Nicholas Tugume

As a Senior Engineer in the Ministry of Water and Environment deployed to Northern Umbrella of Water and Sanitation, i lead our efforts to amplify our Work in Northern Uganda to achieve sustainable development goals in Water Sanitation and Hygiene. I also serve as the Deputy Manager and Head of Engineering services division. My role involves strategizing, and managing national advocacy, communication and programmatic activities to enhance our influence and impact at various governmental and sectoral levels.
Key Responsibilities include;
• Learning and Reporting. Drive Learning and capacity building efforts within the team and among partners, documenting and communicating our progress and successes in sector forums and publications.
• External Relationship Management. Building and maintaining strategic relationships with government agencies, international organizations and donors to foster collaborative efforts for WASH sector improvement.

• Programmatic Leadership. Leading management and coordination of influence strategies and strategic alliances, ensuring alignment with our destination 2030 and safe Water for All initiatives.
• Technical Leadership, Planning and Implementation. Conducting project appraisal, feasibility studies and designs, supporting procurement and overseeing construction supervision of works.
As a Senior engineer i serve as Head of Engineering services division through which i have managed to realize the following;
• Prepared unit budget proposals from which 15 of water systems where rehabilitated under the KFW Phase 111 project "support to refugee hosting communities in Northern Uganda."
• Manpower planning, staff development and training of staff for the unit. Conducted quarterly staff training which has improved our down time by 2 hours.
• Developed scheme specific Performance improvement Plans and KPIs’ which are aligned to the Performance contract which has enhanced effective monthly performance appraisals of the staff with in the unit.
• Collaborated with section heads, cluster and area managers and developed comprehensive strategic business plans for 100 water systems aligned with organizations strategic direction and sectoral plans
• Excelled as a Team Leader for USAID-Uganda Sanitation for Health Activity project where I oversaw System Improvements and Upgrades on Omiya-Anyima Water Supply System through installation of 20km of pipelines, 100 new connections and installation of a chlorination unit for water treatment, serving an estimated 1800 people and two health centers with portable drinking water.

Ministry of Water and Environment Umbrella Organisations Component, as the head Engineering Services Division in charge of implementing Ministry of Water and Environment agenda in twenty eight (28) districts of Lango, Acholi and West Nile Sub regions.

• Prepared and populated databases of Asset Registers, GIS Maps, Engineering Designs, Maintenance schedules and system operational manuals for 76 piped water supply and sanitation systems
• Generated short term and long term investment plans to cover system expansions, connections, replacements and procurement schedules for 100 piped water Schemes in northern Uganda
• Designed, supervised construction works and conducted technical trainings in operation and maintenance.
• Trained Operators and WSSBs in various technical aspects in O&M including updating and use of asset registers and GIS maps in decision making for schemes.
• Liaised with key stakeholders on daily basis to ensure delivery of projects in line with expectations and objectives Key Achievements.
• Successfully completed rehabilitation of six(6) piped water supply and sanitations systems under SCAP100 project and supervised construction of 4 cold-pressed steel water tanks. Projects where completed on time and with in budget.
• Developed 5 year strategic Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) for organisations, created project plans and wrote business cases that achieved buy in for donor funding from GIZ and KFW.
• Developed scheme operators operations manual and established organisations standard operating procedures.
• Successfully coordinated introduction of Water Utility management approach to refugee hosting communities in westnile through site visits, community engagement meetings, setting tariffs, scheme management structures and dialogue with development and protection partner.
• Prepared and maintained project budgets and complied with schedules to avoid penalties.

Focal person during the implementation of the Asset Management Project in small towns with a special focus on Post-Conflict Northern Region by ACP-EU Water facility supervised by Vitens Evides International.

• Collected and populated data bases for 75 Water supply and sanitation systems using CUPPS, GIS and Excel.
• Prepared Asset registers, GIS Maps, Maintenance schedules and system operational manuals for towns under project.
• Designed and supervised rehabilitations, overhaul and system expansions through pipeline extensions in water supply and sanitation systems under Northern Umbrella of Water and Sanitation.
• Presented updates, insights, challenges and risks to project teams and senior leadership governance boards.
• Performed duties in accordance with all applicable standards, policies and regulatory guidelines to promote safe working environment.
• Developed and implemented performance improvement strategies and plans to promote continuous improvement.

As the assistant project engineer in the company, defined the role and CORE function, maximized budgets, and infused user-centered design, best practices, and truly accountable leadership into daily operations.

• Architected and influenced adoption of user-centered design methodology, project delivery life cycle, and program governance processes.
• Participated in technical and cost proposal development and customer presentations.
• Maintained records of cost and quantity information for each project and engineering discipline.
• Made recommendations to improve design, construction means and methods and materials based on field or changing conditions.