General Manager

About Cycle Connect

Cycle Connect is a social enterprise that expands access to income-generating assets for smallholder farmers in rural Uganda. Founded as Bicycles Against Poverty with a singular lease-to-own bicycle, the organisation has since grown into a pioneering last-mile finance and distribution company with a clear mission: to increase incomes for rural farmers through productive asset-financing and training.

We have designed a business model that bridges the gap between high-potential rural communities and the products, financing, and services they need to succeed. To date, we have directly served over 14,000 farmers, indirectly impacting more than 90,000 lives. Our aim is to reach tens of thousands more over the coming years through steady, sustainable growth.

Our Model: Income Growth Through Access

Cycle Connect’s approach combines:

• Productive Assets: We provide a curated suite of income-generating tools, including motorcycles, grinding mills, maize threshers, and pilot technologies like solar pumps and e-bikes.
• Inclusive Financing: Our loans are designed to be affordable and flexible for rural clients, lowering barriers to adoption through customised terms.
• Last-Mile Delivery: Our field teams deliver products, collect payments, and provide training directly in rural communities.
• Training & Support: We offer customer education to maximise the income potential and proper use of each asset.

This model is built to increase incomes, improve financial inclusion, and create long-term livelihood improvements for rural households.

Organisational Priorities & Success Metrics

The General Manager will be expected to drive performance across a focused set of organisational priorities. These include:

• Manage the business to generate profitable returns while maintaining low default rates, and sustainable growth in loan portfolio quality
• Expanding access through rural distribution while maintaining strong customer repayment rates.
• Enhancing financial sustainability by improving operational productivity and cost-efficiency.
• Strengthening impact reporting and storytelling to engage external partners.
• Cultivating new funder and eco-system partner relationships while managing existing philanthropic and debt partners.
• Continue to enhance Cycle Connect differentiation in last mile delivery by evaluating current practice & selectively innovate new practices.

Performance will be tracked against a balanced scorecard covering operations, financial health, support to and team growth, and farmer impact.

The Opportunity

This is a unique leadership role for a grounded operator who thrives on cross-functional management and is ready to lead a mission-driven organisation into its next chapter of stability and growth. The General Manager will take full ownership of Cycle Connect’s Uganda operations, including team leadership, P&L management, service delivery, and stakeholder engagement. We’re seeking someone who is hands-on, financially astute, values-driven, and deeply motivated by rural impact.

Key Responsibilities

1. Organisational Leadership

• Lead the execution of Cycle Connect's strategic plan to expand its reach to smallholder farmers, ensuring alignment with the organization's mission and values.
• Collaborate with the Board of Directors to set and monitor key performance indicators across financial, operational, and impact metrics.
• Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership across all departments.

2. Financial Management

• Manage the organizational P&L, budget, and internal financial reporting.
• Strengthen financial controls and cash flow planning Improve credit performance and asset utilisation through proactive loan and product portfolio management.
• Support fundraising efforts and manage debt servicing in coordination with relevant partners

3. Operational Excellence

• Oversee credit, logistics, customer service, and field operations.
• Strengthen internal systems and ensure smooth last-mile delivery.
• Lead the team in the management of loan portfolio performance- including monitoring of asset quality, delinquency trends, and risk metrics.

4. Team Management

• Lead and support a 40-person team across multiple locations.
• Build leadership capacity, manage performance, and strengthen organisational culture.
• Foster resilience and cohesion following prior leadership transitions.

5. External Relations

• Manage relationships with donors, debt partners, vendors, and government stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain relationships with new and existing funders by leveraging impact data that demonstrates the livelihood improvements achieved through Cycle Connect's last-mile approach.
• Ensure that impact data accurately reflects the organisation's contributions to financial inclusion and income growth among smallholder farmers.

Candidate Profile

Must-Have Experience

• Proven general management or departmental leadership experience, ideally with cross-functional oversight.
• Experience managing a business unit or regional P&L with financial accountability.
• Strong operational acumen and ability to align strategy with execution.
• Demonstrated ability to manage, motivate, and retain teams through change.
• Willingness to spend significant time in Gulu, and comfort working in off-grid or rural environments.
• Strong financial literacy, including budgeting, financial reporting, and familiarity with debt financing.
• Ability to self-direct and lead autonomously with limited oversight.

Nice-to-Have Experience

• Exposure to asset financing, credit, or rural financial services.
• Background in agriculture, distribution, or social enterprise.
• Experience managing external partnerships or raisingfunds.

What Success Looks Like

• Stable, high-performing operations with strong customer repayment and service delivery.
• Clear financial oversight and progress toward breakeven goals.
• A cohesive, motivated team.
• Modest expansion of high-impact product offerings and rural reach.

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