Senior Research Coordinator - CHS (GN), Community Health Sciences

Introduction

Aga Khan University's (AKU) Department of Community Health Sciences (CHS) is a preeminent public health institution in the country. The vision of the Chancellor set the direction for the University to take a lead in community development and the creation of an innovative curriculum that emphasizes a balance between patient care and population health. Over the past several decades, CHS has played a major role in leading the development of national level primary health care, public health practice, health systems through evidence-based approach. CHS has established successful models in urban and rural settings in Pakistan emphasizing empowerment - building on the strengths of communities. As part of an international university, CHS collaborates in a global network of outstanding research and teaching institutions including AKU affiliates in East Africa and Central Asia.

CHS has five major sections – Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Health Policy & Management, Population & Reproductive Health, Environmental-Occupational and Climate Change (EOHCC), and Non-Communicable Diseases & Mental Health.

As an equal opportunity employer, AKU believes in promoting a diverse and inclusive culture and is committed to adopt appropriate standards for safeguarding and promoting a respectful relationship with and between diverse workforce of its faculty, staff, trainees, volunteers, beneficiaries, wider communities, and other stakeholders with whom it works, including children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees/trainees and partners to share this commitment.

Job Roles / Responsibilities:

You will be responsible to:

• lead and implement community mobilization strategies to improve immunization uptake in assigned SHRUCs
• supervise and manage Research Coordinators and field teams to ensure effective and timely implementation
• develop community profiles and identify barriers to vaccine uptake to inform targeted interventions
• lead direct community engagement activities including awareness sessions, outreach events, and focus group discussions
• strengthen referral linkages between communities, TBAs, and health facilities/EPI centers
• maintain regular coordination with stakeholders including Area Supervisors, vaccinators, and district health teams
• monitor field operations, ensure adherence to protocols, and maintain quality standards
• oversee data collection processes and ensure accuracy, completeness, and timely reporting
• identify and address field-level challenges and escalate critical issues when required
• support planning and implementation of project work plans and field activities
• mentor and provide on-ground support and capacity building to field staff
• document lessons learned and best practices to support program improvement
• ensure compliance with ethical standards, project protocols, and institutional guidelines
• perform any other tasks assigned by the Project Manager or Principal Investigator
   

Requirements

You must have:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Master’s degree in Social Sciences or equivalent will be preferred
• 4- 5 years of relevant experience in community mobilization, public health programs, or field implementation
• prior experience in immunization programs (EPI/PEI) or maternal and child health will be an advantage 
• demonstrated experience in team supervision and line management
• experience working in high-risk or underserved communities (SHRUCs preferred)
• experience working with district-level health systems, NGOs, or donor-funded projects
• strong experience in stakeholder coordination and community engagement
• fluency in Urdu; Sindhi and Pashto preferred. female candidates are encouraged to appy
• strong understanding of local cultural and community dynamics
• proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted.