Job Summary

 

The Public Health Evaluation  Director reporting to the Country Director, is responsible for the research and evaluation portfolio of the organization. He/she provides strategic leadership and oversight of the clinical, implementation, operations, and program effectiveness on research conducted by EGPAF/Lesotho, in close coordination with the technical and SI teams. The Public Health Evaluation  Director will directly contribute to generation of a strong evidence base to improve the effective delivery of quality programs to further the mission of EGPAF/Lesotho, improving the lives of Basotho infected and affected by HIV.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

Strategic Planning and Technical Leadership

·       Design, lead, manage and ensure technical quality of research and evaluation portfolio and staff capacity development within EGPAF Lesotho.

·     Lead and oversee the EGPAF/Lesotho clinical, implementation, operations, and program effectiveness research in collaboration with Technical and Strategic Information teams.

·    Lead and/or oversee all aspects of the research and evaluation studies, from idea conception, development of protocols and data collection instruments, personnel training, study implementation, data management/analysis to manuscript writing.

·       Develops and oversees budgets, policies, and procedures to guide research and evaluations within EGPAF Lesotho

Quality Assurance

·       Serves as Principal Investigator across a range of HIV, MNCH, TB, PHC, global health security ad other emerging infectious disease topics

·       Collaborates with EGPAF global research team and teams across the Foundation, to leverage global expertise, share experience and facilitate multi-country research activities

·       Liaises with the EGPAF global regulatory officer to ensure all human subjects’ research protections are in place and all protocols undergo appropriate sponsor, U.S. and Lesotho IRB review and approval.

·       Identify and evaluate interventions to address key programmatic challenges using strong scientific methodology to inform the program, MOH, and the broader HIV field.

Capacity Building

·       Strengthens local partners’ staff, national health institutions and the MOH to carry out high quality research

·       Develops staff capacity within EGPAF Lesotho for high-quality research and evaluation.

Collaboration and Partnership

•          Develops and oversees partnerships that expand EGPAF’s ability to conduct and disseminate research of importance to the Foundation and the country
•      Work with New Business and global research teams to generate research funding through proposal development and submissions to funding agencies

·       Required Qualifications

     MD, PhD or similar advanced degree in Epidemiology, Maternal and Child Health, Public Health or Global health related sciences

·     Minimum of 10 years of proven experience in health research and evaluation in developing countries, including serving as a study Principal Investigator, leading study design, protocol development, data collection, data analysis, and writing/contributing to scientific publications

·        Minimum 8 years’ experience in administration of research projects including managing research teams and donor management

·        Experience in maternal, child health and HIV/AIDS research preferred.

·        Experience in developing research protocols for IRB review and managing IRB correspondence and requirements nationally and internationally

·        Extensive knowledge of and demonstrated experience in research methodologies

·        Experience in providing study monitoring and oversight for implementation, including regulatory and protocol compliance and data quality assurance

Bonus points:

·       Well published in peer reviewed journals

·       Knowledge and understanding of HIV services, PMTCT, MCH, pediatric and adult HIV care and treatment

·       Knowledge of protection of human subjects in research and ethics regulations to ensure compliance with all local and international requirements

·       Proficiency in the use of databases such as Microsoft Access, Epi-Info and analytical software, such as STATA, SPSS, R is an advantage

·    Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.