Program Manager I – Church Lands and Private Sector Engagement

Job Title: Program Manager I – Church Lands and Private Sector Engagement

Department: Programming

Report to: Program Manager II – Partner Capacity Strengthening/Local Leadership

Duration: Full-time

Job Location: Kampala, Uganda

About CRS:

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion, or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.

Job Summary:

As the Program Manager – Church Lands and Private Sector Engagement (PSE), you will provide strategic oversight and leadership for the development of high-value agricultural crops in Uganda through a portfolio of projects funded by CRS and private sector partners. You will be responsible for designing, implementing, and managing initiatives that advance Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) mission of serving poor and vulnerable communities through inclusive and sustainable market-based approaches.

You will lead the design, coordination, and management of private sector engagement strategies, including the identification and development of new business partnerships, business planning, co-creation processes, and support to co-investment grant mechanisms aimed at catalyzing private sector investment across agricultural value chains. These efforts will contribute to the establishment and growth of agriculture-related enterprises, including Church-owned or Church-supported businesses, while reducing risks associated with access to productive assets, skills development, and participation in agricultural market systems.

In addition, you will work closely with Church partners and leadership to identify and prioritize opportunities that leverage Church land assets, networks, and influence to strengthen CRS’s Market Systems Development (MSD) programming. Through strong leadership, partnership management, and technical oversight, you will ensure the delivery of high-quality programming, promote innovation and learning, and drive continuous improvement in program impact and sustainability.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and oversee all project cycle phases, including design, start-up, implementation, and close-out, to ensure effective, efficient, and compliant project delivery in line with CRS program quality standards, donor requirements, and recognized good practices. Ensure project teams and partners effectively use required systems and tools.
• Engage church institutions and private sector partners to strengthen land restoration and agricultural development initiatives that promote diversified farming systems and inclusion of high-value crops.
• Lead the development, implementation, and consolidation of private sector engagement strategies and processes, serving as a key focal point for collaboration with Church entities, public institutions, private companies, and non-government stakeholders.
• Identify and explore innovative business models and market opportunities with Church partners and value chain actors and support the establishment of sustainable market linkages for high-value crops.
• Champion learning and adaptive management by supporting project teams and partners to analyze performance data in line with CRS MEAL policies, proactively identifying risks and challenges, and facilitating participatory problem-solving to overcome implementation barriers.
• Serve as a key technical resource in project design and proposal development for the SPICES/Vanilla programming area, including gap-filling and supporting growth and scale-up initiatives as required.
• Coordinate the assessment of partner staff capacity needs and facilitate targeted capacity strengthening and technical assistance interventions to support quality implementation and sustainability.
• Identify, assess, and strengthen partnerships relevant to SPICES/Vanilla programming, applying appropriate partnership principles, tools, and approaches.
• Coordinate and monitor the use of financial and material resources through effective planning, budgeting, and oversight to ensure efficient and accountable use of project resources.
• Manage and maintain strong relationships with church institutions and private sector partners, ensuring effective communication, coordination, joint planning, and alignment with CRS strategic objectives.

Basic Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in agricultural economics, agriculture or agroforestry.
• Minimum of 2-3 years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing light to moderately complex projects is required, preferably with an international NGO.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree
• Professional training in Market Systems Development (MSD).
• Project management training and experience are highly desirable.
• MEAL skills and experience preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), web conferencing applications, and information management systems.
• Experience engaging with partner organisations.
• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound judgement.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Competencies:

• Excellent leadership, coordination, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work under pressure.

Required Languages: Fluency in English is required.

Travel: Based in Kampala, with frequent travels of up to 40% in the country.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviours and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfil his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Personal Accountability—consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity—consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust—shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others—works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn—seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change—continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others—builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset—understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team principles.

Key Working Relationships:

• Supervisory Responsibilities: None.
• Internal: CRS Uganda CR, Head of Programming, Head of Operations/Supply Chain Manager, Partner Capacity Strengthening Manager and MEAL Manager, and Regional/HQ Technical Advisors.
• External: Private sector actors, local partners including local government authorities, peer agencies, and others.

“Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.”

How to apply

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer: We encourage all qualified candidates to apply for this position, including individuals from marginalised backgrounds and people with disabilities. Please ensure you follow the instructions outlined below when applying.

• This position is open to Ugandan nationals only.
• Submit your application no later than 5:00 PM on January 5, 2026.
• Applications will only be accepted electronically via the following link: ? https://form.jotform.com/253552090772559.

Please Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.