The Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) is a cutting-edge institute addressing global public health challenges through research, translation into policy and education. ISGlobal has a broad portfolio in communicable and non-communicable diseases including environmental and climate determinants, and applies a multidisciplinary scientific approach ranging from the molecular to the population level. Research is organized in five programs: Climate, Air Pollution, Nature and Urban Health; Environment and Health over the Lifecourse; Global Viral and Bacterial Infections; Malaria and Neglected Parasitic Diseases and Maternal Child and Reproductive Health. ISGlobal is accredited with the Severo Ochoa distinction, a seal of excellence of the Spanish Science Ministry.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

ISGlobal is seeking a full-time project manager who is interested in taking over and managing activities of the project CODA Democra-MITS: Simplified MITS Protocols. The overall project goal is to democratize the access to postmortem mortality surveillance by creating simplified, scalable, and affordable MITS protocols, tailored for the different age groups and CoD categories, easy to be implemented in low-resource settings, but retaining at the same time a high diagnostic accuracy.

The Democra-MITS project aims to democratize access to postmortem mortality surveillance in low-resource settings by developing and validating simplified, scalable, and affordable minimally invasive tissue sampling (s-MITS) protocols that retain high diagnostic accuracy while significantly reducing cost, time, and complexity. Led by ISGlobal in collaboration with Maputo and Quelimane Central Hospitals in Mozambique and Gandaki Medical College in Nepal, this 24-month initiative builds on extensive prior work from the CHAMPS and CaDMIA studies, which demonstrated that limiting tissue sampling to key organs such as the lungs and placenta can halve procedural costs and duration without compromising diagnostic yield. Using artificial intelligence–assisted modeling of large MITS datasets, the project will identify high-yield diagnostic tissue–test combinations for different age groups and causes of death, retrospectively validate these simplified protocols against complete diagnostic autopsy datasets, and prospectively assess their diagnostic performance, feasibility, and efficiency in 200 cases across three sites. The resulting protocols will be translated into practical, modular s-MITS kits and standard operating procedures tailored to neonatal, pediatric, adult, and maternal deaths. By delivering validated, low-cost, field-adapted postmortem methods and strengthening mortality surveillance systems, Democra-MITS will enhance cause-of-death data quality, support health policy decision-making, and contribute directly to global efforts to achieve WHO and UN Sustainable Development Goals on health and data systems.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Coordination and Implementation:

• Lead the day-to-day coordination, planning, and execution of the Democra-MITS project across all participating sites (Barcelona, Mozambique, and Nepal).
• Ensure the timely delivery of project milestones and outputs according to the approved work plan and donor requirements.
• Maintain continuous communication with site teams, investigators, and partner institutions to ensure alignment, efficiency, and adherence to project timelines.
• Anticipate and proactively manage operational bottlenecks, ensuring effective mitigation strategies to keep the project on schedule.

• Supervise all logistical aspects of field and laboratory/scientific activities, including procurement, shipment, and customs clearance of materials, consumables, and biological samples, ensuring full compliance with biosafety and international transport regulations.
• Coordinate ethical approvals, regulatory submissions, and reporting processes across countries and institutional partners.
• Cotribution to writing of protocols and cover letters is expected.
• Oversee administrative and contractual documentation related to project implementation, subawards, and service agreements.

• Support the development and monitoring of the project budget, ensuring accurate financial tracking, forecasting, and compliance with donor and institutional regulations.
• Liaise closely with ISGlobal’s finance and grants teams to prepare expenditure reports and respond to donor financial queries.
• Contribute to the preparation of budget justifications and financial narratives for progress and final reports.

• Develop and maintain tracking systems for deliverables, timelines, and performance indicators.
• Coordinate the preparation of technical progress reports, annual reviews, and final deliverables for the donor and consortium partners.
• Ensure accurate documentation, version control, and archiving of study protocols, SOPs, and correspondence.
• Facilitate coordination meetings, prepare agendas and minutes, and follow up on agreed action points.
• Support communication and dissemination activities, including preparation of presentations for conferences and partners.

• Collaborate with ISGlobal’s scientific and management teams to identify new funding opportunities that build on Democra-MITS results or other grants compatible with the team’s background.
• Coordinate the preparation of strategic grant applications, assisting in the drafting of technical, administrative, and logistical sections.
• Contribute to the development of sustainability and scale-up plans beyond the project’s 24-month period.

AUXILIAR TASKS

This job description reflects the present requirements of the post but may evolve at any time in the future as duties and responsibilities change and/or develop providing there is appropriate consultation with the post-holder.

This job description is not a definitive or exhaustive list of responsibilities but identifies the key responsibilities and tasks of the post holder. The specific objectives of the post holder will be subject to review as part of the individual professional assessment process.

SKILLS

• Teamwork.
• Problem resolution.
• Learning capacity.
• Previous experience in project management.

The post holder will adhere to ISGlobal principles contained in People management policy, including Equity, diversity and health safety. The post holder will respect, and be accountable to ensure ISGlobal policies and procedures.

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE / QUALIFICATIONS

• The Project Manager will possess a strong background in global health research management, with demonstrated experience coordinating multicenter biomedical or public health projects in low- and middle-income countries. 
• A Master’s degree or higher in Global Health, Biomedical Sciences, Epidemiology, or Health Project Management is advisable, with additional training in clinical research coordination, data management, or biostatistics considered an asset. 
• The ideal candidate will have at least five years of experience managing international research collaborations, including responsibility for workplan development, budgeting, logistics, ethical submissions, regulatory compliance, and reporting to funding agencies such as the Gates Foundation, WHO, or similar institutions. 
• Experience in the international shipment of biological samples and compliance with biosafety and material transfer regulations is highly desirable.
• The Project Manager should be skilled in coordinating multidisciplinary teams (pathologists, microbiologists, data scientists, clinicians) across geographically dispersed sites and adept at maintaining quality and timelines in complex data-driven environments. 
• Prior experience with mortality surveillance, autopsy-based studies, or diagnostic accuracy evaluations is highly desirable. Familiarity with REDCap, project tracking tools, and AI-assisted data workflows will be advantageous.
• Strong organizational, communication, and cross-cultural leadership skills are essential, as the role involves constant coordination between ISGlobal (Barcelona), Mozambican partner hospitals, and the Nepalese site. The selected candidate will be responsible for all study protocols, ethical processes, and reporting while fostering a collaborative environment that supports scientific excellence and operational efficiency throughout the 24-month project.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

Leadership and interpersonal Skills:

• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and multitasking abilities, with a proactive approach to project implementation and risk mitigation.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead multidisciplinary and multicultural teams across institutions and countries.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including preparation of reports, SOPs, and correspondence.
• Ability to work effectively under very tight deadlines and manage competing priorities in fast-paced, high-stakes project environments.

• Experience supporting strategic grant development, including identifying funding opportunities, giving support in preparation of proposal and related documents to the team members, and contributing to the drafting of technical or administrative sections of new grants.

LANGUAGE LEVEL

• Proficiency in English.
• Proficiency in Portuguese and/or Spanish is highly desirable

CONDITIONS

• Duration: 2 years, with the possibility to extension
• Starting date: November 2025
• Contract Type: Full time
• Salary: According to ISGlobal internal salary scale

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants must fill in the request form and attach the CV and a Cover Letter. Each attached document must be named with the candidate name and surname.

The receipt of applications will be open until 27th of October 2025.

The interviews could be placed during the reception of candidatures period.

Diverse candidatures are encouraged, that includes: gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, physical abilities, and political views.

SELECTION PROCESS

The selection process is designed in two phases:
1- Interview phase of a technical nature, with the team that requires the incorporation. To assess the person's skills and CV.
2 - Meeting with HR with the finalist(s) to finish assessing the profile and discuss contractual and institutional issues.

If needed any technical test could be passed. A Psychological Competency Evaluation Test will be required for the structural or transversal positions.

In accordance with the OTM-R principles, a gender-balanced recruitment panel is formed for every vacancy at the beginning of the process. After reviewing the content of the applications, the panel will start the interviews, with at least one technical and one administrative interview. A profile questionnaire as well as a technical exercise may be required during the process.

In ISGlobal we are committed to maintaining and developing a work environment in which the values and principles of our organization are respected and equal opportunities between women and men be promoted in each of the areas in which we operate, not tolerating discrimination based on criteria such as age, gender, marital status, race, ethnicity, functional diversity, political leanings, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

We confirm our commitment towards the value of the diversity of our staff and student population and seek to promote peace, equity, diversity and inclusion as essential elements in contribution to improving health worldwide.