Role overview
What you'll be stepping into
The Manager, Marketing and Commercial Services will provide leadership in the marketing and commercialization of UCAA. The position is responsible for creating opportunities to grow UCAA’s aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenues and achieve other business objectives, including marketing, commercial functions, customer engagement, and customer retention.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
1. Strategic Planning and Vision
Understand and support the strategic direction and focus of UCAA.
Communicate and promote UCAA’s vision, mission, and values among the management team, employees, and external stakeholders.
Develop work processes that support the Authority’s vision.
Develop and implement strategic and operational plans for the Marketing and Commercial Department.
Establish key marketing and commercial strategic milestones and ensure that business activities support corporate objectives.
Participate in the Authority’s business planning, budgeting, and review processes.
Ensure that the financial interests of UCAA’s shareholders are appropriately supported.
2. Marketing and Commercial Development and Management
Develop and manage commercial concessions while ensuring appropriate returns on investment for the Authority.
Manage airport rentable space to maximize revenue and ensure optimal utilization.
Monitor property rental values locally and internationally and ensure that the Authority obtains comparable returns.
Identify new business opportunities at Entebbe International Airport and viable upcountry airports and advise management on their exploitation.
Effectively market UCAA to operators and potential users to support service development and traffic growth.
Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy for the air transport business in support of UCAA’s corporate strategy.
Promote growth in the number of airlines operating through UCAA airports through effective marketing and participation in air services development forums, tourism and travel fairs, trade exhibitions, route development conferences, and related meetings.
Promote increased use of airport operational facilities, including Departure Passenger Handling Systems (DPHS) and aerobridges.
Support growth in the volume of exports passing through the airport by improving facilities to meet exporters’ needs.
Increase the number of business clients using UCAA airport facilities, including premises, cold rooms, and land, through targeted marketing strategies.
Improve customer care by identifying and responding to customer needs and supporting the positioning of Ugandan airports among regional competitors.
Conduct customer surveys and ensure that recommendations are implemented in a timely manner to improve service delivery.
Develop strong relationships with airport users to facilitate smooth operations through UCAA airports.
Organize sensitization workshops for exporters to promote UCAA facilities and understand their facility requirements.
Develop appropriate policies and actions to make UCAA facilities more attractive to exporters.
Monitor and analyse user complaints and initiate corrective measures through stakeholder engagements.
Organize stakeholder workshops to discuss airport service quality survey results and related recommendations.
Participate in national tourism promotional activities and advise management on how UCAA can effectively contribute to tourism promotion.
Support indirect marketing initiatives aimed at increasing passenger numbers through Entebbe International Airport.
Monitor implementation of the Tourism Master Plan and advise management on aviation infrastructure improvements required to support the tourism industry.
Support well-coordinated ground public transport to and from the airport.
Liaise with exporters of non-traditional products, particularly fish.
3. Financial Management
Assess the financial requirements of the department and seek approval for the financial, material, and human resources required for efficient operations.
Monitor actual costs against expenditure and report accordingly.
Ensure effective budgetary controls and adherence to value-for-money principles.
Manage departmental assets to ensure they remain properly maintained and in good working condition for revenue maximization.
4. Customer Service
Develop and implement a strong customer relationship management strategy to enhance customer satisfaction and strengthen relationships with existing and potential customers.
Ensure timely responses to client issues and complaints through prompt investigation and resolution of complex or long-standing problems referred by customer service officers, public relations officers, and other departments.
Improve customer experience by identifying and driving process improvements that promote service excellence, timely service delivery, optimum productivity, and effective resource management.
Prepare and submit reports based on customer service analysis and provide recommendations for continuous service improvement.
5. Branding and Marketing Communications
Develop brand marketing strategies that establish strategic direction and strengthen the positioning of UCAA through marketing partnerships and broader brand messaging.
Participate in the development and implementation of paid social media programmes and other advertising initiatives.
Contribute to the planning and execution of events, promotions, and brand activation activities.
Provide managerial oversight of the production of offline marketing materials while maintaining operational production budgets.
Develop, implement, and monitor an annual comprehensive marketing and brand plan to support the growth and sustainability of the UCAA brand.
Prepare annual marketing budgets, identify advertising opportunities, and monitor implementation progress.
Manage advertising and research agencies to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
Ensure communication channels and branding are used effectively to create awareness and increase participation.
Develop short- and long-term brand strategies, including brand guidelines, brand vision, and value proposition, to guide communications and media activities across online and offline channels.
Supervise advertising, product design, and other marketing activities and analyse campaign performance to maintain brand consistency.
Monitor product distribution and consumer responses and develop innovative strategies for growth.
6. Human Resources Management
Attract, retain, develop, mentor, and motivate high-calibre staff within the department.
Provide leadership and professional development for departmental staff.
Minimum Qualifications and Experience
Applicants should meet the following essential requirements:
A Master’s degree in Marketing or Business Administration from an approved, recognized, and reputable academic institution.
A Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business Administration (Marketing option), Commerce, Mass Communication, Economics, or Tourism and Hospitality from a recognized academic institution.
Membership in the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) or an equivalent professional body.
At least 10 years of experience in a dynamic marketing and commercial department, or an equivalent role involving marketing, commercial, or customer care responsibilities within a large enterprise. At least 5 years should have been at managerial level.
Age: 35–50 years.
Desirable Experience
Experience in the following areas will be an added advantage:
Brand marketing
Customer service
Property management
Contract negotiations
Additional Knowledge
General knowledge of the transport industry will be an added advantage.
Special Skills and Attributes
The successful candidate should demonstrate:
Outstanding negotiation skills.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Proven people-management capabilities, including experience in staff productivity and performance management.
A strong results orientation and demonstrated hands-on experience in achieving targets.
Integrity Requirement
UCAA emphasizes high and unquestionable integrity. The advertisement states that reported cases of questionable integrity, whether arising before or after the interview or following appointment, may lead to cancellation from the recruitment process or termination of employment.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified applicants should submit a typewritten application, detailed CV, and copies of academic certificates and transcripts.
The job reference number, UCAA/ADV/EXT/04/2026, should be clearly marked at the top left-hand corner of the envelope.
Applications should be submitted to the address specified by UCAA in the original advertisement before close of business on 30th September 2026.
Application Deadline
30th September 2026
How to apply