Country Director – UGANDA

About the Organization

The Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization operating in the agricultural sector in Ethiopia, Uganda, Mali, and Nigeria. SAA envisions supporting Africa to fulfill its aspirations of building resilient and sustainable food systems by catalyzing knowledge sharing with African farmers and enabling food, nutrition, and income security as its mission. The mission is guided by SAA's three strategic pillars: Regenerative Agriculture, Nutrition-sensitive Agriculture, and Market-Oriented Agriculture. The SAA Country Office in Uganda promotes improved pre- and post-harvest agricultural technologies for smallholder farmers, strengthens input-output markets, builds the capacity of farmers, extension agents, and other actors along the agricultural value chains, and supports agri-entrepreneurship and agribusiness development. 

About the position

SAA is seeking a qualified Ugandan national to fill the Country Director (CD) position for its Uganda Office. Based in Kampala, the CD will have the overall strategic and operational responsibility for SAA staff, programs, and execution of its mission. The CD is also responsible for overseeing the development of strategic partnerships, fundraising, and communications.

Accountability

The CD reports technically and administratively to the President at SAA Tokyo HQ. In some cases, he/she is requested to report to the Management at Tokyo HQ and the Director of Strategic Partnership (DSP) at the Strategic Partnership Office (SPO).

Expected Role

1.[Overall]

• Lead program development at the country level to ensure that country program goals, objectives, and activities are properly aligned with the overall SAA work plan and that appropriate expertise is brought to bear in timely ways.
• Provide oversight and quality assurance of project implementation, ensuring the delivery of impact to the satisfaction of key stakeholders and following SAA and the donor’s financial standards and monitoring protocols.
• Work closely with the Program Division in Tokyo HQ and SPO to strengthen the efforts of country technical staff to implement the organization’s program and activities successfully.
• Provide administrative and fiduciary oversight of country program personnel, assets, and finances relative to all aspects of SAA in-country operations.
• Lead the formation of innovative and mutually beneficial partnerships that will increase the impact of SAA interventions. This includes developing a partnership framework and playing a lead role in the resource mobilization of new extra-core funds to complement core funding, which is provided by The Nippon Foundation.
• Ensure that SAA organizational policies and regulations are in place and they are in full compliance with national laws.
• Use relevant monitoring information to Provide country leadership for SAA communications and public awareness strategies and programs.

2.[Enhance the Organization]

• Foster SAA products and services innovation: facilitate learning, documentation, and evidence-based knowledge development in collaboration with SAA’s global team and partners.
• Collaborate with other SAA operating countries to exploit synergy opportunities, deliver at scale (including multi-country projects), exchange knowledge, and strengthen SAA's position.
• Increase the visibility of SAA by enhancing communication and PR activities.
• Conduct the performance evaluation of each staff annually and motivate country staff to reach higher performance standards, both quantitative and qualitative, by creating a healthy working environment.
• Strengthen the corporate governance in the country office and ensure the transparency of all financial processes.

3. [Planning & Management]

• Make a feasible plan for smooth operation and ensure the financial sustainability of SAA and a high-quality project design.
• Ensure that technical, financial, and other required reports are produced promptly and to high-quality standards.
• Show strategic leadership of the SAA program within the overall parameters of SAA global and country strategy

4. [Support Supervisor(s)]

• Provide input to HQ and SPO for strategic decisions, especially in program and HR.
• Provide highlights of regular progress reports (quarterly) and detailed annual country reports reflecting planned targets and achievements in the country and global log frame to HQ.

5. [Stakeholder Management]

• Represent SAA at all levels of government in the country of operation.
• Build partnerships and maintain excellent relationships with donors, partners, local governments, businesses, policymakers, and other relevant stakeholders.

Required Expertise and Qualification:

The position requires a person who brings in a fair and thoughtful approach to management, combined with flexibility and courage to shift direction and experiment with new initiatives.

Required qualifications but not limited to include:

• A postgraduate degree Ph.D. in Agri-Business, Agriculture Economics, Agriculture Extension, Agronomy, or in any other related field, with 10 plus years of relevant Senior Management and NGO experience.
• Prior executive-level experience as a successful leader, including a proven track record of growing organizational capacity and programmatic impact in the country.
• Demonstrated success in building relationships with public sector officials (Ministries of

Agriculture and Trade), private sector partners, funders, NGO (Local and International) partners operating in Uganda, and other diverse stakeholders to foster broad community support.

• Strong leadership skills in fostering teamwork, developing and motivating others, managing change, conflict resolution, initiative, and flexibility.
• Ability to demonstrate support for innovation and organizational changes needed to improve the organization’s effectiveness;
• Coalition building capabilities, external networking, and experience in developing strategic partnerships; ability to understand macro development issues and develop strategized policy recommendations.
• Knowledge and experience in organizational management.
• Ability to understand macro development issues and develop strategized policy recommendations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (English Proficiency)
• Strong oral, analytical, writing, and presentational skills

Location: The Country Director position is based in Kampala, Uganda, with in-country travel as required, plus potential international travel opportunities.

Compensation: SAA offers a competitive benefits package. However, Salary is commensurate with experience.

How to Apply:

All applicants must submit to uganda-recruit@saa-safe.org :- a cover letter that indicates, background experience and why you are interested in the position and an updated CV (not longer than five pages). Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Applications will be accepted until 11:59pm on 30th November 2023, East Africa Time.

SAA is an equal opportunity employer that fosters a multicultural work environment that values gender equity, teamwork, and respect for diversity. Women are highly encouraged to apply.