SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:
Main purpose of the job:
- To lead and collaborate on various research studies relevant to the organization's agenda including conceptualizing research ideas, designing research protocols and tools, implementing, and managing research studies, analysis, and outputs, and supporting strategic research streams
Location:
- VIDA – Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Soweto – Johannesburg
More Info:
Vaccination for pregnant women is a promising strategy to prevent neonatal and infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Group B Strep (GBS) disease in countries with a high burden of severe disease, particularly countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
Successful uptake of maternal vaccination would be key to reaching the desired improvement in maternal, perinatal, and infant outcomes for these diseases and reducing neonatal and under-5 mortality.
This success will be dependent on generating a compelling evidence case for the adoption of maternal immunization in LMICs and developing strong ANC delivery platforms that are well-integrated with EPI.
This project aims to identify, characterize, and support the platform, policy, and preparedness requirements for the introduction of potential new maternal vaccines to prevent infectious diseases in selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Key performance areas:
Research management analysis and outputs (Social; Behavioral Sciences and related)
- Conceptualise research, design, implement, and oversee relevant research projects as directed
- Collaborate and provide relevant guidance on study design, protocols, research tools, feasibility, and analysis as required
- Effective and efficient administration and project planning including timelines, budgets and resource allocation, deliverables, dependencies
- Develop, design, implement, and track research through project management tools, milestones, and process flows and monitor ongoing project progress with study and/or community teams and through internal reporting
- Oversee data quality
- Effectively oversee and develop qualitative research activities including but not limited to:
- Outlining of study sampling criteria, and identifying study participants as per protocol
- Organizing and conducting interviews with the relevant study population as per sampling criteria
- Overseeing and completing interview transcriptions
- Perform data analysis in line with project requirements
- Provide regular data analysis and progress reports
- Support all qualitative research-related activities as directed
- Analyse data (qualitative and quantitative) in accordance with the project, research leadership, and publication requirements
- Develop and document analysis plan/s, methodologies, and results
- Write and support research publications
- Draft research manuscripts for publications
- Conduct literature reviews
- Produce and increase academic outputs inclusive of policy briefs, peer-reviewed publications, and conference presentations
- Organise, prepare, and lead meetings, reports, presentations, and publications according to all applicable standards of the respective stakeholders
- Ensure project and/or departmental alignment with all applicable and relevant policies
- Develop and implement relevant Standard Operating Procedures and training programs
- Ensure Good Clinical Practice and research ethics principles are upheld
- Support regulatory and ethics applications and requirements
- Support community engagement strategies required for specific studies and engage relevant community advisory groups as required in conjunction with relevant teams
- Effectively drive study-related communications, data collation, and results dissemination with applicable required departments/collaboration
- Provide relevant SBS insights in support of Maternal Immunisation activities and support investigators through fostering a collaborative, interactive working approach
Research and academic development:
- Support the development of long-term social behavioral sciences research including strategic planning and driving action plans with indicators
- Pursue own research interests consistent with the overall research agenda of the organization and in conjunction with the research leadership team
- Advise on the implementation of large multi-site research and dynamically contribute to new, relevant research questions
- Design, write, and submit or contribute to new proposals
- Identify and pursue new funding opportunities in line with the organization’s interest and own research goals
- Provide academic leadership through teaching, mentorship, and supervision of post-graduate student projects as applicable
Stakeholder relations:
- Manage internal and external stakeholder expectations and communicate appropriately with initiative and solutions
- Build and maintain a high standard of professional, authentic internal and external stakeholder relationships (internal relations at all levels of the organization, and external relations with relevant public, private, and third-sector stakeholders as well as academic collaborators, funders, and media)
- Ensure compliance and drive risk management
- Demonstrate integrated and effective problem-solving and apply discretion and diplomacy as required
- Support and/or drive programmatic interactions with sponsors as applicable
- Support program-specific communications and participate in organizational communications, driving organization and own research portfolio
Staff management:
- Staff management
- Lead cross-functional, multi-disciplinary teams to promote productivity within projects; effectively supervise and manage staff duties and targets and maintain sound labor relations
- Coordinate and conduct training on the requirements for specific studies/program components and ensure robust regular review and ongoing development of team capabilities
- Work with management to empower and develop teams or individuals as skills needs or deficiencies are identified
- Foster an environment that promotes talent recognition, development as well as agency and individual leadership; promote harmony, teamwork, and sharing of information
- Mentor, coach and facilitate personal and professional staff development wherever possible:
- Ensure staff comply with policies, unit standards, and administrative and internal communications requirements; promote company policies, strategies, and values always
- Manage staff effectively including performance, conduct, efficient working, processes, and corrective action as required
- Demonstrative effective delegation and decision-making
- Capacity development:
- Contribute towards the development of team/company knowledge by identifying relevant training needs and topics
- Develop and deliver relevant training material and presentations and contribute to internal knowledge sharing in areas of expertise
- Conduct ad hoc research training interventions i.e., Journal Clubs, Writing Series, Research Methodology Course
- Participate actively in research leadership groups and fora
Effective self-management and performance ownership:
- Apply knowledge of the organizational systems, structures, policies, and procedures to achieve results
- Take ownership and accountability for responsibility areas, demonstrate effective self-management, demonstrate team and individual leadership and collaboration to support everyone’s combined and individual objectives
- Follow through to ensure that quality and productivity standards of own work are consistently and accurately maintained
- Take ownership of driving your own career development by participating in ongoing training and development activities such as forums, conferences, policy setting workshops, etc., and develop a relevant network
- Support and drive the business’ core values; maintain a positive attitude and respond openly to feedback
Required minimum education and training:
- Master’s Degree in Sociology or Anthropology or related field
- PhD preferably
Required minimum work experience:
- 5 years experience working in a Social Science Research Environment with demonstrated Research and Project Management
- Must have exposure to and experience working within medical research studies or organizations and relevant interest and experience in the behavioral science around vaccinations
Desirable additional education, work experience, and personal abilities:
- Experience in journal article publication
- Ability to work under pressure
- Willingness to work extended hours
- Willingness to travel
- Openness to working in disadvantaged communities
- Deadline driven
- Must be able to work with minimum supervision to lead projects and productivity
- Must be willing to contribute towards publications and drive own research agenda.
- Advanced computer literacy with an emphasis on working with NVivo
Demands of the job:
- Overtime/weekend work will be required from time to time
TO APPLY:
- Only if you do meet the minimum job requirements and experience as mentioned above, you may submit a detailed updated CV.
- Please Apply Online.
- Please take note that the applicants who do not adhere to the above criteria will not be considered for the respective position.
- The closing date for all applications: 20 October 2023.
- Note AJ Personnel is fully POPI compliant.
- Note WHC, in accordance with their Employment Equity goals and plan, will give preference to suitable applicants from designated groups as defined in the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 and subsequent amendments thereto.
Please note:
- AJ PERSONNEL is only responsible for the advertising of the advertisement on behalf of their client Wits Health Consortium.
- Wits Health Consortium will only respond to shortlisted candidates.
- Candidates who have not been contacted within two weeks of the closing date can consider their applications to be unsuccessful.
- AJ Personnel does not have any salary or other information regarding the position.
NB! This job is now closed. You can apply for other jobs by uploading your CV.
