Jobs at Clinton Health Access Initiative in Uganda - Research Insights Coordinator

Job Title: Research Insights Coordinator
Job Location      Uganda     Type      Full-Time Paid
Business Unit      In-Country Operations        
More information about this job:
Overview:

About the Clinton Health Access Initiative:


The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to strengthening integrated health systems in the developing world and expanding access to care and treatment for HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. CHAI’s solution-oriented approach focuses on improving market dynamics for medicines and diagnostics; lowering prices for treatment; accelerating access to life-saving technologies; and helping governments build the capacity required for high-quality care and treatment programs.



Since its establishment in 2002 by President William J. Clinton, CHAI has worked on the demand and supply sides of the market to help more than 2 million HIV+ people access the medicines needed for treatment—representing nearly half of all people and 2 out of 3 children on HIV/AIDS treatment in developing countries. Building on this model, CHAI has expanded its scope to include efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery systems and to combat malaria and childhood illnesses.



In 2007, CHAI signed an MOU with the government of Uganda to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and strengthen health systems. Since then, CHAI has worked hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Health to increase access to lifesaving pediatric HIV treatment by >400%; coordinate with private sector suppliers to lower costs and expand access to malaria drugs; pilot a point-of-care diagnostic technology, leading to scale up to >250 health facilities nationwide; introduce a new severe malaria drug which will save thousands of lives annually; and many other initiatives. Currently, CHAI Uganda works with the Ministry of Health around HIV, malaria, childhood illnesses, laboratory systems and drug logistics.



Background:


Diarrhea kills roughly two million children every year worldwide. In Uganda, diarrhea is responsible for ~15,000 child deaths, approximately 10% of all child mortality (third behind only malaria and pneumonia). This is in spite of the fact that a simple, highly-effective, and affordable treatment solution exists in the form of oral rehydration salts (ORS) and zinc. However, diarrhea remains grossly neglected: from 2007-2011, $6.5 billion of global funds were allocated to address HIV/AIDS; while only 0.23% of this figure ($15 million) was used to tackle diarrhea. This imbalance is now being addressed through an international effort, of which CHAI has been a driving member, leading to the development of treatment scale up programs in 10 high burden countries, including Uganda.



In Uganda, a program to scale-up diarrhea treatment with ORS and zinc is being undertaken by CHAI in partnership with the Ministry of Health. The problem is that these treatments are caught in a market trap: low levels of consumer/caregiver awareness about the appropriate treatment leads to poor demand for these products. This results in an anemic market, which provides no incentive for suppliers to optimize distribution networks, promote the products, or reduce margins. This, in turn, leads to a lack of availability, unaffordable prices, and minimal marketing – completing the vicious cycle and ensuring that consumer access is repressed. CHAI now seeks to break this vicious cycle by addressing both demand and supply-side barriers to access.



As part of this work, CHAI will be deploying Demand-Driven Evaluations for Decisions (3DE), a novel approach for rapidly translating research questions into policy. CHAI, in collaboration with our implementing partner IDinsight, will work closely with the Ministry of Health to identify real-time policy issues/gaps and design rapid research studies to directly address these questions. The 3DEs will use rigorous methodologies, provide timely evidence to inform decision makers on the diarrhea treatment scale-up strategy, and help ensure rapid adoption.



Position Description:


The Research Insights Coordinator will work with the Essential Medicines Team to support the Ministry of Health and the private sector to enhance access to ORS and zinc for diarrhea treatment.



Robust research will be critical to: 1) evaluate the performance of the Essential Medicines program and 2) identify and resolve specific implementation challenges and inform programmatic decisions. The program will focus on the primary outcome of zinc and ORS usage to treat diarrhea, as well as a number of output indicators that are critical to achieving that higher usage. In addition, several operational research studies are planned to assess the effectiveness of specific interventions and inform government policy development and decision making.



Where appropriate, operational research questions may be undertaken via the 3DE approach. The Coordinator will spend 50% of his/her time developing and overseeing 3DE research projects in close collaboration with the MOH. This will involve identifying diarrhea policy questions suitable for the 3DE approach; partnering with IDinsight to design and implement the studies; ensuring the uptake and translation of evidence into policy and programs; and disseminating the findings to stakeholders and the global evidence community.



The Research Coordinator will be responsible for leading and managing these research elements and for providing the thought leadership in designing and implementing a robust M&E framework to support the Essential Medicines program in Uganda.



The Coordinator will spend ~20% of his/her time travelling domestically, primarily to regions with limited facilities.
Responsibilities:

    Develop and implement a strategy to assess performance and impact of the diarrhea treatment program in Uganda, including household and outlet surveys, as well as other methods
    Identify and manage partner organizations and/or contractors to conduct data collection and analysis
    Provide technical leadership in the design of monitoring and evaluation tools, operations research, KPI reporting framework, and knowledge management
    Produce regular impact monitoring and evaluation reports, and  communicate main findings and conclusions through technical working groups in order to inform the Ministry of Health, donors, and other stakeholders
    Develop and implement operational research that will directly inform programmatic decisions around promotion strategy, training efficacy, consumer product preference, etc.
    Develop and coordinate market research to inform the development of the demand generation strategy, potentially including focus groups, surveys and data analysis
    Work with the Ministry of Health and IDinsight to develop 3DE research questions for diarrhea demand generation and supply-side strategies for the public and private sectors
    Work with the Global Essential Medicines Team to ensure CHAI’s resources and expertise are fully leveraged to meet needs in-country

Qualifications:

    A minimum of 2 years of experience in private or public sector enterprise, preferably including research management
    Entrepreneurial mindset and strong self-motivation
    Excellent knowledge of program monitoring and evaluation methods (qualitative and quantitative), including experience developing monitoring and evaluation plans, tools, training materials, reports and summary forms
    Strong quantitative, problem solving, analytical, and statistical skills (including excellent Microsoft Excel skills and experience with STATA or equivalent)
    Capacity to synthesize monitoring data into effective presentation of results to guide recommendations on performance improvement
    Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and be effective under tight deadlines
    Ability to develop and execute an operational research strategy, amidst substantial ambiguity and changing circumstances
    Excellent verbal, visual and written communication skills
    CHAI places great value on relevant personal qualities: resourcefulness, entrepreneurialism, flexibility, independence, humility, and work ethic

Advantages:

    Advanced degree in business, public health, or a related field
    Previous experience conducting research in developing countries

How to Apply:
https://careers-chai.icims.com/jobs/3085/job

Deadline: 12/06/2013

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Malaria Diagnostics Coordinator Jobs at Clinton Health Access Initiative in Uganda

Job Title: Malaria Diagnostics Coordinator
Job Location      Uganda     Type      Full-Time Paid
Business Unit      In-Country Operations        
More information about this job:
Overview:

About the Clinton Health Access Initiative:


The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to strengthening integrated health systems in the developing world and expanding access to care and treatment for HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. CHAI’s solution-oriented approach focuses on improving market dynamics for medicines and diagnostics; lowering prices for treatment; accelerating access to life-saving technologies; and helping governments build the capacity required for high-quality care and treatment programs.



Since its establishment in 2002 by President William J. Clinton, CHAI has worked on the demand and supply sides of the market to help more than 2 million HIV+ people access the medicines needed for treatment—representing nearly half of all people and 2 out of 3 children on HIV/AIDS treatment in developing countries. Building on this model, CHAI has expanded its scope to include efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery systems and to combat malaria and childhood illnesses.



In 2007, CHAI signed an MOU with the government of Uganda to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and strengthen health systems. Since then, CHAI has worked hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Health to increase access to lifesaving pediatric HIV treatment by >400%; coordinate with private sector suppliers to lower costs and expand access to malaria drugs; pilot a point-of-care diagnostic technology, leading to scale up to >250 health facilities nationwide; introduce a new severe malaria drug which will save thousands of lives annually; and many other initiatives. Currently, CHAI Uganda works with the Ministry of Health around HIV, malaria, childhood illnesses, laboratory systems and drug logistics.



Background:


The majority of fevers in Uganda are misdiagnosed and treated as malaria. Globally, over 60% of clinically diagnosed malaria is not actually malaria. Fevers are often caused by treatable yet potentially lethal diseases that, with the continued misdiagnosis of malaria, remain untreated. International guidelines, national policy, and treatment interventions have all assisted in institutionalizing this practice. In addition, presumptive treatment of malaria leads to inappropriate use of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), an expensive antimalarial drug, resulting in millions of dollars of wasted resources.



CHAI is supporting the Uganda Ministry of Health to rapidly scale-up malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) in the public and private sectors to improve health outcomes and achieve greater value-for-money with the country’s limited health budget. This work follows on CHAI’s extensive efforts to drive uptake of effective malaria treatment in Uganda. CHAI seeks to support the Uganda Ministry of Health to reach its goal of achieving diagnostic coverage for 85% of all suspected malaria cases by 2014. CHAI will provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and work with in-country partners to i) strengthen the nascent public and private RDT markets by providing the building blocks for the introduction of the new technology (e.g., forecasting, product selection, training, behavior change strategies, monitoring and evaluation), ii) develop scalable solutions for national implementation and adoption, and iii) design critical and timely impact evaluations of RDT adoption/adherence to inform  national strategy, advise international stakeholders, and catalyze the implementation of effective interventions.



With tens of millions of RDTs in the public sector pipeline and burgeoning interest in malaria diagnosis amongst private sector providers, Uganda is positioned to offer widespread access to diagnosis for the first time in its history. CHAI will work with the Ministry of Health to ensure the successful introduction and national scale up of this crucial diagnostic.



Position Description:



The Malaria Diagnostics Coordinator will work with the Malaria Program Manager to support the Ministry of Health and the private sector to enhance access to malaria diagnostics and medicines, with an emphasis on the private sector. It is estimated that ~60% of care and treatment in Uganda is sought in the private sector, yet a number of barriers can impede access to appropriate drugs and diagnostics, including high prices, limited product availability, and low provider/retailer awareness of treatment guidelines.



The Coordinator will also support CHAI’s private sector engagement across other disease and product areas, working closely with the Essential Child Medicines team to scale up access to appropriate treatment for diarrhea and with the Access to Medicines team to expand access to appropriate treatment for severe malaria in the private sector.



The Coordinator must be a strategic thinker with exceptional quantitative skills.  The Coordinator will be responsible for a wide variety of tasks, from quantitative analysis and policy development support to stakeholder engagement and capacity building.  The Coordinator may also spend time (~20%) in the field, collecting data at low-level health facilities and private sector outlets.
Responsibilities:

    Provide technical assistance to MOH and private sector stakeholders on the introduction of RDTs, including forecasting, procurement and stock management in the public and private sectors
    Analyze and map the private sector value chain to identify key decision makers and areas of inefficiency
    Conduct market analyses and develop business cases to demonstrate to suppliers the market potential
    Enhancement of private suppliers’ promotion efforts, including detailing and CMEs
    Exploration of distribution opportunities beyond traditional pharmaceutical channels
    Work with the Global Malaria Diagnostics Team to ensure CHAI’s resources and expertise are fully leveraged to meet needs in-country
    Other responsibilities, as needed

Qualifications:

    At least two years of work experience in a demanding, results-oriented environment
    Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to develop strong relationships in a challenging environment
    Highly motivated individual who exhibits a passion for results and a commitment to excellence
    Strong communications skills, both written and oral
    Excellent problem solving, analytical, and quantitative skills, including fluency in Excel and PowerPoint
    Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, set priorities, and work independently
    Ability to learn on the job quickly and absorb/synthesize a broad range of information
    Ability to work within limited budgets and human resources
    Strong work ethic and flexibility
    CHAI places great value on the following qualities: flexibility, resourcefulness, responsibility, persistence, independence, energy and work ethic

Advantages:

    Advanced degree in business, medicine, public health, or a related field
    Experience working in management consulting, finance or a similarly quantitative/analytical capacity
    Experience working in public health, especially diagnostics or malaria
    Experience in private sector supply and distribution, ideally in the pharmaceutical or Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) fields

How to Apply:
https://careers-chai.icims.com/jobs/3078/job

Closing date; 12/06/2013

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Jobs at Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) in Uganda - Program Manager

Job Title: HIV Systems Program Manager
Job Location      Uganda     Type      Full-Time Paid
Business Unit      In-Country Operations        
More information about this job:
Overview:

About the Clinton Health Access Initiative:



The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to strengthening integrated health systems in the developing world and expanding access to care and treatment for HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. CHAI’s solution-oriented approach focuses on improving market dynamics for medicines and diagnostics; lowering prices for treatment; accelerating access to life-saving technologies; and helping governments build the capacity to provide high-quality treatment.



Since its establishment in 2002 by President William J. Clinton, CHAI has worked on the demand and supply sides of the market to help more than 2 million HIV+ people access treatment—representing nearly half of all people and 2 out of 3 children on HIV/AIDS treatment in developing countries. Building on this model, CHAI has expanded its scope to include efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery systems and to combat malaria and childhood illnesses.



In 2007, CHAI signed an MOU with the government of Uganda to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and strengthen health systems. Since then, CHAI has worked hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Health to increase access to lifesaving pediatric HIV treatment by >400%; coordinate with private sector suppliers to lower costs and expand access to malaria drugs; pilot a point-of-care diagnostic technology, leading to scale up to >250 health facilities nationwide; introduce a new severe malaria drug which will save thousands of lives annually; and many other initiatives. Currently, CHAI Uganda works with the Ministry of Health around HIV, malaria, childhood illnesses, laboratory systems and drug logistics.



Position Description:

The HIV Systems Program Manager will lead a team of ~4 to manage CHAI’s Pediatric HIV and Laboratory Systems portfolio.



Pediatric HIV:



Each year in Uganda, roughly 20,000 infants are infected with HIV through transmission from their mother. This is the second leading cause of HIV transmission in the country. Yet through the provision of appropriate drugs during the pregnancy and breastfeeding period, this number can be drastically reduced. The Uganda Ministry of Health has made great progress in expanding access to prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services, but quality of care and patient retention remain serious challenges. For those infants who do become infected with HIV, roughly 50% of them die by the age of two without intervention. However, the provision of care and treatment can allow them to live long and healthy lives. While Uganda has made great progress is scaling up access to HIV treatment for children, there is still a major disparity between adult and pediatric treatment rates, with less than 30% of eligible children receiving life-saving treatment.



The Program Manager will lead CHAI’s efforts to provide technical support to the Uganda Ministry of Health to develop and strengthen health systems critical to the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (eMTCT) and early infant diagnosis (EID). In close conjunction with the Ministry and NGO partners, the Program Manager will seek to enhance existing systems and develop new ones to provide a high quality, cost-effective continuum of care for HIV+ women and their children.  The set of interventions will include the use of innovative mHealth solutions.



Laboratory Systems:



In 2012, the Government of Uganda began a national rollout of point-of-care (POC) CD4 testing machines to over 250 health facilities. CD4 is the crucial diagnostic test to determine eligibility for antiretroviral therapy (ART). Access to CD4 testing, currently quite low in Uganda, is critical to guiding appropriate scale up of HIV treatment. These POC diagnostic machines, which are smaller and significantly easier to use than traditional CD4 machines, will allow lower level facilities to monitor CD4 without having to send blood samples to larger facilities, thus drastically increasing access.



The aim of point-of-care products is to bring diagnostics closer to the patient, reducing the key barriers to access.  A number of new technologies that have recently become available or are in the pipeline have the potential to increase access to treatment, improve patient retention, and make healthcare systems more efficient.



The Program Manager will oversee CHAI’s work with the Ministry of Health of Uganda to support the evaluation, adoption, and uptake of new diagnostic technologies.  The Program Manager will work on strengthening systems around the point-of-care machines currently in use in Uganda. This will involve assisting the Ministry of Health with evaluation of the existing program, forecasting the need for supplies, and supporting the development of mentorship programs.

As new technologies become available, the Program Manager will focus on creating a conducive regulatory and policy environment for their use in Uganda and strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Health to adopt and appropriately scale up new technologies. The Program Manager will also oversee analysis of the diagnostics market in Uganda in order to assist CHAI’s Laboratory Systems Team in negotiations with global device manufacturers.



The Program Manager will spend ~15% of his/her time travelling domestically, primarily to regions with limited facilities.
Responsibilities:

    Oversee all aspects of CHAI’s Pediatric HIV and Diagnostics portfolio, including planning, budgeting, implementation and reporting
    Set program direction and goals, defining targets and measuring program performance across the program
    Supervise a team comprised of ~4 staff, which includes former management consultants, doctors, and public health professionals
    Identify and pursue new areas of work and partnerships that will have dramatic and leveraged impact on health outcomes for patients
    Navigate political complexities to build and maintain strong working relationships with senior stakeholders in government, international partners, donors and NGOs, and ensure coordination of resources and efforts
    Work with Ministry of Health to develop capacity and create sustainable systems to ensure ongoing access to the most effective diagnostics and pediatric treatment nationwide
    Assist the Ministry of Health in the development of policies and strategic plans to support the effective delivery of pediatric and diagnostic services
    Design and implement monitoring and evaluation systems to measure impact and assess progress against project goals
    Develop progress reports for MOH, CHAI’s global teams and donors
    Other responsibilities, as needed

Qualifications:

    Master’s Degree in business administration, medicine, public health or a related field, or equivalent job experience
    A minimum of 5 years experience in a rigorous private or public position, with increasing levels of responsibility and leadership
    Exceptional communication and relationship management skills with the ability to diplomatically and clearly communicate complex ideas with well developed structure and logic
    Comfort working independently with a diverse set of counterparts. (Experience in a consultative capacity, especially in a multicultural setting, is an added advantage)
    Ability to navigate complex government processes, favorably influence decision-making in a professional and collaborative manner, and build strong relationships with government officials
    Ability to develop and execute a coherent programmatic strategy, amidst substantial ambiguity and changing circumstances
    Ability to lead as a team player, manager, and role model, demanding top performance from oneself and the entire team
    Strong quantitative skills, including proficiency in Excel
    Ability to create compelling, logical presentations and reports, using PowerPoint, Word and other media
    Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and achieve maximum impact and efficiency with limited resources
    Strong work ethic, flexibility, and a personal commitment to producing results
    CHAI places great value on relevant personal qualities: resourcefulness, entrepreneurialism, flexibility, independence, humility, and work ethic

Advantages:

    Experience in a rigorous private sector environment such as strategy consulting or finance
    Experience working in public health, particularly with a focus on HIV/AIDS
    Experience with mHealth and/or a strong IT background


How to Apply:
https://careers-chai.icims.com/jobs/3080/job

Closing Date; 12/06/2013

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Program Manager Job at Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) in Uganda

Job Title: Malaria Program Manager
Job Location      Uganda     Type      Full-Time Paid
Business Unit      In-Country Operations        
More information about this job:
Overview:

The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to strengthening integrated health systems in the developing world and expanding access to care and treatment for HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. CHAI’s solution-oriented approach focuses on improving market dynamics for medicines and diagnostics; lowering prices for treatment; accelerating access to life-saving technologies; and helping governments build the capacity to provide high-quality treatment.



Since its establishment in 2002 by President William J. Clinton, CHAI has worked on the demand and supply sides of the market to help more than 2 million HIV+ people access treatment—representing nearly half of all people on HIV treatment in developing countries. Building on this model, CHAI has expanded its scope to include efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery systems and to combat malaria and childhood illnesses.



In 2007, CHAI signed an MOU with the government of Uganda to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and strengthen health systems. Since then, CHAI has worked hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Health to increase access to lifesaving pediatric HIV treatment by >400%; coordinate with private sector suppliers to lower costs and expand access to malaria drugs; pilot a point-of-care diagnostic technology, leading to scale up to >250 health facilities nationwide; introduce a new severe malaria drug which will save thousands of lives annually; and many other initiatives. Currently, CHAI Uganda works with the Ministry of Health around HIV, malaria, childhood illnesses, laboratory systems and drug logistics.

                                                                



Description:



The Malaria Program Manager will lead a team of 3-4 staff to design and implement programs to increase the number of people accessing malaria diagnosis and artemisinin-based drugs for malaria treatment. The Program Manager will be responsible for all aspects of the malaria portfolio, including strategy development, relationship management, and implementation. The Program Manger will oversee a portfolio that touches on all aspects of the health system and affects the health outcome of millions of patients, including:



    Policy:  Support the Ministry of Health to develop appropriate policies and strategies to improve access to malaria diagnosis and usage of effective treatment in the public and private sectors
    Forecasting: Supporting the Ministry of Health to analyze current malaria drug and diagnostic usage, pipeline stock, and consumption trends in order to inform drug procurement and delivery schedules
    Supply chain:  Working with the government and partners to ensure that public sector facilities throughout Uganda regularly receive malaria diagnostics and antimalarial drugs, to ensure that patients have continual access to lifesaving treatment
    Operational Research:  Developing and implementing OR projects to improve patient treatment in health facilities and scaling effective interventions nationally
    Capacity Building: Working with the Ministry of Health to strengthen systems and build capacity around the national malaria response

Responsibilities:

    Oversee all aspects of CHAI’s malaria program including planning, budgeting, implementation, and reporting.
    Set program direction and goals, defining targets and measuring program performance across the malaria program to establish aggressive operational program milestones and achieve program objectives within ambitious timelines.
    Supervise the malaria team, comprised of 3-4 professional staff.
    Identify bottlenecks which prevent patients from accessing malaria diagnosis and treatment and develop and implement innovative strategies to address them.
    Identify and pursue new areas of work and partnerships that will have dramatic and leveraged impact on health outcomes.
    Build and maintain strong working relationships with senior stakeholders in government, international partners, donors and NGOs, and ensure coordination of resources and efforts.
    Work with Ministry of Health and partners to develop capacity and create sustainable systems to ensure ongoing access to malaria diagnosis and treatment nationwide.
    Assist the Ministry of Health and partners in the development of policies and strategic plans to effectively deliver malaria diagnosis and treatment.
    Design and implement monitoring and evaluation systems to measure impact and assess progress against project goals.
    Develop reports for MOH, CHAI’s global teams and donors.
    Maintain a thorough understanding of the malaria and overall health system throughout the country.
    Other responsibilities, as needed.

Qualifications:

    Master’s Degree in business administration, logistics, public health or a related field, or equivalent job experience.
    A minimum of 5 years of experience in a rigorous private or public position, with increasing levels of responsibility and leadership.
    Exceptional communication and relationship management skills with ability to clearly communicate complex ideas.
    Exceptionally strong quantitative skills, including fluency in Excel.
    Ability to create compelling, logical presentations and reports, using PowerPoint, Word and other media.
    Comfort and flexibility to work independently with a diverse set of counterparts. (Experience in a consultative capacity, especially in a multicultural setting, is an added advantage.)
    Ability to navigate complex government processes and favorably influence decision-making in a professional and collaborative manner.
    Ability to develop and execute a coherent programmatic strategy, amidst substantial ambiguity and changing circumstances.
    Ability to manage, develop and motivate staff and lead as a team player, mentor, manager, and role model, demanding top performance from oneself and the entire team.
    A strong passion for producing results and a personal commitment to excellence.
    CHAI places great value on relevant personal qualities: resourcefulness, entrepreneurialism, flexibility, independence, humility, and work ethic.

Advantages:

    Experience in a rigorous private sector environment, such as strategy consulting or finance.
    Experience working in public health, particularly with a focus on malaria.

How to Apply:
https://careers-chai.icims.com/jobs/3593/job

Closing Date; 01/06/2013

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Jobs at International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Uganda - Project Coordinator

Job Title: Project Coordinator (Systems Agronomist) (Ref: R4D/PCSA/05/13)

Background: The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) invites applications for the position of Project Coordinator (Systems Agronomist).

IITA is an international non-profit research-for-development (R4D) organization created in 1967, governed by a Board of Trustees, and supported primarily by the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). Our R4D is anchored on the development needs of sub-Saharan Africa. We develop agricultural solutions with our partners to tackle hunger and poverty by reducing producer and consumer risks, enhancing crop quality and productivity, and generating wealth from agriculture. We have more than 100 internationally recruited scientists from about 35 countries and 900 nationally recruited staff based in various stations across Africa. Please visit http://www.iita.org/ for more information on IITA.

IITA seeks a qualified person for the position of project coordinator in Uganda to coordinate a new BMZ-funded project and conduct agronomic systems research on coffee and cocoa.

Position/Responsibilities:

The primary responsibility will be to coordinate the research project ‘trade-offs and synergies in climate change adaptation and mitigation in coffee and cocoa systems’ and conduct research on this topic.

Specific responsibilities:

    stakeholders on important coffee/cocoa areas that need strong adaptation efforts.
    Characterize existing diversity of coffee/cocoa production systems along climate and intensification gradients, in terms of production efficiency, climate change adaptation, and climate change mitigation.
    Provide scientific backstopping to research support staff and two PhD students.
    Identify productive coffee/cocoa systems by using biophysical response functions and models.
    Develop a methodological framework for coffee/cocoa stakeholders to assess climate change adaptation and mitigation potential of various production technologies.
    Develop a dissemination toolbox to help inform and train public and private-sector partners and farmers on best-bet climate change adaptation/mitigation options.
    Engage with coffee/cocoa certification bodies and policy makers to highlight gaps and opportunities for improved climate change adaptation and mitigation.
    Write scientific publications in peer reviewed journals.

Educational Qualifications:

The candidate must have a PhD in Agronomy or related field and ten years experience with increasing levels of responsibility.

Core Competencies:

    Proven research expertise in smallholder coffee/cocoa cropping systems.
    Knowledge of soil-plant relationships and crop physiology.
    Demonstrated ability to write and publish scientific articles in ISI-Thomson indexed journals.
    Demonstrated ability to supervise PhD students
    Ability to work independently in a multidisciplinary and multi-cultural environment.
    Management experience in multi-partner projects including CGIAR, advanced research institutes, NARS partners and private sector is considered a strong advantage.
    Excellent spoken and written English – good knowledge of French is considered an advantage given the projects’ focus on cocoa production systems (and literature) in Francophone West Africa.
    Working knowledge of Sub-Saharan Africa.
    Willingness to travel within the project region in West and East Africa.


How to Apply:
http://www.iita.org/irs-asset;jsessionid=BC7E4F899BCE09F9D38B0F94D0D7D5BF?p_p_id=101_INSTANCE_Im2L&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_pos=2&p_p_col_count=3&_101_INSTANCE_Im2L_struts_action=%2Fasset_publisher%2Fview_content&_101_INSTANCE_Im2L_urlTitle=project-coordinator-systems-agronomist-ref%3A-r4d-pcsa-05-13&_101_INSTANCE_Im2L_type=content&redirect=%2Fcareers


Closing Date; 31/05/2013

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