Aga Khan University Hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan and Nairobi, Kenya are private, not-for-profit institutions providing high quality health care. The Main Hospitals serve as the principal sites for clinical training for the University's Medical Colleges and Schools of Nursing and Midwifery in Pakistan and East Africa. Our Vision of Aga Khan University Ho...

Job Purpose/Summary

The Assistant Manager – Research Projects supports the effective planning, coordination, and delivery of research projects at the Brain and Mind Institute (BMI). Working under the supervision of the Project Manager, the role bridges strategic project oversight and day-to-day operational execution. The Assistant Manager ensures smooth implementation of project activities, compliance with ethical and regulatory requirements, coordination of research teams, quality assurance of outputs and supporting junior staff. Through proactive problem-solving, monitoring, and stakeholder engagement, the role contributes to timely, high-quality research delivery that advances BMI’s mission of promoting brain health and mental well-being.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Study Planning & Pre-Implementation Coordination

• Support development and maintenance of detailed project plans, timelines, milestones, and task assignments.
• Coordinate study pre-implementation activities, including site readiness, logistics, documentation, and onboarding of teams and sites.
• Support stakeholder mapping and coordination with research teams, collaborators, vendors, and study sites.
• Assist with preparation, tracking, and follow-up of ethics and regulatory submissions through approval.

Participant Recruitment & Retention

• Support development and implementation of participant recruitment and retention strategies in collaboration with the study team.
• Coordinate development and dissemination of recruitment materials (e.g. adverts, brochures, online content).
• Liaise with marketing and communications teams to promote the study and engage potential participants through social media, community outreach, and other channels.
• Track, analyse, and report on recruitment and retention data, proposing adjustments to strategies as needed.
• Ensure recruitment and retention activities comply with ethical, regulatory, and confidentiality requirements.

Study Implementation & Operational Oversight

• Coordinate day-to-day implementation of study activities in line with approved protocols, SOPs, and timelines.
• Monitor progress against milestones, identify risks or delays, and escalate issues to the Clinical Trial Manager as appropriate.
• Support allocation and utilization of project resources, including staff time, materials, logistics, and procurement.
• Support monitoring of project budgets and expenditures in collaboration with finance and the Clinical Trial Manager

Team Supervision & Capacity Support

• Provide day-to-day supervision, guidance, and workload coordination for Research Associates and Research Assistants.
• Support onboarding and training of project staff on protocols, tools, and reporting requirements.
• Monitor task completion and adherence to protocols, providing feedback and support as needed.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and supportive team environment trackers, and correspondence.

Quality Assurance & Project Documentation

• Support implementation of quality assurance and quality control procedures for data collection and documentation.
• Review project documentation, data outputs, and reports for completeness and accuracy prior to escalation.
• Maintain organized, accurate, and audit-ready project records, including trackers, meeting minutes, and correspondence.

Communication, Reporting & Stakeholder Engagement

• Support preparation of routine project updates, progress reports, and internal dashboards.
• Coordinate project meetings, including agenda preparation, documentation of action points, and follow-up.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison between project teams and the Clinical Trial Manager.
• Support communication with collaborators, partners, and service providers as delegated.

Study Close-Out & Learning

• Support completion and organization of study close-out documentation and deliverables.
• Assist with reconciliation of project activities, outputs, and expenditures.
• Contribute to lessons-learned processes and documentation of best practices.
• Support dissemination activities as required (reports, presentations, briefs).

Educational Qualifications

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in psychology, neuroscience, public health, biomedical sciences, or a closely related field.
• Master’s degree or postgraduate training in a relevant discipline is an advantage.
• Training or certification in project coordination or research management is desirable.

Relevant Experience

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience supporting or coordinating research projects, preferably in health, mental health, or biomedical research.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary research teams and supporting junior staff.
• Working knowledge of research ethics, GCP principles, and institutional research processes.
• Experience with project tracking, reporting, and documentation.

Personal Characteristics & Behaviour

• Strong organizational and coordination skills.
• Clear and professional communication skills (written and verbal).
• Attention to detail with a strong commitment to quality.
• Ability to work collaboratively and support team performance.
• Proactive, solution-oriented, and adaptable to changing project needs.
• High ethical standards and respect for confidentiality and participant welfare.

• Support development and maintenance of detailed project plans, timelines, milestones, and task assignments.
• Coordinate study pre-implementation activities, including site readiness, logistics, documentation, and onboarding of teams and sites.
• Support stakeholder mapping and coordination with research teams, collaborators, vendors, and study sites.
• Assist with preparation, tracking, and follow-up of ethics and regulatory submissions through approval.
• Support development and implementation of participant recruitment and retention strategies in collaboration with the study team.
• Coordinate development and dissemination of recruitment materials (e.g. adverts, brochures, online content).
• Liaise with marketing and communications teams to promote the study and engage potential participants through social media, community outreach, and other channels.
• Track, analyse, and report on recruitment and retention data, proposing adjustments to strategies as needed.
• Ensure recruitment and retention activities comply with ethical, regulatory, and confidentiality requirements.
• Coordinate day-to-day implementation of study activities in line with approved protocols, SOPs, and timelines.
• Monitor progress against milestones, identify risks or delays, and escalate issues to the Clinical Trial Manager as appropriate.
• Support allocation and utilization of project resources, including staff time, materials, logistics, and procurement.
• Support monitoring of project budgets and expenditures in collaboration with finance and the Clinical Trial Manager
• Provide day-to-day supervision, guidance, and workload coordination for Research Associates and Research Assistants.
• Support onboarding and training of project staff on protocols, tools, and reporting requirements.
• Monitor task completion and adherence to protocols, providing feedback and support as needed.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and supportive team environment trackers, and correspondence.
• Support implementation of quality assurance and quality control procedures for data collection and documentation.
• Review project documentation, data outputs, and reports for completeness and accuracy prior to escalation.
• Maintain organized, accurate, and audit-ready project records, including trackers, meeting minutes, and correspondence.
• Support preparation of routine project updates, progress reports, and internal dashboards.
• Coordinate project meetings, including agenda preparation, documentation of action points, and follow-up.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison between project teams and the Clinical Trial Manager.
• Support communication with collaborators, partners, and service providers as delegated.
• Support completion and organization of study close-out documentation and deliverables.
• Assist with reconciliation of project activities, outputs, and expenditures.
• Contribute to lessons-learned processes and documentation of best practices.
• Support dissemination activities as required (reports, presentations, briefs).

• Strong organizational and coordination skills.
• Clear and professional communication skills (written and verbal).
• Attention to detail with a strong commitment to quality.
• Ability to work collaboratively and support team performance.
• Proactive, solution-oriented, and adaptable to changing project needs.
• High ethical standards and respect for confidentiality and participant welfare.

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in psychology, neuroscience, public health, biomedical sciences, or a closely related field.
• Master’s degree or postgraduate training in a relevant discipline is an advantage.
• Training or certification in project coordination or research management is desirable.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience supporting or coordinating research projects, preferably in health, mental health, or biomedical research.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary research teams and supporting junior staff.
• Working knowledge of research ethics, GCP principles, and institutional research processes.
• Experience with project tracking, reporting, and documentation.