Scientific Advisor
Purpose:
To provide relevant and required input with respect to scientific and professional related issues to ensure that ISSUP can maintain a credible source of information and support both internally and in what ISSUP provides externally to its members and followers. This includes ensuring the demands of the funding body with respect to scientific related issues are undertaken as well as providing relevant and appropriate other contributions that meet with ISSUP’s overall objectives as an organisation.
The post involves working with the Communications Team to deliver on the necessary tasks related to the “scientific” input required from ISSUP towards the delivery of its grant outcomes. It will support the work of others in ISSUP who require input and support in the scientific/professional specialist aspects of their work. This includes collaborating with and supporting the activities of the Communications, Website, National Chapters, and Event areas of ISSUP’s operation.
There will be regular communication and meetings with the Communications Team and regular consultation with the Management Team.
Main responsibilities:
The Scientific Advisor will provide scientific and technical guidance, expertise, and oversight. The Scientific Advisor will collaborate with a diverse range of audiences and stakeholders, actively working with international partners, researchers and practitioners.
The Scientific Advisor’s time will be spread to cover the following tasks:
- Technical Input Provision
- Scientific Support Team Lead
- Scientific Advisory Council Oversight
- Development of ISSUP’s Scientific Objectives and Activities
- Collaboration with Partners
- Attendance at Meetings
- Other Areas of Work
As a subject matter expert in the drug demand reduction field, the Scientific Advisor will provide content and other “technical” input to the work of ISSUP. The Scientific Advisor will review and validate “technical” material or information, provide recommendations and advice for the workforce and assist with establishing processes and standards for ISSUP’s members and stakeholders. This will include written contributions for the website, website content review, and input to support the communications and marketing work of ISSUP. It will include regular features that ISSUP will develop and promote as well as inputs through social media and other relevant avenues such as specific conferences and events. This may also include performing literature searches and evaluation to support development of content for ISSUP members and stakeholders and providing guidance on how to translate research into practice.
The Scientific Advisor will lead ISSUP’s Scientific Support Team and ensure the team’s planned activities outlined in the annual workplan are undertaken. This will involve developing objectives and activities, as well as planning, reviewing and monitoring the work of the Scientific Support Team to achieve them. The focus of the Scientific Support Team is to ensure that what ISSUP offers to the drug demand reduction community and particularly to its members is evidence-based and of high quality. The Scientific Support Team helps to ensure that the information provided by ISSUP and its National Chapters (e.g. webinars, Knowledge Share content, reading lists and other resources) maintains the principles of ISSUP’s mission and can be identified as appropriate and scientifically sound and rigorous and meets ISSUP’s quality standards.
The Scientific Advisor will liaise between ISSUP and the scientific community to ensure ISSUP promotes evidence-based, high quality and ethical research and practice. The Scientific Advisor will build and maintain collaborations with drug demand reduction researchers and practitioners worldwide. In this role, the Scientific Advisor will spearhead the development of ISSUP’s Scientific Advisory Council, a group of scientists and practitioners who will ensure that the research on evidence-based prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery support is accessible and communicated effectively. The Scientific Advisory Council will ensure that the most effective research is communicated into policy and practice. The Scientific Advisor will communicate with the Council’s members on a regular basis and coordinate the Council’s work in consultation with ISSUP’s Management.
The Scientific Advisor will liaise with the ISSUP Management Team to develop ISSUP’s scientific objectives and activities. This will involve reviewing needs of our members, developing a workplan to respond, supporting funding applications where needed and delivering the agreed activities. Developing a feasible monitoring and evaluation plan is a priority for ISSUP.
Develop and maintain relationships with the appropriate contacts at partner organisations to facilitate synergy and non-duplication while driving collaborative service provision and product development.
The Scientific Advisor will attend and contribute to ISSUP staff meetings and events, facilitate ISSUP’s Scientific Support Team meetings and attend relevant other staff group and partner meetings and take on specific follow-up tasks as appropriate.
The Scientific Advisor will support the ISSUP Management Team to develop, review and monitor the work of ISSUP in order for it to achieve its workplan and deliverables. The work of the Scientific Advisor may also involve engaging in scientific events, speaking on key issues for the workforce and representing ISSUP at relevant meetings, conferences and other events. Key Deliverables:
Person Specification:
Required Criteria:
Desirable Criteria:
Location: Home based Salary: Dependent upon location and experience of candidate Consultancy, start date to be discussed Hours: 4 to 5 days a week (30 – 37.5 hrs) flexible, but some contact is needed within UK working day. Can be negotiated with appropriate candidate. Application Process:Please send a cover letter outlining how you meet the required criteria and your CV to recruitment [at] issup [dot] net (recruitment[at]issup[dot]net) by 9th February 2024. Please direct any questions via email. Interviews will be held online the weeks of 4th and 11th March 2024. |
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