Health Advisor at Médecins Sans Frontières

Operational Cell5-based Health Advisor
(TESACO Cell 5)
(Position based in Nairobi)

GENERAL OBJECTIVE AND JOB ENVIROMENT

The Operational Cell 5 (OC5) - based Health Advisor (TESACO, in Spanish) will disseminate and implement the policies and standards defined by the Medical Department and will ensure the alignment of the Medical Department policies with those of Operations and other departments represented in the OC5, and that results are appropriate with the context of the missions assigned to the portfolio of the OC5.

S/he ensures the quality of the programmes as well as the respect for the medical ethics and MSF humanitarian principles in the missions managed by the Cell, through technical supervision, follow-up and advice.

The Health Advisor is part of the Operational Cell 5, which oversees the following and current portfolio of missions: Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.
He/she will be the interface between of the Medical Department, the medical staff in the field and the OC5.

He/she is hierarchically accountable to the Head of the OC5 (RECO1, in Spanish), while functionally linked to the Head of the Operational Medical Service of the Medical Department.

He/she supervise technically and hierarchically the TESACO support position in the cell ( following up Pharmacy, HMIS , Staff health , telemedicine use and any other specific topics assigned by the TESACO)

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES, FUNCTIONS AND TASKS

Provide strategic and technical support to field teams

• Collaborate with and give technical support to the teams in the field in all phases of the project cycle (needs assessment, design of project proposal, planning, monitoring and evaluation, project re-orientation, expansion or closure), for regular, exploratory, and emergency missions.
• Define and justify the medical strategy of the projects within portfolio, ensuring it is aligned with both Operations and Medical Department’s objectives.
• Assist in establishing networks with national health actors and medical academia.
• Support missions with medical advice when drafting the annual planning of the projects, in close collaboration with the rest of the members of his/her cell and the support of the Medical department.
• Provide medical technical support to the assigned portfolio, taking into account operational orientations and the input from support services.
• Support emergencies when needed, to ensure effectiveness of our response.

Supervise and support implementation of policies and plans

• Ensure that the Organisation’s medical principles, guidelines, and policies are implemented, as well as the recommendations mentioned in the different medical evaluations. Identify report on, and challenge situations in which their implementation is not viable or may hinder the achievement of operational objectives.
• Contribute to implementation of the annual operational plan in the projects within portfolio, according to medical policies.

Ensure appropriate procurement, monitoring and management of medical supplies

• Ensure the correct monitoring and management of medical supplies by the medical teams in the field, together with the Medical Coordinator. Ensure that all procedures followed for local purchases, and donations, of medical commodities.
• Validate all medical orders that fall under the “exceptions” category of the procurement protocol.
• Ensure that emergency buffer stocks in the missions are consistent with the EPP (Preparedness Plan) jointly with Technical Referents.
• Ensure the quality of medical interventions comply with MSF standards; though proper monitoring of medical reporting from the Field, ensuring that policies in force complied with.

Follow up projects and support reporting

• Ensure timely and accurate medical and pharmacy reporting is submitted by missions; to analyse the fulfilment of operational and medical objectives, and feed medical-operational monitoring and analysis.
• Follow up the technical medical part of the projects through field visits and technical reports.
• Analyse the medical information, statistics, qualitative information, surveys and guide the mission accordingly.
• Support the medical teams in the field when drafting the technical parts of reports for donors, ratifying them with his/her Deputy RECO before submitting them to the corresponding donors.

Participate in Human Resources processes and training

• Collaborate with the REHUCO (Human Resources Op-cell Technician) in reviewing and approving descriptions of field positions, based on job profiles.
• Collaborate with Human Resources Department in the assignment of field positions.
• Participate in the support and development of Medical Coordinators.
• Carry out technical briefings and debriefings of medical professionals in his/her cell, involving the Technical Referents of the Medical Department when needed, and identify individual training needs.
• Ensure that medical teams receive technical and methodological information through briefings of Medical field Coordinators, specific sessions, coordinators’ weeks, technical publications, etc.
• Participate in internal and external courses/information sessions imparted by MSFE/OCBA in agreement with his/her corresponding RECO.
• Guide, support, and evaluate the TESACO Support position. Organise the division of tasks and responsibilities.

Contribute to his/her Operational Cell

• Support RECO/Dep-RECO in presenting to Dir/Ops and emergency committee platform project proposals , COPROs and specific medical topics as requested by the platform.
• Be globally acquainted with all the projects as well as the current situation in each one of them.
• Represent the Cell during field visits.
• Actively participate in decision making processes within his/her Operational Cell.

Others

• Manage the communication channels with the teams in the field and /or the Medical Department, for issues that affect assigned portfolio.
• Consult support services for sparring and as technical content providers when needed.
• Organise regular exchanges with other operational units managing different portfolios and other relevant stakeholders.
• Agreeing with the Medical Department on operational research surveys conducted in the field.
• Participate in the medical on-call process in HQ. Participate in the operational back-ups.
• Ensure that knowledge management policies are implemented at his/her level of responsibility (e.g. ensure that the History of the projects with regards to technical aspects is preserved).
• Participate in the accountability transversal processes at his/her level of responsibility
• Establish, nurture and maintain a strong relationship, coordination and collaboration with the department in Nairobi Office: Displacement unit, Medical advocacy advisor;
• To seek for opportunities and needs in operations which could improve the support, research and innovation capacity of the operational centre.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Education and Experience:

• Health practitioner (physician preferred) with strong knowledge of health management of humanitarian projects. Knowledge of public health and epidemiology is desirable.
• Experience of minimum 3 years in field medical-humanitarian projects.
• Previously experienced as Medical Coordinator and/or Head of Mission in MSF or a similar humanitarian organisation is highly valued.
• Very good level of spoken and written English is essential. Knowledge of Arabic and or Spanish would be an asset but is not essential.
• Good level user level of MS Office package

Others:

• Knowledge of the East Africa region context and health systems a considerable plus.
• Availability to travel frequently and on short notice.
• Flexibility with working hours.

Competencies:

• Commitment to MSF’s Principles
• Cross-cultural Awareness
• Behavioural Flexibility
• Strategic Vision
• Results and Quality Orientation
• Service Orientation
• Planning and Organising
• Initiative and Innovation
• Teamwork and Cooperation
• Leadership

POST CONDITIONS:

• Position based in Nairobi-Kenya at the Médecins Sans Frontières-Nairobi Branch Office, with frequent travelling and visits to the field projects abroad (aprox. 35 %).
• Full time position.
• Annual gross salary of KES 6,217,417 and Secondary benefits, based on MSF OCBA Nairobi Branch Office reward policy.
• Starting date: Immediately.