Program Manager

CIYOTA, with a 19-year history of supporting Refugees, Displaced Persons (RDPs), and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) through education, vocational skills, employment and entrepreneurial leadership, seeks to implement a Multi-Year program targeting 3,425 youth in DRC and Uganda in 2026. 

The overall goal of the program is to improve access to quality and relevant secondary education and skills development for 3,425 youth from refugee and host communities in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by November 2030.

The program is structured into three key outcome areas, each with targeted activities to ensure sustainable impact:

Outcome 1: Enhanced access to quality and relevant secondary and tertiary education for 2,880 young people. 

Outcome 2: Improved capacity of 515 out-of-school RDP and host community youth with vocational skills. 

Outcome 3: 30 Associates with strengthened personal development, transformative leadership, and employability skills to become professionally competitive. 

The program adopts a holistic, multi-stakeholder approach to ensure long-term sustainability and impact. It integrates education, economic empowerment, and professional skilling, providing young people, particularly those from RDPs, the host community, and PWDs, with a transition into dignified employment or further education. This multi-pronged approach ensures sustained economic resilience and community-driven development.

Position Summary

The Program Manager position is a full-time position that reports to the Programs Director. The position is accountable for the overall planning, management, and completion of the Program in both Uganda and DRC. This includes leading, overseeing, and administering all program operations in CIYOTA, ensuring high-quality service delivery and program effectiveness. The primary role of this position is to manage multiple initiatives and ensure adherence to project management processes in accordance with best practices. The officer will work with our various teams to deliver world-class results and business outcomes. 

This position is subject to the program funding approval. Shortlisting and interviews may be conducted in advance; however, appointments will only be confirmed upon successful funding of the program.

Program Implementation

• Ensure the program aligns with CIYOTA’s mission and meets the needs of displaced communities.
• Ensure the implementation of Education, Skilling, and Associate program interventions within the project period, with a focus on high-quality programming, and ensure targets are met while supporting refugee and internally displaced youth.
• Will be responsible for the regional coordination of program operations and delegated responsibility for the regional delivery of high-quality programs in line with the objectives of the program strategy. 
• Ensure quality program and donor reports for all outcome areas (access to education, entrepreneurship, and the associate program), in compliance with relevant external donor requirements.
• Work closely with the MEAL team to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of programs. 
• Work closely with the MEAL team to implement accountability measures, ensuring that feedback from all relevant stakeholders is considered in program design.  

Partnerships with Refugee-Led Organisations

• Strengthen collaborations to enhance resource sharing, advocacy, and program impact.
• Support joint initiatives that empower refugee youth through education and leadership development.
• Partner with schools, universities, and educational institutions to enhance learning opportunities for refugee and displaced youth.
• Work with policymakers and education-sector leaders to shape policies that support inclusive education.
• Implement mentorship and scholarship programs to support disadvantaged young people. 

Coordination, team management and capacity building 

• Ensure CIYOTA’s work is well coordinated with other agencies and that the specific needs of youth are addressed. 
• Ensure community engagement and acceptance with the local authorities, both in Uganda and DRC.
• Supervise the team, assess their training needs and provide constructive feedback to direct reports.  

Participation, Inclusion and Safeguarding 

• Ensure a safe programming approach and ensure risk assessment and mitigation plans are in place for child safeguarding.
• Training staff, volunteers, and partners on safeguarding protocols.
• Ensure compliance to CIYOTA’s Child Protection and Safeguarding policies, standards, requirements and procedures across all operations of the program;
• Ensure planning to promote participants’ participation and voice and their input into key decision-making processes in annual reflections/planning and during implementation.
• Data, Storage and Security: Ensure all children’s data, e.g. photos, addresses, communications and participant files are filed, stored and protected in adherence to CIYOTA’s data protection protocols and aligned to child protection policies, standards and procedures
• Establishing and maintaining reporting mechanisms for safeguarding concerns.
• Promoting a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all program participants.

• A master's degree in project management, Business Administration or a related field.
• Five (5) years plus of experience in program management, youth education, or refugee support programs.
• Strong leadership, communication, management and coordination skills.
• Experience in working with RPD communities and an understanding of their unique challenges.
• Proven ability to develop partnerships with refugee-led organisations and economic stakeholders.
• Good knowledge of project management methods with experience in grant management.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and adapt to changing priorities.
• Proficiency in English; knowledge of French, and Swahili is essential.
• Problem-solving skills are essential for the role.
• Ability to manage time and meet/beat deadlines.
• Good analytical skills are also necessary to resolve daily work-related issues.