DATA MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST, SNL ETHIOPIA COMBINE PROJECT
Background:
Globally, four million newborns die in the first four weeks of life—the neonatal period. Ethiopia is among the ten countries with
the highest number of annual neonatal deaths. Nearly 120,000 newborns die of preventable causes annually (a neonatal mortality
rate of 39 per 1000 live births). The unacceptably high neonatal mortality rate in the country is attributable to various factors:
low coverage of maternal and child health care services, high levels of non-assisted home delivery, little postnatal care follow-
up, and lack of recognition of maternal and newborn danger signs. Interventions exist that will save lives and a great deal can
be done in homes and communities to improve newborn health outcomes.
In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Saving Newborn Lives program, Save the Children USA and JSI Research
&Technology, Inc. are linking with UNICEF and the Ethiopian Pediatrics Society are conducting a trial to strengthen and evaluate
the effect of a well implemented health extension program (HEP) including IMNCI as in current government policy, with an overlaid
randomized control trial to assess the effect of community-based treatment of neonatal infections by health extension workers. The
Community-based Interventions for Newborns in Ethiopia (COMBINE) trial will be conducted in a total population of 660,000 in
Sidama Zone in South Nation Nationalities and People’s Region and East Shoa and West Arsi Zones of Oromia Region. The principal
aim of the study is to provide evidence of the additional benefit, in terms of newborn lives saved and to estimate the costs of
delivering community-based sepsis management in addition to high quality implementation of existing government policy (HEP with
IMNCI).
The COMBINE trial is a two-arm cluster randomized control trial that will assess the effectiveness, acceptability & feasibility of
community-based management of infections in neonates and pneumonia in under-five children by HEWs when supported by VCHW. The
primary hypothesis of the study states that community level management of neonatal infections with antibiotics administered by
health extension workers reduces neonatal mortality after the first day of life by 33% compared to current FMOH policy. Secondary
hypotheses include 1) community-based management of neonatal infections is technically feasible and acceptable to caretakers and
2) prompt diagnosis and treatment of neonatal infections with antibiotics at community level (using health extension workers) is
cost-effective compared to full implementation of the health extension program according to current policy. Outcome measures will
include neonatal mortality, coverage of key services and behaviors related to neonatal mortality and cost assessment. After
obtaining estimates of NMR clusters will then be randomized to one of the two study arms. The trial will run for two years at the
end of which an endline survey will be conducted to compare neonatal mortality rates after the first day and all-cause post-
neonatal child mortality rates in the two arms of the study.
The COMBINE trial takes place within the existing public health system in 22 health center catchment areas (clusters). Near 40
COMBINE field staff implement the trial in coordination with government district level health office teams, health extension
workers, and community volunteers in 130 communities. The study is complex and has great demands related to tracking of various
community activities and vital events. The M&E team consists of the Research Coordinator, M &E Officer at the central level, with
two Data Managers and four data entry clerks split between two field offices.
The team conducted a baseline census from June 2008 – June 2009 to determine neonatal mortality rates, home care practices during
pregnancy, delivery, the postnatal period, and levels of care seeking for neonatal illness. At least one adequacy survey and an
endline survey will be required going forward in the study to provide estimates on uptake of interventions and comparison of the
two trial arms. In addition, the team monitors monthly surveillance reports from roughly 3300 community volunteers on pregnant
women, deliveries, and postnatal visits in addition to register review of treatment of sick neonates at health post and health
centers.
Data Management Specialist Description:
The Data Management Specialist, in coordination with the principal investigators, will provide leadership for the SNL research
activities in Ethiopia, including the development, implementation, management of ongoing monitoring and evaluation activities.
S/he will directly supervise the M&E team to refine the surveillance database, ensure quality of data entry and supervise tool
development and implementation of adequacy surveys and endline census.
Responsibilities The Data Management Specialist assumes overall responsibility to supervise the SNL M&E Team, monitor research,
and assure data safety and quality. S/he will:
1. Supervise M&E Team and provide routine support for timely data collection, entry and reporting to ensure consistent and
adequate coverage of research monitoring and evaluation activities
2. Support the team to refine and manage the surveillance database
3. Review implementation the data collection systems, and make recommendations for addressing identified gaps
4. Provide guidance to the research team to design, implement and interpret adequacy surveys including key indicators for the
assessment of community-based interventions
5. Oversee adequacy and endline surveys, develop and program PDA units, develop field training for enumerators on PDA, data
assurance system (with the assistance of a PDA consultant budgeted for 60 days)
6. Conduct data analysis in collaboration with principle investigators on the study in order to provide input into
implementation issues raised by the country team
7. Review and revise monitoring/tracking tools used in the course of project implementation such as supervisory checklists,
reporting forms for the surveillance system, and home visits records
8. Conduct field visit to community research sites to review data recording and collection methods, troubleshoot issues with
the team, and make recommendations for addressing identified gaps
9. Coordinate monthly with principal investigators to discuss progress and challenges, review monitoring data, and come up
with joint solutions
10. Draft reports from these monthly meetings using a standard template and send to HO within 5 days of the meeting
11. Coordinate monthly calls with HO to discuss progress and challenges and solutions
12. Coordinate quarterly with principal investigators and External TAG members to discuss progress and challenges and review
monitoring data for input and recommendations of ETAG
The Data Management Specialist directly supervises the Research Coordinator and the M&E Officer in the Addis Ababa Office. S/he
will lead these members of the team in order to effectively plan, organize, and implement activities related to data collection in
the field and regional project offices, quality assurance, data safety, analysis and reporting. The Data Management Specialist
reports to the Technical Advisor. They will meet on a weekly basis to review implementation issues, issues of data collection,
management, and analysis as well as team capacity building needs.
Level of Effort (LOE): The LOE is for a fulltime position. The Data Management Specialist will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
with periodic travel to field sites.
Qualifications:
• Advanced degree in statistics and/or public health
• Experience working on field trials, supervising teams, data collection, and data base management
• At least 5 years experience managing data teams in field settings
• Field experience with use of PDA for collection of household level data in large-scale surveys (Programming, team and data
management)
• Competency in managing a complex database and with statistical analysis
Interested candidates should contact: Brian Mulligan bmulligan@Healtheth.org.et
Background:
Globally, four million newborns die in the first four weeks of life—the neonatal period. Ethiopia is among the ten countries with
the highest number of annual neonatal deaths. Nearly 120,000 newborns die of preventable causes annually (a neonatal mortality
rate of 39 per 1000 live births). The unacceptably high neonatal mortality rate in the country is attributable to various factors:
low coverage of maternal and child health care services, high levels of non-assisted home delivery, little postnatal care follow-
up, and lack of recognition of maternal and newborn danger signs. Interventions exist that will save lives and a great deal can
be done in homes and communities to improve newborn health outcomes.
In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Saving Newborn Lives program, Save the Children USA and JSI Research
&Technology, Inc. are linking with UNICEF and the Ethiopian Pediatrics Society are conducting a trial to strengthen and evaluate
the effect of a well implemented health extension program (HEP) including IMNCI as in current government policy, with an overlaid
randomized control trial to assess the effect of community-based treatment of neonatal infections by health extension workers. The
Community-based Interventions for Newborns in Ethiopia (COMBINE) trial will be conducted in a total population of 660,000 in
Sidama Zone in South Nation Nationalities and People’s Region and East Shoa and West Arsi Zones of Oromia Region. The principal
aim of the study is to provide evidence of the additional benefit, in terms of newborn lives saved and to estimate the costs of
delivering community-based sepsis management in addition to high quality implementation of existing government policy (HEP with
IMNCI).
The COMBINE trial is a two-arm cluster randomized control trial that will assess the effectiveness, acceptability & feasibility of
community-based management of infections in neonates and pneumonia in under-five children by HEWs when supported by VCHW. The
primary hypothesis of the study states that community level management of neonatal infections with antibiotics administered by
health extension workers reduces neonatal mortality after the first day of life by 33% compared to current FMOH policy. Secondary
hypotheses include 1) community-based management of neonatal infections is technically feasible and acceptable to caretakers and
2) prompt diagnosis and treatment of neonatal infections with antibiotics at community level (using health extension workers) is
cost-effective compared to full implementation of the health extension program according to current policy. Outcome measures will
include neonatal mortality, coverage of key services and behaviors related to neonatal mortality and cost assessment. After
obtaining estimates of NMR clusters will then be randomized to one of the two study arms. The trial will run for two years at the
end of which an endline survey will be conducted to compare neonatal mortality rates after the first day and all-cause post-
neonatal child mortality rates in the two arms of the study.
The COMBINE trial takes place within the existing public health system in 22 health center catchment areas (clusters). Near 40
COMBINE field staff implement the trial in coordination with government district level health office teams, health extension
workers, and community volunteers in 130 communities. The study is complex and has great demands related to tracking of various
community activities and vital events. The M&E team consists of the Research Coordinator, M &E Officer at the central level, with
two Data Managers and four data entry clerks split between two field offices.
The team conducted a baseline census from June 2008 – June 2009 to determine neonatal mortality rates, home care practices during
pregnancy, delivery, the postnatal period, and levels of care seeking for neonatal illness. At least one adequacy survey and an
endline survey will be required going forward in the study to provide estimates on uptake of interventions and comparison of the
two trial arms. In addition, the team monitors monthly surveillance reports from roughly 3300 community volunteers on pregnant
women, deliveries, and postnatal visits in addition to register review of treatment of sick neonates at health post and health
centers.
Data Management Specialist Description:
The Data Management Specialist, in coordination with the principal investigators, will provide leadership for the SNL research
activities in Ethiopia, including the development, implementation, management of ongoing monitoring and evaluation activities.
S/he will directly supervise the M&E team to refine the surveillance database, ensure quality of data entry and supervise tool
development and implementation of adequacy surveys and endline census.
Responsibilities The Data Management Specialist assumes overall responsibility to supervise the SNL M&E Team, monitor research,
and assure data safety and quality. S/he will:
1. Supervise M&E Team and provide routine support for timely data collection, entry and reporting to ensure consistent and
adequate coverage of research monitoring and evaluation activities
2. Support the team to refine and manage the surveillance database
3. Review implementation the data collection systems, and make recommendations for addressing identified gaps
4. Provide guidance to the research team to design, implement and interpret adequacy surveys including key indicators for the
assessment of community-based interventions
5. Oversee adequacy and endline surveys, develop and program PDA units, develop field training for enumerators on PDA, data
assurance system (with the assistance of a PDA consultant budgeted for 60 days)
6. Conduct data analysis in collaboration with principle investigators on the study in order to provide input into
implementation issues raised by the country team
7. Review and revise monitoring/tracking tools used in the course of project implementation such as supervisory checklists,
reporting forms for the surveillance system, and home visits records
8. Conduct field visit to community research sites to review data recording and collection methods, troubleshoot issues with
the team, and make recommendations for addressing identified gaps
9. Coordinate monthly with principal investigators to discuss progress and challenges, review monitoring data, and come up
with joint solutions
10. Draft reports from these monthly meetings using a standard template and send to HO within 5 days of the meeting
11. Coordinate monthly calls with HO to discuss progress and challenges and solutions
12. Coordinate quarterly with principal investigators and External TAG members to discuss progress and challenges and review
monitoring data for input and recommendations of ETAG
The Data Management Specialist directly supervises the Research Coordinator and the M&E Officer in the Addis Ababa Office. S/he
will lead these members of the team in order to effectively plan, organize, and implement activities related to data collection in
the field and regional project offices, quality assurance, data safety, analysis and reporting. The Data Management Specialist
reports to the Technical Advisor. They will meet on a weekly basis to review implementation issues, issues of data collection,
management, and analysis as well as team capacity building needs.
Level of Effort (LOE): The LOE is for a fulltime position. The Data Management Specialist will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
with periodic travel to field sites.
Qualifications:
• Advanced degree in statistics and/or public health
• Experience working on field trials, supervising teams, data collection, and data base management
• At least 5 years experience managing data teams in field settings
• Field experience with use of PDA for collection of household level data in large-scale surveys (Programming, team and data
management)
• Competency in managing a complex database and with statistical analysis
Interested candidates should contact: Brian Mulligan bmulligan@Healtheth.org.et
