Recruitment for Director of Research at APHRC in Nairobi Kenya July 2014
Vacancy: Director of Research
About the African Population and Health Research Center: The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization that carries out policy relevant research on population, health, education and development issues facing sub-Saharan Africa. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya,
APHRC also supports research capacity strengthening efforts in the region and the engagement of policy-actors with research evidence.
Our vision is that the people of Africa enjoy the highest possible quality of life through policies and practices informed by robust scientific evidence and our mission is to be a global center of excellence, consistently generating and delivering relevant scientific evidence for policy and action.
Currently, our core research areas include population dynamics and sexual and reproductive health, urbanization and wellbeing, health challenges and systems (including infectious and non-communicable diseases and their inter-linkages), ageing and education.
Rather than a siloed approach, our research addresses the linkages across these substantive areas and how they interface with development in sub-Saharan Africa. Integrity, ethics, excellence, innovation and fairness are the core values that guide our work.
With more than 50 researchers from a dozen African countries, APHRC offers an excellent environment for multi-disciplinary research.
The Position: The Director of Research will be primarily responsible for overseeing the Center’s Research Division.
The position is based in Nairobi and reports to the Executive Director of APHRC.
In addition to supervising research program leaders and being part of the Center’s Executive Leadership Team, the successful candidate will:
- Provide overall direction and guidance to the Center’s various research programs in health, education, population, urbanization, aging and development, ensuring synergies across these programs;
- Lead the translation of the Center’s strategic plan into annual work plans for the Research Division;
- Work with research program leaders in setting research priorities and in resource mobilization;
- Promote and support publications among APHRC staff;
- Support research program leaders in providing quality assurance for all research work, including proposals, ethical reviews, and research/donor reports;
- Provide oversight to the Center’s Institutional Review Board and scientific review functions;
- Manage and nurture the Center’s network of partners and collaborators at national, regional and international levels;
- Work with the Head of the Statistics and Surveys Unit to ensure efficient systems for data collection, processing, management, archiving, analyses, and sharing;
- Work with the Director of Policy Engagement and Communication to enhance the role of research in informing policy decisions and with the Director of Research Capacity Strengthening to enhance research competencies of scientists within APHRC and across sub-Saharan Africa;
- Work with the Director of Operations to ensure prudent and efficient deployment of the Center’s human and financial resources in implementing the Center’s research agenda.
- Lead Senior Management Team meetings; and
- Provide Leadership in the development and implementation of a community engagement strategy.
The Candidate:
APHRC is looking for an accomplished researcher and/or a research manager with:
- At least 10 years of post-doctoral experience in an academic or research institution, five of which must be at a senior management level;
- A PhD in a field relevant to APHRC’s research programs with good understanding of the broad issues across other research program areas;
- Extensive experience working in sub-Saharan Africa;
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, supervisory, and leadership skills with past experience in managing senior staff in research or academic institution; and
- Excellent track record in resource mobilization and publications.
Interested candidates should send via email their letter of application and CV with contact details of three referees to jobs@aphrc.org.
Indicate ‘’Director of Research’’ on the subject line of the email.
Application letters should be addressed to:
The Human Resources Officer
African Population and Health Research Center
APHRC Campus, 2nd Floor,
Manga Close, Off Kirawa Road, Kitisuru
P.O. Box 10787 – 00100 GPO,
P.O. Box 10787 – 00100 GPO,
Nairobi
Email: jobs@aphrc.org
Website: www.aphrc.org
Applications will be considered until 31st August 2014.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. APHRC is an equal opportunity employer.