Epidemiology Activity Manager

Help the mission with the definition, coordinating and monitoring the operational research ,survey and epidemiological activities, ensuring the development of appropriate methodology and the quality of studies according to MSF protocols, standards and procedures in order to identify health needs, to obtain reliable and valid operational research results and to determine the optimal treatment approaches to clinical practice and the preventive medicine to be used in the missions   More specific to the mission: -  Preparation, development, implementation and monitoring of activities related to the Polypill research project (50%) -  Support to the mission on assessments, surveys, operational research and evaluations (50%) * the % activity related to the Polypill project may change at different stages of the project and so should be reviewed accordingly   Accountabilities   Defining, scheduling and organizing, in close collaboration with the medical coordination team and the project medical team members, the annual survey, evaluation, operational research and epidemiological activity plan as well as its associated budget. Leading the implementation of the protocols and epidemiological methodology, ensuring all related staff follows them in order to improve research efficiency. Supervising, according to annual plan, the survey, epidemiological and operational research activities ensuring that contacts with community groups and authorities are aligned with the objectives of the research and that the population participating in the research is properly informed. Reporting on the progress of data collection, on ongoing analysis of research or on any issue causing delay, in order to achieve goals on time. Advising the MSF medical team on epidemiological matters that arise in the course of their activity research, and when necessary, designing and implementing epidemiological tools and data collection to meet new epidemiological needs. Supervising data filing procedures, ensuring that all epidemiology and data entry software tools are properly used and are updated regularly, in order to ensure full data traceability and availability Planning and supervising, in close coordination with the HR department and the MSF vision, policies and values, the associated processes (job description, recruitment, training, performance evaluation, development and internal/external communication) of the epidemiological staff in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required, to improve staff technical capabilities, contribution and commitment to MSF values. Supervising, in close coordination with the Logistic department that research equipment and materials (including drugs and laboratory reagents) are properly maintained and national or international shipment is done with dateline in order to ensure research activity continuity, through drug and lab reagents availability and accountability at recruitment sites and at the pharmacy . Participating in operational monthly reports and organizing and/or assisting medical staff in preparing epidemiological reports related to health facilities and to researched areas     MSF Section/Context Specific Accountabilities   Background Lebanon mission   MSF has been providing care to Syrian refugees in Lebanon in the Bekaa and North Lebanon regions since 2012, including care for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD). This represents the biggest NCD care programme for MSF-Switzerland (OCG, Operational Centre Geneva). In this context, OCG has already started conducting an implementation research project in Northern Lebanon to evaluate a Fixed-Dose Combination (FDC) strategy as secondary prevention for patients with established CVD in a humanitarian setting.   Moreover, with a constantly evolving health situation of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, the MSF teams need to conduct regular assessments to ensure that its interventions remain relevant and adapted to the context.   The medical activities, including a large cohort of NCD patients, demand regular evaluation and operational research projects to be conducted to document and evaluate the outcomes of our current medical care strategy. Such information would be very beneficial for MSF but could also be very interesting to a wider audience, certainly regarding providers of NCD care in humanitarian settings.   Polypill Research project: Under the supervision of the head of the 2 IM and the NCD advisor, will -          Support the development /context adaptation of the different documents related to the research implementation (Case Report Form, SOP, investigator brochure, etc.) -          Support the IRB Ethical submissions -          Support the project implementation in the field to ensure             i.    That the project is implemented as specified in the protocol             ii.    That data collection tools are completed adequately             iii.    That the project SOPs are followed adequately             iv.    That the data project is correctly being collected in the database -          Participate in the writing of articles, abstracts, posters related to the Polypill study to be presented in scientific meetings and submitted for publication. -          Responsible for follow up of the field budget of the study, in collaboration with the financial coordinator -          Supervise and support the research assistants in the project -          Act as the liaison with Lebanese University -          Organise regular meetings with the project teams and ensure smooth running and proper communication between the research activities and the project -          Communicate directly with 2IM and NCD advisor in Geneva for all technical issues related to the protocol, and keep Medical Coordinator updated -          Organise the pre-implementation project workshop and any implementation trainings needed