About Next Media

Next Media Group is Uganda’s leading multimedia conglomerate with over 16 years of excellence in news, entertainment, and digital content.

Portfolio: NBS TV, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Nile Post
Award-winning for innovative storytelling (Public Opinion Awards)
Creative & dynamic culture fostering innovation and growth
Blends traditional broadcasting with digital media to inform, educate, and inspire
CSR focus: Community empowerment, youth development
Core values: Integrity, Creativity, Excellence

Visit www.nextmedia.co.ug for more.

Program Background

The Next Creata Program is the flagship initiative of Next-Creata under the Uganda Creatives Program, in partnership with Bayimba Foundation, ITC, and Mastercard Foundation.

It aims to skill, employ, and financially include 40,000 young women in Uganda’s creative economy through:

Media production training
Digital skills development
Market linkages
Entrepreneurial pathways

Role Overview

The Program Lead provides visionary leadership and operational oversight for the entire Next Creata Program, ensuring alignment with donor requirements, consortium standards, and organizational strategy.

You will coordinate all programming, technical, and financial components for maximum impact and sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Program Direction

Align program with Uganda Creatives Program and Next Creata priorities
Lead design, implementation, and monitoring
Primary liaison with Bayimba, ITC, Fund Manager, and Steering Committee
Secure consortium approval for work plans, budgets, and frameworks
Ensure gender equality, safeguarding, and inclusivity

Implementation & Coordination

Supervise curriculum, training, comms, finance, and partner teams
Ensure timely, high-quality delivery of training, mentorships, internships
Coordinate nationwide operations and downstream partners
Align curriculum, creative outputs, and job placements

Stakeholder & Partner Engagement

Maintain strong relationships with government, industry, and private sector
Represent Next Creata in consortium meetings and events
Negotiate MOUs, subcontracts, and partner frameworks
Foster sustainable collaborations with hubs, brands, studios

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning

Implement MEL framework and ensure timely reporting
Lead quarterly reviews, partner assessments, adaptive learning
Deliver high-quality reports to Bayimba/ITC

Financial & Operational Oversight

Work with Program Accountant for prudent fund management
Approve payments, budgets, and advances within limits
Monitor value-for-money and financial burn rates

Advocacy & Representation

Represent program at stakeholder and media events
Amplify impact through evidence-based stories
Advocate for women’s inclusion in national creative economy policies

Qualifications, Education & Skills

Education: Master’s in Project Management, Media Studies, Creative Industries, Development Studies, or related field

Experience: 8+ years in progressive program leadership in creative, media, or development sectors

Preferred: Donor-funded projects (Mastercard Foundation or UN experience a plus)

Technical Skills:

Deep knowledge of creative value chains, training systems, gender inclusion, financial inclusion
Proven cross-functional team and consortium leadership
Budgeting, reporting, and donor compliance expertise

Communication: Excellent English (Luganda/local language a plus)

ICT Skills: Trello, Asana, Excel, PowerBI

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