World Health Organization (WHO) is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

POSITION : National Research Coordinator - Lassa Fever 

Objectives

• The objectives of WHO’s OHE Programme are: to help Member States build their capacity to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to minimize the impact on the health of affected populations. WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme directs all of the Organization’s work in health emergency risk management, with an all-hazards approach comprising risk reduction, preparedness, readiness, response and early recovery activities, and with a particular emphasis on the identification and mitigation of infectious hazards and risks.
• The Programme is responsible for establishing and managing WHO’s operational capacity in acute and protracted emergencies, setting overall strategy and ensuring appropriate operational planning, managing field operations, developing and ensuring adherence to technical standards, and ensuring risk and performance monitoring. 
• The Programme engages in relevant partnerships and inter-agency processes, recognizing that its impact should be optimized by coordinating, leveraging and facilitating the implementation roles of other local, national and international entities and partner’s best positioned to deliver the relevant clinical or other public health services.
• WHE Programme integrates and operates under the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence in serving populations affected by emergencies.

Competencies: Functional
Teamwork:

• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

Communication:

• Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
• Promoting innovation and organizational learning
• Creating an empowering and motivating environment

Education (Qualifications)

• Essential: University degree or equivalent in a discipline related to research in communicable diseases.
• Desirable: Specialization in field related to communicable disease, such as public health, epidemiology, or clinical trials. Recent training and certification in Good Clinical Practice in research and/or research ethics.

Experience 
Essential:

• At least 5 years of experience in research and research management, with at least 2 years of experience in the health sector. At least 2 years of direct experience working in research in communicable diseases.
• Expert knowledge of research in communicable diseases and its public health aspects, as evidenced by a track record of recent publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals in the topic area.
• Experience of managing a portfolio of research projects in public health. Implementation research in public health. Expert knowledge of research methods. Knowledge and skills in capacity building.

Desirable:

•  Experience in research knowledge and data management. Recent experience in fundraising of research grants writing.

Languages

• Essential: Expert knowledge of English
• Desirable: Knowledge on local languages 

Responsibilities

• Focusing on research activities coordination and implementation of the research on Lassa fever in Nigeria, the incumbent will:
• Provide coordination for research activities relating to Lassa fever that will lead to improvements the prevention, detection and control of Lassa fever, in collaboration with the international research advisor from WHO.
• Support NCDC to identify the key partners who should be involved in the research relating to Lassa fever and ensure that there is proper coordination and timely communication from the conception to the finalization of research activities.
• Support the NCDC to organize appropriate forums for consensus building, providing inputs for the research ideas and protocols and disseminating research findings.
• Support the research advisor in providing expert advice on the conceptualization, design and implementation of the full range of research studies on Lassa fever drawing on the expertise of R&D Blueprint team, WHE focal points and GOARN partners, WHO Collaborating Centres and other research methodology experts.
• Support implementation of research capacity strengthening strategies on Lassa fever so that Nigerian research institutions and research partner organizations develop and implement collaborative research plans. The incumbent will ensure that research activities and capacities carried out are of high quality research, compliant with generally accepted scientific and ethical standards, as well as strengthen the research capacity of other research organizations.
• Working in close collaboration with the international research advisor, provide scientific leadership and support to Nigerian CDC and other Nigerian researchers to improve and expand their research skills, and particularly for implementation science and product research related to Lassa fever.
• Support the research advisor oversee the implementation of all research management procedures so that research protocols and budgets are developed, reviewed (technically and ethically) and approved as efficiently as possible by relevant federal and state institutions.
• Participate and when appropriate and in the absence of the international research advisor, represent WHO on health research networks, committees and commissions so that the Nigerian CDC and WHO are able to inform and learn from key influential bodies; and engage with all relevant research groups within WHO Country Offices, and within other UN agencies as appropriate, to provide scientific leadership in evidence based guidance.
• Provide support to the Office of the NCDC Director in coordinating in raising and leveraging funds to implement and expand the research and research capacity strengthening roles.
• Support the NCDC to document proceedings of the meetings, and address critical gaps and actions points that require immediate attention in the process of conducting the research.
• Carry out other tasks, as required by the WHO representative in Nigeria.