JOB DETAILS:
Description
VisionSpring, an international social enterprise, seeks a Coordinator for the Clear Vision Collective Uganda to lead a coalition effort to increase the effective coverage of refractive errors in Uganda. Six (6) organizations – NGOs, businesses, and government – have come together in an affiliated group called the Clear Vision Collective (CVC) - Uganda. Together we have developed a plan to establish community-based eye-health and the continuum of care through collaborative action dramatically increase the effective refractive errors coverage (eREC) with eyeglasses in a model district from an estimated rate of less than 20% to greater than 40% over a 2-year period, thereby setting the district on a path to achieve the World Health Organization’s (WHO) target of a 40% gain in eREC.
CVC-U will serve as the vehicle for the Community Health and Clinical Services Departments to pilot the MOH’s aspiration to introduce basic eye health into community-based and primary care settings and to do this by shifting tasks to community health workers and nurses for visual acuity testing, presbyopia identification, reading glasses dispensing, and referral for other eye conditions. The programs, approaches and protocols developed in Uganda are being developed with an expectation for multi-district replication and future uptake by the government and other countries, as relevant.

VisionSpring, acting on behalf of the CVC, seeks to appoint a Coordinator for an initial two-year term starting from April 2024. This appointment may be extended based on mutual agreement and performance evaluation. As the Coordinator, you will assume a pivotal role in spearheading the implementation and engagement efforts. Your responsibilities include serving as the project manager, ensuring seamless coordination of activities, preparing regular status updates and reports, and convening quarterly meetings of the Steering Committee. Additionally, you will be entrusted with establishing and upholding standards essential for the Collective's efficacy.

Your duties extend to convening the Steering Committee, devising collaborative work plans, monitoring progress towards set objectives, and generating reports for both donors and the CVC Group. You will assist in drafting grant proposals when necessary. Your role will also entail supporting district-level implementation, fostering community and local government involvement, and fostering cooperation among CVC members. Additionally, you will spearhead the formulation and execution of a replication plan aimed at expanding the initiative's reach.

The position is based in Kampala or Kasese with up to 50% of time anticipated to be spent in the area(s) where the initiatives are/will be implemented. The coordinator will have a dual reporting to the Vice-President of Global Programs in VisionSpring and the Steering Committee.

ABOUT YOU
• You are passionate about improving the accessibility of affordable eyeglasses and eye care for earners and learners vulnerable to poverty.
• You are a strategic thinker. You look at the opportunities to create new partnerships, understand the modality to design an effective implementation plan and strategize the actions to create optimum impact.

• You are a smart communicator. You know how to balance different type of stakeholders ensuring that the end results are met in an efficient way.
• You stand up for what is important. You communicate the vision and strategy of the CVC-Uganda. You originate ideas and adjust plans and actions as necessary. You take ownership of your actions.
• You have the experience, maturity, confidence, and communication skills to lead and interact with and motivate people at all levels, from junior field staff to heads of organizations.

• You run projects by the numbers letting people know how they are progressing toward the group’s goals. In the data, you see opportunity and areas for improvement.
• You communicate constantly. You are constantly in touch with stakeholders. You provide regular updates to the group and communicate expectations and decisions clearly.

• You value order. This is why you are organized, task-oriented, and insist on routines and timelines.
• You can get others excited about what they are going to do. You recognize the contributions of others and give people a feeling that their effort matters for the collective’s success. You are known to be a good networker.

ABOUT US
• The Clear Vision Collective (CVC) – Uganda, formed in 2023, is a collaborative alliance of organizations sharing a common belief in the transformative power of vision correction for low-income individuals and the broader societal advancement of Uganda.
• This coalition, comprising six key partners, will embark on establishing Uganda's inaugural Clear Vision District through a government-led initiative.

• Members of this dynamic consortium are the Uganda’s Ministry of Health (MOH), BRAC, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Dr. Arunga Eye Hospital, PEEK Vision, and VisionSpring.
• Making it possible for all people of Uganda to have the eyeglasses they need and access to eye care services requires a systems-level approach and a coordinated effort among many actors spanning the government, NGO and business sectors who have complementary skills, assets and experience.

• The CVC is committed to catalyze a transformative and permanent reduction in uncorrected refractive error by building the ecosystem for eye care. This ecosystem takes into account human capital, supply chain, community-based vision screening, school-based screening, secondary care through vision centres, tertiary eye care, and referrals.
• We outlined a plan for collective action to dramatically increase eyeglasses coverage from roughly 20% to 40% in one target district, getting over 200k adults and children in Kasese district into glasses and conducting 2,000 cataract surgeries over a two-year period.
• The work in Kasese will test the CVC members’ ability to implement their proven models alongside each other and integrated with one another, and to jump eyeglasses demand and uptake among adults and children by doing so.
• Importantly, the CVC members are committed to create access to affordable vision correction and uptake among low-income earners and learners, using market-based solutions. The majority of models to be deployed earn revenue to sustain services on a subsidized, break-even or profitable basis, charitable provision is planned and established for students and the ultra-poor.
• The approaches and protocols refined and documented in Kasese will be used to inform relevant stakeholders, reform government plans for national level implementation (particularly by Ministries of health) and replicated by CVC in other districts.

WHAT YOU’LL DO
Strategy and Leadership
• Build the collective identity of the CVC through shared goals, measures of success, regular communication, campaigns, etc.
• Raise visibility of the issue of clear vision and profile of the CVC – PR
• Lead the collective’s development of the strategic plan.
• Ensure the collective implements the strategic plan.
• Guide the development and implementation of a replication plan.
• Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the CVC.

Coordinate activities and meetings.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive calendar of activities and events related to the CVC's initiatives.
• Organize and moderate regular convening of the CVC Steering Committee
• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration among CVC members and partners to ensure smooth coordination of activities.
• Establish a format for monthly collection of metrics and activities. Coordinate metrics and activity report submission as agreed upon. Review numbers for accuracy. Synthesize metrics and other data contributed by CVC members.
• Work Plan Development and facilitation in the district.
• Support the uptake of agreed upon practices across CVC members’ teams. Coordinate joint actions as needed; likely pertaining to trainings, data collection, school screenings, supply chain, referrals, and demand generation.
• Conduct routine site visits to monitor progress against plans. Identify barriers to success and facilitate resolutions as possible.

Data gathering and reporting.
• Gather data and supporting materials to prepare Progress Reporting
• Disseminate updates and reports to the CVC Steering Committee, and other stakeholders.
• Respond to data and related requests required by CVC members as needed.
• Share lessons learned with the Coalition for Clear Vision

Fundraising Support and grants management
• Write summaries of areas requiring funding support. These include:
• Baseline and endline assessments regarding eyeglasses coverage rates; and knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding eye care.
• Operational research pertaining to school screenings and vision centers.
• Demand generation and local marketing in Kampala.
• Develop project budgets for donor submission.
• Responsible for fiduciary functions including functioning and grants dispensing based on a consensus-based process for determining fund allocation among partners.
• As required, liaise with the CVC fiduciary organization to facilitate reporting, funds disbursement, and external audits

Requirements
• Minimum 5 years of experience in development work
• Previous experience managing coalition efforts and/or projects being undertaken by multiple stakeholders.
• Strong project management skills, including project work planning, tracking of progress against targets, and budgeting.
• Excellent communication skills in both English and Buganda.
• Preferred experience and skills: (1) Understanding of interventions associated with vision and eye care in low-income settings. (2) Project management certification. (3) Fundraising and proposal development (4) Supply chain management. (5) Community leader and local government engagement. (6) Willingness and ability to travel a minimum of 50% of the time within Uganda. (7) Strong quantitative skills, with a high degree of proficiency in Excel.

COMPENSATION
• Salary range will be disclosed to candidates invited for a preliminary interview.
• Annual performance-based bonus.
• VisionSpring offers competitive benefits, including health insurance, gratuity funds, and generous vacation/personal time.