ThinkWell Uganda is seeking a Team Lead, Sub-National Level Verification and Capacity Building to be based in our Kampala office. Reporting to the Deputy Chief of Party/Technical Director, the Lead will be a technical, managerial, and strategic leader for ThinkWell’s growing portfolio in health financing, systems strengthening, and policy in the country. They will be an exceptional technical thinker and analyst, superb communicator, motivating mentor, and effective diplomat and champion for ThinkWell’s work.      

ThinkWell is preparing to implement a five-year G2G Readiness and Independent Verification Activity to support Uganda's transition toward increased Government-to-Government and performance-based financing for health.

Working closely with the Government of Uganda and relevant stakeholders, the activity will assess the readiness and risks of government entities proposed to receive direct donor funding and independently verify achievement of agreed health service delivery and health systems milestones. This recruitment is being undertaken in anticipation of the award.  

Responsibilities

Technical and thought Leadership (60% of LOE)

·   With the Deputy Chief of Party/Technical Director for Verification and Risk Assessment, develop the Verification Master Plan, including scope, methodology, tools and acceptance criteria for all PFM modules.

·   Define and maintain the verification strategy for subnational entities, including closely working with the Ministry of Health, ensuring alignment with national financial regulations, donor requirements, and system design specifications.

·   Reviewing the public financial management (PFM) system with a focus on the flow of funds in the health sector and assessing PFM gaps and good practices at the local government and facility levels

·   Lead verification of financial workflows, ensuring they meet functional, compliance, and audit standards (e.g., segregation of duties, approval hierarchies, data integrity).

·   Validate integration points between PFM components (e.g., IFMIS, HR systems, HMIS, procurement portals, revenue systems).

·   Oversee verification of business rules, calculations, and automated controls (commitment controls, warranting, cash limits, budget ceilings).

·   Author and review verification protocols for subnational entities, working with senior management team (functional tests, integration tests, performance tests, security tests).

·   Ensure all verification documentation meets ALCOA+ data integrity standards (Attributable, Legible, Contemporaneous, Original, Accurate, Complete, Consistent, Enduring, Available) .

·   Lead defect triage, prioritization, and resolution with developers, functional experts, and stakeholders. Develop capacity building plans to remediate gaps. 

·   Serve as the technical focal point and manager of the field verification teams (with the monitoring and evaluation verification specialists, the financial verifications specialists, and the HSS and service delivery verification specialists).

·   Lead the writing and dissemination of analytical and communications products, including verification reports, policy briefs, and slide decks tailored to relevant stakeholders.

·   Contribute to internal initiatives to document, share, and learn from technical experiences and innovations across ThinkWell’s numerous country teams and initiatives.

·   Provide timely, politically savvy, and technically sound responses to inquiries about ThinkWell Uganda’s work, including from the Government of Uganda, ThinkWell leadership, and donors.

Strategy, Representation and Organizational development (20% LOE)

·   Provide advice and thought partnership to the COP and DCOP for strategic and operational planning.

·   Cultivate and maintain strong working relationships with officials in the national government, local governments, and other agencies relevant to ThinkWell’s projects and business development pipeline.

·   Represent ThinkWell in Uganda and raise awareness among government and other key stakeholders of project priorities, activities, and results.

·   Build and deepen ThinkWell’s relationships with funders and their implementing partners.

·   Support the COP—and collaborate with the ThinkWell’s Business Development team —to sustain and grow the country portfolio, including by:

o   Identifying new business contacts and cultivating opportunities

o   Leading technical conceptualization and writing for new business proposals

• Perform other duties at the request of leadership.

People and Project Management (20% LOE)

·   Build the capacity of other project staff—through training, mentorship, and coaching—with respect to knowledge and skills needed for effective project implementation, including but not limited to research and analysis; writing; oral presentation; and facilitation.

·   Build the capacity of district level facilities to meet the standards for funding

·   Lead trainings, webinars and other learning opportunities for district level facilities

·   Support the COP/DCOP to drive project execution, ensuring timely and effective delivery of project activities, outputs, and outcomes.

·   Contribute to work planning and develop monitoring plans and tools to support effective workload management and supervision.

·   Support the COP to ensure compliance with all contractual reporting and financial requirements of ThinkWell, its projects and donors.

·   In collaboration with the COP and ThinkWell’s Talent team, recruit, support, and mentor outstanding team members in the area of technical specialty; dotted line management responsibility for technical team members.

·   Other projects as assigned

we are:

ThinkWell core values are our fundamental organizational guiding principles.  They define our corporate culture, influence our behavior at work and help us achieve our mission.  Our values are:

Think big

Influence the conversation

Empower others

Be exceptional

Always question

Relate authentically

Evolve by learning

   you are:

ThinkWell core competencies are foundational skills and behaviors that align with our values and are expected of all employees.

An entrepreneurial, results-oriented ‘do-er’ with a willingness to take risk, think big and challenge conventional wisdom.

A change maker who reaches independent judgement with an open mind, influences the conversation, and seeks innovation.

Able to help create an empowering environment in which everyone feels free to take initiative, be accountable and fail intelligently (learn from mistakes).

A collaborative colleague who engages constructively with people from different cultures, orientations, and perspectives and maintains positive relations in a virtual world.

Principally motivated by a growth mindset, meaning the pursuit of knowledge, experience, and self-improvement.  You always question and continuously learn.

Authentic, honest, direct, self-aware and open to giving and receiving feedback. 

Requirements

Successful candidates for this position are likely to have many of the following qualifications:

1.    A degree in health economics, public health, public policy, or other disciplines relevant to the STA’s responsibilities. A bachelor’s degree is required, with an advanced degree (masters or doctorate) preferred;

2.    At least 12 years (or 10 with an advanced degree) of substantive, relevant work experience in health systems with a development agency, NGO or government, including progressively greater technical and leadership responsibilities;

3.    A demonstrated track record of delivering timely, rigorous technical advice and capacity building to government agencies and health system stakeholders in the areas of health financing, public financial management, strategic purchasing, and/or private sector engagement;

4.    Familiarity with a range of research methods, analytic tools, and data visualization techniques, and deep expertise in at least some relevant research methodologies;

5.    A deep understanding of health financing in Uganda and a demonstrated ability to engage effectively with relevant stakeholders and funders at the national and sub-national levels;

6.    Exceptional writing and presentation skills, including the ability to effectively communicate technical information to diverse audiences (note: full professional fluency in written and spoken English is essential);

7.    Excellent interpersonal and management skills, including a consensus-based mindset;

8.    An interest and experience in training, coaching, and mentoring junior colleagues;

9.    Extensive experience participation in new business development, proposal writing and fundraising;

10. Outstanding cross-cultural communication skills, including the ability to relate respectfully with staff at all levels, ages, genders, nationalities, and orientations as well as across work areas;

11. Comfort with computing and essential workplace software, including but not limited to Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; and

12.  Ability and willingness to travel within Uganda for up to 25% of working days, including occasional travel on weekends.