JOB PURPOSE:

To provide scientific leadership and lead implementation of day to day activities as part of the Improving Hypertension Control in rural sub Saharan Africa (IHCor Africa) NIHR Global Health Research Group.

Description:

REPORTING LINES:

• The study PI

DIRECTLY SUPERVISES:

• Project Manager, Research Officer, Assistant Research Officer, Clinical officers, Fieldworkers, Data manager, Data entry clerks

INDIRECTLY SUPERVISES:

• PhD students and research assistants

BUDGET AND RESOURCE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work planning and task allocation, requisition and procurement of supplies, consumables and ensuring sensible use of resources

About the project

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has one of the highest prevalences of hypertension worldwide. The impact is particularly damaging in rural SSA where the prevalence of hypertension is as high as urban settings, but awareness, treatment and control is lower. We have obtained funding to help understand and address some of the problems leading to poor control of hypertension in rural sub-Saharan Africa.

The IHCor-Africa NIHR Global Health Research Group is a partnership between the KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme (Kenya), Medical Research Council, The Gambia and The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (UK)

The main aims of the IHCoR Africa Global Health Research group are to:

• Understand the experiences, needs, and practices at the individual, organisational and system levels to detect, treat and control hypertension;
• Determine the optimal diagnostic and risk stratification approaches for people with hypertension;
• Develop and evaluate the feasibility of a community-centred programme to improve the management of hypertension

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop research proposals for regulatory review
• Supervise the study team including study coordinator, clinical officers at >10 participating hospitals, data manager and locum staff from supporting institutions
• Work with study PIs in study set up and engagement meetings with various stakeholders
• Mentor and support junior staff and PhD students
• Monitor study milestones and manage communications with local and international partners
• Develop grant applications for funding
• Analyse and report study findings
• Lead implementation of capacity building activities
• Conduct/attend and participate in study related meetings and other meetings as needed.
• Any other duties as may be assigned by to them by the study Principal Investigator.

Qualifications:

• A PhD in Epidemiology or related field
• An undergraduate degree in a health-related field
• Up-to 4 years post-Doctoral experience
• Experience in conducting field/clinical research
• Strong quantitative skills and proficient in advanced statistical programming e.g. with Stata/R or other software

Desirable

• Excellent presentation and communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Experience working with external stakeholders as well as community health workers