Foundations Project Manager

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

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 UW School of Medicine has an outstanding opportunity for a Foundations Project Manager.

The Foundations Project Manager

• Term 2 (Foundations Project Manager) for the School of Medicine (SoM) will manage 3 of the 9 required basic science and clinical integrated blocks for the Foundations Phase of the Medical School Curriculum. These three blocks are 5-7-week intensive courses that medical students are required to complete as a part of their Foundations Phase of Medical education.

The Foundations phase is 18 months in length and consists of a total of 9 integrated blocks and other integrated content which is delivered across the five WWAMI states (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) to over 270 students annually. The Foundations Project Manager will manage curriculum congruency, implementation, delivery, operational logistics and continuous quality improvement for three integrated basic science and clinical medicine blocks across the 5 WWAMI states. This position will be a representative of the Curriculum Unit in Academic Affairs, managing the day-to-day operational activities of the three Foundations blocks to ensure operational efficiency and curricular congruence. The Foundations Project Manager reports directly to the Assistant Director of Curriculum and takes direction from the Assistant and Associate Deans for Curriculum. The Foundations Project Manager works closely with the Academic Affairs deans, directors, managers, and staff, and SoM faculty, staff, and students within the five-state WWAMI region regarding medical student curriculum related programs and serves as a resource for questions from individuals within the University and the community. The Foundations Project Manager is expected to independently interpret and implement university, state and federal educational policies and procedures. This position will exercise independent judgment, solve problems, and develop innovative approaches to the management of a wide variety of curriculum initiatives.

The Foundations Project Manager will have frequent contact with the school's academic and administrative leadership. This includes serving as a critical interface with the Associate Dean for Curriculum, the Assistant Dean for Curriculum, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, the Assistant Deans based throughout the WWAMI region, SoM curriculum chairs, faculty (both based in Seattle and outside Seattle), and the medical students on any number of complicated operational curricular issues. This position requires a high degree of independent decision-making, organization, and problem-solving skills, along with the ability to prioritize many competing tasks from faculty, Dean's Office staff, and students. With the regional orientation of the medical school, the Foundations Project Manager must be service-oriented and customer-focused, able to address questions, problems, or concerns from faculty, staff, and students across the WWAMI region in a professional, prompt, and confidential manner. With the expansion of the medical school and related curricular challenges that lie ahead, the position will require the ability to multitask, prioritize job responsibilities, and work effectively with faculty, students, and staff.

This position directly impacts the scope and quality of instruction of School of Medicine medical students during their four years of medical school, both at the UW Seattle campus and throughout the WWAMI region. The Foundations Project Manager for these three blocks ensures that all basic science and clinical curriculum elements of the foundation's curriculum are operationally supported, up-to-date, consistent with Curriculum Committee recommendations, and communicated to the Associate and Assistant Deans and faculty across the six WWAMI teaching sites. The Foundations Project Manager is also involved in ensuring that all approved curriculum meets compliance and accreditation standards as established by Liaison Committee on Medical Education, federal, state and university regulations, and other requirements as are appropriate. If an individual without a sophisticated understanding of the specific laws, accreditation standards, and local policies and procedures is not hired to perform these job responsibilities, then the UW SoM could lose its accreditation and potentially not be allowed to provide medical education for its medical students.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Foundations Project Manager will work across the Academic Affairs Office and closely interface with the Associate Dean for Curriculum, Assistant Dean for Basic Science, and the Directors of Curriculum to manage the implementation and initiate continuous improvement strategies for three foundations blocks within the SoM. The manager will provide analysis of congruent curriculum delivery across six universities, five of which offer semester schedules, and one (UW) on a quarter schedule. The Foundations Project Manager will advise block directors, instructors and deans on needed changes and improvements to the curriculum to meet school, state and national/federal guidelines for accreditation and financial aid and implement and document these changes and improvements.

Major duties and responsibilities to include:

Curriculum Development and Implementation

• 80%:

• Independently provide curriculum guidance and expertise to the six Regional Assistant Deans, foundation block leaders, instructors, and administrators for their blocks. Advise on implementing the foundations curriculum at their site and serve as a liaison between School of Medicine curriculum staff and deans, faculty, and other leaders on issues of curriculum.

• Partner with foundation block directors, instructors, and regional administrators in developing, maintaining, and implementing their curriculum. Utilize project management techniques and tools to track and monitor timetables, action items, deliverables, and contingency plans.

• Communicate action steps, priorities and stakeholder needs to foundation block directors, instructors, and staff. Communicate concerns regarding foundation's curriculum to School of Medicine leadership.

• Initiate strategic plans and assist with process for systematic review and evaluation of curricular innovation, including development and monitoring of outcomes and plans of action for improvement.

• Meet with members of the School of Medicine community to ensure transparency and problem solve issues regarding curriculum implementation.

• Author policy and procedure documentation for the management and administration of the curriculum.

• Develop project management tools to plan the curriculum implementation and timeline to meet deadlines.

• Author and revise curriculum website. Develop written communication materials and collaborate with faculty to draft special communications, including newsletters on the Foundations Curriculum and distribute broadly to UW Medicine faculty, regional faculty, staff, and students.

• Support the activities of committee chairs, including the creation of surveys, interview comparable medical schools on best practices and conduct research on current national medical education pedagogy.

• Work with leadership of Curriculum and the Academic Learning Technologies teams in their activities related to faculty development and assist with the development of to teach the teachers the latest educational learning and delivery methodologies.

Meetings, Presentations and Reporting

• 20%:

• Chair weekly and monthly meetings with foundation block directors, site leads, instructors, and regional site administrators for their blocks which includes developing agenda items, prioritizing work packages, monitoring and following through on action items, and synthesizing disparate sources of data and information to inform actions, decision making and approval pathways.

• Present to stakeholder groups on topics such as technology implementation, distance learning, and how to establish congruent educational activities across six campuses.

• Organize the work of foundation block/thread committees and meetings, including collecting and refining minutes and follow through on action items.

• Initiate reports and participate in meetings with School of Medicine senior leadership to review the status of the foundations curriculum to assess effectiveness and alignment with School of Medicine curriculum initiatives; attend primary committee meetings and provide support as needed, such as, attending and scheduling highly sensitive committee meetings.

LEAD RESPONSIBILITIES

The Foundations Project Manager has coordinating oversight responsibility to work with SoM department faculty and staff assigned to work on curricular issues. Working with the various department-based faculty and staff that support the foundations curriculum, the Foundations Project Manager outlines curriculum-based requirements and follows through to ensure that all timelines and program requirements are achieved.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree in education, business administration or related field and two or more years of curriculum development or administrative experience.

• Excellent project management skills, including working knowledge of project management methodologies.

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

Additional Requirements:

• Working knowledge of and skill with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

• Experience with web site development, software, implementation, and maintenance.

• Excellent oral and written communication and organizational skills.

• Strong oral and written communication skills.

• Demonstrated experience working in large, highly structured environments.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree in any field.

• Background in in higher education; preferably medical education.

OTHER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The position frequently requires the employee to work beyond a normal work week (e.g. more than 40 hours a week) and intermittently requires evening and weekend time to meet project deadlines and attend meetings.

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.