Programme Officer

Apply by: 22nd August 2025

About Restless Development

We have operated in Uganda since 1997. Our work is guided by four goals set out by young people; (1) Voice and Democracy: We support young people to lead as active citizens and create change in their communities by influencing social and political structures, and those in power, with evidence-based solutions. (2) Education and Livelihood: We want all young people to have the skills, knowledge, resilience and opportunities that enable them to thrive. We take a youth-led approach to ensuring that every young person has a quality education, and access to training and opportunities that set them up for life. We want all young people, especially women and girls, to be able to stay in school, and be able to make a sustainable fulfilling living when they leave. (3) Gender and Sexual Health: We know that bodies, identities, gender and sexualities are subject to discrimination and violation. We empower young people to change attitudes and behaviours, as well as services and policies, to advance and uphold sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender equality and (4) Climate Justice: Young people risk losing the most from climate change, yet they are systematically excluded from conversations to address it. We support young people to be leaders in transitioning to a just and sustainable world by strengthening youth civil society and an intergenerational response.

We are currently present in 26 districts in Northern, North-Eastern, Central, and Eastern regions of the country. We have staff members across our 4 offices (Kampala, Jinja, Moroto and West Nile). Currently we have 200 active young leaders (peer educators, advocates, and researchers) implementing our work on the ground and an alumni network of more than 1,200).

Our programmes are genuinely life-changing, but can’t do any of this without talented, creative individuals at every level of our organization! For more information, please visit:  www.restlessdevelopment.org.

 

Our approach to safeguarding

Restless Development considers the welfare and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults to be an organisational imperative with primacy over the success of programmes or strategic objectives. We recognise that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and we expect all of our staff, volunteers and partners to ensure we protect the communities in which we operate from harm and abide by our Safeguarding Policy.

About the Programme

Our Governance and Voice programme works to empower young people and communities to actively participate in decision-making processes, hold leaders accountable, and influence policies that affect their lives. Through a consortium approach, the programme brings together diverse partners to implement inclusive, transparent, and impactful interventions. We focus on building the capacity of youth leaders, strengthening civic spaces, and promoting good governance practices that drive sustainable change at local, national, and regional levels.

This project aims to strengthen the capacity, coordination, and policy influence of youth civil society organisations (YCSOs) in Uganda through targeted capacity building, digital innovation, research, and stakeholder engagement. Key activities include coordinating the National Youth Working Group and its thematic sub-groups, conducting a nationwide analysis of youth civil society, developing a youth digital application for collaboration and monitoring, and delivering training and advocacy initiatives on policy priorities such as the Start-Up Bill.

About the role

The Programme Officer will be responsible for leading the effective coordination, implementation, and reporting of governance and consortium-managed projects. This role will oversee partnerships, ensure compliance with donor requirements, and strengthen collaboration between stakeholders to achieve project objectives. She/he will provide strategic and technical guidance, foster a culture of accountability and learning, and represent the organisation in relevant networks and forums.

Job title : Programme Officer.

Location : Kampala : Uganda

Salary : UGX22,932,493.38 Gross Per Annum

Preferred start date: ASAP

Length of contract : 1 year

Reports to : Grants and Business Development Coordinator.

Direct Reports : Young Leaders.

Expected travel : National (including to rural areas ) and International travel will be required.

Key responsibilities:

Project Coordination & Stakeholder Engagement:

• Lead coordination of the National Youth Working Group (NYWG) and its thematic sub-groups (Health, Livelihoods & Agriculture, Human Rights & Good Governance).
• Facilitate joint CSO–Government working groups to strengthen collaboration and influence on youth-related policy priorities.
• Organise and manage quarterly reflection and planning meetings for NYWG members, ensuring documentation and follow-up on agreed actions.
• Plan and host dialogues between youth civil society and regulators such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Financial Intelligence Authority, and other relevant agencies.
• Maintain active engagement with government ministries, parliamentary committees, and development partners to support advocacy and policy influence.

Capacity Strengthening & Knowledge Management

• Oversee the design, launch, and management of the Youth Leaders Lab digital platform for virtual learning and collaboration.
• Conduct capacity development needs assessments for youth CSOs and guide tailored training interventions on governance, advocacy, financial management, leadership, safeguarding, and sustainability.
• Support youth leaders in developing and implementing action plans based on training modules and track their progress through mentorship.
• Lead the development and dissemination of the State of Youth Civil Society Report, ensuring its recommendations are actioned.
• Coordinate the development of the youth monitoring framework for NDP IV and facilitate biannual review meetings with the National Planning Authority.

Advocacy, Events & Reporting

• Coordinate research and analysis on the legal and policy environment for entrepreneurs, start-ups, and innovation in Uganda to support advocacy for the Start-Up Bill.
• Mobilise and support youth leaders and entrepreneurs to engage parliamentary committees on trade, finance, and gender.
• Plan, organise, and deliver national-level events such as the National Youth Business Forum and policy dialogues.
• Ensure project visibility through strategic communications, including webinars, social media campaigns, and dissemination of project briefs.
• Monitor, evaluate, and report on project progress, outcomes, and impact in line with donor requirements and organisational standards.

Other duties as required

• Other duties as required. Occasionally working on weekends, late night in case of emerging incidents and holidays for which time off in lieu can be taken.

About you

We are looking for people with the right competencies and skills for the role, and who demonstrate the personal qualities consistent with our Values and behaviours.

Head: We are experts in our lived realities. We innovate and try new things without fear of failure.

Heart: Youth Power is at the heart of everything we do. We prioritise the wellbeing of all our people, supporting young leaders to thrive.

Hands: We collaborate and shift power with young people and communities. We connect, nurture, celebrate and fund young leaders.

Voice: We are honest and transparent.  We use our voice for what is right.

Skills and experience

Essential

•  Past work experience in youth leadership and meaningful youth engagement.
• Advocacy & Policy Engagement Experience
• Strong Communication & Reporting Skills
• Ability to solve problems and make sound operational decisions

Desirable

• Experience with Digital Learning Platforms – Familiarity with designing, managing, or facilitating online training and collaboration tools..
• Knowledge of Uganda’s Youth Policy and Legal Framework .

Restless Development is an Equal Opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community. Restless Development will ensure that no applicant or staff member receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital status, social status, caste, race, ethnic origin, religious belief, age, HIV status, disability, or any other factor that cannot be shown to be relevant to performance.

What we do for you

Remuneration

We are proud to commit to a transparent global salary scale, ensuring a fair and comparable system of pay across all global locations. In addition to salary, we offer pension contributions and other benefits in accordance with the local Hub.

Values and Culture

At Restless Development, we’re proud that the strength and integrity of our Values has been recognised by staff, young people, donors and others who we work with.  Beyond this, we have a culture of recognising and celebrating both our Values and our global achievements with monthly Values Champions and an annual Values Day.

Work-life Balance

It goes without saying that we work hard at Restless Development. We also recognise the importance of helping staff to maintain a positive work-life balance by offering:

• 24 days annual leave (in addition to public holidays and with an extra day of annual leave given for each full year of service, up to a maximum of 28 days).
• Birthday Leave
• Access to flexible working.
• Generous study leave, maternity, paternity or adoption leave, and other leave allowances.

Professional Development

Restless Development is proud to be an employer who recognises potential and invests in the development of its staff.  We are committed to the professional development of our staff through:

• Empowering opportunities to work on significant projects which stretch and inspire staff – allowing them to develop on-the-job.
• Regular performance management.
• Training and development opportunities, including supporting our staff to identify mentors both within and outside of the agency.
• Quarterly Staff Workshops for all staff to give and receive agency updates, receive training, and socialise.

Travel and Medical Insurance

When travelling abroad with work, all staff will be covered by Restless Development’s travel and medical insurance.

To Apply

Please submit your CV and a covering letter that explains why you are excited by this role, and provides examples of how your skills and experience respond to the essential and desirable criteria in the Job Description (using no more than 500 words).