SCOPE / PURPOSE OF JOB:
This role provides strategic leadership for the design, evaluation and scale-up of community-based cancer early detection and patient navigation under the National Patient Navigation Programme (NORA), ensuring that programme implementation generates evidence that informs policy, practice and health system integration.
The position focuses on strengthening access to early detection and timely cancer care, particularly for underserved populations, through coordinated community and health system approaches.
The successful candidate will be responsible for designing, refining, and integrating programme strategy into operational models that are scalable, data-driven and aligned with Ministry of Health priorities. This includes integrating community outreach, patient navigation workflows, and digital platforms to improve efficiency, visibility and outcomes, while ensuring robust systems for monitoring, evaluation, implementation research, and the translation of programme findings into peer-reviewed publications, policy recommendations and scalable models of care.
This leadership role requires strong systems thinking and the ability to work across complex multi-stakeholder environments to refine programme models and support their adoption at scale within the Ministry of Health.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Strategy and Programme Development
- Lead the design and refinement of community and health systems navigation models aligned with NORA objectives
- Translate strategic priorities into operational plans with clear milestones and measurable outcomes
- Identify opportunities to strengthen early detection, referral pathways and continuity of care
2. Implementation and Scale
- Provide strategic oversight of programme implementation through the Deputy HOD and Project Managers, ensuring that operational delivery remains aligned with programme objectives, evaluation priorities and long-term sustainability.
- Ensure models are adaptable across different states, populations and health system contexts with clear documentation of variation and standardisation
- Develop approaches that support national scalability beyond pilot settings
3. Data, Evaluation and Implementation Science
- Design and lead monitoring frameworks to track programme performance, including timeliness, adherence and patient outcomes and system level indicators
- Lead the development of study questions, analytical frameworks, and evaluation strategies aligned with programme implementation
- Lead implementation research and ensure programme data is translated into high-quality publications, policy briefs, and evidence outputs to support scale-up
4. Digital Integration
- Work with internal digital health teams and external vendors to integrate digital navigation tools into workflows
- Ensure alignment between community processes and digital systems for tracking, reporting and decision support
- Support adoption and usability of digital platforms among navigators and stakeholders
5. Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships
- Build and maintain relationships with Ministry of Health, hospitals, community organisations and donors.
- Align programme activities with national health priorities and policies
- Represent CRMY in external engagements related to navigation and community outreach
- Translate stakeholder engagement into long-term partnerships that support programme sustainability, implementation research and policy adoption.
6. Team Leadership and Capacity Building
- Lead, mentor and guide the Deputy HOD and project managers, ensuring alignment between strategy, implementation, and data-driven evaluation
- Strengthen capability in implementation, critical thinking, research, data use and scientific communication across the department. Foster a collaborative and accountable team culture
7. Resource and Financial Oversight
- Manage programme budgets and ensure efficient use of resources
- Contribute to grant development and sustainability planning
- Align programme priorities with available funding and future opportunities
8. Research and Knowledge Generation
- Define and lead a research agenda aligned with NORA implementation and scale
- Oversee implementation and operational research across the department
- Lead and coordinate development of manuscripts, policy briefs, and dissemination outputs
- Build collaborations with academic, clinical, and policy partners to strengthen research output
- Position CRMY as a leader in cancer navigation and implementation science through sustained publication
- Develop a sustainable research pipeline that enables the department to continuously generate new knowledge beyond individual projects and grants.
QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES
- Degree in public health, behavioural science, implementation science or a related field. Postgraduate qualification (MPH, MSc, PhD) is strongly preferred
- At least 7 to 10 years of experience in programme design and implementation, and evaluation, preferably in health systems or community-based programmes
- Demonstrated ability to conceptualise research questions arising from programme implementation, design appropriate studies, lead analyses, and publish findings in peer-reviewed journals or equivalent policy outputs.
- Experience working with government, healthcare providers and community stakeholders in Malaysia
- Strong systems thinking with the ability to integrate existing models and translate them into scalable frameworks
- Strong experience in monitoring and evaluation, implementation science, and data-driven decision making
- Ability to work across disciplines including clinical, community and digital teams
- Strong leadership and people management skills
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with evolving priorities
