• Strategic Leadership & Program Direction • Lead the overall design, implementation, and monitoring of the Next Creata Program, ensuring alignment with the Uganda Creatives Program framework and Next Creata’s strategic priorities. • Serve as the key liaison between Next-Creata, Bayimba Foundation, ITC, the Fund Manager, and the Program Steering Committee. • Develop annual work plans, budgets, and performance frameworks for approval by the consortium. • Oversee integration of gender equality, safeguarding, and inclusion across all interventions. • Program Implementation & Coordination • Supervise and coordinate internal program teams (Curriculum, Training, Communications, Finance, Operations, and Downstream Partner Management). • Ensure timely and high-quality delivery of training programs, mentorships, market linkages, and internship placements. • Facilitate alignment between Next Creata’s national operations and the downstream partners’ localized implementation. • Ensure coherence between curriculum content, creative production outputs, and employment outcomes. • Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement • Maintain strong relationships with consortium partners, government agencies, creative industry stakeholders, and private sector partners. • Represent Next Creata in consortium coordination meetings, steering committees, and partner events. • Negotiate and manage MOUs, subcontracts, and partner frameworks under the program. • Drive partnerships for sustainability (creative hubs, brands, studios, and academic institutions). • Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning • Oversee implementation of the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework, ensuring data accuracy and timely reporting. • Lead quarterly reviews, partner assessments, and adaptive learning sessions. • Ensure high-quality quarterly and annual program reports are submitted to Bayimba/ITC. • Financial & Operational Oversight • Work closely with the Program Accountant to ensure prudent use of program funds and compliance with donor and audit requirements. • Approve partner disbursements, operational budgets, and activity advances within approved thresholds. • Monitor financial burn rates and program value-for-money indicators. • Representation & Advocacy • Serve as the face of the Next Creata Program in stakeholder engagements, media events, and consortium-level discussions. • Champion the visibility of the program and communicate its impact through evidence-based storytelling. • Advocate for inclusion of creative economy skilling and women’s participation in national policy dialogues.

• Education Master’s degree in Project Management, Media Studies, Creative Industries, Development Studies, or related field. • Experience Minimum 8 years of progressive leadership experience in program management within development, media, or creative sectors. Experience managing donor-funded (preferably Mastercard Foundation/UN) programs is an asset. • Technical Competence Strong grasp of creative industry value chains, training systems, gender inclusion, and financial inclusion strategies. • Leadership Skills Proven experience managing multi-disciplinary teams and consortium-based projects. • Financial & Compliance Skills Experience in program budgeting, reporting, and fund management under strict donor compliance frameworks. • Communication Skills Excellent negotiation, writing, and presentation abilities in English (Luganda or other local languages an asset). • ICT Skills Proficiency in project management tools (Trello, Asana, Excel, PowerBI) and digital collaboration platforms. • Competencies • Strategic thinker with results-oriented leadership. • Strong interpersonal and partnership-building skills. • Deep understanding of Uganda’s creative economy and youth ecosystem. • Ability to balance innovation with operational discipline. • Integrity, transparency, and commitment to inclusive leadership.

All candidates should send their applications with updated CVs via Email to: people@nextmedia.co.ug Deadline: 17th November 2025