Technical Expert at Expert Expertise France: (Deadline 1 March 2025)

Technical Expert at Expert Expertise France: (Deadline 1 March 2025)

Technical Expert – Clinical Research and Health Product Development (M/W)

Responsibility:

Based in Kigali, the position for the Technical Expert – Clinical Research and Health Product Development is under the direct responsibility of the Team Leader based also in Kigali.

The Technical Expert – Clinical Research and Health Product Development will support the Team Leader in the overall coordination of the project’s component: R&D stimulation through biotechnological ecosystem support and Clinical Trials preparedness

Working closely with the project team (Team Leader, Financial and Administrative Manager, Country Support Unit, and the Project Manager in Paris) the component manager will be responsible for the following tasks in particular.

Support for operational management of project activities under the Component R&D and Clinical Trials

• Facilitate effective collaboration between national institutions (Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, RBC, Centers of Excellence, etc…), international partners, and other stakeholders involved in health research and product development Participate in technical meetings with stakeholders (e.g., CEPI, GIZ, WHO, AU, industry partners, researchers) to coordinate and enhance project activities
• Assist the Team Leader in planning, implementing and monitoring of clinical research and health product development activities ensuring that milestones are met, raising alarms and redirecting actions if necessary
• Assist and support in the coordination of meetings with national and international partners for the implementation of clinical research and health product development activities;
• Contribute to frame the consultancy assignments and assist the Team Leader in proofreading deliverables and documents produced under the project to ensure technical quality control in liaison with the Expertise France Pharmaceutical expert and the other experts;

 Management and coordination of Experts

• Ensure the effective implementation of the activities together with the Team Leader who will be supervised by national and international experts;
• Establish regional collaborations with institutions like KEMRI and NIMR for R&D of new health products and clinical trial conduct.
• Liaise with international partners, including ANRS, CEPI, WHO, Africa CDC, and others, to coordinate collaborative efforts
• Participate in the recruitment of short-term experts;
• Develop Terms of Reference for short-term experts
• Provide technical oversight and support to short-term experts to ensure the quality and relevance of their contributions.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and integration of expert inputs into project activities.
•  Coordinate the experts on their activities ensuring that objectives are met and redirecting actions if necessary.

R&D and Clinical Trials Technical Support:

• Provide expertise in identifying research opportunities for new health products, focusing on vaccines and treatments for diseases prevalent in Rwanda.
• Ensure alignment of project activities with national health priorities and regulatory requirements
• Offer guidance in establishing and managing clinical trial sites, ensuring compliance with ethical standards and regulatory requirements.
• Organize workshops and seminars to assist in developing protocols for clinical trials, particularly for vaccines addressing public health concerns.
• Participate in regional scientific events to enhance project activities.
• Represent the project in relevant forums and working groups to advocate for project objectives and share progress updates
• Collaborate with the Higher Education Expert to integrate research initiatives with capacity-building efforts
• Prepare regular progress reports, briefs, and presentations for the project manager and stakeholders.
• Document lessons learned and best practices to inform future initiatives and policy development

Project or context description

Overview:

Expertise France is the French public agency for international cooperation. The Agency focuses on four priority areas:

• Democratic, economic and financial governance;
• Stability of countries in crisis/post-crisis situations and security;
• Combating climate change and favoring sustainable urban development;
• Strengthening health systems, social protection and employment.

In these areas, Expertise France engineers and implements capacity-building projects, mobilizes technical expertise and acts as a project coordinator, bringing together public expertise and private know-how. With a business volume of 390 million euros and over 400 projects in 145 countries, Expertise France’s activities are part of France’s international cooperation policy and official development assistance.

Context:

The African Union Commission and the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention call for local production of 60% of Africa’s needed vaccines by 2040 as well as expanded local manufacturing of other health products.  The European Union and Member States are supporting these goals through the Team Europe Initiative on manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies in Africa (TEI MAV+).

The MAV+ Project aims to strengthen the research and implementation of clinical trials for the discovery of new health products and to support the ecosystem for the production of essential health products in Rwanda. This initiative involves collaboration with various stakeholders, including national institutions, international research organizations, and technical partners, to enhance Rwanda’s capacity in health research and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Expertise France together with the German cooperation (GIZ), the Belgian cooperation (Enabel) and the Swedish cooperation (SIDA) as well as with the support of national institutions (Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Universities, Research Centers) and with international support, will help to reinforce and maintain a strong pharmaceutical ecosystem.

Profile

Qualifications and skills:

• Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Clinical Research, or a related field. Proven track record in conducting clinical trials, preferably in vaccine research.
• Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks and ethical considerations in clinical research.

Skills:

• Organizational skills: autonomy, rigor and method, sense of responsibility;
• Communication skills: diplomacy and communication with private and public, local and international partners;
• ­Capacity to liaise and coordinate with various actors.
• Full command of standard computer applications (Microsoft Office)
• Team spirit;
• Ability to adapt and react to unforeseen situations;
• Ability to produce an analysis/diagnosis, to design and propose a solution adapted to the context;
• Excellent analytical and writing skills;
• Perfect command of English; Fluency in French is a strong asset.

General and specific professional experience:

• Minimum 10 years of experience in clinical research and health product development, preferably in low- and middle-income countries;

Additional information

• Desired start date: March-April 2025
• Type of contract: Fixed-term contract (local contract)
• Documents to be provided:
• CV
• Covering letter
• Photocopies of diplomas and certificates of employment
• Three professional references, including e-mail and telephone contacts

Send application on: https://expertise-france.gestmax.fr/apply/12704/1

Application deadline: 01.03.2025

Candidates interested in this opportunity are invited to submit their application as soon as possible. Expertise France reserves the right to pre-select candidates before this date. If you do not receive a reply from us within 3 weeks, please consider that your application has been unsuccessful.

The selection process will take place in two stages:

• First, a shortlist will be drawn up freely by Expertise France.
• Secondly, short-listed candidates will be invited to an interview by videoconference.
• The selected candidate will be accompanied by Expertise France, through an integration/training phase.

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