Executive Director

Job Description and Leadership Profile

1. Job Details

Organisation: St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (Lacor Hospital Complex)

Location: Lacor, Gulu City, Northern Uganda

Position: Executive Director (ED)

Reports to: Board of Directors; appointed by the Annual General Meeting

Governance roles: Chairperson, Internal Management Board (IMB); ex-officio member of the Board; Legal Representative of the Hospital

Contract: Five-year fixed-term appointment – renewable on mutual agreement

2. Organizational Context

St. Mary's Hospital Lacor is a Roman Catholic, not-for-profit referral and teaching hospital owned by the Archdiocese of Gulu and supported by the Corti Foundations (Italy and Canada). Founded in 1959 and developed from 1961 by Dr Piero Corti and Dr. Lucille Teasdale, it is the largest private not-for-profit hospital in Uganda. The Lacor Hospital Complex comprises the main hospital in Gulu City (482+ beds), three peripheral health centres at Amuru, Opit and Pabo (each with 24 beds), the Health Training Institute (certificate /diplomas for nurses, midwifes, lab technicians, theatre assistants), and the logistics unit in Kampala. It serves a catchment of over 580,000 people, records more than 150,000 outpatient attendances and 33,000 admissions a year and is a teaching site for Gulu University.

Its mission is to provide affordable and quality health care to people in need, that is sustainable within the resources that are available, without discrimination and in witness of the Church's concern for every sick person. The Executive Director assumes overall executive leadership after a period in which the Internal Management Board (IMB, or hospital top managers) exercised the office's powers collectively, restoring clear executive accountability while retaining the collegial culture that has sustained continuity and succession. The top managers are appointed by the Annual General Meeting (AGM) upon recommendation by the Board, to whom management of the Hospital is delegated

3. Job Purpose and Core Mandate

To provide ethical, mission-aligned executive leadership for the entire Lacor Hospital Complex: integrating all directorates and units, implementing Board-approved policies and strategies, safeguarding quality, access, sustainability, assets and reputation, and holding Management collectively accountable for results.

The ED is the Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital and as such he/she has the final say on and ultimate responsibility for any decision taken by all other Managers. The ED will promote a team approach but always assure timely and effective leadership. 

4. Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities

•  Mission, identity and ethical leadership: Ensure major decisions reflect Lacor's Catholic identity and service to the needy; uphold medical ethics, Church teaching; protect the “Patient First” principle and equitable access; and maintain a safe, non-discriminatory environment with effective safeguarding.

•  Strategy and institutional performance: Lead the operationalisation, monitoring and renewal of strategy; develop integrated plans, budgets and performance dashboards; ensure that clinical activities or infrastructural investments are mission-relevant, evidence-based, in line within the Strategic Plan, and adequately funded, considering both initial investment cost as well as the following yearly costs.

•  Governance and Board accountability: Maintain a transparent, disciplined relationship with the Board and its Committees; provide accurate, timely advice, decision papers, budgets and risk and performance reports; ensure decisions are implemented; work with the Administrator/Hospital Secretary, who performs the Company Secretary function, on lawful Board processes and compliance.

•  Executive-team leadership and integrated operations: Chair the Internal Management Board with a focused agenda and, in a stalemate, a casting vote; clarify and delegate authority while retaining accountability; support the Directors and Administrator to deliver their portfolios; resolve cross-directorate conflict; and ensure coherent oversight of the hospital, Health Training Institute, health centres and Kampala unit.

•  Clinical governance, quality and patient safety: Ensure, with the support of the Medical Director, organisation-wide clinical governance covering patient safety, infection control, audit, and learning from adverse events; monitor outcomes, access, and the effect of fees on vulnerable groups; and maintain epidemic preparedness and continuity.

•  Financial stewardship and sustainability: Carry ultimate accountability for sound financial management, with support from the Institutional Director and Finance Manager; ensure realistic budgets, reliable accounts and cost, procurement, and donor discipline; protect affordability; and maintain strong internal controls and audit response.

•  People, culture and succession: Ensure fair, lawful recruitment, performance management, welfare and workforce planning; build a culture of service, accountability, teamwork and learning; and establish leadership-development and succession pathways for critical cadres.

•  Partnerships, resource mobilisation and representation: Serve as the principal institutional representative and authorised public voice; maintain trusted relationships with the Archdiocese, CMB, government, Corti Foundation, donors, universities and communities; and keep fundraising and reporting aligned to strategy and accountability.

•  Teaching, research and information systems: Keep teaching, training and research integrated with the service mission and meeting academic and regulatory standards; support ethical research and responsible technology, including integrated clinical and financial systems, cybersecurity and data protection; and ensure reliable data informs decisions.

•  Risk, compliance, assets and continuity: Maintain an integrated system for managing and reporting principal risks; ensure compliance with the Statute, law, licences, and professional standards; protect assets, land, information, and reputation; and maintain controls for health and safety, security, and continuity of essential services.

5. Person Specification

Education and qualifications

•  A postgraduate qualification in organisational leadership, governance and management at Master's degree or equivalent is required; public health, health-services management, business management or any other directly relevant field.

•   A relevant additional medical or health-related qualification will be an advantage.

Experience

•  At least ten years of progressively responsible leadership, including at least five at executive or director level in a complex organisation or health-care institution.

•  Proven success integrating strategy, operations, finance, people, risk and stakeholder relationships, and converting Board decisions into measurable performance.

•  Stewardship of significant budgets and donor or restricted funds, with sound internal control, audit and sustainability judgement.

•  Desirable:

•  Experience in faith-based, not-for-profit or comparable mission-driven institution.

•  Experience in a referral or teaching hospital or health network in East Africa;

•  Values-led health care; organisational transition, succession or digital transformation; government relations, fundraising and international partnerships; and knowledge of Uganda's health system and of Acholi or any other local language.

Competencies

•  Mission-centred leadership and strategic judgement; governance and accountability; and enterprise leadership across clinical, academic, financial, people and partnership agendas.

•  Financial stewardship; people and culture leadership; stakeholder influence; and risk and resilience, acting decisively in crisis to protect service continuity.

•  High personal integrity, humility, moral courage and discretion; excellent written and spoken English; and the credibility to represent the Hospital at senior national and international levels.

•  Leads through consultation and consensus but timely, accountable decisions; uses evidence and transparent criteria; rejects corruption, nepotism and factionalism; and delegates meaningfully.

•  Communicates clearly, listens actively, builds trust, manages conflict diplomatically and maintains constructive stakeholder relationships.

How to apply:

All interested and qualified persons are strongly encouraged to apply by email: vacancy@futureoptions.org clearly indicating the Position Title in the email subject line. The deadline for submissions is Sunday 20 September 2026 at 11:59 pm (EAT).

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