Nutritional Relapse Study Manager

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coordinate the implementation and smooth running of the study until its completion, in collaboration with the entire Taimaka operational team (medical, research, administrative) at field sites in Yamaltu/Deba and Funakaye LGAs of Gombe state.
• Organize, train, and supervise data collection teams in accordance with the standard operating procedures and study protocols.

Prior to study data collection:

• Learn the study protocol (methodology will be developed by the Taimaka Project).
• Support the revision, translation, and testing of a digital household questionnaire
• Train 10-15 data collectors on the study protocol and procedures, household data collection, and administration of the household questionnaire in a digital format
• Work with the Taimaka community mobilization team to sensitize health authorities and community members to facilitate high rates of participation and in the relapse study 

During study data collection:

• Regularly visit field sites to supervise data collection teams.
• Develop and clearly communicate schedules, study protocols, assigned household visits to data collectors.
• Organize daily transportation for data collection teams within a designated budget
• Ensure strict adherence to the study protocol and data collection procedures, including designing and implementing 1-2 refresher trainings for data collectors, if needed
• Identify and troubleshoot any issues faced by data collectors in the field, including troubleshooting issues with digital data collection in ODK
• Digitally monitor daily progress and data submissions of the data collectors by extracting and cleaning data collected in ODK Collect
• Conduct regular audits of field activities and digital data to ensure high-quality data collection
• Complete monitoring reports to document adherence to the study protocol
• Meet regularly with the research management team to discuss progress and challenges

After study data collection:

• Review and offer input on the final analysis

Requirements:

• University degree
• Fluency in Hausa (written + spoken) and English (written + spoken), including the ability to translate technical questionnaires and documents from English to Hausa
• At least 3 years of experience managing house-to-house data collection for evaluation, surveys, or research in community health or a similar discipline
• Experience managing nutrition or similar child health programs in the community is strongly preferred
• Experience conducting and supervising house-to-house, including tracing addresses and performing field-based checks of data quality
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently in Gombe state, including visiting households in remote areas while carrying measurement equipment, including height boards and digital scales
• Data cleaning and analysis skills, including experience in data cleaning and monitoring digital data, including extracting data from ODK forms and performing data quality checks
• Proficiency in R is strongly preferred
• Advanced ability to work with ODK-based mobile data collection tools, including a strong preference for experience developing ODK forms and extracting data from ODK submissions
• Experience with data collection for human subjects research, including knowledge of informed consent processes and compliance with ethical requirements and standard protocols
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work effectively and independently in a multicultural and resource-constrained environment

Location: Gombe, Nigeria, with frequent field visits to primary health facilities in Gombe state, Nigeria, including facilities in: 

• Bajoga, Funakaye LGA
• Ashaka, Funakaye LGA
• Kuri, Yamaltu/Deba LGA
• Kurjale, Yamaltu/Deba LGA
• Jigawan Iro, Yamaltu/Deba LGA

Remuneration: NGN 300,000 - 500,000 per month, commensurate with education and experience 

Contract Duration: Full time for 9 months (June 2024 to February 2025), with a probation period of 1 month, subject to extension based on performance  

Note to apply:

• Please email your CV, brief cover letter outlining your experience, and a list of the surveys, evaluations, and research studies you have contributed to in the last 3 years. The list should include the title of each survey/evaluation/study, the duration of the project, a brief description of the methodology, and a brief description of your role. The subject line of the email should be “[YOUR NAME] - Relapse Study Manager.” 

Application materials should be submitted by email. Only complete applications will be considered. The deadline to apply is May 14, 2024. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Thank you for your interest in working with the Taimaka Project!

About the Taimaka Project:
The Taimaka Project runs a treatment program for acute malnutrition in children younger than five years in Gombe state, Nigeria. Within our treatment program, we incubate innovations to make malnutrition treatment better, cheaper, and simpler so that scarce resources can save more lives. Our research team is preparing to launch a study on relapse to acute malnutrition among children who were previously treated and recovered. We are seeking a study manager to join our research team for nine months to provide oversight for this study of nutritional relapse, including a substudy of caregiver mental health. 

The study will follow up with a cohort of 1,500 caregivers who received treatment for their child at a Taimaka nutrition clinic and participated in a trial of a Problem Management Plus (PM+), a WHO intervention delivered by non-specialists to support caregiver mental health. The study manager will be responsible for managing the collection of follow-up data through monthly household visits to study participants for six months after they are discharged from the nutrition treatment program. The study will be implemented in Gombe state between June 2024 and February 2025.