International Internship Coordinator

**This is a 6-month contract position**

Location: Remote and Iganga, Uganda

The International Internship Coordinator’s (IIC) primary responsibility is to coordinate with and provide guidance to a multinational group of 25-40 interns while living and working in rural Uganda. The IIC will be responsible for maintaining open lines of communication between all intern teams and UVP staff and will work in Coordination with UVP’s VHT-Intern Coordinator, a full time staff member based in Iganga that is primarily responsible for all national, Ugandan interns. 

While living in a rural Ugandan village with minimal resources, the IIC will be expected to assist with other priority tasks in line with UVP’s multiple public health projects. The IIC must be able to adeptly manage multiple, cross-cultural relationships between local community members and the interns, manage conflicts that arise within teams, navigate complex logistics of activities across multiple teams and villages, and coordinate their time across multiple village sites where UVP works. 

Managing much of the internship program “on the ground” can be very fast-paced and demanding, requiring the ability to handle many tasks at once and executed in a non-standard work week/hours at times – the internship coordinator is one of the primary points of contact for all teams living in the villages. This truly enriching opportunity can provide extensive cross-cultural experience for a future leader in public health or international development in a very short amount of time. 

Candidates with no conflict management experience will not be considered.

Responsibilities

  • Work closely with the VHT-Intern Coordinator and UVP staff to provide pre-arrival and Iganga-based support to internship teams. (e.g. tracking intern travel arrangements and coordinating transportation upon arrival to Entebbe)
  • Work with UVP staff to execute the timely electronic dissemination of information or materials to internship teams.
  • Work with the VHT-Intern Coordinator to plan and facilitate the Iganga-based UVP orientation and debriefs with interns, electronically and in person. (e.g. pre-arrival information sessions and orientation upon arrival to Iganga) 
  • Co-lead weekly meetings with intern Team Leaders.
  • Advise interns in preparing and conducting all village activities and educational sessions. 
  • Collect photographic and written documentation of intern activities.
  • Facilitate and document resolution of conflicts between internship team members or teams and the community.
  • Collect deliverables from intern teams, both hard copy and electronic.
  • Hold teams accountable for completing all surveys, sensitizations, and other required tasks within the prescribed timeline and maintaining proper professional and cultural conduct within the village.
  • Provide detailed feedback on practicum students to the Managing Director and Executive Director. 
  • Conduct focus group interviews with interns to collect program feedback.
  • Hold two to three professional development sessions for interns with the support of other staff members.
  • See the intern job description for more details on the responsibilities of teams the Intern Coordinators supervise.

Required Skills

  • Past internship experience with UVP is highly valued; however, applicants with experience in sub-Saharan Africa (or similar low-resource environments) will also be considered. 
  • Bachelor’s degree in public health or international development; practical experience will also be taken into consideration.
  • Leadership: experience leading and supporting groups of diverse individuals.
  • Conflict Management: demonstrated experience in conflict management is a must.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and confidentiality.
  • Resourceful: excellent problem solving skills, preferably in a low resource setting.
  • Cultural Sensitivity: ability to work well alongside individuals with differing cultural norms and values while considering and maintaining equity among the group.
  • Ability to work independently and with limited supervision.
  • Proficiency with Google Suite and Microsoft Office
  • Fluency in English, both written and oral.

Preferred Skills

  • Ability to coordinate and communicate effectively in an electronic environment.
  • Experience in public health and conducting household surveys (monitoring and evaluation).
  • Flexible and adaptable to changing needs. 
  • Comfortable handling many tasks at one time while keeping future tasks in mind.
  • Experience with planning and implementing public health sensitizations.
  • Comfort working autonomously and leading others, in person and in a remote environment.

Duration and Location

  • The position is a contract for a total of 6 months beginning 1 March 2021 and ending 31 August 2021. Hours and locations:
    • 1 March 2021 – 8 May 2022—remote-based work, approximately 10 – 15 hours per week. Start date is flexible.
    • 9 May 2021 – 19 August 2022—Iganga-based work between the UVP office and village homestay, 40-45 hours per week.

Benefits/Compensation

  • Modest monthly stipend.
  • Visa expenses and transportation between Entebbe airport and Iganga.
  • Weekly budget for food, airtime (communication), and work-related travel.
  • While in Uganda, IIC will stay with a homestay family in one of the communities where interns are based, likely without electricity or running water. This is non-negotiable.  He/she/they will also have a private room in Iganga town with access to internet, running water, and electricity on the weekends.
  • Required immunizations to enter Uganda.

**Candidate is responsible for the costs of transportation to/from Uganda.

To apply, please attach your CV and essay question answers to the online form. Send inquiries to [email protected]. 

Applications received outside of the online form will NOT be considered.