Country: Uganda
Closing date: 02 Sep 2015
Design without Borders - Uganda Limited (DwB-UG Ltd) was established in Uganda in April 2014 and fully owned by the Norwegian non-profit foundation Design without Borders.
The Design without Borders - Uganda Ltd*is a professional design company that develops context-relevant solutions answering local needs in collaboration with local partners. The solutions contribute to better social, physical and environmental conditions for people in the East Africa region. Currently *DwB-UG Ltd has an office in Kampala with 5 local employees and 4 international designers and most of our projects and collaborations are in Uganda. However, we also aim for projects and collaboration in the wider East Africa region.
In addition to developing solutions, DwB-UG Ltd works to strengthen design capacity and expertise by promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, disseminating knowledge and provide advice to professionals, governments, businesses and educational institutions. Amongst our current partners in Uganda are the Makerere University, the Ugandan Manufacturing Association and a number of Ugandan private companies.
DwB-UG Ltd currently seeks to recruit a General Manager who will be responsible for leading the company in line with the agreed strategy and action plan as adopted by the Board of Directors and in accordance with the applicable national laws and regulations. The General Manager will deliver results accordingly and report to the Board of Directors.
The ideal candidate for this post is a national of East Africa with work experience from and strong connections to the region.
Task description and responsibilities
The General Manager will be the driving force in developing and implementing a strategy aiming for a transition from a current funding based organisation to a commercially viable business. He/she will develop relations within the local business sector and establish relevant sales pipeline for design projects and secure necessary sales and revenues in Uganda and the wider East Africa region.
An important task of the General Manager will be to promote design and work with existing and future business partners nationally and regionally and represent DwB-UG Ltd in relevant forums, including the media and public arenas. The General Manager is responsible for meeting the objectives for DwB-UG Ltd and build and maintain a culture of innovation, professionalism and collaboration in all undertakings of company. He/she will ensure the following:
- Administer daily operations and make sure that these are run in line with the identified objectives and budgets
- The company is staffed with competent personnel.
- The General Manager has the line management responsibility for the local staff at*DwB-UG Ltd*. (The international designers are employed by Design without Borders in Norway and are therefore not under the direct line management of the General Manager).
- Motivate the staff and structure activities to deliver on the goals and objectives
- Establish a good working culture and environment in the office For the period 2015-2017 an important task of Design without Borders - Uganda Ltd and the General Manager is to meet the identified goals within on-going funding agreements with the current donors, NORAD and FK Norway (FK), and contribute towards fulfilling the objectives and strategy of Design without Borders in Norway.
The General Manager’s performance will be evaluated on the above points at the end of each fiscal year.
Qualifications
- Relevant university degree, at Masters level. Longer and relevant experience from management may compensate for lack of formal education
- Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience, minimum 3 years of experience from management in international environment
- Good understanding of, and/or interest, in design discipline
- Proficient in use of digital tools like Windows office and other relevant management software
- Ability to present complex business information in a succinct and compelling manner
- Fluency in English, both written and verbal
Personal qualities
- Highest standards of ethics and integrity
- Punctual, honest and reliable
- Ability to work independently and deliver results
- Ability to work well under pressure and on multiple tasks in parallel
- Excellent communication skills and ability to communicate with people from different cultures
- Good networking skills and a large local network
- Methodical, systematic and structured
- Manage to conclude and make necessary and timely decisions
- Motivating and supporting
Education field
- Business/IT/Engineering or other relevant areas
We offer
- Commencement as soon as possible
- Competitive salary
- A very engaging and international working environment
How to apply:
Please apply with a cover letter and CV at the following link ONLY;
Applications sent through other channels will not be considered.