The salary for this position is R35 000 – R50 000 depending on qualifications and experience.
The closing date for applications is Tuesday, the 08th December 2020 at 17h00PM.
Oxford Research South Africa (ORSA), a subsidiary company of the University of Oxford, UK, is seeking a highly motivated individual to work with a dynamic research group led by Prof Lucie Cluver at the Department of Social Policy and Intervention at the University of Oxford. This role will focus on implementing ambitious data collection involving a large adolescent cohort enrolled in a longitudinal observational study – HEY BABY (Help Empower Youth Brought up in Adversity with their Babies and Young children). The study aims to improve outcomes for adolescent parent families and their children in South Africa. The role will be based in East London, South Africa, and the post holder will work closely with the teams in Oxford (UK), University of Cape Town and East London (South Africa).
The post holder will be a key research team member, with extensive amounts of independent work and responsibility within the project. This is an excellent opportunity to apply your experience in research implementation and management of fieldwork budgets while being part of an international research team with wide policy and programming impact. The post will lead on all aspects of fieldwork management and implementation including strategic leadership of complex, face-to-face and remote data collection methods, oversight of all financial and administrative processes and maintaining close communication with research investigators. Liaising closely with the management team, lead investigators and Oxford based team will be central to these activities, as will supporting fieldwork more generally, including working closely with the fieldwork teams to plan fieldwork logistics and data collection.
The research team works closely with international NGOs and government partners and you will be involved in dissemination of study results, local stakeholder management and obtaining and amending ethical approval from the Universities of Oxford and Cape Town and other local and international bodies when necessary The post holder will train research teams, design follow-up methods for tracing hard-to-reach participants and ensure efficient and compliant processing of project expenses. The post holder may also provide academic input to conceptualise data collection tools and submit ethics applications to Eastern Cape based institutions. The post holder will line manage project managers, data officer and ddmin and finance Officer.
Our research group is committed to capacity-building and supporting team members to further their careers, and you will be supported to further your career portfolio.
This position works closely with children and vulnerable adults and is therefore subject to police checks.
Key Responsibilities/Duties:
Research implementation:
- Protocol Implementation: ongoing management of the study protocol document and process through editing, amendments, proofing and coordination of study logistics to implement the protocol as pre-agreed with study Principal Investigators.
- Study execution: Prepare and ensure implementation of study-related protocols such as manual of operations, standard operating procedures, data checking processes, data collection tools and regulatory review documents.
- Fieldwork coordination: Maintain detailed oversight on data collection methods, activities and progress. Troubleshoot strategies to maintain data collection timelines and projections.
- Data management: Participate in quality control and compliance monitoring for all study related processes.
- Ethics trouble-shooting: Have strong awareness of ethics and confidentiality in all interactions with research participants, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Relationship building: Assisting in negotiating with key stakeholders in the community, such as village elders, ward counsellors and local government representatives, as discussed and agreed with the Principal Investigators and Research Officer.
- HR/ Team management: Line-manage and ensure that the project and data management team are well-supported.
- Ensuring police checks are undertaken for all staff.
- Communicate with internal and external project teams regarding study progress.
Oversee finance and administration:
- Working closely with the Oxford Project Manager and Administration Officer.
- Liaise with Oxford team to prepare project forecasting and monitor budgets and bank accounts and ensure efficient processing of project expenses and invoices.
- Ensure that project expenses are incurred and reported in accordance with University of Oxford and funder requirements.
- Provide capacity building for the research team.
- Be responsible for human resources (relationship with the team, performance reviews, disciplinary measures and hearings, incident reports and team moral).
- Oversee disciplinary process for all employees.
Ensure all ORSA’s policies and procedures are adhered to.
Minimum Requirements:
- Postgraduate degree (Masters) in a health-related/ social science discipline.
- Minimum four years’ work experience in project management and coordination or equivalent experience in health care setting or research.
- Minimum of three years’ work experience line managing staff.
- Experience working with target setting, standard operating procedures.
- Experience providing training/capacity building, and mentorship.
- Proven ability to work with a variety of stakeholders, including health workers, community groups, and research staff.
- Excellent computer skills including, MS Teams, skype, MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint, WhatsApp, Facebook and other platforms as required.
- Demonstrated experience in managing people and conflict resolution.
- Demonstrable enthusiasm for teamwork and fast-paced environments.
- Desirable additional education, work experience and personal abilities.
- Experience with statistical analysis for reporting and knowledge of statistical software packages (including Redcap, SAS, STATA, or R).
- Experience working with adolescents and young people.
- Experience in managing remote quantitative data collection in resource-limited settings
Desired Skills:
- Research implementation
- Project Management
- Healthcare
- Study execution
- data collection
- Public Health Research
- Social Sciences Research
Desired Qualification Level:
- Masters