USAID Project Degree Jobs – Head of Research and Development at Uganda Health Marketing Group (UHMG)

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Duty Station: UHMG Head Office-Kampala (with periodic field travel)
Reports to: Director Programs and Services
Job Summary:
The Head of Research and Development (HRD) is a cross cutting function, which provides a coordination mechanism to guide UHMG in the design and implementation of evidence-based interventions, monitor activities progress, and evaluate them for their cost effectiveness and impact
In addition, this position will provide a mechanism of documenting best practices, identify replicable models for scale up and timely dissemination of UHMG achievements to stakeholders.
The HRD will work very closely with all programs sector managers to identify key priority researches for incorporation in the overall annual work plans. Prioritized research activities will be analyzed for their relevancy, credibility, feasibility, cost effectiveness and added value to the overall organizations’ mandate.
In addition, HRD will work specifically with M&E team to ensure that the organizations PMP is well aligned to effectively monitor progress of the organizational annual work plan.
The HRD will play a leading role in the development and updates of the organizations M&E framework This position requires a person who has strong skills in research, monitoring and evaluation (RME) development, leadership, and communication, to effectively and proactively reinforce the organization’s commitment to strong RME systems.
S/he must focus on quality, improvement effectiveness and efficiency, and model independence, objectivity, ethics, integrity, professionalism, and avoidance of bias and conflict of interest.
Duties & Responsibilities:
The Head of Research and Development will be specifically responsible for the following tasks:-
·         Work with the HIV/AIDS team to develop research objectives for HIV/AIDS prevention and care programs to increase prospects for their increased effectiveness and impact, through identification of barriers to services scale up and sustained utilisation, pilot testing of new innovations and scale up plans for feasible options.
·         Support the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) sector to prioritize programs activities in line with best evidence from researches carried out internally and reviews of other established authorities.
·         Design and implement operational researches to identify barriers to sustainable MCH services utilisation, design pilots on new innovative strategies to overcome identified barriers and develop a scale up plan for the delivery of these services.
·         In collaboration with the Reproductive Health Manager, identify research themes to analyze current issues that limit full utilisation of FP services to address the unmet need for family planning and other service delivery gaps in the reproductive health services and develop a plan to scale up identified best practices, after promising/successful pilot tests.
·         Support the Malaria Program Manager to identify key research themes for scale up of malaria prevention services and case management services uptake. Key areas include the extent of use of preventive measures; LLITN and IRS, as well as adherence to malaria case management guidelines; lab testing for suspected malaria fever and adherence to prescription guidelines by both providers and clients.
·         Work with the Communications team to guide the design and implementation of evidence-based interventions, and incorporate activities on monitoring and evaluation frameworks with key benchmarks to evaluate program outputs and impact.
·         Work with the Marketing teams to monitor and evaluate the impact of brands promotion activities based on key monitoring indicators to monitor specific brands uptakes, customer preferences and satisfaction with their use.
·         Work with the sales team at PF to monitor market penetration of UHMG distributed products, market share, and determine strategies to capture and maintain specific products market share.
·         Develop a strategy of measuring UHMG programs’ impact in terms of effectiveness of supported interventions, coverage of targeted populations, and identify efficient models for replication nationally and in other regions experiencing similar national health and social economic profile.
·         Lead in the documentation of UHMG best practices and results across all service sectors generally and particularly, and ensure that UHMG’s website is appropriately structured, loaded and updated regularly with key information and resource materials.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
·         Bachelor’s degree in related disciplines (statistics, social sciences, public health) with advanced studies (master’s level, as a minimum) in epidemiology, research methodologies and project management and evaluation.
·         Key competencies required for this position include ability to design and implement operational researches using different research methodologies (qualitative and quantitative methods) to provide information for programs planning, monitoring and evaluation of supported interventions.
·         Experience in the use of data analysis software (SPSS, STATA, Excel, etc) is mandatory. At least 3 years experience in managing a senior research and M&E function.
·         Demonstrable results in previous work environment would reinforce claims to this experience.
·         Ability to consult, make and implement decisions in line with agreed principles and criteria. Display high ethical standards and integrity, strong personal values and character.
·         Able to think analytically, independently and creatively, and have attention to detail.
·         Must have strong leadership and result-oriented skills, and should be meticulous, and able to work independently, with objectivity and sound judgment.
·         Have self motivation, initiative, hard work orientation and good team work/player skills.
·         Have organization and facilitation skills, as well as good communication and feedback skills in person and in writing (reporting).
·         Able to handle multiple and conflicting priorities, and to stand pressure, observe and work under strict deadlines in a multidisciplinary, multidimensional organization.
·         Able to grow in a challenging career and to add value to the organization’s strategic goals, and adapt to change.
How to Apply
Send or deliver your CV, copies of certificates and cover letter clearly indicating position applied for on the ‘top left-hand side of the envelope’ to:

The Human Resources & Administration Manager,
Uganda Health Marketing Group, Ltd Plot 20-21, 27-28, Martyrs Crescent, Ntinda
P.O Box 4553, Kampala

Deadline: 1st October, 2012
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