Introduction

The Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Research Programme (MLW) is a world-class health research institution committed to improving health through research, capacity building, and strong partnerships.

The Malawi–Liverpool–Wellcome Programme (MLW) is seeking to hire a Public Engagement Manager who shall be based within the Public and Community Engagement department and reporting to the Deputy Director – RCPI.

POSITION FUNCTION (PURPOSE)

The Public engagement manager provides strategic leadership for the organization’s function of strengthening relationships and maintaining high levels of trust through a two-way dialogue between communities and researchers. This position is critical for driving ethical and context relevant research agendas that will significantly improve the health and well-being of the citizenry of Malawi and beyond, in line with MLWs mission and vision.

This role will ensure that community perspectives inform research design, implementation, and dissemination through programme-wide and study-specific initiatives using approaches that enhance ethical research practice, patients and public involvement, co-creation, diversity and equity, and creation of an enabling environment for excellent research to flourish.

The holder of this position shall be required to work closely with science communications team and other research support units including Policy and Field Sites, all research themes specifically with Social Science and Health Systems research theme. The role actively promotes and upholds MLW’s core values of Excellence, Integrity, Partnership and Inclusion across all activities.

Responsibilities

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership

Public and Community Engagement Strategy

• Develop and implement a community/public engagement strategy aligned with the organization’s research priorities, ethics framework, and funder requirements.
• Advise senior leadership and research teams on best practice in engagement, participation, and public involvement.
• Lead on community/public engagement advisory and support on new research proposals/protocols development.
• Review grant application to ensure conformity with community/public principles and guidelines.
• Represent the organization at national and international forums on community and public engagement in health research.

Grant Oversight and Resource Management

• Develop and adhere to community/public budget ensuring alignment with strategy.
• Adherence and reinforcement of all financial guidelines.
• Resource mobilization – ensuring periodic funding applications.
• Financial reporting responsibilities – Manage budgets, work plans, and donor reporting related to engagement activities.

People Management

• Build, mentor and manage a strong community/public team with relevant expertise as per strategy’s requirements.
• Develop and implement capacity enhancement plan for the community/public team ensuring conformity with strategy’s succession plan.
• Build internal capacity by training researchers and supporting staff on engagement principles and practices.

Technical Leadership

• Work closely with Principal Investigators to integrate community engagement throughout the research lifecycle (design, recruitment, implementation, results dissemination).
• Support compliance with ethical approval requirements, including community consultation and informed consent processes.
• Contribute to the development of participant-centered and culturally appropriate engagement approaches.

Support community change makers

• Build and maintain strong relationships with different audiences and leaders to ensure co-creation in research agenda for better research outcomes.
• Establish and oversee relevant leadership, community and patient structures to support research implementation.

Promotion of diversity, equity and inclusivity in research

• Lead in the development of innovative engagement initiatives that target underrepresented, difficult to reach or disengaged populations.
• Lead in the development of initiatives that support dissemination of research findings to the public in accessible and meaningful ways.
• Ensure initiatives that promote two-way dialogue between researchers, and the public are always implemented.

Inspire the current and next generation of researchers

• Develop and implement engagement strategies to create opportunities to spark interest of children and young adults in science.
• Develop and implement capacity building strategies for Field Research Assistants to enhance their participant interface skills and professional development.
• Collaborate in championing the Science for All (Sci4O) MLW initiative in liaison with the Science for All leadership by implementing training and mentorship activities in education institutions within and beyond Malawi.

Patient Public Involvement and Engagement

• Develop and implement a Patient Public Involvement and Engagement strategy to guide the establishment of PPIE groups for research themes or groups.
• Lead in the implementation of PPIE group’s activities in collaboration with the research theme/group teams.
• Develop and implement capacity building activities for all PPIE groups to ensure knowledge transfer and sustainability.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning

• Develop frameworks to monitor and evaluate the impact of engagement activities, in liaison with the MLW Monitoring and Evaluation function.
• Capture lessons learned and promote continuous improvement.
• Contribute to organizational learning and policy development.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS: (i.e. Education, Training and Experience Requirements).

Education

• Postgraduate qualification in Public Health, Social Science, Anthropology, Public and Community Engagement, Development Studies related field.
• Relevant Masters will be an advantage.

Experience

• Significant experience (5 years +) working in public or community engagement, preferably with demonstrable experience in co-creation processes within health research continuum.
• High levels of personal integrity and demonstrated commitment to high standards of ethical practice in relation to community engagement.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders
• Experience in publishing or contributing to engagement research or policy outputs.
• Demonstrated experience of building and managing a team of experts working in harmony towards a common goal.
• Excellent communication and inter-relationship-building skills.

KEY COMPENTENCIES / ATTRBUTES AND SKILLS (e.g. Skills, Personality, Communication, Teamwork etc)

Desirable

• Ability to work in a team and deliver project outputs.
• Familiarity with funder requirements (e.g. Wellcome, NIHR, UKRI, Gates).
• Knowledge of patient and public involvement (PPI) frameworks.

Public and Community Engagement function is a backbone of the excellent research being implemented at MLW as such requires an individual who is passionate and resilient to manage the demands and complexities that come with working with diverse audiences and approaches.

• Develop and implement a community/public engagement strategy aligned with the organization’s research priorities, ethics framework, and funder requirements.
• Advise senior leadership and research teams on best practice in engagement, participation, and public involvement.
• Lead on community/public engagement advisory and support on new research proposals/protocols development.
• Review grant application to ensure conformity with community/public principles and guidelines.
• Represent the organization at national and international forums on community and public engagement in health research.
• Develop and adhere to community/public budget ensuring alignment with strategy.
• Adherence and reinforcement of all financial guidelines.
• Resource mobilization – ensuring periodic funding applications.
• Financial reporting responsibilities – Manage budgets, work plans, and donor reporting related to engagement activities.
• Build, mentor and manage a strong community/public team with relevant expertise as per strategy’s requirements.
• Develop and implement capacity enhancement plan for the community/public team ensuring conformity with strategy’s succession plan.
• Build internal capacity by training researchers and supporting staff on engagement principles and practices.
• Work closely with Principal Investigators to integrate community engagement throughout the research lifecycle (design, recruitment, implementation, results dissemination).
• Support compliance with ethical approval requirements, including community consultation and informed consent processes.
• Contribute to the development of participant-centered and culturally appropriate engagement approaches.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with different audiences and leaders to ensure co-creation in research agenda for better research outcomes.
• Establish and oversee relevant leadership, community and patient structures to support research implementation.
• Lead in the development of innovative engagement initiatives that target underrepresented, difficult to reach or disengaged populations.
• Lead in the development of initiatives that support dissemination of research findings to the public in accessible and meaningful ways.
• Ensure initiatives that promote two-way dialogue between researchers, and the public are always implemented.
• Develop and implement engagement strategies to create opportunities to spark interest of children and young adults in science.
• Develop and implement capacity building strategies for Field Research Assistants to enhance their participant interface skills and professional development.
• Collaborate in championing the Science for All (Sci4O) MLW initiative in liaison with the Science for All leadership by implementing training and mentorship activities in education institutions within and beyond Malawi.
• Develop and implement a Patient Public Involvement and Engagement strategy to guide the establishment of PPIE groups for research themes or groups.
• Lead in the implementation of PPIE group’s activities in collaboration with the research theme/group teams.
• Develop and implement capacity building activities for all PPIE groups to ensure knowledge transfer and sustainability.
• Develop frameworks to monitor and evaluate the impact of engagement activities, in liaison with the MLW Monitoring and Evaluation function.
• Capture lessons learned and promote continuous improvement.
• Contribute to organizational learning and policy development.

• Ability to work in a team and deliver project outputs.
• Familiarity with funder requirements (e.g. Wellcome, NIHR, UKRI, Gates).
• Knowledge of patient and public involvement (PPI) frameworks.
• Excellent communication and inter-relationship-building skills.

• Postgraduate qualification in Public Health, Social Science, Anthropology, Public and Community Engagement, Development Studies related field.
• Relevant Masters will be an advantage.
• Significant experience (5 years +) working in public or community engagement, preferably with demonstrable experience in co-creation processes within health research continuum.
• High levels of personal integrity and demonstrated commitment to high standards of ethical practice in relation to community engagement.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders
• Experience in publishing or contributing to engagement research or policy outputs.
• Demonstrated experience of building and managing a team of experts working in harmony towards a common goal.