Canada HCU Canadian Field Manager

The Department of Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine invites applications for a HCU Canadian Field Manager. This Full-time Fixed Term position is for approximately 3 year (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.

The Project: The Healthy Child Uganda :Scaling Up Comprehensive Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Programming to Create a Model District In Bushenyi, Uganda Project (hereafter referred to as HCU) aims to decrease maternal and child mortality, improve health outcomes, and enhance maternal, newborn and child health service delivery and monitoring in the District of Bushenyi (350,000 population). The HCU Project is funded, in part, by the Canadian International Development Agencies (CIDA) Partnerships with Canadians Branch under the Muskoka Initiative Partnership Program. The Project covers the period 2011 to 2014 with a budget of approximately $4.7 million. The three project partners University of Calgary, Canadian Pediatric Society and Mbarara University of Science and Technology, have worked together on maternal and child health for ten years with a well-established rotational program of Canadian pediatricians and other health care practitioners in the field. The HCU project builds on prior smaller initiatives in community-based programming with excellent health outcomes: 1/3 reduction in malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea and malnutrition and a 54% reduction in reported child mortality in the project zone, as well as impressive 85% retention of Community Health Workers after five years. Residing in Mbarara, Uganda, the HCU Canadian Field Coordinator provides a leadership role in project management and capacity development for the HCU Ugandan project team, Mbarara University of Science and Technology. Per CIDA funding requirements, this position must be filled by a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant. The Canadian Field Coordinator will be a capable project manager and mentor who provides information, training and technology to his/her counterparts in Uganda and, in doing so, enhances the Ugandans¿ capacity to manage and develop their countries resources. The Canadian Field Coordinator will complement the expertise of the technical health team. This role is responsible for all project field operations in Uganda. The Canadian Field Coordinator reports to the Canadian Project Director, coordinating with the local Ugandan Project Director in the field. The position is a full-time Fixed Term appointment through mid 2014. The Field Coordinator role requires the person to act autonomously & to be able to manage issues as they arise in Uganda. The Canadian Field Coordinator will be eligible to receive select allowances, such as household storage, relocation travel, overseas rental, related to his/her assignment outside of Canada. These allowances, based on legitimate expenses, are governed by Project budget limitations and the Government of Canada's Technical Assistance Handbook.

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to): • Responsible for smooth field operations with inputs of Canadians appropriate for Mbarara and Bushenyi • Manages human resources and performance issues, up to and including discipline and termination, with volunteers and employees in the field, working with Ugandan counterparts as required. • Coordinates annual workforce planning & budgeting in Uganda for Uganda expenses, ensuring that the project is completed on time & within budget • Responsible for quarterly and annual reporting • Leads reporting, operational planning and budgeting with the field team in a collaborative style and prepares Annual • Operating Plans, Budgets, and Narrative reports in CIDA format • Mentors & guides Ugandan project management team with the goal that the Ugandan team will demonstrate increased leadership in project planning, field activity planning, budgeting and reporting to CIDA by year 3 • Leads Project Implementation Plan (PIP) design and revisions in the field in a collaborative style, this involves the coordination of inputs from team members (Canadian & Ugandan) on the project implementation plan & the preparation of a draft of the PIP • Makes revisions to the CIDA Logic Model (Results Chain) and other planning tools based on mid-term internal evaluation and facilitates project team follow-up on recommendations • Develops and implements changes to field procedures and practices; establishes standards and systems, with counterparts, for data collection for the project measurement framework and ensures reports are sent to Canada • Provides management support and input to the technical teams, including input on indicators, • field level monitoring, monitoring training, field reporting, and evaluation • Works with the baseline/ end line team for all project components • Designs and implements a management capacity development plan for the Ugandan team, in coordination with the Ugandan Project Director • Provide management leadership on sustainability planning with the District and Mbarara’s • University of Science and Technology (MUST) • Liaises with incoming Canadian team members and offers on-site orientation for new volunteers and staff; organizes advance meetings with Ugandan counterparts, scheduling of trips; ensuring all aspects of arrivals for Canadians are in place (transportation, training materials, medical supplies, accommodation, safety plans etc so team can arrive in Uganda fully prepared) • Collects & compiles data in Uganda for evaluation purposes, incorporates this data into Logic Model • Responsible for organizing Community based health technical team leaders to co develop course evaluations for CHWS • Responsible for carrying out the evaluations in the field (these are pre & post training assessments designed to evaluate what changes are achieved in knowledge, attitude & practice as a result of the training provided) • Evidence base from these evaluations will help define course effectiveness & will be provided to CIDA • Revises course materials & evaluations as needed based on feedback • Responsible for modeling processes so that Ugandan counterparts are mentored & coached to increase the capacity of the Ugandan Field Coordinator & Ugandan Project Manager in workforce planning, budgeting & narrative reporting so that the Canadian project team can eventually decrease their direct management role & the Ugandan Field Coordinator & Ugandan Project manager can eventually assume these functions • This staged process is anticipated to occur over a 3 year period; By year 3, the Canadian Field Coordinator will be providing advise & quality assurance • Provides guidance to local Ugandans on issues such as staff conflicts & issues relating to problems faced in achieving project outcomes Qualifications / Requirements: • Undergraduate Degree in a related field: International Development, Management, Public Health, a graduate degree would be an asset. • 5-7 years of recent, related experience in international project management, including budgeting, implementation reporting, and monitoring for an international donor-funded project • A minimum of 2 years worked overseas; • Experience in sub-Saharan Africa an asset, with particular emphasis on East Africa • Experience with CIDA requirements an asset • Working knowledge of Results-based Management & RBM reporting, definitions and methodology as defined by CIDA • Strong team work as well as time management skills are required • Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships • Sensitive to local social, political or cultural realities and flexible in responding to ideas, beliefs or points of view of others • Ability to quickly assess technical capabilities of the job situation and to be innovate • Demonstrated capacity in mentorship and coaching for local counterparts • Ability to work well in and adapt to a challenging context including somewhat remote locations, difficult local travel, and uncertain operating conditions • Previous experience working on projects with university partners and/or medical institutions an asset • An equivalent combination of experience and education may be considered.

Application Deadline: January 31, 2012

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

This position is part of the Management and Professional Staff Group, Zone C. To find out more about our competitive salaries and benefits, and why we are A Great Place to Work and Learn, please see: www.ucalgary.ca/hr/careers/uofc.

About U of C

Located in northwest Calgary, the University of Calgary campus occupies a beautiful, park-like setting covering more than 200 hectares. The U of C is home to scholars in 13 faculties (offering more than 80 academic programs) and 36 research institutes and centres. The University of Calgary respects, appreciates, and encourages diversity.

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If you are interested in applying for this position, plesae view this posting at our website: www.ucalgary.ca/hr/careers You will need to search for posting 1850.

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