Research Process Manager (f,m,x)

BACKGROUND

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international humanitarian aid organisation that provides assistance in more than 70 countries to populations in distress, to victims of natural or manmade disasters and to victims of armed conflicts, without discrimination and irrespective of race, religion, creed, or political affiliation.

The MSF-OCB Medical Department

The MSF-OCB Medical Department is a network of units, the Brussels Medical Unit amongst them the Southern African Medical Unit (SAMU) in Cape Town, the Luxembourg Operational Research unit (LuxOR) in Luxembourg, the Middle East Medical Unit (MEMU) in Beirut and the Brazil Medical Unit (BRAMU). It is composed of polyvalent medical staff working in, and outside of the operational cells. The experts cover the following domains: anaesthesia, antibiotic resistance, capacity building & mentoring for healthcare professionals, change management, chronic non-communicable diseases, critical care, data protection & data sharing, emergency medicine & toxicology, emergency preparedness, environmental health, epidemiology, general surgery & orthopaedics, health promotion & anthropology, Hepatitis C, HIV, infection prevention & control, infectious diseases, knowledge management, laboratory, malaria & vector-borne diseases, medical data & health informatics, medical equipment, mental health, microbiology, nursing care, nutrition, operational research and documentation, paediatrics & adolescents health, pharmacy, primary healthcare, public health, sexual & reproductive health, tuberculosis, vaccination, survivors of torture and viral haemorrhagic fever & emerging infectious diseases. The department support is organized in resources deployed in thematic circles with specific time-bond deliverables.

Operational Research in MSF-OCB

Operational research and documentation are an integral part of the MSF activities to strengthen evidence around decision-making, guidelines and policy. There are two relatively autonomous units supporting operational research and field epidemiologists. The LuxOR unit has staff based in the offices in Luxembourg, Brussels, South Africa, Beirut, and Toronto, with core activities including operational research, Epidemiology Support, capacity building and a focus on research linked to the domains covered by the medical department (as mentioned above). The second unit involved in Operational Research is SAMU, based in Cape Town, South Africa, which focuses on HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and Tuberculosis. More information can be found here.

The Research Process Manager

The Research Process Manager is a newly created position between the functional units that currently support operational research activities in MSF-OCB and will be based in LuxOR (location Luxembourg). The position was created to better align and design processes that are essential in the support for operational research with the aim to keep our research better accountable, trackable and ensure milestones are met in the research process. You will be the Centrepoint of communication within the operational research process and link strongly between OR project coordinators (or PI’s), the OR advisors and to the established OCB Research Committee members.

Activities in the first year of this position will involve the implementation of the renewed MSF-OCB Operational Research framework and design guiding protocols and SOPs for the different OR stakeholders in MSF-OCB. All of this with the purpose of stimulating a supportive and accountable research environment that stimulates quality across the research process.

You will also play a role in communication and dissemination of operational research by working closely with colleagues involved with advocacy and communication. In subsequent years there will be space to further develop the position based on strategic priorities and the needs and interests of the respective selected candidate.

FUNCTIONAL INTERACTION

• The LuxOR Director is the overall medical department reference person regarding guiding global policy and strategic aspects of operational research in OCB and provides overall guidance to team members.
• The LuxOR Programme Officer is responsible for day to day team management, and allocation of resources (HR, budget) related to operational research. The LuxOR Programme Officer is also responsible for linkage between LuxOR, Operations and the Medical Department in Brussels for specific OR Projects.
• The LuxOR Team members consist of the Research Process Officer, Operational Research and Epidemiology Advisors, Mobile Implementation Officer, Medical Editor and Policy and Practice Advisor arethe LuxOR team members based in Luxembourg, Beirut, Canada and South Africa. They have continuous interaction with the field, operational cells and the medical department to support operational research, documentation activities and the field epi’s. They report to the LuxOR Programme Officer and Director.
• The OCB Medical Department Strategic Advisor provides a functional interaction/link on files around OR related processes such as Research Agreements, Data Sharing Agreements, Material Transfer Agreement, any other Data Sharing and Data Banking, GDRP compliance, Health Record Management, Information and Knowledge management, Research Insurance and other Institutional agreements .
• The SAMU Research Coordinator is responsible for supporting and coordinating a large thematic OR portfolio (HIV, TB, HBV/HCV, NCDs, key populations, etc. in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East) and for linkage with LuxOR and Medical Department on OR issues. A functional interaction/link with the Research Process Manager on OR processes could ensure harmonization, standardization, and cross-pollination between the units.

MAIN ACTIVITIES/RESPONSABILITIES

1. MSF-OCB Research system support for LuxOR, SAMU and MSF-OCB

Knowledge-management:

• • To keep an updated inventory of operational research studies within LuxOR, SAMU and MSF-OCB including: – To support and stimulate the proper use of the Research Management and Impact tool (REMIT) throughout the OR study cycle within OCB Operational Research projects. – To set up an inventory system of keeping track of operational research studies within OCB (linked to ReMIT) – Support training and onboarding regarding the research processes for OCB researchers. – Support the training delivery around Operational Research (e.g. MSF SORT-IT) – For the first-year work with the potential support of interns/consultants in updating ReMIT retrospectively and ensure research can be found in the database
    – To provide administrative and secretarial support to the to be established MSF-OCB Research Committee (process focal point for researchers)
    – To support with administrative and technical tasks with the MSF intersectional Research Platform (e.g., assessment, summaries etc.)
    – Support the development of a strategy around on research related record management and other procedures related to OR (data retention, storage of data, DSAs etc.)
    – Create Standard Operating Procedures on research related record management and other procedures related to OR (data retention, storage of data, DSAs etc.)
    – Follow-up of the knowledge base and community of practice for researchers and field epidemiologists (Sherlog, MSF OCB Intranet)

1. Support MSF OCB, Medical department in the clarification and proper use of EU GDPR regulations as part of the research process.

• Support the joint development of a strategy around the GDPR thematic and their implications
• Develop SOPs on proper data management, transfer and storage
• Support the development of data sharing agreements

1. Act as ambassador for LuxOR-led Operational Research in the Luxembourg humanitarian and scientific community

• Assist the HR/Fundraising teams in MSF-Luxembourg in the organisation of associative as well as events to the general public with the help of the LuxOR team
• Assist in the organisation of the annual Operational Research Days

1. Communication

• Contributes to the choice of communication priorities in agreement with the LuxOR team and the Head of Communication department in Luxembourg
• Use existing and new tools to inform the public and specific target groups of LuxOR’s work (press releases, social media, articles, web update, LuxOR Activity Report, OR Day Booklet, and other communications materials …)

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Master’s degree (public health or affiliated areas, political science, communication & information, international relations, etc.) or equivalent professional experience
• Have experience in project process coordination
• Having experience in (medical) humanitarian operations is an asset
• Experience in communication and social media is an asset
• Experience and knowledge of GPDR regulations is an asset
• Understanding of legal terminology and experience in interacting with legal stakeholders is an asset
• High level of spoken and written English is essential
• Spoken and written French is essential

SOFT SKILLS REQUIREMENTS

• A high degree of work autonomy, team interaction and diplomacy are required to be able to interact at various levels within the department, in MSF and outside.
• Strong interest in humanitarian work
• Willingness and ability to function in a team, transparent communication with colleagues, give and ask support when needed.
• Ability to handle multiple projects or activities simultaneously, and to deliver quality outputs within deadlines.
• Adhere to the MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment
• Adhere to the MSF Behavioral Commitments

CONTRACT CONDITIONS AND BENEFITS

• 1-year contract with possibility of extension
• Based in Luxembourg
• Monthly gross salary from 4085€ to 5055€ according to MSF experience
• Hospitalization insurance, meal vouchers, transport allowance.
• Contract start date: February 2023

Application deadline: January 20th, 2023