Program Officer

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• 5-UG : PROGRAM OFFICER
• Youth Impact Labs East Africa
• Today
• New
• Kampala
• Full Time
• Banking, Finance & Insurance
• Confidential
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Experience

Level:

Mid level

Length:

3 years

Language Requirement:

English

Working Hours:

Full Time - 8 to 5

Applicant

Location:

Uganda

Job descriptions &

in program implementation, preferably in youth employment or livelihoods programming

working with private sector actors or market-based approaches

Understanding of youth employment challenges, particularly among NEET populations

supporting data collection, reporting, and program monitoring processes

Strong coordination and stakeholder engagement skills

Ability to work effectively in field-based and dynamic environments

Success Factors

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong organizational and coordination skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders. They will be proactive, adaptable, and capable of translating program plans into effective field-level implementation. A strong commitment to achieving results and supporting youth employment outcomes is essential.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Kampala and it requires up to 90% travel to support field level implementation programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Team Engagement and Effectiveness

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work.

We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC

and have signed on to the

Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme

.

We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

As an applicant, if you witness or

any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).

To Apply

Interested applicants must submit their Cover Letter & CV saved in 1 PDF document of no more than 5 pages by 17th August 2026.

Please note that any application submitted that does not follow the above instructions will be automatically discarded. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce and strongly encourage qualified women to apply

Mercy Corps never charges candidates any fees at any stage of the recruitment process.

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Requirements

PROGRAM OFFICER

PROMOTING RESILIENCE, OPPORTUNITIES, PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING (PROPEL) PROGRAM

Location:

City: Kampala,

Country

: Uganda

Position Status:

Full-time

Salary Level:

Ugx 2,236,410

Risk Level:

☐

Level 3

☐

Level 2

☐

Level 1

(Level 3: Frequent contact with participants, direct contact with children, access to sensitive data, and/or high level of accountability.

Level 2: Some contact with participants; unplanned non-direct contact with children.

Level 1: Likely to have no contact with participants or sensitive data)

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.

In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions

into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

Now, and for the future.

The Program

PROPEL is a multi-country youth employment and market systems development program implemented across Uganda, Senegal, Liberia, and Tanzania. The program adopts a market-driven, private sector-led approach to addressing the persistent challenge of youth unemployment and underemployment, with a deliberate emphasis on reaching young people who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET). PROPEL addresses systemic constraints to youth employment and supports the development of scalable and sustainable livelihood pathways. The program is implemented by Mercy Corps in partnership with Junior Achievement Africa.

The Position

The Program Officer supports the implementation of PROPEL at country level by coordinating field-level activities, managing partner engagements, and ensuring effective delivery of program interventions. Working under the supervision of the Country Program Manager, the role contributes to operationalizing market systems approaches through private sector partnerships, youth-focused interventions, and ecosystem strengthening. The Program Officer plays a key role in ensuring that program delivery is responsive to local market realities, informed by ongoing analysis, and aligned with the needs of NEET youth.

Essential

Contribute to preparation of weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports

Support documentation of lessons learned and success stories from field activities

Ensure timely submission of field data to the MEAL team

Safeguarding

Responsibilities

PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION & COORDINATION

The Program Officer supports the execution of program activities at field level, ensuring that implementation is timely, coordinated, and aligned with program objectives and market realities.

Coordinate day-to-day implementation of program activities across assigned locations or sectors

Support rollout of interventions including training, job placement initiatives, and enterprise development activities

Ensure effective coordination with implementing partners and service providers

Monitor activity progress and flag implementation challenges to the Program Manager

Maintain accurate documentation of field activities and outputs

PRIVATE SECTOR ENGAGEMENT & DELIVERY SUPPORT

The Program Officer supports engagement with private sector actors and facilitates implementation of market-driven interventions that create employment opportunities for youth.

Assist in identifying and engaging private sector partners, including lead firms and local enterprises

Support coordination of apprenticeships, internships, and job placement opportunities

Facilitate communication between program teams and private sector partners

Track partner participation and support follow-up to ensure delivery of agreed commitments

Support efforts to promote private sector ownership and participation in program activities

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT & SEGMENTATION (NEET FOCUS)

The Program Officer plays a key role in implementing youth-focused interventions, ensuring that activities are targeted and responsive to the needs of different youth segments, particularly NEET populations.

Support identification, mobilization, and registration of youth participants based on defined segmentation criteria

Assist in delivery of tailored interventions for NEET youth, including skills development and job readiness support

Track participation and progression of youth across different pathways

Support inclusion of women, marginalized groups, and vulnerable populations

Ensure that field-level activities respond to barriers affecting youth participation, such as access and mobility constraints

PARTNERSHIP COORDINATION & ECOSYSTEM SUPPORT

The Program Officer supports coordination with key stakeholders and contributes to strengthening linkages across the local ecosystem.

Maintain regular communication with local partners, including training providers, community structures, and private sector actors

Support organization of stakeholder meetings, workshops, and coordination forums

Assist in mapping and engaging ecosystem actors relevant to youth employment

Contribute to strengthening linkages between youth, employers, and service providers

Support alignment of field activities with broader program and partner initiatives

MEAL & REPORTING SUPPORT

The Program Officer contributes to data collection, monitoring, and reporting processes to support evidence-based program implementation.

Support collection of program data, including activity outputs and participant tracking

Assist in maintaining accurate records in line with MEAL

The Program Officer integrates safeguarding principles into all aspects of program implementation, ensuring the dignity, safety, and well-being of participants and communities. The role promotes safe, respectful engagement and applies appropriate risk mitigation measures in all activities. The Program Officer always upholds Mercy Corps’ values and code of conduct. They remain vigilant to safeguarding risks and promptly report any concerns through established reporting mechanisms.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To:

Program Manager – PROPEL

Works Directly With:

MEAL Officer, Finance and Operations Teams, Implementing Partners, Private Sector Actors and PROPEL program at

Junior Achievement Africa

, the major consortium partner.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Development Studies, Business, or a related field

Minimum of 3–5 years of