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Job Title:    Project Manager

Organisation: Medical
Research Council (MRC UK) /UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit

Duty Station:  Entebbe,
Uganda

Reports to: Head
of RSO

Position Code: PMRSO
-1220

 

About US:

The Medical Research
Council (MRC UK) is an internationally recognised centre of excellence with
dominant research themes in the areas of HIV and emerging infections, vaccines
and immunity, and chronic diseases and cancer. Through a multidisciplinary
approach, intersecting basic science, epidemiological research,
social-behavioural research and the conduct of new intervention evaluation
studies, the Unit contributes knowledge on changing epidemics and diseases, the
evaluation of innovative health care options, treatment and prevention and the
development of health policy and practice in Africa and worldwide. Following
the signing of strategic transfer agreements between the London School of
Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Medical Research Council
(MRC UK), the Unit formally joined LSHTM on 1st February 2018. The exciting new
partnership will boost research capacity into current and emerging health
issues in Africa and throughout the world. The Unit is based at the UVRI
Entebbe campus with established outposts in Kalungu, Masaka, Wakiso and Kampala
Districts.

 

Job Summary:  The Project Manager will work with the Unit’s
Research Support Office (RSO) to manage a portfolio of research projects under
the supervision of the Head of the Research Support Office. The post-holder
will facilitate the successful and efficient delivery of a portfolio of
projects, oversee operational activities and ensure that synergies between
projects are maximized. S/he will be responsible for monitoring and evaluation
of project performances and lead in the coordination of collaborator
relationships and project outputs. S/he will coordinate the management of
project finances, human resources, other resources, logistics and
administrative affairs for the assigned portfolio ensuring compliance to funder
and grant conditions as well as Unit & LSHTM policies and procedures.

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities:  

Portfolio Management

·       
In
collaboration with the Head of Research Support Office, oversee a portfolio of
projects ensuring that efforts and vision of portfolio are harmonised with
Principal Investigator’s (PI) efforts and vision;

·       
Be the
focal point for all internal communications relating to the portfolio and
ensure timely flow of communications between the PI, the research team and
other support departments;

·       
Liaise
closely with the PI and the Head of Programme to ensure that portfolio
activities are in sync with overall Programme activities ensuring that
proposals are well aligned to the strategic direction of the Programme,
synergies are realised for existing projects, and efficiencies identified
across the portfolio and Programme;

·       
Work
with the various research teams in the portfolio to prepare work plans and
implementation strategies required to ensure projects achieve their objectives
in a timely manner; and,

·       
Report
to PIs regularly on performance of projects and in close collaboration find
constructive solutions to issues identified, providing technical advice
regarding funder terms and conditions harmonising these MRC/UVRI&LSHTM
research unit, as well as LSHTM policies.

Planning and
Implementation

·       
Prepare
research contract briefs for PIs and research teams which highlight research
deliverables, special contract conditions that the teams need to adhere to;

·       
In
consultation with PIs, research teams, Programme Manager and collaborators,
develop various work plans required for the implementation of the projects;

·       
Work
with PI, research team and other support departments to obtain all
authorisations for implementation of the grant including approvals form
government, health facilities, Medicines Control Agency, ethics committees etc;

·       
Coordinate
the implementation of grants in the portfolio and maintain mechanisms to ensure
adherence to donor requirements related to budget presentation, acceptability
of cost allocation and other donor and MRC/UVRI&LSHTM as well as LSHTM
requirements;

·       
Support
timely response to donor requests relating to grant deliverables, reporting and
other administrative documents as required during implementation;

·       
Lead in
the communications concerning grant conditions, budget and expenditure and
project activities. Encourage information sharing between partners aimed at
building familiarity to grant conditions and best practices in grant
implementation;

·       
Work
closely with project teams and provide technical overview and support in the
management of the grant ensuring that performance is in sync with financial expenditure
and categorized budget;

·       
Actively
participate in project meetings as appropriate to keep teams informed and
reminded about project financial performance, deliverables, timelines and
general grant conditions;

·       
Responsible
for reviewing of financial supporting document, monthly financial expenditures,
budgeting and assessing budget request for change (Cost or No-cost Extension),
request for grant disbursement, compiling and filing grant documents,
conducting portfolio/project financial performance assessment;

·       
Provide
technical support and oversight during grant audit exercises; and,

·       
Take the
lead in monitoring timely grants closure engaging both finance and project
staff well in advance of closure deadlines and advise on issues related to
staffing, commitments, and reporting.

Monitoring &
Evaluation and Reporting

·       
Ensure
that a monitoring and evaluation plan is completed for all projects within the
portfolio as well as for external partners with contributing roles towards the
achievement of project outcome;

·       
Develop
a reporting and feedback schedule for partners;

·       
Keep PI
informed about emerging issues and trends within the networks and groups.
Provide strategic advice, direction on how the issues should be resolved to
ensure that project plans are not derailed;

·       
Ensure
programme milestones and timelines are collected for effective monitoring and
evaluation of project activities;

·       
Report
to PI and the research team performance report and financial summaries monthly;

·       
Prepare
and share a quarterly performance report on milestones and deliverables
considering collaborator/partner performance where they exist. Report should be
shared with PI, Head of Programme and RSO; and,

·       
Ensure
that the management information system established in the department and within
the Unit is utilized which allows for the efficient and effective collection,
storage and analysis of data throughout the project life cycle and across
programmes.

Research Operations
Management

·       
With the
support of the PI and project staff, plan, develop and execute research
operation activities for designated externally funded grants carried out at
field stations level;

·       
Develops
plans to accomplish work operations and objectives of projects through the
efficient use of resources;

·       
Determine
long-term plans and schedules within the externally funded grant portfolio to
ensure research availability at project implementation;

·       
With the
support of the PI and project coordinator, plan resources needed for project
implementation, maintain inventory control, coordinates space, field, equipment
and/or facilities;

·       
Work
closely with other support departments to ensure cohesive workflow; and,

·       
Ensures
adherence to procedures and work standards; recommend changes to procedures to
relevant department heads.

Compliance

·       
Review,
communicate and monitor compliance with donor requirements related to staffing,
purchasing, and asset management and reporting;

·       
Identify
compliance gaps and related solutions including differences between donor and
MRC/UVRI&LSHTM as well as LSHTM internal policies and procedures, including
cost allocation;

·       
Support
PI and research coordinator to ensure that all project personnel are trained on
GCP/GCLP and or have valid certifications as required;

·       
Collaborate
with other support departments to ensure compliance with Unit policies and
procedures for grant implementation; and,

·       
Ensure
compliance to funder grant conditions and escalate to PI and Programme Manager
where there is non-compliance.

Financial
Management

·       
Liaise
with Finance Analyst and prepare project financial summaries. Identify and
report back anticipated project financial issues and come up with effective
solutions to identified issues in compliance with both Unit and funder/grant
financial conditions;

·       
Review
budget forecast and requests to ensure adherence to budget conditions ensuring
that planned expenditures are aligned to budget conditions; and,

·       
Handling
petty cash and keeping accountability records.

LSHTM Integration

·       
Close
working relationship with the Research Operations Office (ROO) in London, especially
the post award management section;

·       
Participate
positively and proactively in the process of integrating and harmonising
procedures across all LSHTM sites; and,

·       
Provide
performance data and reports in meetings as applicable.

 

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

·       
The
ideal candidate must hold a Degree in Business Administration, Science or
Health related subject or medical degree;

·       
Post
graduate diploma or a Master’s degree in Project Planning and Management or
similar is desired;

·       
At least
three years of experience working in a health research environment;

·       
Two
years of coordinating projects in a health research organization is desired;

·       
Budgeting/Financial
Management;

·       
Risk
management experience;

·       
Sub-award
management experience is desired;

·       
Experience
working with MS dynamics is an added advantage;

·       
Ability
to communicated positively and effectively with staff and stakeholders at all
levels;

·       
Good
analytical skills;

·       
Advanced
Excel skills; and,

·       
Good
working knowledge of MS Office suite.

 

How to Apply:

All candidates
should follow the link below to fill a form and submit your application
documentation:

 

Click
Here

 

Filling the form
more than once will lead to automatic disqualification. High level of integrity
while filling the form is required and will be considered during shortlisting.

 

Combine all your
application documentation i.e. cover letter, CV & academic documents into
one PDF document. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview.
This position is open to Ugandan nationals only. Strictly follow the
application procedure as failure to do so will lead to automatic
disqualification. Only online applications will be accepted.

 

The applications
should be addressed to:

The Head of Human
Resources,

MRC/ UVRI and LSHTM
Uganda Research Unit,

P.O. Box, 49,

Entebbe, Uganda.

 

Consider your
application unsuccessful if not contacted within eight (8) weeks after the
closing date of the advert. Any form of lobbying at any stage will lead to automatic
disqualification. By submitting your personal information, you consent to the
MRC/ UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit holding and using it in accordance
with its recruitment policy and procedure. The Unit reserves the right to
verify documents attached with the relevant awarding institutions to
authenticate their validity.

 

Deadline: 29th December 2020 by 5:00pm.

 

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