Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Languages
Timeline
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Martin Muwereza

Kampala,Kyadondo

Summary

Martin is a creative, organized and dependable professional with a proven track-record of state and non-state actors relationships process facilitation, vast experience in civil society strengthening programming, grant making and successful at managing multiple priorities with a high degree of accuracy and with a positive attitude. He is skilled in developing and executing strategies, managing budgets and resources, and leading cross-functional teams. Consistently produces tangible outcomes that exceed expectations, as demonstrated in his vast achievements in the accountability/anti-corruption, and civic engagement sub-sectors while working with DGAP and DGF over the last 11 years. He has sound abilities to work independently while maintaining a team/collective responsibility approach and has demonstrated willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals. Martin is a results-driven individual, leverages advanced strategies and tactics that drive effectiveness, efficiency, visibility and relevancy and and is proficient in content analysis, problem-solving and relationships management. He has a passion for undertaking tasks that revolve around promoting popular participation, social justice and accountability and present professional challenges utilizing interpersonal skills, excellent time management and problem-solving skills.

Overview

33
33
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education

Work history

Team Leader

EU-Democratic Governance & Accountability Program
Kampala, Central Region
10.2011 - 07.2014
  • Led an effective and well-functioning Program Management Unit PMU of 14 program and finance staff, overseeing program implementation of Social Accountability and Democratic Accountability and Human rights projects by 16 grantees (12 CSOs and 4 State Institutions), through: Coordination, Quality Assurance, monitoring and reporting.
  • Established an effective two-way flow of information and communication between end-beneficiaries, program beneficiaries, grantees, the PMU, implementing partners (EU, GoU- Ministry of Finance and ministry of Internal Affairs), making decision-making fast and transparent for all stakeholders
  • Led in ensuring PMU compliance with narrative and financial reporting standards and maintained up-to-date data, records and receipts for audits and reconciliation.
  • Drove team and grantees to consistently exceed critical Key Performance Indicator (KPI) targets by up to 35%.
  • Led in furnishing all 3 Implementing Partners (the EU, National Authorising Officer and the Supervising Authority) with timely information of operational and strategic importance that enabled to make informed and timely decisions on the program
  • Provided leadership and direction for the 14 Program Management Unit (PMU) staff, supervising activities to drive productivity and efficiency of the staff in their technical backstopping and monitoring roles to program grantees; resolved staff relations issues and navigated disciplinary proceedings., thereby fostering a positive staff relationships through communication, training, mentoring and coaching.
  • Led performance reviews and tailored PMU staff feedback to facilitate professional development.
  • Using my Political Economy Analysis skills, professional connections, sharp negotiation and inter-personal skills, I manoeuvred around politically sensitive areas of program, and registered full state buy-in (particularly of key state Institutions like Ministry of Internal Affairs, ministry of Finance and Parliament of Uganda)
  • Successfully led negotiated a no-cost extension for the program to cater for time lost during negotiations between the EU and GoU for the Implementation Agreement, paving the way for turned out to be a successful full implementation of all planned activities and subsequent smooth closure of the entire program.
  • Produced 6 Stories of Change from implementing partners' projects including; "Strengthened Human Rights Committees" under Uganda Prisons Services; "Community Policing and Reduced Crime" under Uganda Police Force; "Improved Technical Capacity for Scrutiny of Bills" under Parliament of Uganda; "Citizens Participation and Improved Transparency and Accountability"; "Social Inclusion and Improved service Delivery", both from CSOs projects results.
  • Led in the production of robust training manuals in MEAL and Lobbying and Advocacy, which were subsequently effectively used by grantees in implementing their projects
  • Captured and assessed feedback from grantees and other stakeholders to maximise program beneficiary satisfaction and loyalty.
  • Supervised 1 round of Results Oriented Monitoring and 1 Mid-term Review and an End-of-program Evaluation by the EU Mission
  • Facilitated synergy building and collaboration between CSOs and relevant state institutions, subsequently contributing to enhanced Local Governments' responsiveness to demands of civil society and local communities.

Deputy Program & Learning Manager

Democratic Governance Facility
Kampala, Uganda
10.2014 - 12.2022
  • Took an active lead role in the selection process (from call for proposals to award of Partnership Agreements) for DGF's implementing partners for the transition period and under DGF II
  • Facilitated the setting up of a coherent portfolio of partners in the accountability sector and natural resources management sectors which effectively contributed to the evolution of a culture of accountability in the public sector, including the emerging oil and gas sector, under DGF I and II.
  • Led in the establishment of cross collaboration and synergy mechanisms between Sphere 2 and the other two DGF spheres leading to cross-sphere learning at the FMU and IP levels
  • Provided effective technical backstopping to program managers in the monitoring tracking of IPs' budgets and workplans are well aligned and an effective M&E system is in place to providing real-time updates on program progress, achievements, emerging opportunities and challenges to DGF Steering Committee and Board and to other stakeholders
  • Facilitated state and non-state actors to constructively engage with each other leading to adoption by the state of a number of proposals for alternative policies, presented by civil society and also opening up by he state, of once closed spaces once closed spaces for civil society participation
  • Effectively supported and facilitated IPs to implement civic education across the country, which has enhanced Citizens' participation in decision-making and holding leaders accountable, at the micro, meso and macro levels has notably increased and become more effective with citizens now increasingly holding their leaders to account
  • As a result of the increased citizens participation in decision-making fora, there is a marked increase in volume and quality of service delivery by the state to the citizens following increased participation and vigilance of citizens on monitoring of service delivery chain
  • Led on processes for building internal capacities of implementing partners, leading to improved budget burn rates and financial management compliance levels, reporting quality and timeliness, and more meaningful capture and communication of results from implemented projects. The resource mobilization capacity too has improved as IPs' visibility and attractiveness to potential funders has increased with increased internal governance and management capacities
  • Led in the documented and production of 2 key briefing papers: i) "Efficacy of and lessons Learnt from Citizens Engagement Models" used by DGF-supported implementing partners; ii) Policy Brief on "Civic Education Delivery - Insights into Achievements, Lessons learnt and Future programming" - the DGF-supported partners' experience.

Senior Technical Monitoring Officer

Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Dev.
Kampala
05.2008 - 06.2011
  • Submitted Budget Monitoring reports highlighting allocative and consumptive efficiency and burn rates, against all funded water projects, to Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Water and Environment for top management analyses and decision-making.
  • Drove the implementation of the Community-based Operation and Maintenance Strategy at facility levels and monitored the resultant trend in status of functionality of installed water facilities.
  • Advised managers cost-effective measures to perform maintenance and repairs.
  • Determined design philosophies by conducting research on latest trends in technical appropriateness of the different technical water facilities designs under the different socio-economic and cultural contexts in which they were operated.
  • Organised and monitored technical activity for various projects and compliance with annual objectives stipulated out in the Ministerial Policy Statement.
  • Produced quarterly evidence-based Policy Briefs that drove a collaborative and partnership relationship between Ministry of Finance and Ministry of water and Environment and informed subsequent key budget allocation decisions

Senior Portfolio Team Leader

Netherlands Development Organisation - SNV
Moroto
09.1998 - 06.2006
  • Assembled and led a cohesive well motivated and effective team of 12 advisors offering technical advisory services and training in Extension work – principles and practices - to four District Local Governments and 12 Civil Society Organizations.
  • Led in the onboarding of civil society and Local governments grantees, conducted their capacity needs assessments and led in the development of the Karamoja Local Governments and Civil Society Capacity Development program Strategy Paper
  • Provided strategic and operational leadership and oversight to the portfolio team of national and expatriate Advisors. Set clear team goals and delegated tasks and set deadlines.
  • Assessed feedback from participating local governments and CSOs to maximise portfolio grantees' satisfaction and loyalty, by minimizing response time to resolve complaints raised about the quality and volume of the portfolio teams' servicing of grantees.
  • Led the portfolio planning and budgeting processes, quality control and reporting - Produced monthly, quarterly and annual activity and financial reports and forecasts, for review and approval by the Country Director.
  • Led the portfolio performance management trajectory, conducted annual performance appraisals and implemented a staff capacity development program that constantly contributed to improved staff performance and overall portfolio program effectiveness and efficiency.
  • Conducted team member meetings and updated members on best practices and continuing expectations.
  • Promoted professionalism and effective communication among portfolio staff to develop productive relationships within the team and between the team and participating grantees..
  • Developed strategies to promote team member adherence to organisational regulations and performance goals.
  • Drove improved Strategic Planning, Budgeting and Resource mobilisation among participating Local Governments and Civil society Organisations.
  • Supervised a successful and effective managed Honey Value Chain and Livestock Value Chain in which youth and women participated alongside the traditional male pastoralists. Improved household incomes at the grassroots levels
  • Supervised support to 5 Local Livestock Marketing Groups were formed and strengthened across the Karamoja region and their access to fair markets for their livestock and livestock hides greatly improved
  • Supervised support to 15 Women groups engaging in Honey Value Chain to access fair markets within Uganda and across the Kenyan border
  • Supervised support to 3 Youth groups in Nakapiripiriti District to aggregate Millet and Sorghum grains and access fair markets in Mbale and Kampala
  • Led the research that led to the publication of a Karamoja working paper titled; "The Spiral of Resource-related violence in Pastoralist communities – A Case of Karamoja”. The paper tuned out to be a key resource in the government of Uganda design of the “Karamoja Integrated Disarmament and Development program (KIDD), whose implementation led to a successful disarmament drive between 2004 and 2008 and peaceful implementation of development projects, until the recent 2003 “profit-driven” resurgences of armed conflict in the region again.

Senior Social Researcher - Ikafe Refugee Program

Oxfam GB in Uganda
Kampala
02.1996 - 09.1998
  • Developed threat and risk assessments with ranked response options, top management took program adjustment decisions based on the ranked options.
  • Examined established policies related to core refugee program areas of: distribution of food and non-food items; allocations of land for food production under the self-sufficiency strategy; and refugee-host community relationship strengthening strategy, to identify weaknesses and needed updates.
  • Encouraged dialogue about policy changes, leveraging information to better target initiatives and serve identified needs.
  • Compared current program operations against policies and highlighted gaps and advised on preferred options between available policy recommendations.
  • Facilitated the building of positive relationships with refugees' representatives, local communities and local governments'' representatives to stay current on needs and understand policy impacts.
  • Produced quarterly policy Briefs detailing; relationships issues, security situations, cross-border movements, status of food and non-food items distribution and adequacy, feedback from the refugee and host communities and responsiveness of program staff to refugee practical concerns, strategic and practical gender needs of the refugee community. Management then used these briefs for decision-making to improve program effectiveness and visibility.
  • Produced a research paper titled: “The Genesis, Dynamics, Key Actors and Likely future Trajectory of the Sudanese Conflict, in as it leads to the Refugee Problem”,

Program Manager

Integrated rural Development Initiatives - IRDI
Kampala, Central Region
01.1990 - 08.1996
  • Provided overall leadership and strategic oversight to the organisation, maintained a motivated highly effective team of 6 Manager and 4 administrative staff
  • Managed and maintained smooth relationships with Hivos Netherlands (the core program donor) and reached out to other existing local donor community to ensure effective continuous dialogue in support of IRDI's additional fund raising efforts
  • Facilitated program-level discussions and workshops to achieve clear direction on key issues and priorities.
  • Coordinated program projects and management of interdependencies with oversight of risks and issues.
  • Assessed, formulated and proposed changes to ongoing programs, providing strategic directions for clients and stakeholders.
  • As the budget and risk holder, ensured that the expenditure of IRDI's activity portfolio is in line with forecasted budgets and that risks were being effectively managed.
  • Allocated common resources and skills within program's individual projects, reporting progress at regular intervals to [Job Title].
  • Cultivated relationships with community groups (particularly Youth and Women farmer groups), project stakeholders and funding sources, maximizing program outreach.

Education

Master of Science (Agric) in Rural Development - Rural Development

University College Dublin
Dublin, Ireland
10.1994 - 02.1996

Post Grad Certificate - Rural Extension

International Agricultural Centre Wageningen
Netherlands
05.1992 - 08.1992

Bachelors of Science - Forestry

Makerere University
Kampala Uganda
10.1981 - 05.1984

Skills

  • Context analysis and Strategic Planning
  • Proven strong partner management process facilitation and grant management and resource mobilisation skills
  • Strong analytical skills, sound problem-solving and decision-making and judgement capabilities
  • Excellent inter-personal and effective communication skills
  • Ability to establish and maintain strong collaborative partnerships/relationships with development partners, high ranking government officials, civil society, and private sector organisations
  • Sound financial management and budgeting experience


Languages

English
Fluent

Timeline

Deputy Program & Learning Manager

Democratic Governance Facility
10.2014 - 12.2022

Team Leader

EU-Democratic Governance & Accountability Program
10.2011 - 07.2014

Senior Technical Monitoring Officer

Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Dev.
05.2008 - 06.2011

Senior Portfolio Team Leader

Netherlands Development Organisation - SNV
09.1998 - 06.2006

Senior Social Researcher - Ikafe Refugee Program

Oxfam GB in Uganda
02.1996 - 09.1998

Master of Science (Agric) in Rural Development - Rural Development

University College Dublin
10.1994 - 02.1996

Post Grad Certificate - Rural Extension

International Agricultural Centre Wageningen
05.1992 - 08.1992

Program Manager

Integrated rural Development Initiatives - IRDI
01.1990 - 08.1996

Bachelors of Science - Forestry

Makerere University
10.1981 - 05.1984

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Martin Muwereza