International Justice Mission

International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,200 professionals are at work worldwide in over 30 offices. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable.

We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve.

The Need

For over 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. 9 out of 9 times in the last decade, IJM’s Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence between 50 and 85% for very large populations of people in poverty. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence, we are seeking a Country Director, Uganda to lead the overall execution of operations and provide strategic leadership and direction to advance IJM’s mission of protecting vulnerable populations from violence through justice system strengthening, partnership development, and organizational excellence.

The Country Director originates and drives national strategies, cultivates high-impact relationships, and ensures operational, financial, and cultural alignment with IJM’s global goals, while fostering a resilient and high-performing team. This role ensures employee engagement, safety, security, as well as spiritual & professional development, and monitors and controls the budget, expenditure, and program activities to ensure staff performance and program goal achievement. The Country Director engages directly with IJM Global Programs and Operations teams, leads national activation and supports regional/global advancement and activation.

Reporting to the Regional President, the Country Director will also receive support from a wider international team of regional and global staff, particularly in areas of program quality, governance and legal compliance, new business development, grant acquisition and compliance, safety and security management, finance, and advocacy and communications.

This position is based in Kampala, Uganda, and reports to the Regional President, Africa.

Responsibilities:

Leadership and Management:

• Ensure the programs, services, and methodologies deliver results as tangible progress toward protection, as defined by IJM;
• Ensure country office leaders and staff are developing in all aspects of their work, including leadership, strategy development, project/program development and management, budget management, staff care, and training;
• Ensure all staff, interns, fellows and volunteers have a clear understanding of IJM’s mission, operational values, global vision, and program, objectives and strategic goals;
• Build team capacity through high-caliber external hires and ensure any new office structures/teams function efficiently and effectively;
• Collaborate with IJM subject matter experts and Global Program leaders to align to the regional and global strategies;
• Ensure staff engage in appropriate goal setting, performance review, and conflict resolution; and monitor program and staff performance, ensuring that feedback is regularly provided;
• Foster a team mindset and culture to be effective, efficient and resilient, and to pursue excellence; and
• Cultivate IJM’s brand and culture by modeling, celebrating and promoting organizational rhythms and core values.

Strategy & Knowledge Development & Implementation:

• Ensure the design, development and implementation of projects are in alignment with: IJM’s vision and theory of change; IJM’s global, regional and program strategies; and IJM’s justice policy and protection program framework;
• Ensure the formulation of innovative program designs that address major obstacles to protect migrants;
• Ensure development of programming, including concept notes, proposals, baseline terms of reference and budgets;
• Ensure the country office has a monitoring, evaluation, research and learning plan to assess and document proof of program impact, developed in consultation with regional and global specialists; that the country office establishes partnerships to access needed data; and, that  the country office staff execute MERL plans;
• Ensure program data is used through activation to build investment in IJM’s source country model; and
• Ensure the project is meeting key program KPI targets and is on track at all times to achieve protection of its target population by the project end date.

Networking & Partnership:

• Establish cooperative relationships with local, national, and international public justice professionals, including police and prosecution personnel, government leaders, and NGO leaders, to advance the country office’s objectives;
• Equip strategic government and civil society partners with IJM’s model and best practices to carry out justice system strengthening and achieve program objectives;
• Represent IJM’s programs before government organizations, non-governmental organizations, media outlets, and other stakeholders and audiences, building IJM’s brand, reputation and leadership in delivering anti-forced labor solutions;
• Actively participate in regional activation, and advancement activities;
• Host visits for IJM guests, teams, and volunteers and provide them with context for IJM’s work; and
• Support efforts to ensure adequate funding for programs from both private and institutional donors as required.

Policies and Procedures:

• Ensure that the country office adheres to all organizational policies, procedures, and timelines, including but not limited to those related to: ILED, aftercare, security, IT, data, finance and budget, HR and personnel management, communications and storytelling, child protection, and strategy and program development.

Communication:

• Promote IJM’s theory of change to internal and external stakeholders and monitor the communication strategy of the staff to the internal and external stakeholders;
• Ensure consistent and clear communication with all country office staff; and
• Work closely with global, regional and country office communications staff to ensure that the country office’s work is well messaged, ensuring quality and global guidelines are followed, and that IJM’s global work is well promoted with  country office stakeholders.

General Tasks:

• Participate in IJM’s community of spiritual formation;
• Ensure a consistent rhythm of spiritual formation and staff care activities to promote holistic health and resilience for country office staff;
• In collaboration with regional and global finance and program management staff, oversee the cash flow of the office, spending against grant and non-grant budgets and plans, and ensure that the country office operates within its budget; and
• In collaboration with global and region, ensure the country office operations and staff in the office and in field, maintaining compliance with IJM’s security policies, reporting to IJM leadership on security matters as they develop, and ensuring appropriate crisis management.

Qualifications:

• Degree in law, international development, or other related field (Master’s or Doctorate level preferred);
• Minimum 10 years’ experience successfully leading cross-cultural teams to achieve ambitious objectives in challenging environments with excellent outcomes;
• Experience working in Uganda or comparable African contexts;
• Minimum eight years’ experience in international development, with demonstrated rigor and success;
• Experience of working with international donors and intergovernmental organizations, engaging at a senior level to secure and successfully manage international donor funded programs;
• Proven ability to negotiate and work with partner organizations and key stakeholders towards achieving specific objectives;
• Demonstrated experience with organizational capacity strengthening and partnership building;
• Advocacy and/or policy experience with key stakeholders including governments, cultural and religious leaders, institutional donors, civil society organizations and other partners;
• In-depth understanding of programming to combat violence against women and children; Broader experience in access to justice, Rule of Law and human rights issues in African contexts is preferred;
• Ability to serve as a spiritual leader and mentor;
• Demonstrated successful leadership and management experience with a multi-disciplinary team in a cross-cultural setting, including active mentoring and coaching;
• Proven ability to set and achieve significant outcomes and impact;
• Excellent communications writing and professional speaking skills;
• Proven ability to develop and manage key relationships within the highest levels of government and the development sector; and
• Strong programmatic understanding, including harnessing monitoring, evaluation, research and learning to successfully reset strategic interventions.

Critical Qualities:

• Eager commitment to IJM’s Core Values: Christian, Professional and Bridge-Building
• A mature personal faith rooted in Christianity demonstrated through daily life, character, and service.
• Demonstrated ability to appropriately handle stress and conflict.
• Courageous, confident, servant leadership.
• Sound and disciplined in judgement and problem solving.
• Rigorously result-oriented.
• Resilient, persevering in joy through challenge and failure.

• Ensure the programs, services, and methodologies deliver results as tangible progress toward protection, as defined by IJM.
• Develop country office leaders and staff in leadership, strategy development, project/program development and management, budget management, staff care, and training.
• Build team capacity through high-caliber external hires and ensure office structures and teams function efficiently and effectively.
• Collaborate with IJM subject matter experts and Global Program leaders to align with regional and global strategies.
• Monitor program and staff performance, ensure goal setting and performance reviews, provide feedback, and support conflict resolution.
• Ensure program design and implementation align with IJM’s vision, theory of change, strategies, justice policy, and protection program framework.
• Develop innovative program designs, programming, concept notes, proposals, baseline terms of reference, and budgets.
• Ensure the country office develops and executes monitoring, evaluation, research and learning plans and uses program data to demonstrate impact.
• Monitor program KPI targets and ensure projects are on track to achieve protection of their target populations.
• Establish relationships with public justice professionals, government leaders, NGOs, and other stakeholders.
• Equip government and civil society partners with IJM’s model and best practices for justice system strengthening.
• Represent IJM’s programs and build the organization’s brand, reputation, and leadership.
• Participate in regional activation and advancement activities; host IJM guests, teams, and volunteers.
• Support efforts to secure adequate funding from private and institutional donors.
• Ensure country office adherence to organizational policies, procedures, and timelines.
• Promote IJM’s theory of change and oversee clear, consistent internal and external communication.
• Participate in spiritual formation and ensure staff care activities promote holistic health and resilience.
• Oversee office cash flow and expenditure against grant and non-grant budgets and plans.
• Ensure office and field operations comply with security policies, report security matters, and manage crises.

• Strategic leadership and management
• Cross-cultural team leadership, mentoring, and coaching
• International development program design and management
• Budget management and financial oversight
• Monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL)
• Partnership development and stakeholder negotiation
• Government and donor relationship management
• Advocacy and policy engagement
• Justice system strengthening and human rights programming
• Program performance and KPI management
• Excellent communication, writing, and professional speaking
• Conflict resolution, sound judgment, and problem solving
• Security management and crisis response
• Spiritual leadership and staff care

• Degree in law, international development, or other related field; Master’s or Doctorate level preferred.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience successfully leading cross-cultural teams to achieve ambitious objectives in challenging environments with excellent outcomes.
• Experience working in Uganda or comparable African contexts.
• Minimum eight years’ experience in international development, with demonstrated rigor and success.
• Experience working with international donors and intergovernmental organizations, including securing and managing international donor-funded programs at a senior level.
• Proven ability to negotiate and work with partner organizations and key stakeholders toward specific objectives.
• Demonstrated experience with organizational capacity strengthening and partnership building.
• Advocacy and/or policy experience with governments, cultural and religious leaders, institutional donors, civil society organizations, and other partners.
• In-depth understanding of programming to combat violence against women and children; broader experience in access to justice, Rule of Law, and human rights issues in African contexts is preferred.
• Ability to serve as a spiritual leader and mentor.
• Successful leadership and management experience with a multidisciplinary team in a cross-cultural setting, including active mentoring and coaching.
• Proven ability to set and achieve significant outcomes and impact.
• Excellent communications writing and professional speaking skills.
• Proven ability to develop and manage key relationships within the highest levels of government and the development sector.
• Strong programmatic understanding, including using monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning to reset strategic interventions.
• Commitment to IJM’s Core Values: Christian, Professional and Bridge-Building; mature personal faith rooted in Christianity; ability to handle stress and conflict; courageous, confident, servant leadership; sound judgment; results orientation; and resilience.