Director of Science at ICARS

The Director of Science will take up a key position as part of ICARS Executive Management leading the Science Department to take ICARS to the next level. The Director of Science will report to ICARS’ Executive Director and will work in close partnership with the Director of Operations as well as other relevant ICARS staff, including the partnership, communications and M&E team members.

The Director of Science will lead a growing Science Department that is overseeing the development and support in implementation of over 40 projects in LMICs focusing on solutions to AMR across the One Health spectrum. The daily management of this work is led by the Science Team Lead who reports to the Director of Science and who is line manager for the group of science advisors/officers. The focus in the coming years will be to continue our work to transform the way AMR mitigation is supported in LMICs, and ensuring the uptake of context-specific evidence for sustainable impact in countries. This will include synthesizing and advocating for evidence based best practices in AMR mitigation as learning from projects become available.

On the international scene, the Director of Science will, in close collaboration with the Executive Director and other members of ICARS, represent the organization and advocate for its vision and mission and in particular the use of intervention and implementation research. In this role, the Director of Science is expected to also help identify and cultivate relationships with new partner countries and organisational donors. The Director of Science will have extensive international travel primarily to partner LMICs but also to other conferences and meetings. ICARS adheres to the travel advice of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and operates in various countries, some of which require specific measures to ensure safety and security. Candidates should consider their readiness to travel under these circumstances and their ability to adapt to different environments.

The main areas of responsibility in the position will include:

Growth and Strategic Direction

• In close co-operation with the Executive Management, work for the strategic development and growth of ICARS, including the development of ICARS’ presence in LMIC regions.
• Continue to develop ICARS so that the organization is seen as a trusted and preferred partner.
• Outlining strategies and frameworks to encourage partners in LMICs to uptake the evidence generated and scale up the on-going projects.

Leadership, Management and Project Progress

• Lead a highly experienced science team including independent consultants through inspiring leadership.
• Play a decisive role in the identification and selection of projects for ICARS involvement.
• Ensure that ICARS projects are well managed, complying with relevant rules and regulations, including related to budgeting, accountability and communication with project partners.
• Ensure the scientific outputs from ICARS are of high scientific standard reflecting the need of LMICs.
• Head the Science Department and ensure output of high scientific standard reflecting the need of LMICs.
• Line management of the Science Team Lead (and more staff members in the future depending on the organizational development of the Science Department).

Partnerships and Fundraising

• Build international networks both in the Global North and South, bringing attention to AMR and its solutions in LMICs.
• Maintain effective, influential and equitable relationships with key stakeholders in governments, multilateral organizations, professional bodies and others which can contribute to the achievements of ICARS objectives.
• In close collaboration with the Director of Operations, outreach for fundraising and development of international partnerships that can ensure ICARS long-term funding and growth.

Your background, professional and personal qualifications

The ideal candidate will have a strong internationally recognized expertise in AMR (across the One Health sectors) and holds 10+ years of experience from a similar position of seniority. The ideal candidate will be expected to have an extensive global network in AMR, infectious diseases, and global health. Furthermore, it is preferable that the candidate has the following professional qualifications and experiences:

• Proven experience working with AMR-related projects in LMICs, preferably with in-country experience.
• Experience and understanding of all One Health sectors and the priorities in each of these related to AMR mitigation.
• Experience in working with intervention and implementation research.
• Experience initiating and maintaining partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders, and holding a relevant network within the global AMR and infectious disease community.
• A sound awareness of and deep interest in science, science policy, and science funding
• Previous experience with international fundraising and grant management will be considered an advantage.
• Proven experience in line management of teams consisting of highly experienced and diverse members spanning multiple cultures and a broad area of responsibilities.

Personal qualifications

• Strong leadership skills and robust working knowledge of management best practices, including the ability to identify problems and solve them effectively and in a timely manner.
• Strategic thinker with a global perspective.
• Strong interpersonal skills with evidence of having the ability to motivate and support staff and team members.
• Ability to work across global teams.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Evidence of ability to multi-task and manage a fluctuating and at times heavy workload with short deadlines.
• Proactive and self-motivated with good time management skills.
• Flexible, creative, encouraging and with a pioneering spirit.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency in English (English is our working language) with other languages being an advantage.

Terms of employment

You will be employed on an individual fixed-term contract (5 years with possibility for a 3-year extension) in accordance with the Framework Agreement on contract employment of managers in the state with salary classification according to group 1.

This position is based at Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, Denmark. This is a full-time position, available from April 2024.

Further information

For further information about the position, please contact the Executive Director, Sujith J Chandy (sujc@icars-global.org).