Maryland Global Initiatives Corporation is Currently Recruiting: IPADZ Study Coordinator
- Company: Maryland Global Initiatives Corporation
- Location: Zambia
- State: Lusaka
- Job type: Full-Time
- Job category: Administrative/Secretarial Jobs in Zambia
PROJECT: IPADZ (Inpatient Package to Reduce HIV and AIDS-Related Death in Zambia) Study
REPORTS TO: Study Investigator
POSITION SUMMARY: This is a mixed-methods study where qualitative data will be collected and used to inform a pilot study to reduce post-discharge deaths among persons living with HIV (PLWH) who are admitted to the hospital in Lusaka. A Study Coordinator is sought to provide oversight to day-to-day activities.
BACKGROUND
Despite scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ARVs) in Zambia, hospital admission and death remain unacceptably common among PLWH. Acute care hospitals continue to see high prevalence of HIV. For example, at one university hospital, 50% of the adults admitted to Internal Medicine were HIV-positive. Often persons living with HIV are admitted to hospital because of delays in learning their HIV status and/or challenges with ARV adherence and/or retention in care. After being stabilized in the hospital and discharged home, many persons living with HIV take long to recover and during this time (the post-discharge period), their risk to be re-admitted or to die from an AIDS-related condition is high. Therefore, the care of PLWH who are hospitalized is critically important to achieving the last mile in HIV epidemic control.
In this study, we will analyse HIV care practices during hospitalization, and work with hospital staff to identify avenues to streamline and make identifying and preventing AIDS-related conditions easier. Then we will pilot test a new approach to assess feasibility and acceptability. The coordinator for this study should have knowledge on the clinical aspects of AIDS, be comfortable engaging with clinicians, laboratory workers, and PLWH, and have a good understanding of the Zambian health system. Finally, demonstrated experience coordinating quality improvement and/or research projects is required.
Main duties & Responsibilities:
General
- Fosters teamwork and communication among IPADZ study staff.
- Helps investigators to ensure the study adheres to protocol and established procedures.
- Meets with program staff on a regular basis to assess progress and problem solve issues.
- Supervises data collectors
Technical support
- With the support of the Investigator, the study coordinator also serves as a key liaison with hospital staff, as well as other key governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to ensure that study implementation proceeds as planned.
- Helps identify roadblocks to planned study activities and work at all levels to identify solutions to promote full and timely realization of the study.
- Contribute to the development of abstracts & papers and participate in presentations at national & regional meetings.
- Effectively collaborate with the community and district staff as necessary, related to post-discharge activities.
Programmatic & Research Support:
- Oversee day to day project related activities and personnel to help with a delegation of tasks, prioritization, and overall responsibility in task completion.
- Maintain approvals and regulatory documents for the study
- Contribute to the development and documentation of standard operating procedures, research tools, and related materials.
- Collects both qualitative and quantitative data
- Help troubleshoot problems that arise with data collection and/or implementation
- Assisting with the data quality control and cleaning.
Administration and logistics:
- Contribute and support the development of monthly, quarterly reports and plans as requested by the donor.
- Recruits and supervises a team of data collectors/research assistants
- Liaise with operations units to ensure the study is conducted per internal guidelines.
- Any other duties as required by supervisors.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
Required:
- Either a degree in Nursing or Clinical Medicine OR a master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) or equivalent (e.g. MSc, MS in health science)
- Minimum of 2 years of experience coordinating biomedical or behavioral projects
- Good familiarity with the Zambian health system
- Strong computer skills including Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
Personal qualities:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including with international contacts
- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills
- Exhibits team spirit and works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve study goals
- Keeps abreast of new developments and actively seeks to contribute to the learning of colleagues and subordinates; shows a willingness to learn from others; seeks feedback
- Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions;
- Comfortable with ambiguity, shifting priorities, and need to juggle competing demands in a fast-paced and challenging work environment.