Project Coordinator, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust, Nairobi, Kenya at KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP)

Project Coordinator (CHAIN Network)

The Childhood Acute Illness & Nutrition (CHAIN) Network is an international research network with a headquarters in Nairobi that is conducting harmonised research to improve outcomes in sick undernourished children in Africa and Asia. The job will involve coordination of various activities and planning for meetings both local and international, and creating regular high-quality progress reports. The post will require a high level of communications skills to engage with site coordinators and PIs in study sites in East and West Africa, and South Asia. The post holder will have to be able to work unsupervised, often with a variable timescale, sometimes out of hours and may will require some international travel. The post is mentally demanding, and involves a high level of communication among trial staff, with trial sites, regulatory bodies and the wider community.

Description:

REPORTS TO: The Programme Manager

BUDGET AND RESOURCE RESPONSIBILITY:

• Project operational budget
• Ordering and accountability for materials, consumables and project assets.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Be responsible for developing and maintaining a calendar of activities in consultation with the Programme Manager and management team.
• Be responsible for tracking approvals and regulatory renewals and reports, and ensuring timely preparation and submission.
• Develop and maintain study documentation, contracts and inventory of assets at international sites for the Network and for projects linked to it.
• Track expenditures on the Network and related grants in consultation with the Programme Manager, Finance Offices in Nairobi, Kilifi and Oxford, as well as with project sites in other countries.
• Maintaining systems for continuous monitoring and provision of regular feedback through scheduled meetings with internal teams and sites or specific technical groups, mostly by teleconference.
• Coordinate scientific and operational activities internally and externally, including organizing meetings in Kenya and overseas for the Network, and linked projects.
• Coordinate ordering and distribution of resources to sites for centrally procured items, and items for Kenyan sites, ensuring inventories are available for the coordination office.
• Coordinate travel arrangements for various local and international trips and meetings.
• To liaise with other departments within the research Programme to ensure smooth running of the projects
• Undertake other duties as assigned by the Programme Manager.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Essential Criteria:

• A bachelor’s degree in business, administration, project management or a related field with at least 5 years relevant working experience
• or a science degree plus at least 3 years of working experience as a study or clinical trials coordinator
• Demonstrable experience in writing reports in English
• Demonstrable experience in organizing large meetings or networks
• Computer literacy with proficiency in project management tools and Microsoft applications

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience in budget and resource management
• Experience in health research management

COMPETENCIES:

• Strong planning and organization skills
• Strong leadership and management skills
• Strong problem solving and decision-making skills
• Ability to network, build and maintain strong relationships
• Proactive, innovative, attentive to detail and creative
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Team working and ability to work in a multi-cultural environment

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT/CONDITIONS:

• The post is office based
• The post holder will be required to be available to work flexibly, out of hours as necessary