Job Opportunities at African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)

Duties and Responsibilities

The ideal candidates for these roles are dynamic leaders, comfortable working with cross-functional teams and collaborating with colleagues from diverse technical backgrounds. The Policy Engagement Managers will be primarily responsible for leading thematic-based strategic policy engagement efforts using either the Center’ signature issues approach (2 positions) or traditional policy engagement approaches (1 position). Specifically, the incumbents will:

• Institute a strategic approach to policy engagement across the Center. Develop and implement strategic policy engagement plans for selected programmatic areas.
• Conduct policy landscaping and mapping to identify opportunities for engagement in line with the Center’s research priorities.
• Provide technical input into the conceptualization of research-to-policy ideas and actively infuse these ideas into grant applications.
• Lead the implementation of research-to-policy activities in funded projects underpinned by strategic policy engagement plans.
• Ensure fidelity to strategic policy engagement plans in designing new projects within assigned research units.
• Ensure policy engagement activities are adequately resourced by overseeing budgeting during grant applications, forecasting resource needs and submitting timely requests for necessary resources.
• Leverage national, regional, and international networks to facilitate strategic policy engagement by the Center’s researchers.
• Identify networking and engagement opportunities with relevant audiences at all levels and coordinate relationship-building for researchers and policymakers in relevant international, regional and national forums.
• Produce policy outlook papers to support research projects addressing wider policy-relevant research questions.
• Develop and deliver policy engagement training for research and research-related capacity-strengthening programs.
• Facilitate learning and knowledge sharing, producing learning materials for continuous improvement and adoption of lessons learned from cross-cutting collaboration.
• Supervise a team of early career policy engagement and communications professionals.
• Perform any other duties as required for the role.

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

• Master’s degree in Development Communications, Journalism, Public Policy, Public Health, Public Administration, Politics, International Relations, Social Sciences, or other relevant fields.
• At least twelve (12) years of post-qualification work experience in communication, writing, policy analysis, landscaping, and mapping, preferably at an international or research organization.
• Demonstrable track record in policy engagement, including landscaping, mapping, and trend analysis.
• Knowledge of policy-making processes and experience working with policymakers and government officials.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex scientific facts into accessible messages for general audiences, make strong presentations, briefings, and produce high-quality written reports for various audiences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Excellent existing network of contacts at the national and international levels.
• Experience in policy engagement, knowledge translation, research and science communications, advocacy. Demonstrated experience in policy engagement or advocacy in any of APHRC’s priority programmatic areas will be an added advantage.
• Understanding of research to policy frameworks and experience in applying them.
• Experience in strategy development, project design, budgeting, and resource allocation. Demonstrated experience in grant writing will be an added advantage.
• Knowledge of or experience in research-to-policy organizations and processes is preferable.
• Knowledge of project management methodologies, and experience applying them to complex projects. Demonstrated ability to work independently and simultaneously coordinate multiple projects will be an added advantage.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills, with the demonstrated ability to foster a culture of teamwork and collaboration.

When submitting applications, please attach your CV and cover letter in one PDF document and put links to your work on the cover letter.

A portfolio of 3-5 samples of relevant written work must accompany every application. Those applications that do not include writing samples will not be considered.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply and include their letter of application, portfolio of their work, and CV through this link by October 15, 2023.  Only short-listed candidates will be contacted and will be required to submit a Police Clearance Certificate at a certain stage of the recruitment process.

go to method of application »

• APHRC seeks to recruit a Researcher to work in the Chronic Diseases Management Unit within the Research Division, mainly focusing on health systems strengthening. This is a new role arising from the implementation of the current five-year strategic plan which has, subsequently triggered tremendous growth in our programs.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Conduct research on vaccinations and health systems related areas which may include leading community-based trials and health facility and household surveys. Tasks may include study conceptualization and design, project management and coordination including, obtaining ethical approvals and research permits for studies, recruiting and training of field interviewers, supervision of field work and data management, data analysis, report writing.
• Co-design and test digital interventions with stakeholders to inform policy & practice on delivery and uptake of vaccinations and other health services.
• Lead and contribute to financial sustainability of the unit through contributing to fundraising efforts in the unit and cultivating relations with key institutional donors.
• Lead and contribute to scientific paper writing on vaccinations and health systems.
• Supervise, mentor and train junior researchers in the unit and the Center at large.
• Lead policy engagement, knowledge translation and communication to appropriate audiences.
• Participate in strategic planning for the unit and contribute to regular unit reports.

 Qualifications, Skills, and Experience 

• PhD preferably in a health related field including Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Systems or Clinical Medicine.
• Post-doctoral experience in research on health systems in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Experience in developing proposals and attracting research grants, particularly in health systems.
• Demonstrated experience in managing research teams and partnerships.
• Experience in managing community-based cluster trials, health facility audits and household surveys.
• Strong quantitative skills (managing, analyzing and interpreting data), with extensive familiarity with quantitative statistical packages (e.g. STATA, SAS or SPSS).
• Excellent communication skills and good record of publications on relevant areas in sub- Saharan Africa.
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills and ability to work in a culturally diverse team and an understanding of working among vulnerable populations such as in urban slums and rural populations.

Desirable

• Expertise/experience in working with healthcare workers, caregivers and policy makers.
• Expertise in design of community-based cluster randomized trials and quasi experimental studies.
• A good grasp of chronic care models and application of modern technology in enhancing care and prevention.
• Expertise in qualitative methods, including familiarity with qualitative analysis software packages (e.g. NVivo).

The successful candidate may be appointed at Post-doctoral Research Scientist (0-2 years after PhD), Associate Research Scientist (3-5 years after PhD), or Research Scientist (6-11 years after PhD) levels depending on experience and track record. These positions are classified under Internationally Recruited Positions (IRP), Grades III to VI in our scales.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their application in English, and include:

1. A letter of application;
2. A statement of research interests and goals (1-2 pages); and
3. CV with contact details of three referees

through this link Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.  Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates will be required to have a Police Clearance Certificate

go to method of application »

• APHRC seeks to recruit two (2) Researchers to work in the Chronic Diseases Management Unit within the Research Division, mainly focusing on NCDs (non- communicable diseases) research. These are new roles arising from the implementation of the current five-year strategic plan which has, subsequently triggered tremendous growth in our programs.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Conduct research on NCDs and related areas which may include leading community-based trials and health facility and household surveys. Tasks may include study conceptualization and design, project management and coordination including, obtaining ethical approvals and research permits for studies, recruiting and training of field interviewers, supervision of field work and data management, data analysis, report writing.
• Co-design and test interventions with stakeholders to inform policy & practice on prevention and management of chronic diseases in various populations.
• Lead and contribute to financial sustainability of the unit through contributing to fundraising efforts in the unit and cultivating relations with key institutional donors.
• Lead and contribute to scientific paper writing on chronic diseases.
• Supervise, mentor and train junior researchers in the unit and the Center at large.
• Lead policy engagement, knowledge translation and communication to appropriate audiences.
• Participate in strategic planning for the unit and contribute to regular unit reports.

 Qualifications, Skills, and Experience 

• PhD preferably in a health related field including Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Systems or Clinical Medicine.
• Post-doctoral experience in research on interventions to prevent or manage non-communicable diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Experience in developing proposals and attracting research grants, particularly in NCDs.
• Demonstrated experience in managing research teams and partnerships.
• Experience in managing community-based cluster trials and household surveys.
• Strong quantitative skills (managing, analyzing and interpreting data), with extensive familiarity with quantitative statistical packages (e.g. STATA, SAS or SPSS).
• Excellent communication skills and good record of publications on relevant areas in sub- Saharan Africa.
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills and ability to work in a culturally diverse team and an understanding of working among vulnerable populations such as in urban slums.

Desirable

• Expertise/experience in working with adolescents and young adults, healthcare workers and policy makers.
• Expertise in design of community-based cluster randomized trials and quasi experimental studies.
• A good grasp of chronic care models and application of modern technology in enhancing care and prevention.
• Expertise in qualitative methods, including familiarity with qualitative analysis software packages (e.g. NVivo).

The successful candidate may be appointed at Post-doctoral Research Scientist (0-2 years after PhD), Associate Research Scientist (3-5 years after PhD), or Research Scientist (6-11 years after PhD) levels depending on experience and track record. These positions are classified under Internationally Recruited Positions (IRP), Grades III to VI in our scales.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their application in English, and include:

1. A letter of application;
2. A statement of research interests and goals (1-2 pages); and
3. CV with contact details of three referees

through this link. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.  Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates will be required to have a Police Clearance Certificate.