We currently have an opening for Just Like My Child Country Director in Luwero, Uganda. Please see below. We are a rapidly growing organization, so please check back soon for more opportunities.

For volunteer opportunities, please contact us.

Country Director, Uganda

The Just Like My Child Foundation works in Luwero, Uganda. We are focused on a three-pronged approach to the alleviation of poverty, including: healthcare, education, microenterprise solutions. We maintain a special emphasis on serving women and girls who often operate as agents of social change.

Collaborative relationships with key leaders and community mobilizers have been essential to our success to date. We believe in a concept called “Deep Development” which means empowering communities, village by village, to move towards self-reliance by creating their own long-term solutions to healthcare, education and microenterprise.

The position of Country Director is a remarkable opportunity to serve as a liaison between our U.S.-based offices and our partners on the ground. In this position, you would be responsible for commissioning and completing our projects on the ground which include: building schools, developing infrastructure and independence of Bishop Asili Hospital, overseeing five fantastic children who are recipients of boarding school scholarships, and coordinating microcredit programs with in-country partners.

The ideal candidate speaks (nearly) fluent Luganda, is passionate about the Ugandan people and what’s possible for their future, is well-versed in Ugandan culture and the challenges of working in an environment where corruption is prevalent, and can keep pace with an American work style within an African culture. Warm, caring disposition coupled with attention to detail and documentation a must.

Specific responsibilities include:

Social Change through Adult Education

• Investigate and source existing educational tools/materials (flyers, DVDs) that can be easily/economically procured for community needs in the areas of: hygiene, nutrition, HIV, sanitation, malaria education, or other key topics
• Investigate and propose key strategies to empower women to gain a voice so that they can best advocate for themselves and for their children within their community, social and political structures.
• Implement Education-In-A-Box initiatives
• Develop key metrics for measuring effectiveness of adult education programs and process for monitoring.

• Implement and monitor projects based on JLMC documented methodology and key deliverables.
• Build effective partnerships with parents, community leaders, administrators, government, and NGO’s of community sites where JLMC school projects exist in order to optimize the power, momentum and resources available.
• Communicate effectively with the Community Field Coordinator on a weekly basis to get updates regarding budget, timeline and deliverables, as well as photos and communication from the school site progress.
• Recruit and hire appropriate contractors and necessary supervisors to oversee volunteers and workers on daily basis.  Ensure site/construction supervisors are managing all resources and inventory appropriately and following project plans.
• Work closely with Sister Ernestine Akulu and Community Field Coordinator to oversee budget, ensure quality of materials, track spending and inventories and ensure school is built according to plan and within budget.
• Manage budgets and provide necessary resources to the Community Field coordinator for each phase of the building project. Collect and archive receipts after money is spent in an organized fashion.
• Work with community leaders to recruit/hire qualified headmasters and teachers
• Provide resources and curriculum available for quality learning and child-centered curriculum calling on existing best practices in education and training.  Incorporate Collective Heart curriculum where appropriate.

Build relationship with and monitor progress of our 5 Scholarship Children

• Monitor and follow current JLMC Scholarship Policy and Guidelines; and recommend changes/improvements as appropriate.
• Arrange for school visits and student interviews at pre-determined, appropriate boarding schools for scholarship recipients as needed.
• Coordinate transportation and accompany children to interviews at schools as needed.
• Coordinate communication with families and transportation/logistics of enrolling scholarship recipients into schools.
• Monitor children’s progress emotionally, physically and academically at the school through quarterly visits to school/students and/or regular communication with the children, parents/guardians and headmaster as documented in the policy and agreements for each child.
• Provide written updates/communications for each child to maintain a student portfolio of progress, challenges, successes to share with our donors/sponsors. 
• Scan and email letters written by scholarship children to donors and mail originals to JLMC in the U.S. when they are delivered once a term by the parents/guardians.
• Communicate mid term and end of term report results that are delivered by parents/guardians (as per documented policy) to the scholarship biography Google document.
• Keep scholarship children’s biographies up to date on Google documents and communicate any concerns or noteworthy information in regards to the program and students to JLMC in the U.S.
• Visit with parents/guardians once a term to review policy and provide an opportunity for Q&A.
• Organize any provisions that JLMC has agreed to provide at the beginning of the school term and ensure they are brought to the school on or before the opening day.
• ay school fees at the bank before the opening of the term and ensure all fees are paid and up to date throughout the school year.

Healthcare:

• Facilitate procurement and distribution of insecticide treated bed nets.
• Coordinate and foster relationship between Bishop Asili and partner organizations (such as Save For Health) who facilitate mobilization of nets and programs.

MicroFinance:

• Pursue partners to provide microenterprise opportunities to community clients; build relationships with organizations such as FINCA, Wekembe, Ugafode.
• Provide leadership and support to Bishop Asili’s microfinance/income-generation  programs by attending meetings and encouraging growth and development amongst client members.

JLMC Manager and Liaison

• Responsible for fiscal management of all in country program related cash flows.
• Manage monthly budgets and expenses, maintain all receipts and records, and provide transaction records to JLMC Treasurer and bookkeeper regularly.
• Provide regular and specific communications and updates to JLMC offices in U.S. as needed.
• Document weekly update of daily activities and email to JLMC.
• Act as escalation manager/first point of contact for any concerns or issues that require immediate attention in Uganda; involve U.S. JLMC whenever necessary.
• Compile and report on monthly metrics for all programs.
• Participate in weekly or bi-weekly conference calls with U.S. JLMC stakeholders as scheduled.
• Investigate and build strategic partnerships with existing organizations and contacts in country that can be leveraged for information, facilitation, resources, benchmarking and best practices.
• Post weekly blog entries with photos and stories on JLMC website
• Upload all current photos and videos to Picasa albums on JLMC site
• Provide proposals for new programs requiring funding.
• aintain productive and positive relationship with key partners and staff of Bishop Asili; facilitate relationship building and effective ongoing communication.
• Organize visits and host U.S. visitors for project tours and meetings (donors, staff, board members, volunteers from U.S.)

 
Please forward your resume along with a cover letter describing "why" you are interested in this position and your specific skills which qualify you for this position to JLMC's Associate Director.

Note:  Depending on budget and timing constraints, a part-time Program Field Coordinator may be available in country to support the Country Manager in some of the responsibilities listed above.