About ELMA Philanthropies

With offices in New York City, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Kampala, ELMA Philanthropies develops program strategies, identifies grant and other investment opportunities, monitors, and evaluates investment performance, and manages strategic partnerships for The ELMA Group of Foundations. This Group includes The ELMA Foundation, The ELMA Relief Foundation, The ELMA Vaccines and Immunization Foundation, The ELMA Music Foundation, The ELMA Growth Foundation, The ELMA Caribbean Foundation and The ELMA South Africa Foundation. ELMA Philanthropies is largely focused on providing these services to the largest foundation within the group, The ELMA Foundation. A full description of the investment frameworks and activities of each Foundation can be found on our website: www.elmaphilanthropies.org.

The ELMA Foundation’s mission is to improve the lives of African children and youth through support of sustainable efforts to relieve poverty, advance education, and promote health. It is primarily active in eastern and southern Africa.

The ELMA Relief Foundation invests in relief efforts throughout the globe with special attention to Africa and the needs of children, who often suffer disproportionately in the aftermath of such tragedies.

The ELMA South Africa Foundation funds organizations and programs that support development and progress in South Africa.

The ELMA Music Foundation invests in organizations in USA and South Africa that support youth development through music or provide assistance to members of the music community undergoing personal and financial hardship.

The ELMA Vaccines and Immunization Foundation’s mission is to expand vaccine and immunization coverage for children globally, with a special emphasis on Africa.

The ELMA Growth Foundation invests in the growth or expansion of initiatives that improve the lives of low-income communities in Africa.

The ELMA Caribbean Foundation supports efforts to advance health or combat the environmental and economic threats posed by climate change in the Caribbean.

ELMA Philanthropies seeks a full-time Associate Program Officer to join its team in Kampala, Uganda. The Associate Program Officer will report to the Regional Director to develop and manage grants and other investments for the ELMA Group of Foundations and support the dynamic and growing community-led initiatives portfolio in East Africa. The Associate Program Officer will work closely with ELMA’s program, finance, legal, and evidence and learning teams across ELMA’s offices in Kampala, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and New York. The ability to be an active, collaborative, and collegial team member of a dynamic global team and to demonstrate flexibility to provide support across the ELMA portfolios is essential to succeed in this role.

Job Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Regional Director and working closely with the Program Officers primarily responsible for expanding the reach and impact of The ELMA Foundation, the Associate Program Officer will be expected to:     

• Identify programs and organizations that fit within ELMA’s focus areas and ELMA’s broader approach to philanthropy 
• Conduct thorough grantee due diligence, including critical analysis of proposals, budgets, work-plans, measurement and evaluation frameworks, organizational strengths and weaknesses, and external risk factors
• Review, and where appropriate, support the development of program designs and theories of change with potential grantees
• Develop and write concise, high quality investment recommendations
• Critically monitor programmatic effectiveness and grantee’s management of grant funds through review of periodic reports and grantee site visits
• Diligently manage all relevant aspects of grants administration
• Analyze grantee reports and prepare documentation to facilitate timely grant payments and other grant actions
• Support the success of grantees in the portfolio, including connecting them to appropriate resources
• Assess performance of the relevant portfolios, and design solutions to improve performance and impact
• Support collaborative relationships with grantees, co-funders, government, and other key stakeholders
• Contribute to cross-office learning and strategy development
• Other duties, as assigned

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the incumbent(s) of this job. They are not intended to form an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and activities required for the position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Alignment to Values:

All ELMA employees are expected to demonstrate fit with ELMA’s organizational values and culture. Specifically, all employees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to:

• ELMA’s core values of: humility and integrity; respect for human dignity; pursuit of excellence; commitment to partnership; and a results-orientation informed by continuous learning; and
• Gender equity, and social justice, and combatting white supremacy, patriarchy, homophobia, colonialism, and other intersecting systems of oppression.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree is required
• Master’s degree in a relevant field is strongly preferred but not required
• Strong technical background with a minimum of three years’ experience in managing programs, grant making, or equivalent private sector experience
• Ability to source, analyze, synthesize, and effectively present information and data
• Fluency in English and excellent oral and written communication skills
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to write effectively in English for a variety of audiences
• Excellent Excel skills and ability to analyze and present data in a highly organized manner
• Quick learner and self-starter with ability to take initiative and work in a fast-moving, team orientated environment
• Strong work ethic and ability to prioritize and multi-task
• Excellent relationship-building skills and ability to collaborate on internal teams as well as with external stakeholders and partners
• Experience developing and managing partnerships and complex programs
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Ability to work non-traditional hours and travel locally and internationally as needed
• Must be able to legally work in Uganda without visa sponsorship

Salary, Benefits & Other Details

Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications with attractive benefits. The salary range for this position is USD25,000 to USD30,000 annually.

ELMA is committed to helping prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to protecting the safety of our employees. All East Africa based employees will be required to be fully vaccinated unless the employee is approved for a reasonable accommodation due to medical contra-indications to vaccination or a sincerely held religious belief.

ELMA employees are expected to work in the office located in Kampala from Monday to Thursday, with the option to work remotely on Friday. On occasion, ELMA employees will be required to work in the office on Fridays.

How to Apply

The ELMA Philanthropies is an equal opportunities employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this position. All employment decisions shall be made without regard to race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, family responsibility, ethnic or social origin, national origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, genetic information, HIV or other health status, conscience, belief, political opinion, culture, language, birth, military or veteran status, or any other arbitrary ground in accordance with applicable national laws or regulations.

If you would like to apply for this position, please submit your application with the following:

• A cover letter
• CV
• Details of contactable references