UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfil their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. In Uganda, UNICEF supports the Government to ensure every child survives and thrives, receives a quality education, is protected from violence and exploitation, and grows up in a safe and supportive environment.

The Field Operation and Emergency team (FOE) at the Uganda Country Office (UCO) in Kampala is offering an opportunity to a qualified individual to contribute to UNICEF's efforts towards implementing the 2026-2030 UNICEF Country Programme at the Field Office level. The candidate is sought to cover a position within the FOE team as Programme Officer (Field Support), covering the districts previously covered by the Fort Portal office, and in tight collaboration with sections in Kampala.

The assignment provides an opportunity for the selected staff member to contribute to UCO’s programme work in Health, Nutrition, Child Protection, Education, Social Policy, Social and Behavioural Change, Emergency and Operations and learn from issues relevant to Uganda and the Fort Portal area of concern context. The individual will lead the advancement of the results for children. During the assignment, the selected candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with UNICEF’s national and sub-national implementing partners, namely the District Local Governments, other governmental counterparts, local and international NGOs, UN agencies, and other partners.

The proposed position will be part of the FOE team. He/she will be accountable for managing and leading the total programme commitment of the districts of concern deemed to be under the former Fort Portal field office area within the country programme. The officer while working with the Field Officer and Chief of FOE will represent UNICEF in his/her Area of Responsibility (AoR), lead and oversee the various program sectors and operational service teams, ensuring the delivery of quality results in accordance with UNICEF’s programme of cooperation, country programme management plan and overall vision set forward by the Representative.

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favouritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil them potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Within the delegated authority and the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be responsible for all or most of the following areas of major duties and key end results.

1. Localization
Contribute to the identification, mapping and development of strategic partnership with local actors in the area of responsibility and in coordination with technical and Field operations section, Coordinate the provision of technical assistance and support to local actors in planning and organizing training programmes for the purpose of institutional capacity strengthening and sustainability.

2. Promote and coordinate upstream work
Support programme and field operation section in the understanding and identification of opportunities to strengthen upstream work

3. Programme Development and Management
Support sections for the coordination of the preparation of the situation Analysis for programme development and management by collecting and analyzing data and monitoring implementation progress. Contribute to the identification of critical intervention points and measures by administering a consistent and transparent monitoring system; analyze district level socio-political-economic trends and their implications for ongoing programmes and projects.

4. Programme Monitoring and Evaluations
Supports sections to undertake field visits to monitor and assess programme implementation in the area under their responsibility, to allow sections to decide on required corrective action.

5. Vulnerability mapping
Support technical and field operations sections in the identification of pocket of acute vulnerabilities in the district under their responsibility and in tight coordination with local actors

6. Rights-Based and Results-Based Programme Management Approach
Support sections in the implementation of a rights-based programmes approach in the formulation of programme goals and objectives and development of strategies and implementation frameworks. Collaborate with partners and assist in the strengthening of quality child rights-based programmes through consistent and effective planning, design, implementation, monitoring and/or evaluation of programmes and projects. Contribute to coherence, synergy and added value to the programming planning and design processes using a results-based management approach to programme planning and design.

7. Rights Perspective and Advocacy at the District, Community and Family Levels
Analyze programme related issues and policies from a children's and women's rights perspective and advocacy at the community and family levels for elevating credibility in district-level policy debates. Promote the organization goals of UNICEF through active advocacy and communication.

8. Partnership, Coordination and Collaboration.
Facilitate partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including those of the UN and national partners, in order to improve the ability to collect and disseminate development data and information, exchange information on programme/project status and implementation and movement/distribution of supplies.