Assistant Lead, Project Implementation at VisionSpring

Job Requirements

• Graduate degree in relevant field. Preference for trained optometrists or ophthalmologists, or relevant experience in the eye care sector.
• At least 3 to 5 years of professional experience.
• Excellent communication skills in English and the local Nigerian
• Willingness to travel within Nigeria.
• Must meet the highest standards of ethics and personal integrity.
• Proficiency in MS Office (especially PowerPoint and Excel).

Job Responsibilities

Program Support:

• Assist the Lead Programs or Program Manager in planning, executing, and monitoring program activities.
• Help develop and maintain program plans, schedules, and documentation.
• Support the coordination of program resources and ensure they are allocated effectively.

Team Support:

• Provide support to program teams and project managers within the program.
• Assist in assigning tasks and responsibilities to team members.
• Foster a collaborative and productive team environment.

Stakeholder Communication:

• Assist in communication with internal and external stakeholders, including senior management, clients, and partners.
• Help ensure that stakeholders are informed about program progress and any relevant updates.

Documentation and Reporting:

• Maintain program documentation, including project plans, status reports, and meeting minutes.
• Assist in preparing regular program status reports for senior management and stakeholders.
• Ensure that documentation is accurate and up to date.

Risk Management:

• Assist in identifying potential risks and issues related to program execution.
• Contribute to the development of risk mitigation strategies and contingency plans.
• Monitor and report on the status of risk mitigation efforts.

Quality Assurance:

• Assist in establishing and enforcing quality assurance processes to ensure program deliverables meet established standards.
• Support program teams in adhering to quality and compliance requirements.

Task Execution:

• Take on specific tasks or responsibilities as delegated by the Lead Programs or Program Manager.
• Ensure that assigned tasks are completed on time and within budget.

Program Governance and Compliance:

• Help ensure that the program adheres to organizational policies, industry regulations, and best practices.
• Assist in establishing and maintaining program governance structures as needed.

Continuous Improvement:

• Contribute to the identification of opportunities for process improvements within the program.
• Assist in implementing changes and enhancements to improve program efficiency and effectiveness.

Support for Program Closure:

• Assist in the closure process of programs, ensuring that all deliverables are met, and objectives are achieved.
• Participate in post-program evaluations to capture lessons learned and areas for improvement.

Conflict Resolution:

• Help identify and address conflicts or disputes within the program team or between stakeholders.
• Support conflict resolution efforts and maintain a positive team dynamic.

Program Integrity, Monitoring, and Reporting

• Provide technical input for the Program design, delivery, and reporting framework.
• Develop a process to monitor accuracy of diagnosis and glasses fulfillment against prescriptions.
• Oversee field data collection and data analysis.
• Identify program successes and areas for improvement, and tailor project design accordingly. Share learning across the team. Establish quality improvement processes.
• Prepare basic impact reports to disseminate among all project investors and school administrators.
• Manage the Profit and Loss statement and keep checks on program budgets.

Program Management

• Lead stakeholder engagement and communications with all project stakeholders. These include: 1) Field representatives of project sponsors (corporations, NGOs, government agencies).
• Create program collateral (documents, presentations etc.) to support program delivery.
• Identify and share opportunities for strategic partnerships with state and district level government agencies and corporates in support of business development objectives.

Project Team Development & Implementation

• Execute projects on time and on budget. Develop project schedules. Identify risks and develop field execution contingency plans.
• Supervise the day-to-day operation of the See to be Safe unit. Manage project staffing and deployment to field posts.
• Hire and train team members who have both optometric and project coordination experience.
• Ensure all project staff are effective in creating a memorable and motivational experience for children and their adults.

Program Advocacy

• S/he is the customer (Corporates, Governments etc.) relationship owners, it makes sense to convert that relationship and value into real advocacy. It could come in the form of external reviews, panel discussions, a case study, or referrals etc.
• Help clients share their impact with stakeholders, including their upstream buyers, boards of directors and employees. Coordinate with Marketing to support clients in sharing their results externally.