Job Opportunities at Ifakara Health Institute (IHI)

Reports to: Project PI/PL

Work station:  Dar es Salaam

Apply by:   August 25, 2020

Institute overview 

Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) is a leading research organization in Africa with a strong track record in developing, testing and validating innovations for health. Driven by a core strategic mandate for research, training and services, the Institute’s work now spans a wide spectrum, covering biomedical and ecological sciences, intervention studies, health-systems research and policy translation.

Position Summary

IHI is looking for a Project Manager to provide project management and research support to the Wellcome Trust funded project named, “Avoiding Preventable Deaths through the Provision of Essential Treatment in Critical Illness in the COVID-19 Pandemic (POETIC)”.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Overall management of the project, as a member of the Project Management Team, ensuring good operating practices for administration, logistics and financial management.
• Coordinate communication, meetings, teleconferences and information dissemination between the Work Packages (WPs), between the administration and management teams and between the team members, collaborators and advisors.
• Coordinate project schedules, timelines and writing of reports.
• Establish and coordinate the research team for POETIC at IHI.
• Actively get involved in all project activities at IHI and in Tanzania generally.
• Secure ethical and other clearances for the project in Tanzania.
• Lead and conduct qualitative researches.
• WP1: lead the literature review and Delphi process.
• WP2: lead the Tanzanian part of the work package.
• WP3: Do document and policy collation, interviews, online group discussions and walk-throughs in Tanzania.
• WP4: Organize and coordinate the full-team meeting, support for collation of findings and dissemination.
• Manage own research and administrative activities and records.
• Contribute to wider project planning and troubleshooting.
• Select, follow, and adapt specialist methodologies, with a focus on qualitative methods.
• Contribute to the design of research materials and data gathering.
• Gather, analyse, and present qualitative and quantitative data from a variety of sources.
• Work together with investigators and staff in partner countries (some travel to meetings / workshops may occur although this will depend on travel policies and national advice of country partners).
• Undertake literature reviews, Delphi consensus processes, questionnaire data collections and qualitative data and write up the results for publication in peer-reviewed journals and for presentation at conferences or public meetings.
• Conduct day-to-day administration of the research project and participation in team meetings and team activities.
• Represent the research group at external meetings/seminars, disseminate and feedback findings to policy makers, researchers and other stakeholders.
• Weekly plan duties, including prioritisation of duties, communication of plans to the PI and the rest of the team, and ensure the plan is followed and tasks are completed.
• Early identification of issues preventing the completion of expected tasks, independent solving of the issues where possible, and timely communication if issues cannot be solved independently
• Keep accurate records of all meetings attended and research activities conducted – for example meeting minutes and activity log-book.
• Regular and effective communication to the PI and rest of the team.
• Supervise the Research Assistant, Administrator and the team at IHI, and ensure all team members conduct effective planning, conduct and communication of their tasks.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the PI.

Qualification and Experience

• A master’s degree in project management or related field.
• A PhD is desirable.
• Previous work as Project Manager on a research project.
• Previous involvement in a Delphi process is desirable.
• A minimum of two-year work experience in project management and applying qualitative research methodologies.

Skills and Competencies

• Ability to lead a team and manage a complex, international research project A thorough understanding of qualitative research methodologies.
• Ability to conduct research leading to publications Fluent spoken and written English Fluent spoken and written Kiswahili is desirable Good computer skills including excel, word and other software including qualitative research software.
• Ability to select relevant qualitative research methodologies and conduct qualitative research independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to manage own research and administrative activities especially during periods of working from home.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write rapid reports aimed at multiple stakeholders and text that can be published, present data at conferences, and represent the research group at meetings.
• In-depth knowledge of health systems and hospital care is desirable.
• Able to work independently to solve problems, communicate necessary information in a timely manner and work effectively in a team.
• Able to start work immediately.

Remuneration

An attractive and competitive remuneration package will be offered to a successful candidate as per IHI salary scales.

Equal Opportunity

IHI is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit intentional biases or discrimination and harassment of any kind at the work place and during recruitment. All employment decisions are based solely on job requirements and individual qualifications, and our recruitment process is governed by the labour laws of Tanzania.

Mode of Application

All candidates who meet the above job requirements should send their application letters together with their detailed curriculum vitae (CVs) showing contact addresses including email, telephone/cell phone numbers and copies of academic and professional certificates to the address below. The deadline for this application is 17.00hrs, 25th of August 2020.

All application subject lines should read: PROJECT MANAGER – POETIC

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview.

Human Resources Manager,

Ifakara Health Institute,

Kiko Avenue, Mikocheni,

P o. Box 78373,

Dar es Salaam

Email: [email protected]