🇸🇱 Job Vacancy @ Welbodi Partnership – Health Policy Research Assistant
Vacancy Announcement: Health Policy Research Assistant VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
| POSITION | Health Policy Research Assistant |
| LOCATION | Freetown, Sierra Leone |
| START DATE | 22ND November 2022 |
| DURATION | 3 months – with the possibility of an extension |
| APPLICATION DEADLINE | 14th November 2022 (only those shortlisted for interview will be contacted immediately after application deadline) |
BACKGROUND
Welbodi Partnership is a UK-registered charity working to reduce maternal and child mortality and morbidity in Sierra Leone. Since 2008, Welbodi Partnership has worked in partnership with hospital management, health facility staff, and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to improve maternal and child health outcomes in Sierra Leone.
Our vision is that all women and children in Sierra Leone will have access to effective essential healthcare services characterized by respect and dignity for all, including patients, communities and staff. Our mission is to build the capacity of the health system in Sierra Leone to reduce the number of women and children who are unwell, suffering, or dying unnecessarily.
We are involved in a range of health system strengthening activities, staff training, hospital improvement projects, and community engagement, including a National Institution of Health Research (NIHR) Group partnership with King’s College London, University of Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and Lifeline Nehemiah Projects. This is a 3-year programme of work focused on the development of simple, scalable innovations and research capacity building to improve maternal health.
For further information, please see: www.welbodipartnership.org
ROLE PURPOSE
This post holder will join Professor Shennan and Professor Gevao’s NIHR Maternal Health Research Group, with the primary focus being to assist with development and delivery of a Policy Lab designed to better understand enablers and barriers to implementation and uptake of the CRADLE Vital Sign’s Alert device in recognition and management of women with high blood pressure in pregnancy, which is currently the second leading cause of maternal death worldwide, including in Sierra Leone.
Vacancy Announcement: Health Policy Research Assistant
The NIHR Maternal Health Research Group (CRIBS) is funded by the Global Health Research strand of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and aims to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in Sierra Leone by developing and implementing life-saving maternal health interventions and building research capacity. We have a number of experts in the field of maternal and child health and policy across the UK and Sierra Leone in the group including Dr Harriet Boulding, Maternal & child health policy specialist & Health Research Lead, King’s Policy Institute, who, along with the KCL research coordinator, will support the successful applicant in their role.
The Research Assistant will assist in the development of briefing materials to be distributed to stakeholders at the Policy Lab, as well as supporting logistical preparation and coordination of the Policy Lab itself which will be a one day event during the week of March 6th 2023. This will involve a range of activities, including Policy Lab stakeholder workshops, briefing papers, policy landscape mapping exercises, gaining insight into individual research projects in the NIHR CRIBS Global Health Group, and scoping and engaging with existing policy communities in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The Research Assistant will be involved in analysis of Policy Lab output and the role will provide opportunities to apply existing research skills and develop new ones. Researchers in Policy apply a variety of different qualitative and quantitative research methods, and stakeholder engagement approaches, which cut across academic disciplines and policy domains. Applicants are not required to be expert in these areas, but should be interested in and have an awareness of the breadth and range of policy analysis methods and approaches.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Key responsibilities:
∙ Work closely with the NIHR CRIBS Policy Lab team in design and delivery of the Policy Lab.
∙ Help facilitate and participate in stakeholder (government, policymakers, healthcare staff, and communities) engagement activities to inform development of policy lab briefing papers. ∙ Assist with Policy Lab logistics (inviting participants, identifying suitable venue, design and distribution of briefing papers.)
∙ Contribute to and develop skills in research, analysis and dissemination of policy lab output, through different channels (e.g local meetings, social media blogs, radio broadcasts, websites, academic meetings)
∙ Be a positive team member, by developing productive working relationships with others in the NIHR CRIBS Global Maternal Health Group, and committing to the overall aim to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes.
Vacancy Announcement: Health Policy Research Assistant
Skills, knowledge, and experience:
| PERSON SPECIFICATION | ESSENTIAL | DESIRABLE |
| QUALIFICATIONS | An individual holding a university Bachelor’s degree. | Additional qualifications in leadership or research or health related subject. |
| EXPERIENCE | Experience in research or Non Governmental Organisation project implementation in Sierra Leone | Previous experience in a policy role or conducting policy-focused research. Previous experience in a relevant maternity healthcare setting or public health setting. |
| KNOWLEDGE | A keen grasp of the role played by an organisation like Welbodi Partnership in the context of global health and development. Knowledge of national health system infrastructure in Sierra Leone. | Knowledge of relevant research to improve maternal and neonatal health |
| SKILLS | Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills. Good working knowledge of Microsoft programmes, including Excel. Ability to work effectively with others in a cross-cultural environment. Ability to learn and apply new skills and techniques on the job. Good problem solving skills. | |
| PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES | Motivated, organized and hardworking. Strong ability to manage time well and work to multiple and strict deadlines under pressure. |
Vacancy Announcement: Health Policy Research Assistant
| Willingness and demonstrated ability to learn new skills in some of the approaches relevant to the proposed Policy Lab work. Passionate about improving healthcare in Sierra Leone and a keen interest in research. | ||
| OTHER | Fluent written and spoken English and Krio. Commitment to the goals and principles of Welbodi Partnership. |
GENERAL POLICIES PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES
In addition to the key job responsibilities detailed in this job description all employees and volunteers at Welbodi Partnership are expected to comply with the general duties outlined below and detailed in full in our policies.
SAFEGUARDING
Welbodi Partnership is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All staff and volunteers are therefore expected to behave in such a way that supports this commitment. Applicants for this position should be aware that if successful, they will be requested to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, or equivalent in countries other than the UK. The Welbodi Partnership complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice.
DATA PROTECTION
Welbodi Partnership complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
Welbodi Partnership is committed to a comprehensive policy of Equal Opportunities in volunteering and employment in which individuals are selected and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities and are given equal opportunities within the organisation. It is the Welbodi Partnership’s policy as an employer to treat all people equally irrespective of race, ethnic origin, nationality, sex, marital or parental status, gender, sexual orientation, creed, disability, age or political belief.
Vacancy Announcement: Health Policy Research Assistant JOB REVISION
This job description should be viewed as a guide to the duties required and is not definitive or restrictive in any way. The duties of the post may be varied from time to time in response to changing circumstances.
SALARY/BENEFITS
Based on job competency alignment to internal pay scales. The full remuneration package will be discussed with shortlisted candidates.
APPLICATION PROCESS
The closing date for applications is the 14th November 2022 – we encourage potential applicants to submit as soon as possible.
To apply for this position please send your cover letter, CV and contact details of 3 referees in one email to [email protected] using the following subject title: Application – Policy Research Assistant. For any queries relating to the position, please email [email protected].
