JOB DETAILS: About the Opportunity: The Agrifood System Transformation for Youth Employment (ASTYE) program in Uganda is a transformative initiative designed to address systemic challenges hindering agricultural development and youth employment, particularly for young women.
Funded by the Mastercard Foundation and implemented in partnership with DSG, AGRA, and GOAL, ASTYE aims to create dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for young people while strengthening Uganda's agrifood ecosystem.
DSG is seeking a highly experienced Program Manager in Data and Information to provide strategic direction and oversight for two critical workstreams within the ASTYE Uganda program: Soil Mapping and Water Resource Mapping.
The program ensures technical rigor, coherence, and coordination across all activities related to soil and water resource mapping and information systems to improve their functionality, accessibility, and utilization to make informed programmatic, strategic, and policy decisions in the agri-food ecosystem in the implementation geography of ASTYE Uganda.
Join Our Team as a Program Manager – Data and Information!
To know more about our organization, visit our website Ready To Lead Uganda’s ASTYE?
If you are an experienced program leader with strong expertise in agriculture and environmental data systems, and are motivated to translate complex data into actionable insights that support agrifood system transformation, we invite you to apply.
In This Role, You Will Make An Impact By: Technical Guidance and Support Provide strategic direction and oversight for the design and delivery of soil-mapping activities to ensure coherence across ASTYE.
Lead the identification of critical soil data gaps.
Oversee the enhancement of the National Soil Information System (NSIS) discovery portal and functional APIs.
Manage the development of soil data generation standards and data-sharing policies.
Oversee the design and delivery of water-mapping activities and actionable water resource insights.
Manage the identification of water resource information gaps and prioritization of districts.
Direct the production of foundational water resource maps, analytical layers, and water atlases.
Support integration of water mapping results with existing databases and MoWE systems.
Capacity Building Establish, onboard, and align a multi-sectoral soil mapping taskforce.
Deliver training to taskforce members and soil lab technicians on testing procedures and calibration.
Oversee the mobilization and organization of youth-led soil testing businesses in priority districts.
Capacity Building (cont’d) Facilitate the distribution of testing kits and onboard youth groups into NSIS-compatible workflows.
Lead the design and delivery of capacity-building trainings for sub-regional and district experts.
Equip experts with the tools and systems required to interpret and use water resource information for irrigation planning.
Setup quality control and verification systems for water data management.
Coordinate with laboratory and IT service providers for data collection and integration.
Knowledge Management and Learning Contribute to DSG's knowledge management and learning agenda by documenting lessons learned, best practices, and emerging trends.
Document lessons learned and best practices from ASTYE's interventions, contributing to the program's learning agenda and disseminating knowledge within DSG and to external stakeholders.
Conduct research and analysis on emerging trends and innovations in data and information systems in the context of smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa and share findings with DSG program teams to inform program adaptation and innovation.
Education & Professional Experience Bachelor’s degree in Soil Science, Hydrology, Agronomy, or a related field; Master’s degree or PhD highly preferred.
Minimum 10 years of experience in agricultural development or environmental data projects, with at least 6 years in a supervisory role overseeing complex operations.
Prior experience working specifically within the agrifood sector or international development is highly desirable.
Leadership & Technical Competencies Deep knowledge of GIS, remote sensing, soil/water lab protocols, and environmental data management.
Proven track record in strategic planning, technical task force management, and operationalizing large-scale data systems.
Proven track record in strategic planning and the execution of high-priority workstreams, including team recruitment and deployment.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to serve as a primary liaison between government departments, donors, and private sector partners.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
To Succeed In This Role, You Bring: