Organizational Capacity Assessment
Assessment Recommendations
Leadership • Formal leadership is exercised by those appointed.
• Formal leadership is not always properly used.
Strategic • There is no clear organizational strategy.
Planning • There is no formulation and implementation of activities that
would lead to long-term organizational success.
• Senior management believes it is the responsibility of HQ to
provide strategic planning, and that field programs should be
implementing agents.
Strategic Governance • Board of Directors-unsure of what their overall role is
• There is an absence of clear policy that would serve to support
Leadership optimal governance practices.
Structure • Although many of the staff are aware of formal structures, there
are informal structures within the organization that staff must
adhere to which often cause confusion.
• Departmental lines crossed easily, particularly in cases of
collaboration.
• Structural authority is not used to further issues of equity.
• Staff have access to other units in the organization that are
important to their work.
• Although coordination is encouraged within the organization,
efficient means of coordination are not easily fostered.
• There are not clear lines of accountability.
• Decision making is centralized which has negative
consequences (i.e. impeded productivity and low morale).
Managerial • There is inadequate HR planning.
• Organization does not forecast, recruit or select human
Staff resources effectively.
• There is no clear HR policy in place. There are policies in
which members of the organization govern themselves by,
but they are unclear.
• Although administrative staff is currently trying to implement
performance assessment, workload makes the likelihood of
• Broadly encourage that constructive leadership is assumed by
members of the organization which will result in more vibrant and
creative organization.
• Support further development of CD’s capacity to facilitate
strategic planning, as this position is pivotal in the strategic
direction of country priorities and competencies.
• As DR prepares to transition MTI-U over to ID there needs to be
critical discussions that map a clear strategic direction for MTI-U
operations. MTI-U must be involved at each level.
• Strategy should support issues of equity.
• HQ should provide technical support in this area as there is
currently little capacity to conduct this at the field level.
• Field needs to establish a pattern of calculated responses to the
environment, including resource deployments, formulation and
implementation activities that lead to long-term organizational
success.
• Governing structure needs to clarify and support organizational
direction.
• Board could serve as entity that access whether the workforce is
reflective of a fair and equity policy.
• Governance should be mechanism that it shared by all
individuals that comprise the organization, and not solely by one
individual.
• MTI-U needs technical assistance in establishing clear and
effective systems.
• Clear policies would assist in establishing clear structure and
systems.
• HQ must ensure that management team is accepting of technical
supporters that come in assist in the area of management.
• There needs to be strategic development of effective
management vision and mission for the organization.
• The workforce needs more of a fair gender and equity policy.
• Additional learning/professional development needs for staff
need to be provided.
 the completion of the staff assessment feasible.
Technical • Often a tremendous burden for field staff.
Support • Often times due to the fact that volunteers pay for trips there
is the rightful sense of entitlement. However, there trips are
(Volunteers) not always conducive for field staff.
• Can be viewed in some forms as “medical tourism” or
“cultural exchange” visit.
• Coordination between HQ and field do not always coincide
regarding the SOW of field staff.
• Unsure of the recruitment process, but from observation
does not appear to be very comprehensive.
Technology • There is currently no internet system in Pader.
• Communication systems (phone and internet) are unreliable
which makes external communications difficult.
Human • Financial record keeping is excellent.
Finance
Resources • Organizational budgeting is not always well executed. Often
centralized and programmatic decisions are made by
administrative staff who are not well versed in programmatic
operations.
Planning • Plans and procedures not typically followed. Often times it is
open to interruption of senior level management.
• Because plans are not typically followed, they do not provide
adequate direction to organizational members.
• Organization has exhibited limited ability to develop/write project
proposals.
Program
Management Implementin • Considerable difficulty with program implementation due to
level inadequate strategic planning at senior level
g •
management.
• HPO wants to assume a lot of responsibility during the initial
stages of implementation, however does not have the
capacity to do it in an effective manner, which result in
inconsistent programmatic direction
Monitoring • There is inadequate program monitoring in place.
Problem- • Problem-solving is inadequate across departments.
Solving • Performance gaps and opportunities are not identified in
sufficient time to resolve them to the benefit of the
• Volunteers should undergo tougher screening procedures.
• Volunteers should be seen more in the scope of “technical
providers”, which would require them to undergo longer
periods of training (i.e. two months).
• Volunteer SOW should fit into the scope of field program
activities.
• As MTI-Uganda transitions to preventive health, and likely
more training teams are sent in there needs to skillful
development of trainings team SOW to compliment program
activities.
• HQ and field need to clearly define what will be the use of
volunteers in the next phase of programming.
• HQ can consider sending different types of volunteers, not
solely medical volunteers.
• HQ IT department should conduct a field site visit to address
these issues.
•
Financial reports (i.e. financial spending, financial forecast)
should be provided to senior and mid level managers. This
would assist managers in understanding overall budgetary
constraints.
• Longer management meetings should be implemented in which
organizational issues are discussed at length. Strategic planning
needs
• HQ could encourage this by requesting that all monthly
management meeting minutes be submitted to HQ.
• Planning, policy, and procedure development could be facilitated
with both organizational staff and board members.
• Budgetary planning should involve mid and senior level staff
persons.
• A Program Manager or Director could potentially assist with
strengthening this area. The person would have to have strong
management experience, and have the ability to counter
micromanagement from senior management.
• Clear provision of technical, administrative, and logistical
support should be decided upon at the field level.
Identification of training needs of MTI-U staff in the area of
program implementation should be made and addressed to
ensure effective roll-out of programs.
• Establish performance measurement indicators and process.
• HPO needs assistance in monitoring technical quality.
• During quarterly meetings (if they happen) M&E procedures and
resources should be reviewed/revised, and they should be either
corrected or terminated.
 individuals involved and the productivity of the organization.
Decision- • Decision-making for day to day operations within programs are • Decision-making should be shared by all within the organization.
typically made by program managers. However, there are times This encourages ownership of the operation and foster creativity
making when senior management makes direct managerial decisions and ingenuity.
about program operations. • HQ should ensure that there is technical person that can assist
• Decision-making about financial management and program with this programmatic development, and that his/her
development is centrally controlled by Lira office. Lower suggestions are respected and utilized and not left to the
management has little involvement decision-making outside of discretion of the staff as whether or not they will implement.
the day-to-day operations.
Communicati • Staff members do not receive information related to the
organization’s mission and about progress in fulfilling the
ons mission.
Monitoring • There are no clear procedures that guide evaluation and • Development of evaluation plans or performance monitoring
monitoring. frameworks.
and
• There are no resources assigned to monitoring and evaluation.
Evaluation • Monitoring and evaluation are not valued at all levels in the
organization as ways to improve performance.
Process • Evaluation plans or performance monitoring frameworks do not
Management exist.
• Evaluation results are not mentioned in strategy, program,
policy, and budgetary documents.
Networks • Currently involved in HIV/AIDS cluster and HNG cluster, • MTI-U must develop mechanism whereby senior
EPNR. management continues fruitful, ongoing partnership with
• Virtually no networking occurs with major donors until HQ external organization that bring new ideas and/or resources.
staff come for field site visits. Senior level management • DR should have as it managerial mandate that MTI-U
staff make regular trips to Kampala so it is not senior management have effective dialogue with major
Interinstutional inconceivable for them to initiate dialogue with donors. donors. Although it can be initially intimidating for the staff,
they will build the necessary skills for meaningful
Linkages relationships with major donors.
Partnership • There are no tangible partnerships that organization is
linked with.
• Organization is very much isolated in its work.