Uganda Country Lead
The Opportunity
Location : Kampala, Uganda
Reports to: Africa Director
Direct reports: Uganda-based project team across HSW, GEN, and Refugees Uganda; team size and reporting lines to be confirmed as the portfolio grows
Contract type: Full-time; one-year contract, renewable
Target start date: Early 2027
Role Purpose
A senior leader to lead Instiglio's operations, delivery, and partnership development in Uganda. The objective is a highly experienced consultant with a strong understanding of the Uganda context who can independently drive projects and partnership development in support of Instiglio's objectives in Uganda, operating at an executive level with government, partner organisations, and clients.
Context
This is a new role, created to reduce the extent to which leadership of Instiglio's Uganda portfolio is run from outside Uganda, and to prepare for continued growth of that portfolio. The role holds leadership across:
Hilton Safe Water Funded Results Based Finance project to drive improved access to safe drinking water in rural Uganda
Government Empowerment Network (GEN) Uganda: A government-led reform accelerator anchored by the Ministry of Public Service, coaching cohorts of civil servant "champions" to design and implement reforms
Refugees Uganda: Strategic and technical advice to the Office of the Prime Minister's Department of Refugees (since 2023). Current phase focuses on embedding a coordination platform and performance review cycles.
Positioning Instiglio to win new work and diversify Instiglio's Uganda portfolio
The portfolio is at an important point. HSW Uganda, a multi-year partnership with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation running to 2029, is moving from design to implementation of a results-based financing pilot in the Lango sub-region, delivered through a coalition of partners in close collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Environment. GEN Uganda is designing its next cohort. Refugees Uganda is in its second phase (to end-2027), which aims for OPM to run its PCMS coordination and performance platform and review cycles without Instiglio’s support. The Country Lead will inherit established relationships and an in-country team, and will be expected to turn these into a coherent Uganda strategy rather than a set of separately managed projects.
Key Responsibilities
Project Delivery
Hold overall accountability for the quality, timeliness and budget of Instiglio’s Uganda projects, setting direction with project managers and technical leads and resolving delivery risks early
Own workplans, priorities and deliverables independently, and lead technical and conceptual work in-country, not simply feed insights back to Nairobi
Lead, coach, and develop the Uganda-based team, including line management, performance reviews and staffing across projects
Oversee funder reporting for Uganda projects and lead regular internal reviews of performance against workplans and budgets
Build coherence across Uganda-based projects (HSW, GEN, and Refugees Uganda) culminating in shared relationships, learning and team capacity
Government & Stakeholder Engagement
Serve as Instiglio’s senior representative in Uganda, engaging independently with Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Commissioners and Heads of Agencies
Build and maintain relationships with funders and DFIs active in Uganda, and support funder engagement on current projects, including hosting funder visits and co-fundraising alongside government
Navigate politically sensitive processes, such as policy and regulatory reforms that need senior government sign-off, with judgement that protects both Instiglio’s relationships and its interests
Lead government engagement to secure approvals and support the institutionalisation of the Hilton Safe Water programme
Lead GEN relationship management in Uganda under the Hilton Safe Water project, and convene GEN Champions around government reform priorities
Convene funders, UN agencies and implementing partners around government-owned agendas, including financing dialogues grounded in performance evidence
Lead and coordinate in-country team members and consultants on government engagement, setting clear mandates and outcomes
Represent Instiglio at sector forums and events in Uganda and the region
Partnership Development
Support the Uganda partnership development pipeline: identify, qualify, and pursue opportunities with government, bilateral and multilateral funders, DFIs and philanthropies
Contribute to proposals, from go/no-go and positioning through technical writing, budgeting, and client presentations, drawing on Instiglio’s global practice teams
Build coalitions and consortia with implementing partners and local firms to position Instiglio for larger opportunities
Grow existing accounts, including extensions and follow-on phases of current work
Required Experience
At least 15 years of relevant experience
Proven experience leading projects and leading senior-level engagement with Ugandan and international stakeholders
Proven experience operating at the executive level (Permanent Secretary, Minister) in Uganda, with established, trusted advisory relationships (not only access) and an understanding of where formal authority and informal power sit across government
Proven experience leading and developing multi-disciplinary teams, including line management of junior and mid-level staff
Experience designing or strengthening performance management, results frameworks or coordination systems inside government, and embedding them in mandates, review routines and leadership accountability
Experience managing delivery in an advisory role, against workplans that shift with government priorities, while ownership stays with government
Desirable:
demonstrated partnership development experience, such as leading large opportunities and account growth, including building partnerships and coalitions to secure new work
a track record of personally originating and winning funded work, not only contributing to proposals
experience coaching senior public servants through complex reforms, including building relationships with reform champions, understanding how reforms move through government, and influencing stakeholders to keep them on track, preferably using iterative, problem-driven approaches
Sector Experience
Consulting sector background is essential, including public sector advisory and work with philanthropic funders
RBF, WASH, and government capacity building sector knowledge are preferable, not required
Knowledge of Uganda’s decentralised local government system is preferable
Experience with data governance questions, including ownership, access and third-party systems, is preferable
A strong candidate profile: someone who has led an OCA (or similar organisational/institutional engagement) in Uganda, combining senior institutional exposure in Uganda with commercial accountability
Key Relationships
Internal
Africa Director
Partnership Development Lead
Operations Lead
Uganda Team
Executive Directors
Project and technical leads across HSW, GEN, and Refugees Uganda, and Instiglio’s global practice teams
External
Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE): Permanent Secretary, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Department (RWSSD) and Water Utility Regulation Department (WURD)
Lango Water Alliance (Sub-Regional Water Supply Services Board) and the nine Lango district local governments
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Lango Pilot partners: Uduma, Uptime Catalyst, CEWAS and the contracted Area Service Provider (ASP)
Other funders and DFIs active in Uganda, including the World Bank
Office of the Prime Minister (OPM): Permanent Secretary, Commissioner for Refugees and Department of Refugees leadership
GEN Champions within government
Ministry of Public Service (GEN Uganda anchor partner) and the Office of the Head of Public Service
UN agencies, donors and implementing partners in Uganda’s refugee response
Working model and benefits
The role is based in our Kampala office and involves frequent travel across the continent. The successful candidate will need to be eligible to work in Uganda.
We operate a hybrid working model, with a minimum of two days per week in the office. We also offer a generous benefits package, including personal days, remote workdays, health insurance, and an end-of-year company holiday break in addition to annual leave.
J oin our team!
To apply, please submit your CV in English and answer the application questions listed. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Instiglio is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fairness, inclusion, and giving everyone a chance to thrive.