Programme Officer – Livelihoods

Flexible – Kampala, with possible placement in Northern or Western Uganda • Deadline: 30 Sept 2026

About GrowthAid

GrowthAid is an impact-oriented NGO headquartered in Ghana, with a Country Office in Tamale and operations in Uganda, Liberia, and Sierra Leone (the latter two through strategic partners). We work with communities, government, and development stakeholders to drive equitable access to clean water, improved sanitation and hygiene services, resilient livelihoods, and climate-resilient development. GrowthAid Uganda is recruiting ahead of an anticipated grant award, to build a strong programme team in advance of project start-up.

Project Brief

The Programme Officer – Livelihoods will lead GrowthAid Uganda’s livelihoods and climate resilience programming, with a secondary contribution to WASH-linked livelihood activities (such as sanitation marketing and enterprise development). The role will support programme readiness ahead of an anticipated grant award, and subsequently deliver community-level livelihoods, market systems, and climate adaptation activities that complement GrowthAid’s WASH programming.

Role Summary

Key Responsibilities

Livelihoods and Market Systems Development

Lead design and implementation of livelihoods interventions, including enterprise development, value chains, and market systems approaches.
Support establishment and strengthening of Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) and other community-based finance mechanisms.
Facilitate linkages between community groups, cooperatives, financial institutions, and private sector actors.

Climate Change and Resilience

Integrate climate change adaptation and resilience-building approaches into livelihoods programming.
Support communities to adopt climate-smart livelihood practices suited to the local context.
Contribute to climate risk and vulnerability assessments as needed.

WASH-Linked Livelihoods Support

Provide light-touch support to sanitation marketing and WASH-related enterprise activities, in coordination with the Programme Manager – WASH.
Support integration of livelihoods and WASH programming where the two intersect at community level.

Capacity Building and Stakeholder Engagement

Train and mentor community groups, especially women and youth, on enterprise development and financial literacy.
Collaborate with the Programme Manager – WASH to ensure gender equity and inclusiveness across all interventions.
Engage local government, community leaders, and partner organizations to build support for programme activities.

Monitoring, Learning, and Reporting

Track livelihoods and climate resilience indicators, including income, enterprise growth, and household resilience.
Document and share lessons learned to inform adaptive management.
Provide timely inputs for internal and donor reports.

Qualifications & Experience

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in economics, Agribusiness, Development Studies, Environmental/Climate Studies, Social Sciences, or related field.

Experience:

Minimum of 3 years’ experience in livelihoods, market systems development, or climate resilience programming.
Some exposure to WASH programming is required; livelihoods and climate change should be the dominant area of expertise.
Familiarity with VSLA methodologies and community-based finance is an advantage.
Experience working with rural or underserved communities in Uganda is preferred.

Skills & Competencies

Strong facilitation, community mobilization, and training skills.
Good written and verbal communication in English; a local language of the project area is an advantage.
Ability to work collaboratively across technical sectors (livelihoods, climate, and WASH).
Commitment to gender-responsive, inclusive, and community-driven approaches.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office.