“Outraged by the injustice faced by people with disabilities and vulnerable populations,
we aspire to a world of solidarity and inclusion, enriched by our differences,
where everyone can live in dignity”

Handicap International is changing his name and becomes « Humanity & Inclusion ». HI, Humanity & Inclusion is an independent and impartial aid and development organisation with no religious or political affiliations operating in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. We work alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable people to help meet their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

Since the organisation was first founded in 1982, we have set up development programmes in 62 countries and responded to many emergencies. Today we have a budget of around 150 million euros, with 3500 employees worldwide.

HI is engaged in an employment policy in favour of disabled workers.

For further information about the association: www.hi.org.

 

CONTEXT:

The Operations Department (DO) is composed of 5 geographical directions and 4 technical directions as well as an emergency Direction. The technical directions provide technical support and a framework for Handicap International’s 60 programmes around the world. They ensure the quality of our methodologies and interventions. The Rehabilitation Research Officer is part of the Technical Rehabilitation Direction. He/she will be based in the technical departments of the Brussels Operations Centre (COB).

In collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Karolinska Institute (KI), Handicap International implements a three year research funded by the R2HC, which started in September 2018. This multi-site research project aims at 1) testing the measurement properties of a functional score for patients after trauma in humanitiarian settings; 2) evaluating trauma patients’ functional outcomes at 3 and 6 months after trauma, using the outcome measure tested in phase 1; 3) identifying socio-demographic, injury and care-related determinants of short- and middle-term functional outcomes among patients after trauma.   The project has now completed its first phase (on the measurement properties), and the second phase of the project is being launched in four different sites, namely Maroua (Cameroon), Bujumbura (Burundi), Bangui (Central African Republic) and Gaza (Palestine).

 

OBJECTIVES:

The position of Rehabilitation Research Officer will be responsible for the efficient and quality implementation of research, coordinating this multi-sites research project from Brussels, with regular visits to the implementation sites. The Research Officer will be in charge of conducting various types of activities related to research through ethical data handling, quality assurance mechanisms , coordination with the research team and provision of technical inputs and support on day to day tasks related to research implementation.

 

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

Responsibility 1 : Research Protocol

-You ensure the compliance with the approved research protocol

-You are responsible of the technical exchanges with the ethical review boards;

-You provide all documentation linked to the Research Protocol;

 

Responsibility 2 : Research Preparation

-You ensure the technical validation for the recruitment of the local research officers (depending on timing), in close link with the human resources department at field level

-You provide the necessary initial (depending on timing) or follow-up training needed to perform the Research Project related tasks as described in the respective ToR of all appointed and recruited staff; through remote meetings as well as field visits

 

Responsibility 3 : Research Coordination:

-You organize monthly Technical Committee meetings including technical focal points from KI, MSF and HI;

-You organize bilateral meetings with Focal Point Network when needed;

-You ensure weekly follow-up with each of the local research officer, and a monthly meeting with all four officers

-You ensure regular progress reports are circulated to the research team;

 

Responsibility 4 : Research Implementation

-You coordinate Research implementation and links with all key stakeholders involved (HI, MSF and KI): including MedOps at cell level and Medical Department referents, Medical Coordinators, Local Research Focal points and  Research Officers, but also members of the research core committee

-You monitor progress;

-You ensure quality of Research, in accordance with the protocol, through quality assurance mechanisms;

-You ensure an ethical Data management, data protection and storage (in compliance with the Health Data Protection policy);

-You perform at least one field visit at every project included in the Research Project (i.e. Cameroon, Burundi, Central African Republic and Gaza) ;

 

Responsibility 5 : Research Budget

-You provide a detailed budget and dashboard to the involved actors;

-You ensure the overall budget follow-up;

 

Responsibility 6 : Reporting

-You ensure the writing of the 24M donor reporting, involving relevant persons

-You ensure documentation of quality assurance procedures, as well as any report on changes

 

Responsibility 7 : Dissemination of results and Learning

-You ensure the uptake of the research findings, promoting the impact of the research project;

-You ensure the coordination of global lesson learning exercises during the project;