Research Coordinator - Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Job Description

IntroductionÿThe Aga Khan University is a private, international university committed to international standards of excellence in teaching, research and service. Its teaching hospital, the Aga Khan University Hospital is accredited by the prestigious Joint Commission International for achieving the highest international healthcare standards.Women supporting women using local solutions to improve infant and young child feeding and care practices in district Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab is a five-year project from 2022-26. The purpose of this study is to rehabilitate moderately malnourished children 7-23 months of age and enable mothers to sustain this healthy growth at home by changing their infant and young child feeding (IYCF), care, hygiene, and health-seeking behaviors. This study consists of two phases: 1) FORMATIVE RESEARCH is to identify uncommon but successful (i.e., Positive Deviant) IYCF behaviors practiced by local mothers of well-nourished children from economically disadvantaged homes, and to develop an education program informed by these best practices and WHO guidelines, and 2) INTERVENTION PHASE is to deliver the educational program to mothers with undernourished children in the Intervention arm of the study who are equally disadvantaged, and to evaluate its impact on the growth of children.ÿThe Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health Aga Khan University invites applications from female candidates for the position of Research Coordinatorÿbased in district Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab.Job Role / Responsibilities:You will be responsible for coordinating and carrying out all study activities as per study protocol. All activities will be executed under the direction of the Research Specialist and Project Director. This includes, but not limited to:ÿ

• ensure smooth field operationsÿ
• ensuring all study activities are conducted in compliance with study protocol as approved by investigators, and with ethical and regulatory standard
• coordinate all field work and support senior research assistants in the fieldÿ
• monitor senior research assistants in the field and study progress
• identify potential problems or issues and provide daily updates to Research Specialist and Project Director
• resolve all work-related conflicts and disciplinary issuesÿ
• design and develop training materials for study field senior research assistants, and actively participate in the training of senior research assistants
• design and develop Hearth sessions/ menus/ activities, sensitization events, and other study programs/events
• deliver all study programs and activities, including but not limited to Hearth sessions and community sensitization events
• design and develop study tools ÿ
• recruitment of study participants
• actively participate in conducting household visits as required by study protocol
• actively participate in data collection from communities, stakeholders, and households. Including but not limited to quantitative and qualitative data, observation data, community mapping, market survey, in the relevant languages (Saraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, English)
• transcribe and translate data collected in Urdu, Saraiki, and Punjabi to English
• collate and clean all study data and prepare for analysis
• engage in high level analysis

• a master?s in nutrition, public health, nursing, social sciences, or equivalent from HEC recognized university
• at least five years of field work experience in community-based heath projects
• worked within large institutions
• experience with coordinating community-based project field staff
• experience with running small groups sessions with mothers, home visits, and sensitization programs
• excellent skills in data collection (surveys and qualitative) in Punjabi, Saraiki, Urdu, and English
• excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Urdu
• working knowledge and Fluency in Punjabi and Saraiki languages
• strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to build and maintain relationships with community stakeholders
• able and willing to take direction from study investigators, project director, and research specialist
• enthusiastic and willing to build career in research
• experience and proficiency in MS Excel and MS Word

Keyskills :