Project Director Uganda
for the Green Entrepreneurship Team at adelphi global gGmbH
(full time, limited to December 2028, with the possibility of extension) - Kampala, Uganda
adelphi is an independent think-and-do tank on climate, environment and development. We advocate for just transformative change and a livable and sustainable society. More than 100 bright minds work locally and globally on environment and sustainability and the challenges of political, economic and social change.
Exciting tasks in a varied environment await you with us. Contribute your ideas and expertise to our interdisciplinary, international teams and benefit from networked working and learning as well as flat hierarchies.
Your impact
Join adelphi's Green Entrepreneurship team and lead the establishment of our project office in Kampala, Uganda.
We at adelphi’s Green Entrepreneurship team believe opportunities expand when entrepreneurs and teams receive the right support to drive change themselves. We work with locally embedded (micro), small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Africa, Asia and Latin America - businesses that drive inclusive growth while advancing sustainable development.
Our focus is (green) private sector development and SME finance: strengthening enterprise capabilities, improving business models and finance readiness, and connecting firms to the partners they need to scale. A core part of our work is access to finance. We support SMEs to become finance-ready through targeted business development services, coaching and mentoring, and we facilitate links to appropriate sources of capital.
The EU-funded Uganda Green Enterprise Finance Accelerator (UGEFA) is our flagship project; this multi-year, multi-million-euro project aims to increase the flow of green finance to Uganda’s SME sector. UGEFA reduces the risk of financing change by partnering with eight leading Ugandan banks through a Green SME Finance Facility. Alongside this, we deliver a comprehensive, finance-focused accelerator program that helps green enterprises build the business and financial skills required to access finance, scale their positive environmental impact, and increase employment. Our UGEFA Green Finance Academy provides technical assistance to Uganda’s banking sector, with a focus on green finance and the design of green loan products.
In the framework of UGEFA, we are establishing a project office in Kampala, Uganda. We are currently in the process of registering a local entity, and our local team will build even stronger relationships with the green enterprises we support, our donor, partner banks and Business Advisors and play a strong role in the implementation of our activities – from enterprise advisory to funding facilitation, event management, communications and monitoring, learning and evaluation.
We are looking for a Project Director Uganda, who will be responsible for setting up and leading the local office, overseeing operations and representing UGEFA and adelphi. The role starts remotely with regular project visits to Uganda. Upon registration of our local country office, the selected candidate will be expected to relocate to and be based in Kampala, Uganda.
Diversity is important to us. For a sustainable future, we need a diversity of experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.
Your tasks
- Set up and operationalise the Kampala project office, including organisational structure, internal processes, reporting lines, and coordination routines with the wider UGEFA and adelphi team.
- Work closely with the local Finance and Administration Manager and adelphi to establish robust financial management systems and controls, ensuring accurate budgeting,
forecasting, cashflow planning, payment processes, and donor-compliant
financial documentation and audit readiness.
- Lead local procurement and contracting, including procurement planning, tendering and vendor due diligence, contract management, and compliance with EU and adelphi requirements.
- Recruit, onboard and manage the local team (three positions), including role scoping, hiring processes, performance management, coaching, and fostering a high performing team culture.
- Provide strategic and operational leadership for in-country delivery, translating strategy into workplans, milestones, responsibilities, and decision-making processes, and ensuring timely, high-quality implementation.
- Ensure adherence to adelphi's processes, compliance standards and reporting requirements across the local team.
- Strategically and operationally drive forward key thematic areas, including Green Enterprise Advisory and Business Development Services, and Green Finance.
- Conceptualise, moderate and facilitate related workshops and events.
- Represent UGEFA and adelphi in Uganda, acting as the senior point of contact for the donor and key stakeholders and safeguarding organisational reputation and partnerships.
- Build and maintain a strong local network and partnerships, including with banks, business advisors, enterprise support organisations, government counterparts, and the wider green finance ecosystem.
- Drive sustainability through resource mobilisation, identifying pipeline opportunities beyond the current project, developing partnerships and proposals, and positioning UGEFA for continuation or scale up.
Office setup and operations
Team Leadership
Programme Implementation
Stakeholder Engagement and Resource Mobilisation
Your profile
- Academic background in a relevant field (for example finance, economics, business administration, development studies, public policy, environmental management, or a related discipline); a master’s degree is preferred.
- At least eight years of relevant professional experience, including progressive responsibility in programme or operations management in Uganda or East Africa.
- Strong thematic expertise in private sector development, green entrepreneurship, and green or climate finance, with a solid understanding of the constraints and opportunities facing SMEs and financial institutions.
- Demonstrated experience or showing the potential to set up and manage a country office or local programme operations, including team leadership, internal systems, and coordination with international headquarters or consortium partners.
- Strong financial oversight competence, including budget ownership and donor-compliant reporting; experience with EU-funded projects is a strong asset. The Project Director Uganda works in close collaboration with the Finance and Administration Manager, who leads on day-to-day financial management and compliance.
- Demonstrated procurement and contract management experience, including leading local procurement processes, managing consultants and service providers, and ensuring compliance and value for money.
- Excellent stakeholder management and representation skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships with financial institutions, donors, business advisors, and public sector counterparts.
- Full professional proficiency in English is required.
What we offer you:
- adelphi_Position with perspective
Full-time position, initially limited to December 2028, with the option of extension. -
adelphi_ Spirit
An international and interdisciplinary team with a lot of passionate commitment for a future worth living. Not only spinning ideas together at work, but also celebrating together at various adelphi events. An appreciative corporate culture with flat hierarchies as well as friendly and committed colleagues. -
adelphi_Working environment
An exciting, flexible and multicultural working environment with flexible working hours , diverse working time models and mobile working for your personal work-life balance as well as IT equipment for your home office. -
adelphi_Care
Continuous advancement of your competencies, individual development through numerous internal and external trainings as well as our buddy program, mentoring and knowledge exchanges.