Position Title: Chief Scientific Officer

Position Number: TBD

Reports To: Prevail Director

Project Worksite: Central Office

About PREVAIL:

PREVAIL, or the Partnership for Research on Vaccines and Infectious Diseases in Liberia, is a clinical research partnership between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Liberian Ministry of Health

Summary of Position:

Provide scientific direction, guidance, and consultation for all research and scientific activities within PREVAIL, in collaboration with PREVAIL Principal Investigators for clinical representation where needed and with the direction from the PREVAIL Director. The CSO is to ensure overall performance research and scientific activities. Serve as the Liaison between the Director of the Principal Investigators and the site PIs to promote communications and collaborations in the development of scientific and research activities to ensure the scientific mission of PREVAIL.

Description of Responsibilities:

▪ Collaborate with PREVAIL partners and stakeholders to advance the PREVAIL scientific mission. ▪ Collaborate with PREVAIL partners to write to apply for research grants.

▪ Develop new research partnerships with external research entities to support sustainability. ▪ Collaborate with the PIs to write protocols.

▪ Under the direction of the PREVAIL Director, ensure that plans to resolve identified gaps are implemented and followed to completion.

▪ Advise the PREVAIL Director on the development of policies and practices within PREVAIL from a research and scientific perspective and the practical implementation thereof. ▪ Collaborate with the deputies to ensure thatthe necessary infrastructure is in place to implement protocols.

▪ As directed by the PREVAIL Director, co-chair committee meetings and attend other meetings as appropriate to review ongoing issues and project progress.

▪ Work with the leadership team such that PREVAIL sites have adequate and appropriate means (facilities, equipment) to fulfill their responsibilities and make recommendations to the appropriate committees to assess and determine if/when additional resources are required.

▪ Work with the leadership to identify and monitor resources develop mitigation plans to address resource shortages or gaps that may impact study implementation.

▪ Assist PREVAIL and PREVAIL partners in providing consultation and research and clinical laboratories with best practices, assay design, and troubleshooting.

▪ Serve as a subject matter expert for PREVAIL to develop and implement research and scientific studies.

▪ At the direction of the PREVAIL Director, provide consultation as a subject matter expert to external partners on research and scientific activities.

▪ Coordinate with the PREVAIL director to represent PREVAIL scientifically at IMS, Ministry of Health (MoH), and other meetings as needed.

▪ Oversee and/or assist with the development of laboratory SOPs and protocols. ▪ Collaborate with RETAIN and University of Liberia to advance educational opportunities. ▪ Under the direction of the PREVAIL Director and CMT leadership, assist with maintaining

strategic relationship with and between key stakeholders and organizations within and external to PREVAIL to ensure coordination and concurrence of activities.

▪ As directed by the PREVAIL Director, interact and conduct briefings with the NPHIL, MoH, and other entities as necessary.

▪ Other duties as assigned

Skills:

▪ Excellent ability in research protocol development and grant writing

▪ Demonstrable ability to attract collaborations and partnerships

▪ Excellent management and leadership skills with the ability to build strong relationships with clients, focus on impact and result, and responds positively to feedback.

▪ Demonstrates knowledge and competency in working in a past research environment. ▪ Solid knowledge in protocol implementation and administration.

▪ Ability to lead clinical processes re-engineering, to implement new systems, and to positively affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal changes.

▪ Exemplary attitude in collaboration and promotes cross-unit teamwork.

▪ Demonstrates knowledge sharing orientation, and ability to mentor and coach staff. ▪ Demonstrates effective team building and leadership, and conflict resolution skills. ▪ Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting, formulation and monitoring of research/projects/programmers.

▪ Clinical Management and Clinical Research Operations Management.

Qualifications

▪ Education: Ph.D. or M.D. with knowledge in the design, management, and analysis of clinical trials with preferred experience in good clinical practices and good laboratory practice in research and scientific activities.

▪ Preferred Job-related Experience:

▪ In-depth knowledge of infectious diseases and emerging infectious diseases. ▪ In-depth experience in management, grant writing, and budget/resource management. ▪ Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a demonstrated publication record. ▪ A minimum of 10 years of experience in research and scientific activities.

▪ Additional Eligibility Qualifications:

▪ Minimum of five (5) years’ experience in managing scientific protocols in multiple levels of a research environment or other organization.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned with or without notice.

FHI Clinical values the diversity of our workforce. Without limiting the scope of the preceding provision, all persons who work or who seek to work in Liberia are entitled to enjoy and to exercise the rights and protections conferred by the Decent Work Act of 2015 irrespective of: race, tribe, indigenous group, language, colour, descent, national, social or ethnic extraction or origin, economic status, community or occupation; immigrant or temporary resident status; sex, gender identity or sexual orientation; marital status or family responsibilities; previous, current or future pregnancy or breastfeeding; age; creed, religion or religious belief; political affiliation or opinion, or ideological conviction; physical or mental disability; health status including HIV or AIDS status, whether actual or perceived; irrelevant criminal record, acquittal of a crime or dismissal of a criminal prosecution against them; or personal association with someone possessing or perceived to possess one or more of these attributes.

Process to apply for this position:

Address Application to: FHI Clinical Human Resources Office

University of Liberia AM Dogliotti Campus

Congo Town, Monrovia, Liberia

Email: LiberiaRecruitment@fhiclinical.com

INCLUDE: Current CV/Résumé, FHI Clinical Job Application

Deadline for the submission of application is Thursday, September 30, 2021 at 5pm.