Summary

One of Africa’s pre-eminent health research organizations is looking for a Senior Research Coordinator. Under the guidance and supervision of the Director of Science (DoS), the coordinator will oversee the development, implementation, management, monitoring, and reporting of projects within the directorate. The position will be responsible for organizing and coordinating projects across departments in the Directorate of Science. Additionally, the position will support the management of various tasks such as project reporting, and organizing workshops, and meetings on behalf of the DoS. Acting as a liaison with other units, including grants, contracts, finance, and procurement, the coordinator will ensure comprehensive support for all projects, facilitating effective delivery

Responsibilities

• Serve as a point of contact for Project leads (PLs) and principal investigators (PIs) under the directorate of science.
• In collaboration with PIs and PLs, coordinate the development of detailed project plans (quarterly and annual) and regular consolidated reports to be presented to the DoS.
• In collaboration with project accountants, coordinate development and subsequently monitor budgets and spending for the grants and research projects under the directorate.
• Under the leadership of the procurement and supply chain team lead and respective project administrators, coordinate with PIs and PLs to develop annual procurement plans and follow up on their timely execution for efficient project management.
• In partnership with PLs, PIs, and the monitoring and evaluation team, keep track of timely submission of all donors' reports promptly and provide prompt feedback to the DoS.
• Support coordination of proposal writing with leadership from applying scientists and the business development team. S/he will be responsible for keeping details of all applications under the directorate as well as their outcomes.
• Facilitate coordination among scientists and other departments, with guidance from the DoS.
• Organize the filing system at the directorate level to ensure the integrity of official documents including correspondences with the Ministry, ethical review board(s), donors, and other partners.
• Collect notes and reports of the Directorate’s progress meetings for documentation and follow-up.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor to ensure the sound functioning of the office.

Education and Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Public Health or a related human science field, along with a master’s degree in public health, biomedical science, or human science, ideally with an undergraduate background in a medical field.
• Solid research background and/or programming coordination experience in low-resource settings

Requirements

• At least 5 years of experience supporting health programs and/or research including planning, designing, budgeting, supervising, evaluating, and documentation.
• Previous experience working with donor-funded projects, development agencies, URT, and local implementing partners.
• Proficiency in common computer packages (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint) relevant to the work
• Proficiency in research regulations

Characteristics

• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience in building and maintaining productive working relationships with colleagues and the host government.
• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines, and intense pressure to perform.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, inspiring teamwork and motivating fellow team members, and partners to achieve results.
• Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills in English and Kiswahili

Reporting To

• Director of Science