcomes through regular partner monitoring,
performance reviews, and adaptive management.

Strategic
Leadership & Planning

§
Provide overall strategic
vision and technical direction for YEELD, ensuring alignment with Mastercard
Foundation priorities and Uganda’s livestock development agenda to promote
innovation, scale, and sustainability.

§
Promote
transformative climate change adaptation strategies to fundamentally change
agricultural systems in response to climate change in line with the livestock
sector.

§
Develop strategies
to improve production practices, market access, and build sustainable
agribusinesses resilient to market disruptions

§
Lead systemic
transformation of livestock value chain systems to generate sustainable youth
employment.

§
Ensure strategic
alignment across thematic areas and partners.

§
Serve as a member
of the Senior Management Team (SMT), contributing to strategic decision
making.

Program
Oversight and Delivery

§
Oversee program
planning, budgeting, implementation, and performance management.

§
Oversee partner
onboarding, due diligence, contract development (with Compliance &
Legal), and co-creation of risk-mitigated investment strategies with all key
stakeholders.

§
Ensure
achievement of results, high-quality deliverables, and cost-efficiency.

§
Monitor
progress through regular reviews and adaptive management practices.

§
Lead annual and
quarterly planning processes, translating strategy into actionable work plans
with clear milestones.

§
Anticipate risks
and design adaptive strategies to ensure program
resilience, compliance and sustainability.

§
Maintain high standards of project governance and audit readiness.

§
Provide
strategic oversight for partner onboarding and orientation processes.

§
Ensure
effective performance management of implementing partners through clear
onboarding and induction, setting expectations, regular monitoring and review
meetings, risk and performance management, and continuous support to enable
delivery of high-quality results in line with project objectives and
compliance frameworks.

§
Drive efforts to
mobilize resources at scale for livestock sector programming scale and youth
enterprise development by engaging the relevant ministries and departments of
Government, Financial Institutions, Development Partners, Development
Financial Institutions, and private investors.

§
Facilitate
cross-learning and collaboration among stakeholders to maximize impact.

Partnership

§
Serve as the Program’s
primary point of engagement with Mastercard Foundation, and different
stakeholders, Project Committees, boards, government, and development
partners

§
Build Strategic
Alliances by cultivating and maintaining strong partnerships with anchor
firms, implementing partners, government agencies, youth networks, academia,
and the private sector to advance YEELD’s impact.

§
Coordinate
across consortium partners, government ministries, civil society, and private
sector actors.

§
Catalyse
Policy and Investment Integration

§
Oversee
partner onboarding, due diligence, contract development (with Compliance
& Legal), and co-creation of risk-mitigated investment strategies with
all key stakeholders.

Impactful Implementation, m
onitoring,
Evaluation, Adaption, Learning & Reporting

§
Supervise Technical
Lead to ensure coherent technical implementation and coordinate resources
across implementation zones.

§
Oversee
project implementation, ensuring adherence to project plans, timelines,
budgets, and quality standards; provide timely justification for any
necessary modifications.

§
Ensure
that sustainability considerations, including climate change adaptation and
mitigation measures are mainstreamed into all aspects of project
implementation and deliver sustainability-transformative outcomes.

§
Ensure
robust systems are in place for effective data collection, analysis, and
knowledge management to facilitate continuous learning and program
improvement.

§
Oversee and design
a comprehensive MEL framework that captures youth employment, livestock
productivity, and inclusion outcomes across the three sub-regions.

§
Ensure high-quality
data collection and analysis, maintaining integrity, consistency, and
compliance with Mastercard Foundation standards.

§
Lead adaptive
management processes, using evidence to refine strategies and guide program
adjustments for greater impact.

§
Promote
organizational learning and knowledge sharing, documenting lessons, success
stories, and best practices to influence policy and practice.

§
Deliver timely,
accurate, and donor-compliant reports, providing transparent analysis of
progress, challenges, and recommendations to stakeholders.

Financial
Oversight and Compliance

§
Ensure robust systems are in place for procurement, safeguarding,
safety, and data protection.

§
Oversee financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and resource
allocation and expenditure monitoring.

§
Ensure efficient use of donor funds with strong compliance to
financial, contractual regulations and internal policies.

§
Oversee financial performance of partners and
ensure timely submission of quality reports.

§
Mobilize additional resources through
partnerships and co-funding opportunities.

§
Maintain
oversight of risk mitigation, safeguarding, and program governance
mechanisms.

§
Proactively
identify and mitigate financial and operational risks throughout the program
lifecycle; regularly reviewing and updating the risk management framework.

§
Lead
the YEELD team to develop and submit all data, analysis and reporting that is
required for accountability purposes on time and to standard

§
Report
regularly to the Steering Committee and submit timely, high-quality reports.

Team Management & Performance

§
Lead and inspire a
diverse team of technical experts and support staff of the YEELD program. Build
capacity of staff through mentorship, training, and performance management.

§
Foster a culture of
inclusivity, collaboration, accountability, equity, and innovation.

§
Ensure staff
wellbeing, motivation, retention and professional growth.

§
Lead and inspire a
multidisciplinary team of 70+ professionals.

§
Ensure
effective delegation, coaching, and performance management systems.

§
Ensure
the team is resourced with the expertise and tools necessary to deliver on
strategy; through a combination of recruitment and management of staff, and
procurement of consultants where needed.

§
Plan
and organize the work of the team to accomplish strategic & project goals
and targets are achieved in the most cost-effective and impactful manner;
ensure that each team member is provided with clarity concerning
expectations.

Safeguarding

§
Provide
overall safeguarding oversight for the YEELD project, ensuring that robust
safeguarding systems, policies, and practices are implemented and upheld
across the Program staff and all partners, and that risks related to
safeguarding are proactively identified, monitored, and addressed in line
with organizational, donor, and national safeguarding standards.

Other
duties

§
Ensure compliance
with Ripple Effect policies and all relevant legislation.

§
Act at all times
according to Ripple Effect’s values and in support of its Africa Forward
Together approach.

§
To undertake other
duties of a similar nature as reasonably required by the line manager.

Key Result Areas

§
Creation of
dignified employment opportunities for youth, women, and refugees in
livestock value chains.

§
Systemic
transformation of livestock markets and services in Teso, Bukedi, and Ankole
sub-regions.

§
Strong
institutional partnerships sustaining impact beyond donor funding.

§
Evidence-based
advocacy influencing national livestock policy and practice.

§
Programme closeout
completed on time, with all deliverables, agreements, and legacy knowledge
products finalized and shared with stakeholders.

At Ripple Effect, we are committed to creating a
safe and rewarding environments for all of our people, including staff,
participants, partners, volunteers, children, and vulnerable adults. It is a
shared responsibility to ensure that everyone is treated properly and protected
from harm, exploitation, and abuse. To fulfil this commitment, we have
established a robust Safeguarding Policy that everyone working with us is
expected to follow, along with a confidential whistle-blowing procedure that
allows individuals to raise any concerns they may have.

Requirements

Desirable:

§
Master’s degree in
agriculture, Business Administration, International Development, Public Policy,
Economics, or a closely related field from a recognized institution.

§
Additional
certifications in project management (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2), MEL, or
climate-smart agriculture are an added advantage.

§
Evidence of continued
professional development and thought leadership through participation in
relevant conferences, publications, or strategic advisory roles

Desirable:

§
Minimum 12 years of
progressively responsible leadership experience in large-scale development
programs.

§
Strong experience
with donor-funded projects.

§
Deep understanding of
youth employment, agricultural value chains (especially livestock), and rural
development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

§
Proven experience
managing multi-million-dollar portfolios and large, diverse teams.

§
Demonstrated success
in resource mobilization, fundraising, and managing strategic donor
relationships.