Description

GOAL is hiring a Team leader – Bridge Project responsible for a project that aims to strengthen the resilience and prosperity of 210,000 smallholder farmer households, and farmer organizations in the highlands of Uganda (14 districts in Elgon, Rwenzori and Kigezi regions) by promoting sustainable, climate-smart farming systems and enhancing inclusive market opportunities. The Team leader is also responsible to ensure continuity of services, protection of previous investments, learning capture, adaptive management and positioning for future scale-up.Africans & Diaspora

Country/Location: Uganda/Fort Portal

Reports to: Programme Director/Country Director

Direct Reports 6

Contract 12 months

Please note this is a new project currently undergoing a co-creation process with the donor and partners. The final offer will be contingent upon the donor’s approval of the proposed new project with a start date approx. Sept/Oct 2026

Background: for the past four years, the target 210,000 smallholder farmers and farmer organizations were supported by different projects to adopt appropriate climate-smart agricultural techniques and technologies that conserve natural resources, improve productivity, and reduce vulnerability to economic and climate-related shocks. These projects are ending in September and October this year – the main purpose of the project is to bridge and ensure continued service provision to small holder farmers and farmer organizations, sustain the gains, capture learning and positive outcomes for future scaling in the same target areas.

We are seeking a Team Leader with a proven track record of providing strategic direction, building leadership and consensus, to take charge of programme operations and supervise programme staff (including providing leadership in partnership portfolio management).

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic and Technical Leadership

• Lead the strategic delivery and technical quality of the programme across all partners and components.
• Drive learning, evidence generation, and scale-up opportunities to strengthen future programme impact.

Programme Management

• Lead programme delivery, planning, and partner coordination to achieve agreed objectives
• Oversee programme operations, budgets, grants, and compliance in line with donor and organisational requirements.
• Monitor performance, capture learning, and ensure accountability to participating communities and stakeholders.

Partnership management

• Build strong partnerships through effective coordination, communication, and joint planning.
• Monitor partner performance and strengthen community engagement, feedback mechanisms, and stakeholder relationships.

Team/People Leadership

• Lead and develop programme teams and partners, fostering a culture of learning, collaboration, and adaptive management.
• Oversee staffing, performance management, and capacity building to ensure effective programme delivery.

Representation

• Represent the programme to the donor governance structures, local government, partners and to key stakeholders

Requirements (Essential)

• At least 10 years of relevant experience in agriculture, food security or livelihoods sectorpreferably within the region (Uganda or East Africa)
• Minimum 10 years at senior management level including leading consortia and successfully delivering programmes of similar complexity and contexts (preferably In Uganda or East Africa)
• Practical experience managing consortia led grants,
• Experience in building and maintaining effective partnerships with implementing and strategic partner agencies, government authorities and counterparts.
• Complex programme management experience (preferably for the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) and demonstrated success building, managing and leading a team of professionals using learning and adaptive management.
• Experience in people management, motivating and leading a team to deliver results
• Willingness to travel regularly to field locations in Uganda and to HQ in Dublin (when required)

Desirable:

• Proven technical experience in delivering farmer household and farming systems, sustainable land use, Market and value chain development programming, and experience in MSD.
• Working experience in Uganda or East Africa will be strongly preferred;
• Strong project financial management skills.

• Lead the strategic delivery and technical quality of the programme across all partners and components.
• Drive learning, evidence generation, and scale-up opportunities to strengthen future programme impact.
• Lead programme delivery, planning, and partner coordination to achieve agreed objectives
• Oversee programme operations, budgets, grants, and compliance in line with donor and organisational requirements.
• Monitor performance, capture learning, and ensure accountability to participating communities and stakeholders.
• Build strong partnerships through effective coordination, communication, and joint planning.
• Monitor partner performance and strengthen community engagement, feedback mechanisms, and stakeholder relationships.
• Lead and develop programme teams and partners, fostering a culture of learning, collaboration, and adaptive management.
• Oversee staffing, performance management, and capacity building to ensure effective programme delivery.
• Represent the programme to the donor governance structures, local government, partners and to key stakeholders

• Proven technical experience in delivering farmer household and farming systems, sustainable land use, Market and value chain development programming, and experience in MSD.
• Strong project financial management skills.

• At least 10 years of relevant experience in agriculture, food security or livelihoods sectorpreferably within the region (Uganda or East Africa)
• Minimum 10 years at senior management level including leading consortia and successfully delivering programmes of similar complexity and contexts (preferably In Uganda or East Africa)
• Practical experience managing consortia led grants,
• Experience in building and maintaining effective partnerships with implementing and strategic partner agencies, government authorities and counterparts.
• Complex programme management experience (preferably for the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) and demonstrated success building, managing and leading a team of professionals using learning and adaptive management.
• Experience in people management, motivating and leading a team to deliver results
• Willingness to travel regularly to field locations in Uganda and to HQ in Dublin (when required)