Informatics Director, PHII CHAMPS Business Unit - The Task Force for Global Health - Emory University

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Description:

**This position is contingent upon the continued availability of funding and program needs. The Task Force for Global Health offers a hybrid, flexible work schedule.**

 

The Public Health Informatics Institute's (PHII) CHAMPS Informatics Business Unit Director will lead the development, maintenance, and support of the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) global surveillance data network. Serves as a senior member of the PHII informatics Senior Management Team, which consults across the breadth of PHII projects.

 

The Task Force for Global Health is an Emory University affiliate located in Decatur, GA. Its programs focus on building durable public health systems that serve all people. Focus areas include neglected tropical diseases, vaccines, and health systems strengthening. The Task Force received the 2016 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize–the world's largest award of its kind–in recognition of its extraordinary contributions to alleviating human suffering.

 

CHAMPS is a global network with sites in 9 countries in Africa and South Asia with a coordinating program office based in Atlanta (www.CHAMPShealth.org). CHAMPS is funded by the Gates Foundation with the aim of quickly identifying and investigating causes of stillbirth and deaths in children <5 years in high-mortality settings. Complex diagnostics are conducted on specimens collected postmortem, and additional data are collected from family interviews and medical records. The information is compiled and reviewed by experts in each site who assign causes of death and determine factors that could have prevented the death. CHAMPS also has associated data from demographic and pregnancy surveillance and a growing body of add-on studies conducted in Network sites.

 

The Public Health Informatics Institute is a program of the Task Force for Global Health, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. Our staff comprises professionals in the areas of public health, healthcare, information systems and communications—all well-versed in the current and emerging issues facing public health. PHII is known for its expertise as a trusted convener of public health professionals and their stakeholders, transforming health practitioners’ ability to apply information effectively in order to improve health outcomes worldwide. Since 1992, PHII has assisted public health organizations in defining and leveraging the power of information systems to meet public health needs. For more information, visit our website at www.phii.org.

 

PHII is a partner in a global health surveillance network aimed at preventing childhood mortality in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia. The Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance network, or CHAMPS, will help speed and improve the acquisition of data about how, where, and why children are getting sick and dying. In 2019 The Gates Foundation has committed hundreds of millions to support this critical work over the past 10 years.

 

JOB DESCRIPTION:

• Responsible for CHAMPS Program Applications and Services for sites in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and the CHAMPS Program Office based in Atlanta, GA.
• Oversees the IT strategic planning, technology solutions, service quality, and overall operations of CHAMPS Program Enterprise applications, which includes support of pathology data collection systems, clinical data systems, specimen tracking systems, bio banking, data warehouse, analysis/visualization/reporting dashboard, as well as other enterprise-level systems.
• Serves as a leader and maintains responsibility for coordination and decision-making for the CHAMPS program Information Technology Team and provides day-to-day strategic oversight of the Informatics/IT Staff members.
• Leads IT strategic and operational planning and sets priorities in collaboration with the CHAMPS Principal Investigator and Chief of Staff in support of the CHAMPS project objectives.
• Ensures that the IT infrastructure will support the epidemiological and reporting needs of the project, communicate IT risks, risk mitigation plans and issues up to the highest level in the CHAMPS program office.
• Provides oversight in decision-making about IT investment, but also weighs costs and benefits.
• Reports to the Director of the Public Health Informatics Institute and within the CHAMPS program also has a matrix report to the CHAMPS Chief of Staff. As a senior informatics leader at PHII and the Task Force for Global Health, the incumbent may also support other PHII and Task Force for Global Health (TFGH) informatics project needs.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Strategic Leadership and IT Planning:

• Oversee the IT strategic planning, technology solutions, service quality, and overall operations of CHAMPS Program Enterprise applications, which includes support of pathology data collection systems, clinical data systems, specimen tracking systems, bio banking, data warehouse, analysis/visualization/reporting dashboard, as well as other enterprise-level systems.
• Oversees and manages the AI innovation activities working in collaboration with the Gates Foundation and other entities
• Lead the development and execution of CHAMPS’ informatics and IT strategic plan to align with long-term goals and data-driven solutions.
• Collaborate closely with CHAMPS science leadership to coordinate IT priorities, ensuring system enhancements and service levels meet program needs.

• Proactively assess potential IT risks, ensuring risk mitigation strategies are in place.

• Oversee IT investment and resource allocation, weighing cost-benefit outcomes to inform decision-making.

Team Leadership and Development:

• Build a cohesive Informatics team through effective onboarding, regular one-on-one check-ins, and skill development to support CHAMPS’ dynamic needs.
• Advocate for team requirements and communicate program priorities, fostering an inclusive environment aligned with PHII’s values.
• Understand and communicate to the informatics/IT team the key issues and concerns of the program office.
• Advocate for the Informatics team and its needs, communicate constraints
• Measure the impact and value created by the informatics/IT organization
• Establish a culture of inclusivity within the Informatics team, fostering alignment with the CHAMPS program’s mission and collaborative partnerships with site staff, executive leadership, and the Gates Foundation.

Management Responsibilities:

• Build collaborative partnerships with CHAMPS site staff, Program Office leaders and staff, and PHII Business Unit Directors.
• Collaborate and works closely with the senior CHAMPS leaders and site leadership to obtain key information to make informed network and application design decisions.
• Maintain regular site engagement through bi-monthly check-ins, providing technical assistance, reviewing system metrics, and addressing issues from CHAMPS network sites.
• Facilitate regular presentations and updates to the CHAMPS Network Steering Committee, Executive Leadership, and external stakeholders.
• Lead project pipeline prioritization, managing timelines, budgets, and resources to meet critical milestones.
• Oversee vendor and contractor management, coordinating the development and execution of scopes of work, approving deliverables, and ensuring alignment with CHAMPS’ goals.

IT-Specific Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic management over informatics/IT resources with direct or matrixed reporting relationships.
• Develop an informatics strategic plan to support the CHAMPS program
• Set metrics for informatics/IT to measure the organization’s performance
• Lead the IT project pipeline process and its decisions for work priority
• Deliver a highly functional and responsive data network that enables CHAMPS to meet its programmatic goals
• Explore innovative technologies and introduce concepts to the program office for consideration
• Supervise beta and regression testing of production releases, documenting results for system improvement.

System Operations:

• Oversee IT operations, including clinical and pathology data systems, specimen tracking, bio-banking, data warehousing, and reporting dashboards.
• Direct ongoing upgrades and enhancements to CHAMPS systems, integrating emerging technologies, AI, and cloud services to meet the program's growing needs.
• Ensure continuous quality improvement by defining and tracking performance metrics, setting a framework for measuring and achieving operational excellence.
• Supervise helpdesk operations, handling escalated issues and ensuring client follow-ups and compliance, and resolving high-risk system issues with executive leadership input.

Data Governance and Policy Development:

• Collaborate with business operations, scientific leadership, and site leadership to establish and update data governance, privacy, and security policies in alignment with program requirements.
• Ensure that informatics projects adhere to the data governance guidelines, ensuring that compliance and data integrity are maintained in all CHAMPS systems.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• A bachelor's or advanced degree in IT, Computer Science, Engineering, Security, Business or related field, and seven years of progressive experience at a senior level in global health and/or medical informatics settings.
• Five years of progressive experience managing a team of Informatics/IT professionals.
• Previous experience holding information technology management positions.
• Collaborative leader who has led a team of senior Informatics/IT professionals and served as an effective member of an IT leadership team.
• Experience with data analysis and data visualization tools.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Advanced degree in related field
• Genuine, approachable leadership style
• Experience in design and/or modifying clinical information systems
• Experience in design and operation of public health surveillance systems, especially those related to infectious diseases
• Experience integrating data from disparate systems to achieve a unified data architecture

NOTE: This role will be granted the opportunity to work from home regularly but must be able to commute to Emory University/The Task Force for Global Health on a flexible weekly schedule based upon business needs.  Schedule is based on agreed upon guidelines of department. This role requires residency in the state of GA. Emory/The Task Force for Global Health reserves the right to change remote work status with notice to employee.

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