Program Officer – Uganda

Organization: The Aquaya Institute

  Posted27 Jul 2023  

Closing date31 Aug 2023

1. About Aquaya

The Aquaya Institute (Aquaya) is an independent, non-profit research and consulting organization dedicated to safe, equitable, and sustainable water and sanitation in low-resource settings. Our mission is to improve public health by reducing the burden of waterborne diseases. Aquaya was established in 2005 to provide development agencies, governments, and implementing organizations with a trustworthy and agile resource for conducting rigorous research, experimentation, and evaluation.

Aquaya has completed projects spanning public health, economics, technology development, and social entrepreneurship in over 20 countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. We have published or contributed to over 40 peer-reviewed research articles and produced numerous other report and publications.

Aquaya maintains offices in Accra, Ghana and Nairobi, Kenya. Staff members are also located in the US, France, Uganda, Morocco, and Ethiopia. Many of our projects are carried-out in collaboration with academic research groups and expert consultants.

2. About the position

We are recruiting a Program Officer – Uganda as a full-time position. This position will be based in Fort Portal, Uganda and will require domestic travel within the country of location, as well as potential international travel across Africa. The officer will be responsible for managing project activities, including, but not limited to:

Research Program Execution

• Assist with the development of research protocols and data collection tools
• Manage the ethical approval process and ensure that ethical principles are respected
• Lead fieldwork logistics (e.g., procurement of supplies, ground transport, enumerator training) and data collection activities with minimal oversight
• Ensure the implementation of data QAQC procedures
• Clean and manage quantitative and qualitative datasets
• Contribute to data analysis
• Engage with key stakeholders, including national and local government
• Contribute to partner meetings, communication, and reporting
• Maintain timelines for completing project milestones

Dissemination

• Contribute to project presentations, reports, briefs, and publications
• Disseminate findings to local stakeholders

3. Criteria for the position

The following qualifications are necessary for this position:

• Demonstrated experience in research programs related to water or sanitation.
• Master’s degree – preferably in engineering, science, environmental science, or related field.
• 2+ years of relevant work experience.
• Previous work experience Uganda or similar settings.
• Ability to conduct fieldwork in rural areas.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Fluency in English.

We are also looking for the following skills and attributes:

• Commitment to living in Uganda on a full-time basis is required.
• Ability to travel to field sites approximately 25% of time (this is an estimate average and is subject to fluctuate).
• Good problem-solving and time management skills.
• Strong work ethic and a commitment to delivery.
• Outstanding organization and time management skills, with an attention to detail and an ability to establish systems to manage constant flows of information and deliver on deadlines.
• Proven ability to work closely with a small team and to successfully manage multiple and changing priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, while maintaining a positive and productive attitude and a good sense of humor!

How to apply

To apply

Please submit your resume via e-mail to jobs@aquaya.org along with a thoughtful cover letter. There will be an additional screening survey and activity once your resume is received. This position will be open until filled.

In your cover letter, please explain why you are interested in Aquaya’s mission and activities. Please also tell us why your skills, background, and accomplishments make you the ideal candidate for this position, specifically highlighting your experience.

Please note that we will not consider applications without a cover letter. In your e-mail subject line, please specify “Program Officer – Uganda”. No phone calls please.