Programme Manager – Youth Employment and Market Systems Job at Restless Development Uganda

About Restless Development Uganda

About the Youth Employment Programme

• Dignified employment opportunities
• Entrepreneurship pathways
• Inclusive financial services
• Business development support
• Market opportunities

• Karamoja Sub-region
• Eastern Uganda
• West Nile
• Western Uganda
• Central Uganda

Job Summary

• Building youth agency and leadership.
• Developing partnerships with private sector actors.
• Strengthening connections with financial institutions.
• Supporting youth-led organisations.
• Promoting entrepreneurship and enterprise growth.
• Using market systems approaches to improve youth economic opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership in implementing youth employment and market systems programmes.
• Develop annual work plans, budgets, implementation strategies, and performance targets.
• Ensure programmes are:
  • Market responsive
  • Evidence-based
  • Aligned with labour market trends
  • Responsive to youth aspirations and economic opportunities
• Drive adaptive programming using:
  • Data analysis
  • Market assessments
  • Learning approaches
• Work closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) team to develop performance measurement frameworks.
• Strengthen accountability, risk management, and safeguarding systems.
• Support organisational strategy implementation through evidence-based decision-making.

2. Youth Employment Pathways and Market Systems Development

• Lead development of pathways enabling young people to transition from skills development into:
  • Employment
  • Self-employment
  • Entrepreneurship
• Connect young people with:
  • Employers
  • Markets
  • Business development services
  • Financial service providers
  • Enterprise growth opportunities
• Identify barriers affecting youth employment and develop market-based solutions.
• Conduct labour market assessments to inform programme design.
• Strengthen youth-led organisations’ ability to deliver employment pathways.
• Promote inclusive employment approaches supporting:
  • Young women
  • Persons with disabilities
  • Marginalised youth

3. Partnerships and Ecosystem Engagement

• Develop and manage partnerships with:
  • Private sector companies
  • Financial institutions
  • Government agencies
  • Youth-led organisations
  • Community stakeholders
• Create opportunities for:
  • Employment
  • Apprenticeships
  • Internships
  • Market access
  • Enterprise growth
  • Financial inclusion
• Engage government stakeholders to support alignment with youth employment policies.
• Represent Restless Development in youth employment and market systems forums.

4. Strengthening Youth-Led Organisations

• Provide strategic guidance to youth-led organisations.
• Strengthen partner capacity in:
  • Governance
  • Leadership
  • Programme delivery
  • Sustainability
• Support organisations transitioning into stronger employment ecosystem actors.
• Provide technical support on:
  • Market assessments
  • Youth engagement
  • Enterprise support
  • Inclusive programming
• Promote learning and collaboration among youth organisations.

5. Team Management

• Provide leadership, coaching, and performance management to Programme Coordinators.
• Build a collaborative and high-performing programme team.
• Coordinate with:
  • Finance teams
  • Operations teams
  • Communications teams
  • MERL teams
• Ensure effective use of programme resources.
• Support delivery across consortium and partner organisations.

6. Additional Responsibilities

• Perform other duties assigned by management.
• Participate in occasional weekend activities where required, with time off in lieu provided.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• 7–10 years of progressive experience in:
  • Youth development
  • Livelihoods programmes
  • Economic inclusion
  • Market systems development
  • Private sector engagement
  • Development programmes
• At least 3–5 years’ experience in senior management roles.
• Proven experience designing and delivering programmes focused on:
  • Youth employment
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Enterprise development
  • Economic empowerment
• Experience managing large-scale donor-funded programmes.
• Experience working within consortium or multi-partner projects.
• Strong experience building partnerships with:
  • Government institutions
  • Private sector organisations
  • Financial institutions
  • Youth-led organisations
• Strong understanding of:
  • Youth employment ecosystems
  • Labour markets
  • Entrepreneurship development
  • Financial inclusion
  • Market systems approaches
• Experience strengthening local and community-based organisations.
• Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to use data and evidence for strategic decision-making.
• Commitment to:
  • Youth leadership
  • Gender equality
  • Disability inclusion
  • Safeguarding
  • Inclusive development

Desirable Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in:
  • Development Studies
  • Social Sciences
  • Public Administration
  • Organisational Development
  • Community Development
  • International Development
  • Related field

• Experience managing national or multi-regional youth employment programmes.
• Experience working with employers, financial institutions, and government partners.
• Knowledge of Uganda’s youth employment and entrepreneurship landscape.
• Experience applying:
  • Market systems development
  • Adaptive management
  • Systems strengthening approaches

Skills and Competencies

• Strong programme management skills.
• Excellent leadership abilities.
• Strategic thinking and planning.
• Partnership development skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage donor-funded projects.
• Excellent report writing and communication skills.
• Ability to work with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of youth economic empowerment.

Employee Benefits

• 24 days annual leave plus public holidays.
• Additional annual leave days based on length of service.
• Birthday leave.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Study leave.
• Maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.

• Opportunities to work on impactful projects.
• Regular performance management.
• Training and mentorship opportunities.
• Staff workshops and development sessions.

• Travel and medical insurance when travelling internationally for work.

Work Conditions

• Full-time position.
• Based at the Uganda Country Office in Kampala.
• Occasional travel may be required.

Work Hours

Experience Required

Education Level

Application Procedure

• Updated CV.
• Cover letter (maximum 750 words) explaining how their skills, knowledge, and experience match the role requirements.