Senior Industry Program Manager at Msingi East Africa

Purpose of the role

Msingi is seeking an ambitious, high-performing Senior Industry Program Manager to oversee its interventions in
Uganda reporting to the Industry Director – Textiles & Apparel and working within the wider Textile and Apparel Industry team. The role holder will work with and assist the Industry Director in leading the implementation of key intervention activities and projects within the industry program with a particular focus on Uganda and the wider East African region.
 

Key responsibilities

The incumbent’s key responsibilities will be focused on catalyzing growth in manufacturing and investments in the
textiles and apparel sector; identifying opportunities to strengthen regional value chains; catalyzing the industry’s efforts to improve the markets and incomes available to local producers; and ensuring the industry leads in the development of environmentally sound and sustainable enterprises within the textiles and apparel sector. The role may also require interventions at a primary production level.Primarily the candidate will be expected to fulfil the following:

1. Facilitating implementation of Uganda’s CTA strategy – facilitate implementation of the new CTA strategy by closely working with responsible government agencies, private sector representatives and development partners
2. Managing industry intervention activities and projects – including conducting some of the following types of activities, for example:

• Helping to design technical assistance programmes and managing technical experts to deliver this
• Contributing to broking strategic partnerships between firms and, where needed, with Msingi
• Working with policymakers and regulatory stakeholders to ensure smooth execution of industry development propositions focusing on Uganda.
• Managing market assessments and feasibility/technical studies focusing on Uganda and aligning them with the wider EAC context
• Writing motivations for grants or investments to selected firms, as needed, to be presented to the Board of Msingi.
• Facilitating investment promotion work, industry assessment to identify potential partner for linkage with investors in various arrangements including but not limited to equity/debt investment, joint ventures, sourcing arrangements etc. 

1. Stakeholder and partner management – Forging and managing relationships across a multitude of stakeholders, understanding the actors within the sector and being able to map their role and influence in Msingi’s regional TA strategy.
2. Project management – including contributing to overall project management by developing country activity plans and drafting reports for key intervention activities and working with the industry director to ensure activities remain on-target and within budget.
3. Managing technical experts – helping to identify, engage with and manage external consultants and world-leading technical experts who contribute to the development work in textiles and apparel sector in Uganda.
4. Conducting industry analysis and supporting country strategy development – conducting analysis to contribute to the development/refining of industry/sector strategy to transform the sector and working with the wider Msingi team to periodically review and improve these strategies.
5. Data collection and dissemination – identifying, designing, and executing the gathering of sector relevant data that will support and validate Msingi’s textiles and apparel strategy in Uganda. Producing periodical data that will be relevant to other stakeholders and partners operating in or seeking to participate in the textiles and apparel sector.

Msingi’s interventions and the focus of different team members will evolve according to the program needs, therefore the ideal candidate should be flexible and open to a role that will evolve according to industry needs and resources available to Msingi. The role may open opportunities to work across other Msingi programs or geographical locations. Experience and personal qualities required
 

Msingi is looking for star-performers that have:

• Bachelor’s degree from a reputable university with a commerce or business administration bias.
• Minimum of five (8) years relevant work experience, with at least three (3) years in a role with significant management responsibility and autonomy
• Experience in several the following disciplines: partnership and/or economic development, investment promotion, delivering programmes of technical assistance or business and investment advisory support, financial and quantitative analysis, market studies or corporate strategy
• Excellent communication and engagement skills with demonstrated ability to form and maintain relationships including building a network in a new market or industry.
• Experience working in or with the private sector, government, and development agencies
• Good understanding of market sector development approaches is critical.
• Strong commercial acumen, analytical and experience of working on solving complex problems
• Ability to analyze data and other sources of information, probe for further information, make rational judgements from the available information and understand how one issue may be part of a larger system
• Experience and track record in project management and efficient/timely project execution – whether in a commercial or a development sector context
• Demonstrated ability to produce quality reports and materials to communicate and share learnings and evidence from program activities with internal and external stakeholders.
• A self-starter with plenty of energy, excellent interpersonal skills, and high level of emotional intelligence
• Commitment to extensive travel and onsite engagement with partners and industry stakeholders
• A strong attention to detail, quick learner and flexible in a new/changing environment
• Specific experience on the Textile and Apparel sector from a private sector, policy or development sector perspective is highly desirable

Terms and remuneration

This role is offered initially on a contractual basis for a minimum period of up to 18 months with a high likelihood to evolving into a permanent employment role. The incumbent may be initially based in Nairobi with significant travel to Kampala and regionally. Remuneration will be competitive and is negotiable dependent on experience.