Director of Operations, I-TECH

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

The Department of Global Health I-TECH has an outstanding opportunity for a Director of Operations.

The International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) and the Department of Global Health recognizes that disparities in health around the globe stem from inequity and encourages and supports the multiple identities of staff, faculty and students including, but not limited to, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, language, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, culture, spiritual practice, geography, mental and physical disability and age. As reflected in the I-TECH Diversity Statement, our definition of diversity is broad, recognizing that there are multiple definitions of diversity. We strive to become a local, national, and international leader in developing and maintaining increased representation and recognition of each of these dimensions of diversity among its faculty, staff, and students.

The International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) is a center of the University of Washington (UW) Department of Global Health (DGH), a division of the Schools of Medicine and Public Health. I-TECH is focused on the mission of working with local partners to develop a skilled health care workforce and strong national health systems in resource-limited settings. This work is primarily supported through multiple US federal awards, many of them targeting prevention, care, and treatment of HIV and other infectious diseases, and I-TECH operates with an annual budget that ranges between $50-85 million. I-TECH is headquartered at the UW in Seattle and has offices in 6 of the 20 countries where it is invited to work by host governments. Approximately 1,000 staff work for I-TECH worldwide. I-TECH is committed to being anti-racist and promotes health and equity in health for all people worldwide.

The Director of Operations will oversee and direct both headquarters and country office operations. This position is essential in ensuring compliance with University of Washington, state and federal, as well as local country office laws and policies that relate to operations. The Director of Operations will provide expert guidance to all areas of operations in both international and headquarter activities, policies and practices.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Network Leadership
• Co-Lead Senior Management Team meetings to assess progress, address challenges, and problem-solve solutions;
• In collaboration with the Executive Director (ED) and other members of the Senior Management Team, pursue partnerships and collaborations within and outside the UW that promote the ability of I-TECH and UW to manage global programs with skill and ingenuity;
• Oversee contractual and operational compliance with terms set by funding organizations, university administration, and relevant governmental jurisdictions;
• Engage stakeholders (Principal Investigators (PIs), Country Directors (CDs), program managers, UW administrative principals) to fully support I-TECH operations and award management;
• Lead efforts to document and communicate performance of I-TECH global operations to donors and other stakeholders;
• Analyze and resolve emergent issues related to operations, interfacing with ED, PIs, CDs, staff, and partners as well as UW systems and stakeholders;
• Along with the ED and other members of the Senior Management Team, represent the Center with Faculty, the Department, the University, and external partners;
• Assure effective management and organizational support to PIs and CDs with regard to operations;
• Manage change in frequently ambiguous situations as it applies to operations and changing regulatory conditions;
• Model superior leadership and team-building skills.
• Support the I-TECH ED in coordinating new business development.

Risk Management Oversight
• Serve as I-TECH network lead for safety and security by updating and Implementing I-TECH Safety & Security policy and procedures;
• Identify opportunities and potential security threats to the I-TECH network and its programs and work with teams and UW Office of Global Affairs to manage security incidents;
• Serve as the point person for assessing and responding to export controls as related to equipment;
• Work closely with the UW Office of the Attorney General and I-TECH Associate Center Director to guide and assure compliance with domestic and international laws in relation to registration of I-TECH’s UW-affiliated offices, contract law, and other issues related to operating a UW program in a foreign country setting;
• Serve as officer on all of I-TECH’s foreign registrations;
• Assess operational risks and make recommendations to PIs and ED about optional courses of action;

Personnel Administration/Supervision
• Assure operational support is provided to PIs for conducting activities necessary to meet program objectives in the US and abroad;
• Assure support and technical assistance to PIs and teams for pre- and post-award management, including assistance with application development and submission;
• Supervise and evaluate the performance of I-TECH Contracts and Operations Manager and Senior Grants and Contracts Specialist, and provide oversight of IT Specialist for portion of work that support I-TECH;
• Act as steward of the organizational culture of I-TECH by promoting its Operating Principles;
• Embody and engender those qualities that support an effective, efficient, inspired workplace.

Operations Oversight and Management
• Oversee the development of new administrative/operational policies and procedures consistent with the policies and procedures of the UW and funding organizations for I-TECH field offices;
• Anticipate problem areas and lead operations team staff to plan ahead and solve those problems;
• Evaluate current I-TECH administrative policies and procedures for country offices and implement improvements if needed;
• Ensure proper staff training occurs regarding those policies and procedures;
• Assess and ensure compliance of policies and procedures;
• Foster collaborative relationships among country offices to share best practices;
• Exercise judgment and personal initiative to solve overseas administration problems that remain consistent with the objectives and policies of I-TECH and the UW, while remaining consistent with local laws;
• Conduct monthly operations calls with country office Director of Operations to provide support, share updates, and provide training;
• Assure a supportive environment and effective communication among staff across program sites and offices;
• Ensure regular updating of the I-TECH Global and Headquarters Operations Manuals;
o Provide direct operational support to country offices and conduct on-site visits to train and mentor staff and assess policy and procedure implementation;
o Lead and oversee equipment inventory processes to include annual reconciliation between UW office and all I-TECH country offices;
o Represent I-TECH and serve as the primary liaison between I-TECH and multiple UW central administration to include Real Estate, Office of Global Affairs, Procurement, Equipment Inventory, Office of Risk Management, and Travel;
• Guide professional development of the operations and award administration staff.  Identify individual and group activities for professional development in accordance with staff goals and needs;
• Research multiple levels of regulations to determine allowability of purchases and activities on multiple awards from various funders;
• Oversee the management of the Seattle office facilities to include space planning, facilitation of moves and decisions regarding policy implementation;
o Provide decisions to Executive and Management teams on issues of grant compliance.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Master’s degree in public administration, business administration, public health, or related field and 5 years’ experience working in global operations.
• Management and leadership experience of 5 years or more working for an international organization.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

Skills required:

• Knowledge of the financial, legal, risk management, operations, and personnel policies and practices of US-based public research universities.
• Knowledge of US federal and other funding agency processes and procedures.
• Ability to lead the definition and oversight of compliance assurance systems.
• Supervisory skills and a track record of successfully fostering employee contribution and development.
• Ability to lead and facilitate cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary teams.
• Ability to authoritatively represent I-TECH and UW with a wide range of officials and partners.
• Ability to make decisions based upon judgment and experience even when all necessary evidence or information is not complete.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively across cultures.
• Ability to travel, as needed, to problem-solve and facilitate solutions.
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate communication between professionals in a manner that respects cultural differences and contributes to effective partnerships.

Desired Qualifications

• Terminal degree in relevant field.
• Experience in a University setting.
• Leadership experience in an organization of 200 people or more.
• Proven track record at change management.

Working Conditions

This full-time position is based off campus at the I-TECH offices in Seattle. The Director of Operations job requires up to 15% travel to countries that often lack robust public health and safety infrastructure. Travelers must be prepared to follow the UW and US government recommended precautions and prophylaxis for travel safety and disease prevention. The Director of Operations position requires frequent participation in early morning and late evening telephone conference calls to accommodate time zone differences between Seattle and country project sites. I-TECH operates within a grant-funded environment.   Due to this, the total amount of this position’s FTE may fluctuate based on program funding and needs.

Application Process:

The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your “My Jobs” page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.