Principal Investigator, Actwatch And Diagnostics In Private Sector Research PSI Nairobi, Kenya

Title:  Principal Investigator, Actwatch And Diagnostics In Private Sector Research

Department:  Malaria And Child Survival Department (Mcsd)

Date:  October 2012

PSI is a leading global health organization with programs targeting malaria, child survival, HIV and reproductive health. Working in partnership within the public and private sectors, and harnessing the power of the markets, PSI provides life-saving products, clinical services and behavior change communications that empower the world's most vulnerable populations to lead healthier lives.

PSI's core values are a belief in markets and market mechanisms to contribute to sustained improvements in the lives of the poor; results and a strong focus on measurement; speed and efficiency with a predisposition to action and an aversion to bureaucracy; decentralization and empowering our staff at the local level; and a long term commitment to the people we serve. PSI has programs in 67 countries.  For more information, please visitwww.psi.org.

PSI seeks qualified candidates to lead the ACTwatch2 research project as its Principal Investigator (PI).  The PI will also oversee operational research related to fever case management and diagnostic testing services in the private sector as part of the RDT Scale-up Project.

ACTwatch is a multi-country project that has been funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation over the past five years. It provides a comprehensive picture of the antimalarial market and generates evidence to guide national and international antimalarial medicine policy. ACTwatch is being implemented in six African countries (Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia) and Southeast Asia (Cambodia). ACTwatch2 is designed to continue and expand the current research portfolio for the coming three years. The project will potentially also conduct research in Kenya and Tanzania.  Five of the countries overlap with the RDT Scale-up Project (Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda) that consists of operational research to capture the appropriateness of fever case management including the use of diagnostic testing through a mix of research methods. 

This position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya and will lead a dedicated research team that supports this multi-country work. The PI will report to the Director, ACTwatch and RDT Scale-up. Approximately 25% travel will be required, with up to 40% travel in the first year.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 
The PI is responsible for leading research staff to develop and maintain an integrated and coordinated portfolio of research activities. This includes maintaining and expanding the existing portfolio of ACTwatch research activities, as well as integration and coordination of new research under the RDT Scale-up Project. Qualified candidates should possess a high level of scientific and management expertise and substantial experience relevant to planning and implementing large-scale surveys in developing countries. The PI is also responsible for ensuring that deliverables are met on time and within budget. Specific responsibilities include:

Technical Oversight:• Provide scientific and technical leadership of existing ACTwatch multi-country research activities to ensure relevance, quality and comparability over time and across countries through appropriate study designs, fieldwork approaches, data management and cleaning/analysis. This will include expanding the current ACTwatch research portfolio to include research questions aimed at capturing shifts in malaria diagnostic markets and capturing other medicines, such as ORS and zinc.  Introducing smart-technology to improve data quality and streamlining data management and data cleaning will also be part of the job.
• Develop and lead innovative operational research that will fill a critical public health evidence gap in the appropriateness of fever case management (including malaria diagnosis) in the private sector by studying both provider practices and consumer behavior. Ensure that learning is packaged to feed into the RDT Scale-up Project and the broader public health community.  The research will complement the ACTwatch outlet survey component.
• Lead initiatives to further mine existing ACTwatch datasets, including a spatial analysis component, either through building in-house capacity or managing external relationships including through sub-awards and with existing partners.
• Ensure coordination with the Research and Metrics Department based at PSI headquarters in Washington DC to foster collaboration, innovative approaches and technical excellence.

Project Management:• Manage and coordinate multi-country research to ensure that deliverables are met on time and within budget.
• Maintain close links with the RDT Scale-Up implementation team and PSI country platforms.  Fostering close relationships will be a key to success.
• Develop and manage the central research team (deputy PIs, data manager, project assistant and researchers) and help build capacity of country platform research staff. 
• Steer relationships with country-level sub-contractors where appropriate to ensure quality.
• Develop and maintain work plans, Gantt charts and budgets, working closely with the Director, the Deputy Director of the RDT Scale-up Project and the Program Manager in DC.

Leveraging results through dissemination and advocacy:• Contribute to an advocacy and dissemination strategy to ensure research results are recognized and utilized by key stakeholders, through different channels including conferences, peer-reviewed publications, the website, stakeholder meetings and engaging with other groups.
• Lead the publication agenda:  ensure country reports are written, of high quality, and accessible, author manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals, work with country-level teams to also author manuscripts, develop briefing papers and oversee website content/ensure that it is updated.
• Engage with ACTwatch Advisory Committee, key partners such as Roll Back Malaria and WHO.

QUALIFICATIONS:• PhD in epidemiology, public health, tropical medicine, demography or other relevant field
• 5+ years of relevant experience.
• 4+ years experience managing a team in a developing country, preferably in Africa
• Experience in leading research units and/or project teams, demonstrated quantitative and qualitative analytic skills and proficiency in STATA.
• Expertise in one of the core research areas (national surveys, operational research, private sector), and ideally experience in malaria/fever case management.
• Substantial experience planning and implementing programs and/or research in developing countries.
• Experience using smart technology in research and geo-spatial skills preferred.
• Excellent English written and verbal communication skills; French language skills preferred
• Ability to travel internationally as needed, including travel to developing countries.

Please apply online at www.psi.org.  No calls or emails please.

PSI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from qualified individuals
regardless of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability.