Research Director at Company Name African Population and Health Research Center

Job description

The Director of Research is responsible to provide oversight over six different research units to ensure that the research conducted is sound from its design to its implementation and its products and provide guidance on the strategic direction of the Center’s research division. The research units include Aging and development; Education and youth empowerment; Health and systems for health; Maternal and child wellbeing; Population dynamics and sexual and reproductive health and rights; and Urbanization and wellbeing. The job holder is a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT).

S/he will lead and support the Research Unit Heads, Senior Research Scientists, Research Scientists and Associate Research Scientists. The position will report to Executive Director and will supervise approximately eight people.

Job Impact: the extent to which the job has influence both within and outside the organization.

Internal Impact

• The job entails a lot of direct and indirect capacity strengthening. The job holder works directly with staff in developing grant applications and provides input to improve their hands-on skills.
• The Director of Research’s contribution to proposals may increase chances of success hence bringing in resources to support other researchers’ work
• By developing different strategies, one contributes to the long-term capacity strengthening of research staff and to the financial health of the Center
• The research division contributes to influencing change in different ways – the publications by research staff increase its visibility, and build their credibility. Working with PEC, researchers are able to go out there as effective ambassadors of the Center’s work and to push evidence around their own niche areas
• Contributions to ELT/SMT/HR functions strengthen the Center’s systems and processes

External Impact

• Interaction with policy makers shifts thinking and the discourse in areas of APHRCs research
• Interactions with academics and researchers may inspire some to take up research careers or go for further studies due to articulation of the Center’s vision and the place of African researchers in the change process
  Ability to attract new partnerships (technical and funding)

Required Qualifications

Education

The ideal candidate should hold a PhD in any of the social or health science disciplines (public health, sociology, anthropology, education, economics, statistics, demography, etc)

Relevant Experience

• At least 10 years of post-PhD experience in an academic or research institution, five of which must be at a senior management level;
• Very good technical grounding in research methodology;
• Demonstrated ability to attract large competitive research grants (> US $1m in size)
• Strong publications record in top tier journals
• Experience supervising /mentoring young researchers either in an academic or non-academic setting
• Good understanding of systems supportive of a conducive research environment
• Management and leadership skills
• Experience in financial and project management
• Solid fundraising record for training programs
• Extensive experience working in sub-Saharan Africa
• Must be proficient in English language, bi-lingual is an advantage.

Skills

• Leadership skills
• Research management systems
• Managing institutional ethical review boards
• Financial management
• Partnerships and Networking
• Board relations

Terms of Appointment

This is a full-time position with the successful candidate being contracted on a three-year basis with the possibility of renewal. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.