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ASTYE is a 5-year transformative initiative designed to enable dignified and fulfilling work opportunities primarily for financially disadvantaged young women, refugees, and vulnerable groups by addressing structural barriers in Uganda's Agrifood system. Aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040, the National Development Plan and Government of Uganda Agriculture Value Chain Development Strategy, the program will contribute to national efforts toward poverty alleviation, economic growth, as well food and nutrition security. Additionally, ASTYE is part of the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy in Uganda, which aims to empower 4.3 million young Ugandans, particularly young women, by addressing structural barriers to employment and providing them with the skills and resources to succeed.

Specifically, GOAL will implement component one to reach 500,000 financially disadvantaged young people, with 456,000 transiting into work and 336,000 securing dignified and fulfilling work. As the program is young women-centric, 80% of the total outreach target will be young women within Uganda's agrifood ecosystem. Furthermore, 5% of the total youth in work target will be refugees, and another 5% will be people with disabilities.

General Description of the Role

The Youth Empowerment Portfolio Coordinator is a senior position within GOAL's ASTYE program, reporting directly to the ASTYE Program Lead. The Youth Empowerment Portfolio Coordinator will provide technically strong backstopping to Civil Society Organization (CSO) partners primarily implementing the empowerment strategy for youth, women, refugees, and people with disabilities within Uganda's agrifood system. The role encompasses strategic technical leadership, budget management of at least $3 million, increasing the youth voice within agrifood sector through changing social norms, coordinating youth-centered advocacy initiatives at district, regional, and national levels, and ensuring robust monitoring, evaluation, and adaptive management of youth empowerment interventions across 16 program districts in Bunyoro and Tooro sub-regions.

Key responsibilities include developing technical standard operating procedures for youth mentoring, managing CSO partnerships, conducting policy analysis and advocacy work, and building capacity among local partners. The role requires demonstrated experience in participatory programming, line management of technical teams, stakeholder engagement with government ministries and market actors, and a strong commitment to safeguarding vulnerable populations while driving systemic change in Uganda's agrifood ecosystem.