Summary

The Director of Science is IHI’s chief scientific officer and principal adviser to the Chief Executive Director on scientific 
strategy, research quality, innovation, research partnerships, capacity development and translation of evidence into 
policy and public-health impact. The Director provides institute-wide strategic leadership of the scientific portfolio, 
ensures alignment with IHI’s Strategic Plan and national and global health priorities, and promotes an integrated “One 
IHI” approach across scientific departments and research platforms.

Responsibilities

Management Responsibilities

• Serve as the CED’s adviser on scientific priorities, emerging opportunities, scientific risks and the strategic positioning of IHI’s research portfolio.
• As part of the senior management team, contribute to strategic planning & decision making, financial sustainability, risk management and organizational performance.
• Advise the CED on updating the Strategic Plan to ensure alignment with evolving global health priorities and agendas.
• Develop strategies to remain a competitive international health research institution. • Foster commitment and motivation of all scientific staff
• Responsible for the management of scientific output in line with IHI strategy, donor requirements, scientific and ethical standards.
• Assist Chief Executive Director in the preparation of the board papers and in the implementation of scientific recommendations from board and its sub committees.
• Provide strategic oversight of institutional grant development and support the preparation and submission of major, strategic and cross-departmental funding applications, while Principal Investigators retain responsibility for individual applications.
• Oversee institutional compliance with major scientific and training-related reporting obligations, while Principal Investigators and responsible support functions retain accountability for project-specific reports.
• Coordinate development of progress and outcomes reports of major research and training programs and research support units.
• Coordinate the Scientific Advisory Committee meetings.
• Establish regular performance and portfolio-review mechanisms with Heads of Departments and other direct reports and undertake performance appraisal in accordance with IHI policy.
• Represent the CED and IHI on scientific matters when formally delegated.
• Promote effective, open and bidirectional communication between the CED, scientific departments, research platforms and other Directorates.
• Undertake any other tasks that the Chief Executive Director shall reasonably require from time to time.

 

 Support overall communication, reporting and public engagement functions to support IHI’s research agenda.

• Work with the Communications function to ensure accurate, timely and strategic communication of IHI’s scientific priorities, achievements and impact.
• Prepare periodic reports on scientific performance, major accomplishments, emerging opportunities and key scientific risks for the CED, Board, Scientific Advisory Committee and other stakeholders.
• Ensure significant research findings are communicated appropriately to policymakers, regulators, communities, partners, the scientific community and the public.
• Create regular platforms for scientific exchange, interdisciplinary dialogue, learning and collaboration across all IHI branches.
• Promote effective dissemination through peer-reviewed publications, conferences, policy briefs, implementation guidance, community engagement, media and digital platforms.
• Ensure that public communication of scientific findings is accurate, responsible, accessible and aligned with institutional policy.
• Support the visibility of IHI scientists and the promotion of African scientific leadership nationally and internationally

Scientific responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation and periodic review of IHI’s Scientific and Innovation Strategy.
• Translate the scientific strategy into annual priorities, departmental workplans, investment plans and an institute-wide scientific performance scorecard.
• Advise the CED on scientific areas in which IHI should lead, grow, partner, consolidate or exit.
• Undertake scientific horizon-scanning to identify emerging health threats, technologies, research opportunities and strategic risks.
• Promote strategic capabilities in areas such as genomics, artificial intelligence, data science, digital health, epidemic preparedness, experimental medicine, advanced clinical trials and implementation science, where aligned with IHI priorities.
• Develop institute-wide flagship programmes that bring together complementary expertise across scientific departments and research platforms.
• Ensure that all major scientific partnerships and research investments align with IHI’s mission, values, strategic priorities and public-health objectives.
• Provide overall strategic direction and guidance to departments while respecting delegated management authority.

2. Ensure successful implementation of all research conducted in the institute

• Provide institute-wide strategic oversight of the scientific portfolio, while Heads of Department, Principal Investigators and project leaders retain direct accountability for implementation.
• Establish risk-based quarterly reviews of major, strategically important or underperforming projects/programmes across departments.
• Conduct regular one-to-one meetings with heads of departments and other direct reports to review implementation of research projects or programs.
• Monitor portfolio delivery, scientific quality, milestones, partner commitments, financial performance and public health relevance.
• Ensure research and development activities conducted by IHI maintain internationally competitive quality.
• Ensure early identification, escalation and resolution of scientific, ethical, regulatory, financial or reputational risks.
• Promote use of common institutional systems and services, shared research platforms and standardized performance reporting.
• Recommend corrective action, restructuring, consolidation or closure of projects/programmes that are persistently underperforming or no longer strategically aligned.
• Ensure adequate institutional support for scientists, students and research teams, including access to scientific, regulatory, data, grants and operational services

. • Report regularly on scientific performance indicators, including quality, funding, policy influence, innovation, collaboration, capacity development and impact.

3. Ensure Research Excellence, Integrity and Regulatory Compliance.

• Support the preparation of research grant applications, advising on national regulations, sponsor regulations & international regulations.
• Provide institutional scientific oversight of ethical and regulatory compliance, while recognizing the direct responsibilities of Principal Investigators, sponsors, ethics committees, Quality Assurance and regulatory functions.
• Strengthen internal scientific peer review of major proposals, strategic programmes and high-impact outputs.
• Ensure that research complies with applicable national and international requirements (e.g. from TMDA, TPRI, NIMR-MRCC, WHO & FDA), including those of relevant ethics committees, regulatory authorities, sponsors and professional bodies.
• Promote adherence to Good Clinical Practice, Good Clinical Laboratory Practice, applicable quality management systems and other relevant standards.
• Ensure scientific and ethical concerns are promptly investigated and referred through established institutional procedures.
• Lead the development, implementation and periodic review of institutional frameworks for scientific quality, reproducibility, research integrity, responsible authorship and data stewardship.
• Maintain an institutional scientific risk register and report material risks to the CED and relevant governance bodies.
• Support the development and periodic review of scientific, research-governance and integrity policies.

4. Recommend strategic investment in research infrastructure & forge strategic partnerships with other stakeholders.

• Identify priority scientific infrastructure and platform investments based on institutional strategy, utilization needs, sustainability and public-health value.
• Ensure all research platforms have scientific roadmaps, quality standards, utilization targets, access arrangements and sustainability plans.
• Promote movement of partnerships from predominantly investigator-led and project-specific arrangements toward institution-to-institution strategic alliances.
• Work with the CED, Director of Resource Mobilization & Strategic partnership and COO to ensure effective partnership management, due diligence, contracting and institutional learning. • Develop strategic scientific partnerships with government, academia, research institutions, funders, industry, regulators, communities and regional and global organizations.
• Advise the CED on the scientific value, institutional benefits, risks and resource implications of proposed partnerships.
• Coordinate the scientific development of flagship projects/programmes and major consortium opportunities
• Oversee transparent, competitive and accountable processes for awarding internal IHI research grants, bridge funding and scientific training scholarships, in accordance with approved institutional policies and committee recommendations.
• Mobilize scientific, financial and human resources to implement strategic research programmes and institutional priorities.
• 5. Lead Efforts to Improve Human Resource Capacity for Research in IHI and the Region.
• To oversee the IHI Training program strategy
• Lead development of a scientific workforce and succession plan aligned with IHI’s future capability needs.
• Identify critical scientific skill gaps and advise on recruitment, retention, visiting appointments and talent development.
• Ensure strong mentorship, sponsorship, supervision and leadership-development systems for early-, mid- and senior-career scientists at IHI.
• Work with the Human Resources Management and Department of Training & Capacity building to implement transparent, merit-based scientific career pathways and the Scientific Scheme of Service.
• Promote equitable opportunities for women and underrepresented groups in scientific leadership, funding, training and decision-making.
• Oversee and monitor the effective implementation of postgraduate training, fellowships, postdoctoral development and South–South scientific capacity-strengthening programmes.
• Monitor the quality and outcomes of mentorship, supervision, training and scientific leadership-development programmes.
• Promote a work environment that supports scientific creativity, collaboration, wellbeing, professional growth and retention.
• Regularly brief scientists and management on strategic funding, partnership, training and scientific leadership opportunities. Responsibilities related to research budgets, fundraising and institutional efficiency.

 

Responsibilities related to research budgets, fundraising and institutional efficiency.

1. Monitor budget performance, improve productivity in major research and training programs.

• Review consolidated financial and delivery-performance information for scientific departments, research support units, training programmes and major strategic programmes on a risk-based basis.
• Monitor material budget variances, financial risks and sustainability concerns affecting the scientific portfolio, in collaboration with the COO, Finance function and responsible budget holders
• Develop & oversee budgets, policies & procedures for research directorate.
• Review financial and delivery performance of scientific departments under research directorate, research support units and major programmes on a risk-based basis.
• Work with the Chief Operations Officer (COO) to institute precautionary measures to mitigate financial risks.
• Contribute to annual institutional budgeting, investment prioritization and financial-sustainability planning.
• In coordination with COO help promote sound financial stewardship and donor compliance among IHI scientists.

2. Spearhead enhancement, protection & valorization of IHI intellectual property

• Provide strategic scientific leadership for identification, protection, validation and responsible valorization of IHI intellectual property and know-how.
• Strengthen pathways through which IHI innovations can progress toward validation, adoption, licensing, commercialization or public-sector scale-up.
• Work with the CED, COO, legal, partnerships and business-development functions to establish appropriate technology-transfer and commercialization mechanisms.
• Develop mutually beneficial relationships with industry, product-development partners, innovation hubs and investors while safeguarding scientific integrity and institutional interests.
• Promote awareness among staff of intellectual-property, disclosure, data-ownership and benefit-sharing responsibilities.

3. Establish & lead efficiency improvement programs for research and partnerships.

• Set departmental goals and provide routine evaluations of progress toward these goals for research, training, and support services.
• Support research services & contracts office in its functions to facilitate efficient negotiations and discharge of research activities at IHI
• Coordinate and support the strengthening of research departments, training unit and research support units to enhance efficiency.
• Ensure that appropriate management, administrative and scientific-support arrangements are in place to enable departments and research teams to achieve agreed targets, while direct staff supervision remains with designated line managers.
• Identify unnecessary duplication, fragmented processes and barriers to cross-departmental collaboration, and recommend practical improvements.
• Lead scientific change initiatives approved by the CED and Senior Management Team.
• Advocate constructively for the needs of scientists while balancing institutional priorities, affordability, accountability and fairness

4. Scientific Governance and Accountability

• Work with the CED and COO to strengthen grants development, contracts, partnerships, regulatory support, data services and other enabling systems.
• Promote shared infrastructure, common systems, cost recovery and efficient utilization of research assets.
• Coordinate the Scientific Advisory Committee secretariat and serve as Secretary or technical lead as designated by IHI governance instruments.
• Prepare integrated reports on IHI’s scientific portfolio, achievements, risks and future plans for the Scientific Advisory Committee.
• Support the Scientific Advisory Committee Chair in preparing reports and recommendations for the Board.
• Maintain a formal tracker of Scientific Advisory Committee recommendations and report progress on implementation to the CED and Board.
• Develop and maintain an institutional scientific performance scorecard and provide quarterly reports to the CED.
• Ensure clear delegation of scientific responsibilities and decision rights among the DoS, Heads of Department, Principal Investigators and support functions.

Education and Qualifications

 

• PhD in life sciences, health sciences, allied health sciences or equivalent • At least 7 years of progressively responsible research experience, including at least 3 years in a senior scientific leadership role.
• An internationally recognized record of scientific achievement, peer-reviewed scholarship and contribution to health research.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; working proficiency in Kiswahili is highly desirable.

Requirements

• Proven experience in scientific strategy, resource mobilization, donor and partner engagement, and management of complex research portfolios.
•  Demonstrated contribution to translation of research into policy, practice, products, programmes or measurable public-health impact.
•  Strong understanding of research governance, ethics, regulation, quality systems, data stewardship and scientific risk.
• Demonstrated record of mentoring scientists, supervising postgraduate trainees and developing future scientific leaders.
• Experience working in Tanzania or within comparable African health and research systems.

Characteristics

•                   Strategic scientific leadership, foresight and institutional systems thinking.
• Excellent scientific judgement and ability to prioritize across a diverse portfolio.
• Collaborative, inclusive and values-based leadership.
• Strong influence, negotiation, partnership-development and public-representation skills.
• Proven change-leadership and organizational-development capability.
• Strong resource-mobilization, financial-literacy and commercial-awareness skills.
• Deep commitment to research integrity, ethics, quality and accountability.
• Ability to develop talent, strengthen succession and build high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication, listening, facilitation and interpersonal skills.
• Sound judgement, resilience, diplomacy and ability to perform under pressure.
• High degree of integrity, independence, discretion and institutional loyalty.
• Results orientation with the ability to delegate effectively and avoid micromanagement.

Reporting To

Chief Executive Director (CED)