Back General Technical Coordinator of the ECO project

The Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) is a global health institute addressing public health challenges through research, translation into policy and education. ISGlobal has a broad portfolio in communicable and non-communicable diseases including environmental and climate determinants, and applies a multidisciplinary scientific approach ranging from the molecular to the population level. ISGlobal is the fruit of an innovative alliance between academic, government, and philanthropic institutions, and it is accredited with the Severo Ochoa distinction, a seal of excellence of the Spanish Science Ministry.

Location:

Barcelona

ECO project:

Funded by Unitaid, the ultimate objective of the ECO project is to advance test-treat strategies for COVID-19 and to strengthen health systems in Bolivia and Paraguay. Its core activity is to generate evidence on the acceptability and feasibility of COVID-19 ‘test and treat’ approach, supported by the implementation of pilot studies to define the best delivery strategies and approaches. Lessons emerging from these implementation studies will be later incorporated into the national COVID-19 guidelines and policies. ECO will also evaluate the feasibility and reliability of antigen tests with self-collection kits in selected use case scenarios in Bolivia and Paraguay. Evidence generation activities will be complemented with work in other areas to ensure scaling up of the tested strategies and to prepare the health system for rapid introduction of COVID-19 tools, including analysis of the national regulatory pathways and support to improve them as needed, as well as market analysis and demand forecasting to inform funding allocations and requests by the Ministries of Health in Bolivia and Paraguay. Overall, the ECO project will contribute to the early introduction of WHO recommended products for COVID-19 in Bolivia and Paraguay, generate evidence and scale up the implementation approaches evaluated by the project.

What We Are Looking for

ISGlobal is seeking a qualified General Technical Coordinator for the ECO project responsible for leadership and implementation of the project activities under the overall supervision of the project Principal Investigator and in close collaboration with the leadership team of the ECO Project (comprising the PI, the Senior Field Coordinator, the Project Manager and the senior advisors on Implementation Science and Policy Translation). The General Technical Coordinator will support the PI in overseeing the design and conduction of the ECO project activities, ensuring high scientific standards, timeliness and quality of deliverables to Unitaid. In this context, the Technical Coordinator will ensure alignment of ECO strategies and implementation activities in coordination with National health authorities and relevant stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Ensure timely and quality performance of the project activities, including
• planning of the ECO strategies and writing of the project protocols. This

• comprises the following activities:

• Develop the project research documents including implementation
  guidelines, research and evaluation protocols, Standard Operational

• Procedures, data collection forms and any other documents to ensure
  high quality research activities, with the support of the local Technical

• Coordinator, research staff based in Bolivia and Paraguay and the rest of
  the ECO technical team.

• Ensure the preparation of documents to all relevant local and national
  authorities and ethical committees to obtain approval, in coordination of
  the Project Manager and the Regulatory Advisor.

• Support the country local Technical Coordinator to lead the
  implementation of activities and provide training and support as required
  by the project activities

• Support the appropriate procurement of supplies needed for the
  implementation of the project studies

• Lead the data management and analysis of the data resulting from the
  project and the dissemination and reporting of the research findings in
  peer-reviewed articles, scientific conferences and meetings with
  stakeholders including national and global policy makers.

• Actively participate in meetings and interactions with all actors relevant to the

ECO project, including the local health authorities (at every level of the health

system), the funder, local communities, regulatory agencies, and members of the

Community of Practice created around the Unitaid funded workline on ‘test &

treat’ strategies.

• Lead ECO activities that complement evidence generation, including market

analysis and demand forecast, as well as the ‘translation process’ of the

knowledge generated by ECO so that it is timely incorporated into the national

guidelines and policies in Bolivia and Paraguay, with the support of the local staff

and ad hoc consultants, when necessary.

• Maintain regular and timely communication, both internally within ISGlobal and

with external partners

• Identify obstacles and risks related to implementation in a timely manner and

design strategies to overcome them.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in public health, epidemiology or similar disciplines
• At least 5 years of research experience

• Demonstrated expertise in the following:

• running operational research studies and post-licensure introduction of
  public health tools in low to middle income countries (experience in
  diagnostic tools is an asset)

• routine data reporting

• experience in community studiesthat imply participatory research will be
  well valued

• studies that imply coordination and/ or action implementation with with
  Health System and National authorities

• Experience working in diverse low-resource settings with multi-disciplinary

• teams and stakeholders, including close links with national health authorities

• Proven success in building and maintaining partnerships with other projects,

• local organizations, host country governments, and international agencies.

• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills in English and Spanish.

Conditions

• The position is based in Barcelona with travel to Bolivia and Paraguay