Program Officer Non-Communicable Diseases

Policy and Strategy

• Review and update the existing NCD policy and strategic plan in alignment with the NCD global and national agenda.
• Review and finalize existing NCD guidelines in alignment with current global guidelines.
• Develop operational work plans and budgets in line with approved NCD activities and budget lines.
• Prepare and ensure adherence to six-month work plans for approved NCD activities.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Network with various stakeholders (public and private) to promote the noncommunicable disease agenda at all levels while implementing various noncommunicable disease program activities.
• Liaise with the Health Promotion Division in implementing noncommunicable disease health promotion activities.
• Organize and participate in meetings, workshops, and other noncommunicable disease events.

Program management

• Proactively identify funding opportunities for noncommunicable diseases in Uganda
• Develop fundable research proposals for various noncommunicable disease program activities.
• Develop operational work plans and budgets in line with approved noncommunicable disease activities and budget lines.
• Prepare and ensure adherence to six-month work plans for agreed noncommunicable disease activities.

Funding

• Proactively identify funding opportunities for NCDs in Uganda
• Develop fundable research proposals for various NCD program activities.

Research

• Spearhead NCD research including proposal writing, data analysis, and the publication and dissemination of findings.
• Develop a database for all existing NCD research in Uganda, both published and unpublished

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Monitor and evaluate NCD activities and interventions in various health programs.
• Prepare activity reports and participate in drafting the semi-annual progress report.
• Actively participate in the development of appropriate monitoring and evaluation tools for various NCD activities
• Periodically compile, analyze, and report HMIS/DHIS data on NCDs

Health Education

• Participate in NCD training of health care workers and regular revision of the training curriculum.
• Review and update NCD Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials targeting different population groups and settings.

•  Project management experience, including creating project work plans, budgets, and summary documents.
• Excellent writing skills with the ability to translate technical information into accessible language for a diverse range of audiences.
• Knowledge of at least one local Ugandan language.
• Demonstrated experience or interest in noncommunicable disease issues, including an understanding of their linkage to development and poverty.
•  Experience with planning meetings, workshops, or events, including shaping the agenda and coordinating logistics.
• Database and data analysis experience.
• Experience assessing and reporting on program/project impact.
• Experience drafting grant proposals for research projects or programs.
• Experience managing multiple stakeholders to ensure a project stays on time and on budget.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint)
• A strong interest in noncommunicable disease issues on a local, national, regional, and global level, as well as an understanding of their linkage to development and poverty
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to manage processes with multiple stakeholders.
• Strong organizational and leadership skills.
• Good analytical and decision-making skills.
• Ability to take initiative; innovative, hardworking, and results oriented.
• Ability to work under pressure; conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results.
• Ability to work well in team settings, but with self-sufficiency and self-motivation.
• Ability to multi-task with flexibility and set priorities. 

The Ministry of Health is a government body set up with the mandate of stewardship and leadership of the health sector. The Ministry of Health is responsible for policy review and development, supervision of health sector activities, formulation and dialogue with health development partners, strategic planning, setting standards and quality assurance, resource mobilization, advising other Ministries, departments and agencies on health-related matters, and ensuring quality, health equity, and fairness in contribution towards the cost of health care

The MOH is committed to providing the highest possible level of health services to all people in Uganda through delivery and promotion of preventive, curative, palliative, and rehabilitative health services at all levels.

Noncommunicable Diseases Department

The Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) Department is mandated to spearhead all programs related to the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in Uganda. As of 2019, the NCD Department was divided into two focused divisions: 1) Lifestyles and 2) Mental Health & Substance Abuse. The NCD Department’s priority areas are:

• Develop, analyze policies in relation to NCDs.
• Improving access to care for persons with Mental, Neurological, and Substance Use (MNS) disorders and other NCDs
• Mitigating the negative impact of MNS disorders at the individual, family, and community levels.
• Collect, analyze, and report information to demonstrate the national burden of NCDs.
• Analyze current health system readiness, and potential to handle NCDs and recommend revisions in NCD management.