THE ALIMA ASSOCIATION
ALIMA’S ETHOS: ALIMA’s purpose is to save lives and provide care for the most vulnerable populations, without any discrimination based on identity, religion or politics, through actions based on proximity, innovation, and the alliance of organizations and individuals.
We act with humanity and impartiality in accordance with universal medical ethics. To gain access to patients, we undertake to act in a neutral and independent manner.
Our CHARTER defines the VALUES and PRINCIPLES of our action:
- Patient First – Patient centered medical care
- Revolutionizing humanitarian medicine through research
- Responsibility and freedom: encourage decision-making by those closest to patients
- Commitment to a dynamic of continuous quality improvement
- Creating a climate of trust among colleagues
- Collective intelligence
CARING - INNOVATING - TOGETHER:
Since its creation in 2009, ALIMA has treated more than 3 million patients and today deploys its operations in 11 African countries . In 2018 we developed 41 humanitarian medical response projects to meet the needs of populations affected by conflicts, epidemics and extreme poverty. All of these projects are carried out in support to national authorities through nearly 330 health facilities (including 28 hospitals and 300 health facilities). Whenever possible We work in partnership with local NGOs to ensure that our patients benefit from the best and most relevant expertise wherever it is, whether within their own country or in the rest of the world. In addition, to improve the humanitarian response, We are carrying out operational and clinical research projects particularly in the field of the fight against malnutrition and hemorrhagic viral fevers.
ALIMA’S TEAM: more than 1800 people are currently working for ALIMA. The field teams, closest to the patients, receive their support from coordination teams generally based in the countries’ capitals. These receive support from the 3 desk teams and the emergency and opening team based at the operational headquarters in Dakar, Senegal. The Paris and New York teams are actively working to raise funds and represent ALIMA. The rest of the ALIMA Galaxy includes individuals and partner teams working on behalf of other organizations such as medical NGOs BEFEN, ALERT Health, SOS Doctors / KEEOGO, AMCP, research organizations PACCI and INSERM, Bordeaux or Copenhagen Universities, the INGO Solidarités International and many others.
ALIMA, INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), the Ivorian research institute PAC-Ci (Ivory Coast ANRS Cooperation Program) and the ISPED (Public Health Institute for Epidemiology and Development at the University of Bordeaux) created the Clinical and Operational Research Alliance (CORAL) partnership entity in 2016. CORAL has both the scientific expertise of clinical and epidemiologic research combined with operational medical capability to advance the development of prevention and treatment of common diseases, diagnoses and vaccines for the most lethal diseases. The purpose of this platform is to conduct sound research that will provide high-quality evidence leading to improved practices that will save populations directly at risk, as well as to anticipate potential crises.
In addition to CORAL, ALIMA is also partnering with other academic institutions: Oxford, NIH, Yale School of Public Health, Toronto SickKids Hospital.
COUNTRIES WHERE WE WORK IN 2020: Mali, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Guinea, South Sudan, Mauritania.
THE WORK WE DO covers: Primary and Secondary Health Care, with a main focus on children and women - including treatment and prevention of acute malnutrition, maternal health, mental health, response to epidemics (Ebola, Cholera, Measles, Dengue, Lassa Fever), surgery, displaced populations, and gender based violence.
GOVERNANCE ALIMA is governed by a Board of Directors of 10 elected positions and 4 co-opted positions from representatives of West African partner NGOs.
POSITION LOCATION
The Research Director will be based in Dakar with visits to field projects and representation of ALIMA within CORAL and to external agencies, conferences or meetings. She/he will report directly to the General Director and the Director of operations. She/he will be a member of the Managers group that gathers the 20 top managers of ALIMA.
OBJECTIVES
The Research Director is responsible for coordinating and supervising the implementation of relevant research projects that contribute to the goal of improving the quality of humanitarian medical care. S/he oversees research capacities within the organization and is responsible for assuring the integration of research projects within the on-going programs, ie: integrated in the operational management.
Main Activities
S/he will support the current panel of research projects (see table in annex): S/he will work closely with CORAL platform and the operational desks based in Dakar to develop and run the research agenda. S/he represents ALIMA in external meetings or conferences, and assists in securing funding from donors for ongoing and new research projects.
• Primary liaison with our research partners
The research director is in charge of coordinating the CORAL Platform. This entity is composed of 2 representatives from the University of Bordeaux (clinical scientist and epidemiologist), 1 representative from INSERM, an infectious disease specialist from PAC-Ci and 3 representatives from ALIMA. The Research Director will join this team and work with the Senior Epidemiologist from the University of Bordeaux to prioritize topics of research, draft research proposals and monitor the grant submission process. S/he will be a member of the CORAL Directors’ Committee, will participate in the organization of the bi-annual meetings to discuss progress in ongoing projects (the PIPO, eg Pilotage de Projets) and the annual scientific committee.
She/he is also in charge to identify and structure the institutional relationships with our other research partners.
• Ensure that ALIMA complies with its duties when Sponsoring researches
Set-up the appropriate processes and tools for ALIMA to properly Sponsor its trials including: international and local ethics compliance processes; international and national research insurances; data ownership compliance and data sharing policies; administrative requirements with research partners; other legal requirements.
She/he defines and implement the scientific strategy and set-pu the appropriate governance for the trials sponsored by ALIMA: DSMB, Advisory board…
• Supervise the research funding advisor to identify and obtain funding for relevant research projects
The Research Director will work closely with the Research Funding Advisor and members of CORAL to identify appropriate funding streams for research projects under consideration. S/he may also participate in liaising and maintaining relationships with donors, and providing regular information on on-going research and operations.
• Support the regional and country teams in the implementation of research projects
The Research Director, based in Dakar, develops familiarity will all ALIMA operations and maintains regular contact with Dakar-based operations teams. S/he supports the operational and research team to plan, find the resources and monitor the research projects within ALIMA. The Research Director is an active participant in the annual project planning sessions.
• Represent ALIMA regionally and internationally
The Research Director oversees ALIMA representation regionally and internationally with UN Agencies (WHO, UNICEF/WFP) and other international NGOs for all subjects linked to our research activities. S/he proactively anticipates appropriate fora for presentation of ALIMA research or relevant programmes and works with field staff and junior scientists to submit abstracts and prepare presentations.
• Responsible for developing ALIMA’s capacity for research
As the technical lead of the Research pool within ALIMA, he/she identifies the key staff in ALIMA involved in research projects and, with the support of the HR department, contributes to develop individual professional path to reinforce their research skills.
The Research Director will be encouraged to develop professional and scientific relationships with the healthcare and humanitarian community in sub saharian Africa – with a view towards developing research partnerships with West and Central African academic institutions and identify clinical training sites for ALIMA personnel.
EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE
• 7 years minimum as project leader or PI of research projects in LMICs.
• Experience in supporting or setting up trial as a Sponsor.
• Proven ability to independently secure funding for medical research.
• Interest in teaching and training junior clinical staff and scientists
• Demonstrated competence in research in the areas of infectious disease, maternal-child health, childhood malnutrition
• Experience in team management/leadership
Language
• Fluent English, written and spoken.
• French, spoken. Written is advantageous.
CONDITIONS
Contract: Open Ended Contract, 3 months probationary period renewable once - maximum 6 months of probationary period.
Starting Date: As Soon As Possible
Salary:
Minimum net salary after taxes and social contributions euros 3 900 per month
Benefits:
· Travel costs between the employee’s country of origin and Dakar, unless recruited locally;
· Five weeks’ annual leave per year as well as a recovery system for days spent on work travel; + one additional month paid leave after 3 years at HQ
· One round trip per year between Dakar and the employee’s country of origin for the employee and her / his dependents + one individual round trip;
· One-time relocation allowance at the beginning of the contract in Dakar;
· School annual enrollment fees for children from 2 to 18, according to the ALIMA HQ policy;
· Comprehensive medical insurance including repatriation insurance for the employee and her/ his dependents, according to ALIMA’s insurance policy.
How to apply:
HOW TO APPLY
Please send your CV (in PDF before March 19, 2020) with a cover letter that highlights what you consider to be your most significant professional achievements and how these contribute to the vision you have for further development of research capacity within ALIMA. Specify when you would be available to start and provide the names of 2 or 3 references.
Follow this link to apply: https://candidatures.alima.ong/jobs/detail/171?utm_campaign=Campagne+d%27offres+&utm_medium=Website&utm_source=webrelief
Applications are processed in the order of arrival and we reserve the right to close the offer before the term initially indicated if a good application is successful. Only full applications (CV pdf + answer to questions) will be taken into account. Only accepted applications will be contacted. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.**
ALIMA is currently involved in over 20 research projects mainly on malnutrition, paediatry and viral hemorrhagic fever. For more details please see the website. **