Marie Stopes Zambia (MSZ) is a results-focused social enterprise, which uses modern marketing techniques to provide family planning and reproductive healthcare. MSZ is part of the global network that is Marie Stopes International (MSI). MSZ subscribes to the MSI goal and mission, which is to prevent unwanted births and to ensure the individual’s right to Children by Choice not Chance.
MSZ is seeking a Study Manager for a period of twelve months to evaluate an intervention to encourage the use of the MSZ Call Centre among woman using pharmacies in Lusaka. A two arm, multicentre, cluster randomised controlled trial will be conducted at 26 pharmacies in Lusaka, Zambia. The trial will assess the effectiveness of a pharmacy-based intervention to increase use of the Call Centre.
The successful candidate will be responsible for all elements of data collection, which include:
- Structured interviews with pharmacy clients
- Mystery client surveys to assess pharmacy practice
- Qualitative analysis of a sample of call recordings
- Costing analysis of the intervention
Applicants should have demonstrable experience of managing large-scale successful trials in line with the responsibilities below.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead recruitment, hiring, training and management of research assistants, field supervisors, and mystery clients during study period (up to 11 people).
- Manage the development and implementation of the study intervention.
- Manage the piloting, translation and printing of study materials.
- Manage the recruitment of pharmacies, including introducing the study and obtaining informed consent from all participants prior to data collection (across 26 pharmacies).
- Responsibility for keeping progress on track and ensuring timely and quality implementation including developing work plan in consultation with the study team.
- Responsibility for budget oversight and financial management of study grant.
- Supervise and ensure high quality data collection in line with the approved study protocol and data collection instruments. Manage all practicalities of data collection including financial payments and coordination of monthly supervision visits.
- Responsibility for identifying tasks needing to be completed in line with study objectives, co-ordinate deployment of study team and responsible for keeping track of progress and data collection schedule.
- Ensure ethical practices, including the confidentiality of study participants, by ensuring all study material is appropriately stored and protected.
- Compile weekly reports on progress of data collection and update the PIs and Co PIs frequently.
- Responsibility for high quality data management, data entry and data cleaning. Assist with preliminary analysis.
- Assist with preparation of reports, papers, and presentations.
QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate should:
- Possess an undergraduate degree in either Epidemiology, Demography, Public Health or any other relevant discipline [essential].
- Possess a Masters’s degree in Epidemiology, Demography, Public Health or any other relevant discipline [desirable].
- At least 5 years experience managing implementation of large-scale studies with complex designs [essential].
- Experience working on randomised controlled trials [essential]
- Expertise in project managing operational aspects of studies including development of timelines, budgets and resource plans.
- Experience of working as part of a large, multi-cultural and geographically diverse team and leading small study or functional teams
- Proven ability to be an active member of the team and motivate and lead a small team to deliver against commitments.
- Well-developed written and verbal communication skills demonstrated by an ability to present clear instruction/direction to teams at the same level in the organization and influence at higher levels in the organization.
- Demonstrated ability to conduct rigorous data management and data cleaning, with high level of attention to detail and management of data security [essential].
- Knowledge in the management of data collection including electronic data collection, data transfer and archival [essential].
- Excellent English language oral and written communication skills, including demonstrated interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills [essential].
- Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and EpiData/Info [essential].
- Superior organizational skills with keen attention to detail [essential].
- Familiarity with sexual and reproductive health landscape in Zambia [desirable].
- Experience of research in a developing country [essential], in particular Zambia [desirable].
- Be pro-choice and in agreement with the core values and behaviours of Marie Stopes Zambia [essential].
- If not a Zambian national, must have the right to work in Zambia [essential].
Interested and qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and curriculum vitae with three professional references to jobs@mariestopes.org.zm by close of business on Wednesday 9th August 2017.