Organization Name: Ministry of Health – Uganda
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Eligible Citizenship: Uganda
Role Code: G04-NAT

Role Overview
The Mental Health and Control of Substance Abuse Program Officer will collaborate with the Ministry of Health (MOH)’s team to develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate mental health and substance abuse interventions in Uganda. The role will also support resource mobilization efforts for Mental Health and Control of Substance Abuse interventions, in line with the department’s mission. They will report to the Assistant Commissioner of Mental Health and Control of Substance Abuse.

Responsibilities
Strategic learning, monitoring, & evaluation
• Explore and document best practices to promote mental health and control of substance abuse in line with existing standards
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of mental health and control of substance abuse interventions in various health programs
• Prepare regular reports of mental health and control of substance abuse activities in line with departmental guidelines
Stakeholder engagement, knowledge management
• Map all partners working on mental health and control of substance abuse in Uganda
• Network with various stakeholders (public and private) to promote mental health and control of substance abuse at the policy and implementation levels
• Support the coordination of stakeholder meetings with implementing partners, MOH staff, and other key partners
• Disseminate laws, regulations, policies, guidelines, and standards in line with mental health and control of substance abuse
Research
• Develop fundable research proposals for mental health and control of substance abuse programs and activities
Strategic Planning
• Develop national strategic plans and budgets for mental health and control of substance abuse initiatives in line with the approved programs and budget lines

Skills and Experience
Items indicated with an asterisk (*) are required
• Experience in social research (e.g. conducting surveys and interviews), policy analysis, or quantitative/qualitative data analysis*
• Experience with partnership management, especially acting as the lead point of contact for high-level stakeholders like donors or government officials*
• Experience drafting external-facing documents, including concept notes, reports, articles, and/or correspondence*
• Professional experience with or academic training in community-based health programs, mental health, and/or substance abuse
• Experience with public speaking, as evidenced by presentations, workshops, or panels
• Experience in conference and/or high-level meeting planning and organization
• Demonstrated project management skills with the ability to ensure internal and external collaborators achieve a time-bound goal or project
• Good analytical and decision-making skills
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Ability to work in a team environment, but with self-sufficiency and self-motivation
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to multitask with flexibility and prioritize across multiple activities
• Experience living in a developing country
• Proficiency in MS Office and computer applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint)

About the Organization
The Ministry of Health (MOH) Uganda is a government body charged with policy formulation and dialogue with health development partners, resource mobilization and budgeting, strategic planning, regulation, advising other ministries on matters related to health, setting standards and quality assurance, capacity development and technical support, provision of nationally coordinated services such as epidemic control, coordination of health research, and monitoring and evaluation of overall sector performance. The MOH is committed to providing the highest possible level of health services to all people in Uganda through the 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 noncommunicable diseases in Uganda. As of 2019, the NCD Department was divided into two focused divisions: 1) Lifestyles and 2) Mental Health & Control of Substance Abuse. The NCD Department’s priority areas are:
• Improving access to care for persons with Mental, Neurological, and Substance Use (MNS) disorders
• Mitigating the negative impact of MNS disorders at the individual, family, and community levels
• Physical activity