Uganda District Coordinator Spark Microgrants

Spark Microgrants believes in a world where everyone lives with dignity and determines their own positive future. Decades of prescriptive aid have sidelined the poor from the very programs meant to uplift them. We believe in local solutions and catalyzing rural villages facing poverty into action.

At the heart of Spark’s model, the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP), are ‘town-hall’ style weekly meetings, in which women, men, young, old, plan together for their community’s future. Each village elects a leadership committee, establishes a village savings account, and launches a project of their choice. Members receive training on financial management, transparency, leadership, village planning, and advocacy.

Spark trains partner organizations and works with governments to scale the FCAP as the model of choice to advance social and economic development, improve lives, and secure lasting change. Spark is now active in 500+ villages in 6 countries, improving the lives of over 500,000 people.

In Uganda the CoP is implementing the FCAP in locations of West Nile and Bulambuli district in Uganda. Our partnership with Centre for Community Development in West Nile covering 20 partner communities spread across the Omugo and Rhino Camp refugee settlements housing both refugees from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We also have a memorandum of Understanding to implement the FCAP in Bulambuli district with 55 partner communities currently.

As a team, we share a set of common values that shape how we work. These are:
Facilitators. We don’t impose; we enable others to generate impact.
Community-driven. We are motivated by what is best for the community.
Process-centered. The how of what we do is just as important as the what.
Authentic. Our vision and values live in everything we do.
Dynamic. We seek opportunities and are willing to take risks to serve our community partners better

Overview
The District Coordinator will lead Spark’s work in Bulambuli district (and beyond where necessary). He/she is responsible for ensuring a well-coordinated Spark-partner relationship, and supports the overall Spark quality assurance process in the implementation of Spark’s process. This includes managing Spark trainers, overseeing program quality and support in building partner relationships.

Responsibilities
The district coordinator will be responsible for or the implementation of all activities within the district and will be the line manager to the trainers. He/she will be responsible for quality delivery of the program and will support in building government relationships.

Program Implementation
• Ensure quality program implementation that will include but not limited to the following
• Manage and monitor the Micro grant process in partner communities including ensuring adherence to financial and administrative procedures by partner organizations with regards to community disbursements.
• Provide critical feedback & ensure timely review & completion of community proposals
• Oversee recruitment, training and management of Technical Advisors and ensure they adhere to the organization values and code of conduct.
• Ensure FCAP activity timelines are strictly adhered to
• Contribute to the development of country annual budgets through developing program activity budgets and ensuring budget compliance during implementation.

Local Government Engagement
• Identify and support establishment of sector-specific partnerships within the district
• Identify and support establishment of sector-specific partnerships with both the local governments and non-governmental organizations to increase support to partner communities.
• Coordinate Spark and the partner relationship with consistent information sharing and reporting including MOU follow up & implementation.

Team management
• Manage a team of trainers to ensure quality program implementation
• Lead the onboarding process of new trainers and provide on job coaching and mentorship
• Lead bi annual & annual performance reviews for trainers & program liaison officer
• Ensure effective weekly team meeting are conducted

QUALIFICATIONS
• Academic working level of Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, Public Administration, Development Studies and any other relevant academic background in development work
• Post graduate diploma is an added advantage.
• Minimum of 3 years work experience in the area of community mobilization, local government and partnership engagement, project planning and management.
• Knowledge of and experience in the Elgon region context.
• Experience with basic proposal writing
• Bachelors degree in Social Sciences, public administration and any other related field
• A post graduate diploma in project planing and management is an added advantage

WHAT WE OFFER
A competitive salary, depending on experience.
Talented and welcoming colleagues, 90% of whom are based in the countries where we work.
A supportive environment with plenty of professional development opportunities.
A chance to help shape the future of development.