Policy Engagement Manager Job Opportunity at NIMR

BACKGROUND

The National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) is a Parastatal Organization established by an Act of Parliament No. 23 of 1979 (CAP.59, R.E.2002) and became operational in 1980. NIMR-Mwanza Research Centre is one of the NIMR Centers located in Mwanza region. The Centre is currently conducting research on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as well as other diseases of public health importance.

The National Institute for Medical Research is looking for the qualified, experienced and well-motivated personnel to fill the Policy Engagement Manager and Research Assistants for Parent App and Cyber Violence Studies at NIMR Mwanza Centre.

PARENT APP:

NIMR is collaborating with the University of Oxford, UK and University of Cape Town, South Africa to conduct a two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of ParentApp (an evidence-based parenting app for parents and caregivers of adolescents aged 10-18 years) on improving parenting, reducing violence and assessing processes and outcomes which address parenting skills that promote holistic adolescent development, specifically related to executive function and social integration using a learning through play approach. The study is being conducted in two regions – Mwanza and Shinyanga in Tanzania.

Job Position: Policy Engagement Manager (1 Post)

The Policy Engagement Manager will take a lead in facilitating the engagement with the government of Tanzania ministries, departments and agencies and other stakeholders, ensuring our ideas gain traction across our stakeholders. The role will carry out policy analysis, identify policy influence targets and opportunities and work alongside the parent App project partners and other researchers and country team to devise and implement influencing strategies. The post holder will play a crucial role in the Parenting work (research and programme implementation) and policy advice to national, regional and global policy communities.

REPORTING: The post holder will report to the Project Principal Investigator

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To develop a policy influencing strategy to ensure that the parenting programmes and research evidence gain traction across the government of Tanzania ministries, departments and agencies and other stakeholders;
• To work with NIMR partners of the Parent App and other researchers on the implementation of the strategy, including identifying influencing opportunities;
• To liaise effectively and build strong relationships and networks with organisations working in parenting, including building a database of stakeholders;
• To monitor and keep up to date on relevant national, regional and global policy issues and debates and ensure people within NIMR working on the parenting App study are appropriately briefed;
• To take the parent App research findings combined with policy analysis and develop accessible policy messages, liaising with researchers and country teams including authoring policy reports;
• To write engaging content such as summaries and other reports to promote parenting programmes and research findings;
• To support the work of developing, monitoring, reviewing and fine-tuning the Country policy engagement strategy on Parenting and prevention of violence against children;
• To support the National Leadership team in managing the country programme with all stakeholders, including government authorities, multilateral and bilateral partners and other domestic stakeholders (from both public and private sectors);
• To take joint responsibility for policy engagement management, including drafting work plans, terms of reference, budget management, and forecasting, ensuring value for money and reporting on the country programme;
• To participate in proposal writing to attract funding for further parenting work in Tanzania; and
• To perform any other related duties as may be assigned by the Supervisor.

QUALIFICATION AND COMPETENCE:

• Masters Degree qualification in public health, social science;
• Experience engaging with government officials;
• At least three years practical experience of research evidence uptake;
• Proven managerial, organizational and report-writing skills;
• Experience writing peer review publications and writing policy briefs;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in both Swahili and English;
• Commitment to working as part of a multidisciplinary research team;
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment; and
• Experience of writing for academic publication.

TERMS OF SERVICE:

One year contract which may be renewed on the basis of performance and mutual agreement.

DUTY STATION:

The successful candidate will be based at NIMR Mwanza Centre and regularly visits study sites in Kisesa.

COMPENSATION:

A competitive salary will be offered to the successful candidate as per project budget.

CYBER VIOLENCE STUDY

Cyber violence is a comprehensive term for harms and abuse enabled and acted through digital and technological means. Online and information and communication technology (ICT) violence, often linked with offline violence, disproportionally affects women and girls. Cyber violence is a relatively new area of study and little research has been conducted in low and middle-income countries. The National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Mwanza Centre will carry out this research in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in the UK and Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) in Germany.

MODE OF APPLICATION:

• Application letters should be written in English;
• Applicants must attach certified copies of Birth certificate, academic certificates and other awards;
• Application letters should be attached with curriculum vitae which includes not less than two relevant referees’ contacts ;
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted; and
• A daytime mobile telephone number and e-mail contact details should be included in the application.

All applications should be addressed to:

Centre Manager,

National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) Mwanza Centre,

P.O.BOX 1462,

Mwanza. Or through email: mwanza@nimr.or.tz

The deadline for submitting the application is 10 August 2023.