Job Description (Summary)

The Project Manager manages key research projects along with the Principal Investigator. Project management responsibilities include the coordination and completion of projects on time within budget and within scope. Oversee all aspects of projects. Set deadlines, assign responsibilities and monitor and summarize progress of project. Prepare reports for the PI regarding status of project.

The successful candidate will work directly with collaborators and partners to ensure deliverables fall within the applicable scope and budget:
May require a license or master’s degree and 2-4 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Familiar with a variety of the field's concepts, practices and procedures. Rely on limited experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Perform a variety of tasks. Lead and direct the work of others. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected. Enhance department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.

Job Description (about CAIDERA Project manager)

The Central African Infectious Disease and Epidemics Research Alliance (CAIDERA) (is funded the by the German Academy Exchange Service (DAAD) as one of four DAAD Global Health Centres. The main partners of CAIDERA are the University of Tübingen, the Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), the Institut Pasteur and the Central African Network for Tuberculosis, AIDS/HIV and Malaria (CANTAM). The three pillars of CAIDERA are research, training and education. CAIDERA launched in October a new international M.Sc. programme “Infection Biology and Control” (IBC) by the University of Tübingen, Germany and implemented at CERMEL, Lambaréné, Gabon. The first cohort comprises 15 students coming from Gabon, Cameroun, Benin, Mali, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria and Togo. CAIDERA also runs a sandwich PhD programme with currently 5 Ph.D. candidates from 4 African countries. The Institut Pasteur de Paris contributes to the training opportunities in CAIDEAR via Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).

The successful candidate will coordinate the activities of CAIDERA at the CERMEL. This includes communication with the CAIDERA partner institutions, mainly with two CAIDERA project management colleagues based at the University of Tübingen, coordinating the implementation of the M.Sc. programme at the CERMEL, provide logistic support for international lecturers in the different M.Sc. modules, and overseeing the financial aspects related to the CAIDERA activities at CERMEL. The PM will also assist with the conduct of written examinations (around 3-4 per semester). The PM will also work closely with the Institut Pasteur by supporting CAIDERA fellows to register for the MOOCs. The technical aspects of the M.Sc. programme itself will be organised by a colleague at the University of Tübingen.

The Project Manager (PM) of CAIDERA will be part of the DAAD advisory board that is meeting bi-monthly, mainly to provide updates on the activities within CAIDERA and to plan and propose future joint activities between the 4 DAAD Global Health Centres. Together with other 2 CAIDERA PMs the successful candidate will also plan CAIDERA activities well in advance, such as for instance 2-3 day international workshops on infectious diseases related topics per year.

The candidate will report directly to the CAIDERA principal investigators at CERMEL (Prof. Ayola Akim Adegnika) and at the University of Tubingen (Prof. Steffen Borrmann). The PM is the primary contact for CAIDERA project implementation at CERMEL and is responsible for project specific communication and documentation. More specifically, the PM will prepare status reports and keep project team, CERMEL management, and stakeholders informed of project status and issues. This can also involve meetings with other project teams and/or stakeholders.

In addition, the PM will assist with logistic aspects related to the shipment of samples and materials/reagents between Tübingen and Lambaréné and Lambaréné to Tübingen with organizing travel activities of project members. The PM will be supported/assisted by a large project management team at CERMEL as well as the respective administrative departments at the University of Tübingen and CERMEL. Nonetheless, the candidate is expected to develop initiatives and work independently.

General Responsibilities:

• Coordinate internal resources and third parties/vendors for the flawless execution of projects
• Ensure that all projects are delivered on-time, within scope and within budget
• Assist in the definition of project scope and objectives, involving all relevant stakeholders and ensuring technical feasibility
• Develop a detailed project plan to monitor and track progress
• Manage changes to the project scope, project schedule and project costs using appropriate verification techniques
• Measure project performance using appropriate tools and techniques
• Report and escalate to management as needed
• Manage the relationship with the study participants and all stakeholders
• Perform risk management to minimize project risks
• Establish and maintain relationships with third parties/vendors
• Create and maintain comprehensive project documentation
• Meet with study participants and stakeholders to take detailed ordering briefs and clarify specific requirements of each project
• Delegate project tasks based on junior staff members' individual strengths, skill sets and experience levels
• Track project performance, specifically to analyze the successful completion of short and long-term goals
• Meet budgetary objectives and make adjustments to project constraints based on financial analysis
• Develop comprehensive project plans to be shared with the PI as well as other staff members
• Use and continually develop leadership skills
• Attend conferences and training as required to maintain proficiency
• Perform other related duties as assigned
• Develop spreadsheets, diagrams and process maps to document needs

Requirements:

• Proven working experience in project management
• Excellent PI-facing and internal communication skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Solid organizational skills including attention to detail and multitasking skills
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• License or Master's Degree in appropriate field of study or equivalent work experience

Project Manager top skills & proficiencies:

• Developing and Tracking Budgets
• Coaching
• Supervision
• Staffing
• Project Management
• Management
• Process Improvement
• Planning
• Performance Management
• Inventory Control
• Verbal Communication

Languages requirements

• Excellent command of English (both oral, read and written)
• French (optional)