Marie Stopes Senior Manager Operations Job in Uganda

Marie Stopes Uganda (MSU) ¡s a marketing-focused, results-oriented social business that uses modem management and marketing techniques to provide family planning and reproductive healthcare across every district of Uganda. 

We aim to contribute 15 points to Uganda’s contraceptive prevalence rate by 2015, saving and improving many thousands of Ugandan lives. 

For over 15 years Marie Stopes Uganda (MSU) has prided itself on providing a wide range of high quality, affordable and client-centred services to men, women and young people. 

Our 340 team members work in every district of Uganda and provide approximately 35% of all modem contraception, the majority ofwhich is delivered in hard to reach and remote areas. 

In 2012, MSU generated over 1.1 million Couple Years of Protection and provided quality services to over 350,000 Ugandans.

We are seeking an ambitious, expeñenced and driven people to fill the positions below. 

The core responsibility of these positions is to use your: initiative, energy, persistence, results onentation, drive, integrity, enthusiasm and commitment to personal development to further MSU’s vision to become a sustainable nationwide provider of high quality, integrated reproductive health/family planning services.

To apply: 

Please send a CV and Cover letter by email to jobsmariestopes.or.ug or post to the Senior Manager, People and Development, Plot 1020, Kisugu-Muyenga, P.O Box 10431, Kampala-Uganda, quoting the position title by 6pm on Friday 26th July, 2013.

Marie Stopes Uganda is an equal opportunities employer committed to fostering a diverse workforce. 

Marie Stopes Uganda is thankful to all applicants for their interest but only candidates who meet all requisite criteria and are short listed will be contacted.

Senior Manager Operations

Base Station: Kampala with frequent travel upcountry

Reporting to: Director Operations

Duration of Contract: 2 years.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

1. Team Leadership; A motivated, productive and appropriately managed Operations Department

• Support the Operations Director to provide overall leadership and strategic direction to the team.
• Stand in for the Operations Director in his absence from the office, taking line management responsibility for the Channel Managers and other staff as required
• Attending SMT as a representative of the Department.
• Foster MSI core values across the Operations Department
• As a senior manager, model MSI leadership behaviours within the Operations Department, promoting cohesion and good morale through the various channels.
• Ensure that good human resource systems and procedures, in line with best practice, are developed and implemented in liaison with the Operations Director and the People and Development department.
• Beside the responsibilities set out in this framework, to undertake such special or ad hoc activities as may be delegated from the Operations Director.
• Attend external relations meeting on behalf of the Operations Director
• Ensure that effective and appropriate external technical assistance is called on to provide high quality inputs and outputs.

2. Develop, manage and document operating systems in all Operation channels of service delivery.

• Review, improve and ensure effective implementation of functional systems in Operations that improve efficiency and deliver performance.
• Work with Operations in the review and documentation of operating systems in service delivery.
• Develop and disseminate tools to support systems
• Through respective channel managers ensure system implementation and review.
• Ensure that team members clearly understand and embrace these systems and lead in their review.
• Develop a system for documenting operation systems and best practices.

3. Formalise and institutionalise partnerships with other implementing partners.

• Develop database of all current and prospective partners for service delivery.
• Ensure that MoUs are signed with all our current partners.
• Develop and manage schedules for these partnership engagements, ensuring optimisation of our integrated service delivery.
• Ensure that partner review meetings take place and reports are shared with relevant parties.
• Initiate dialog with prospective partners for collaboration in service delivery, liaising with the External Relations team as required.
• Work with other channels including Blue Star where collaborations may benefit from their engagement.

4. Lead ¡n the implementation of new technologies and management information in the Operations Department;

• Develop a strategy and plan on how new technologies and management information systems will be utilised to improve Operations’ systems and activities.
• Be focal point for performance management reporting and analysis, in liaison with Finance and the MIS and RM&E teams — including the response to monthly management reporting packs.
• Work with Fleet Management, Business Analyst/IT team, MIS officer and Call Centre to develop indicators and processes to ensure these resources are adding clear value to service delivery.
• Support the Operations team in the use of these technologies and conduct monthly reviews to determine that these systems are optimizing performance.
• Manage compliance with HMIS reporting.

5. Engage Corporate companies in improving access to FP

• Initiate contact with corporate companies and engage them in possible relationships.
• Together with External Relations write concept notes and proposals for engagement in CSR.
• Manage and report the implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility activities.

6. Support and Manage district level relationships with government and partners;

• Develop and implement Distinct level engagement plans and lead in their implementation through the Operations’ channels and other PSP channels in collaboration with the Donor Projects, External Relations and PSP teams.
• Engage district leadership in the implementation of our programmes.
• Engage district level partners in possible collaboration and partnerships.
• Participate where relevant in district activities.
• Support USAID District Operational Plan activities for MSU

7. Lead in the identification, implementation of innovations in services delivery including the implementation of new projects;

• Identify innovations that can be implemented in Operations to improve efficiencies, learning from the Best Practise team in London and other country platforms.
• Engage and lead in collaboration with other sectors to identify other avenues and target audiences that require services such as; Uganda Manufacturers Association, large plantations such as; Finlay’s, Tobacco plantations, etc.
• Directly manage the implementation of new projects in Operations during their inception to ensure workplans are understood and being executed on time within the respective channel/s..

8. Manage the provision of optimised technical services to the Operations department

• Work with Donor Projects, the Country Director and MSI’s Deputy Regional Director to ensure proper planning and provision of technical support each year to meet Operations’ needs. This will require the postholder to take a proactive part in the annual business planning process.
• Ensure recommendations and actions arising from technical assistance visits and advice are are promptly implemented and monitored, feeding back to MSI as necessary.
• Ensure capacity building of Operations Department in response to Organisational Development plans.

Education and Experience

• University Degree in Business Administration or Health Sciences or similar
• At least 6 years’ experience in programme/project management and partner engagement especially at the District level.
• Previous experience working in the health sector is an added advantage.
• Experience in writing of reports for western donors required
• Experience in building relationships with external partners
• Experience representing an organization to external partners at a high level
• Computer literacy (MS Office, Excel)

Desired skills, abilities

• Knowledge of Clinical Health, Family Planning, Community Outreach and Social Marketing desirable
• Ability to work well with others in team environments; must be able to satisfy stakeholders; should be able to work in deadline driven/results orientated atmospheres
• Strong people management skills
• Able to think strategically
• Able to manage and motivate teams to achieve targets and to achieve organisational change.

Advocacy skills: 

• Able to influence stakeholders through effective communication in a demanding external environment.
• Perfect and effective written and verbal communication ¡n English is essential.
• Able to multi-task and efficiently manage competing priorities
• Posses leadership personality, and able to take on and solve problems quickly and efficiently;