Consultant - TDR’s Research Capacity Strengthening Activities

Job Description - Consultant - TDR’s Research Capacity Strengthening Activities (2500171)

Consultant - TDR’s Research Capacity Strengthening Activities - (2500171)

Contractual Arrangement: External consultant

Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 11 months

: Jan 21, 2025, 12:29:38 AM

: Feb 4, 2025, 10:59:00 PM

: Anywhere

: HQ/RCS Research Capacity Strengthening SCI

: Full-time

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications indicated above reflects your personal device's system settings.

Purpose of consultancy

The consultant will contribute towards different components of the TDR Clinical Research Leadership, TDR’s implementation Research Leadership Fellowship Programme and TDR’s Postgraduate Training Programme.

Background

Research Capacity Strengthening (RCS) activities are at the heart of the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training on Tropical Diseases (TDR) strategy 2024–2029, which aims to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and to support Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The TDR/RCS objectives refer to the capacity to produce evidence that directly informs public health practice and policy, as well as strengthens low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) research capacity across implementation and clinical research, specifically aiming to build research leadership for the future to:

• strengthen capacity in LMICs to conduct interdisciplinary priority research by supporting individuals, institutions and networks; and
• promote institutional and individual leadership in health research through postgraduate training grants and clinical research career development fellowships.

This consultancy will contribute towards the TDR/RCS objectives and is essential for an efficient delivery of the activities.

Deliverables

• Objective 1: To diligently review, edit and update the content of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) reports from eight universities in the TDR Postgraduate Training Programme: (Bamako University, Mali; BRAC, Bangladesh; University of Antioquia, Colombia; University of Cheikh Anta Diop, Senegal; Indian Institute of Health Management University, India; University of Ghana, Ghana; Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa).
• Deliverable 1: A completed M&E dataset is delivered by 15 March 2025.
• Objective 2: To diligently review, edit and update the draft M&E report for Clinical Research Leadership Fellowship cohort 1 and 2.
• Deliverable 2: A complete set of M&E for cohort 1 and 2 is delivered by 15 April 2025.
• Objective 3: In collaboration with TDR Postgraduate Programme and Regional Training Centres to facilitate the faculty exchange programme and monthly Implementation Research (IR) lectures and IR Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for the faculty and students across the eight universities.
• Deliverable 3: IR MOOC courses offered to the MPH students and faculty exchange programme initiated by 15 May 2025.
• Objective 4: To review the selection process of the new cohort of fellows, promoting the profile of the Clinical Research Leadership fellows and to provide input to the clinical trial related projects during the re-integration plan for 20 fellows.
• Deliverable 4: The shortlisting and the selection of the new cohort completed by 15 June 2025.
• Objective 5: To review the applications for shortlisting and selection of the candidate for the pilot phase of TDR’s Implementation Science for Public Health Impact.
• Deliverable 5: Review process completed by July 2025.
• Objective 6: To diligently review, edit and update the content of Progress reports from eight universities in TDR Postgraduate Training Programme: (Bamako University, Mali; BRAC, Bangladesh; University of Antioquia, Colombia; University of Cheikh Anta Diop, Senegal; Indian Institute of Health Management University, India; University of Ghana, Ghana; Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia; University of Witwatersrand, South Africa).
• Deliverable 6: The progress reports are quality checked by 15 August 2025.
• Objective 7: Monitor and track the publication records of fellows by utilizing the Web of Science database, ensuring comprehensive documentation and evaluation of their scholarly contributions.
• Deliverable 7: A list of publications outputs is prepared by November 2025.
• Objective 8: Draft at least two manuscripts related to the area of work for journal submission.
• Deliverable 8: At least two manuscripts submitted to international open access journal by December 2025.
• Objective 9: Provide input to the section related to Clinical Research Leadership Fellowship and Postgraduate Training and Implementation Research Leadership Fellowship in the Annual Report for Research Capacity Strengthening (RCS).
• Deliverable 9: The above-mentioned input to the RCS annual report is delivered by end of January 2026.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications

Essential:

• Master's degree in public health.

Desirable:

• PhD in a health-related field.

Experience

Essential:

• Minimum of 5 years' experience in research training relevant to public health, and at least 2 years' experience in project management.

Desirable:

• At least 3 years’ experience a as part of an investigator’s team that was conducting of a Good Clinical Trial Compliance clinical trial.

Skills/Knowledge

Essential:

• Technical and health research skills:
• Epidemiology
• Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and health research ethics
• Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)
• Scientific writing
• Data analysis: R, SPSS, MS Excel
• Presentation skills
• Communication and management skills
• Communication and organizational skills
• Project management
• Team work

Desirable:

• Complex statistical methods

Languages and level required

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English

Desirable

• Intermediate knowledge of French

Location

Offsite: Home-based

Travel

The consultant is expected to travel.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded)

Remuneration

Band level B: USD 7,000 - 9,980 per month

Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited)

N/A

Expected duration of contract

11 months

Additional Information:

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
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