Emergency Pool Mobile Project Medical Referent

This post has only been published in English as it requires a very good knowledge of  English.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides assistance in more than 70 countries to populations in distress, to victims of natural or manmade disasters and to victims of armed conflicts, without discrimination and irrespective of origin, religion, creed or political affiliation.  

MSF Operational Centre Brussels is looking for a: 

Emergency Pool Mobile Project Medical Referent (m/f/x) - MSF Belgium 

Context 

Within the Operations Department of MSF Belgium (Operational Center Brussels - OCB), our Emergency Pool (E-Pool) has as primary function to intervene directly and quickly with medical activities in crisis situations such as conflicts, epidemics, outbreaks and natural disasters while guaranteeing the quality of interventions. It is also tasked with the monitoring and identification of crises that may arise. 

The E-Pool consists of Emergency Coordinators and specialists based in Brussels as well as an Emergency Pool Mobile Team composed by 25 to 30 emergency responders (E-Pool Mobile Coordinators and technicians) coordinating emergencies in the countries of MSF intervention. An ad hoc task force may be created inside the E-Pool for specific and acute emergency operations. 

Members of the E-Pool Mobile Team travel at short notice to any context where the E-Pool is leading interventions, operating in a roving capacity. For at least 70% of the time, they undertake successive several short-term assignments between 6 weeks to 3 months, though in exceptional cases, it may extend beyond 3 months. In between assignments, they focus on briefings, debriefings, report writing, trainings or work on specific files, tools, etc. They may, in exceptional circumstances, be requested to work remotely, either to support a country of intervention or to focus on specific transversal topics.  

As Emergency Pool Mobile Project Medical Referent (PMR), you have the critical responsibility to assess, define, design, plan, implement and monitor the medical response and activities in emergency projects to meet the immediate health-related needs of populations in precarious situations. You also coordinate human and material related resources needed in order to ensure the quality of care provided by MSF. You may also be requested to provide specific support or training for the teams in place.  

Priority will be given to assignments in emergency interventions on PMR positions, but other medical positions could also be covered to support more directly the project. The Medical Emergency Coordinator of the E-pool manages the team of medical mobile staff.  While being in the programs, the normal hierarchy exists, thus line management by Project Coordinator and technical support by Medical Coordinator of the country of operation.  

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Define, implement and monitor medical activities during the emergency response, in accordance with MSF's charter, policies, protocols and ethical principles with consideration for international and national laws, in order to ensure the delivery of quality medical care for patients and their communities as well as to improve the health condition and humanitarian living conditions of the target population, and in collaboration with the Project Coordinator and the rest of team, the Medical Coordinator, and MoH partners 
• Participate in high quality and timely exploratory assignments and situation assessments (defining medical operational priorities when needed) and the development of the project policy, budget review and project proposal  
• Identify health staffing needs for emergency interventions and ensure rapid and qualitative recruitment, induction and training of new medical staff  
• Provide technical support to medical personnel in the project through self-knowledge and policies, ensuring compliance with the protocols of MSF medical activities  
• Coordinate, supervise, coach, support, and evaluate the medical team members’ performance to improve the medical components of the project and ensure compliance with MSF protocols and standards as well as MoH protocols  
• Be responsible for the medical data collection, monitoring, analysis and reporting to the Medical Coordination to enhance the effectiveness and quality of the medical activities as part of the emergency intervention 
• Supervise an efficient management of the MSF program pharmacy and medical equipment, in collaboration with the logistics department and project biomedical service and in consideration of program directions and protocol changes. Monitor consumption and preparation of medical orders to provide drugs, medical materials, medical devices, and consumables at all circumstances and avoid stock shortage 
• Provide reports on the project’s evolution from the medical perspective, as required, and is responsible for the medical library of the project. Inform the medical program staff of all materials available, and keeps all medical documents updated in the database   
• Implement the health policy for both international mobile and local staff; provide all prophylactic and preventive necessary measures, structures and emergency plans; manage any medical evacuation in order to ensure MSF staff health  
• Represent MSF at local medical authorities and keep regular contact with other counterparts in the project (NGOs, local organizations, donors, authorities) in order to broaden the medical-humanitarian situation analysis, strengthening the impact of the medical intervention and supporting advocacy actions to raise humanitarian awareness  
• Close emergency interventions included the handover of medical activities to other actors and ensure the proper archiving of medical files at the end of an intervention  

REQUIREMENTS 

Education and Experience 

• Essential, degree in medicine or paramedical studies  
• Masters in Public Health (or similar) is an asset 
• Diploma in tropical medicine or to have at least 1 years of working experience in a tropical context is an asset 
• Minimum of 3 years of MSF (or other INGOs) experience in projects in developing countries 
• Minimum of 1 year MSF experience as PMR in emergency interventions 

Competencies 

• Strong technical skills related to primary health care, maternal and child health, reproductive health, communicable diseases, vaccination, malnutrition, emergency preparedness and response 
• Strategic vision   
• Dynamism, rigor and reactivity 
• Resistance to stress, ability to adapt to different contexts  
• Leadership (able to set priorities, make choices and assume decisions) 
• Experience in supervising, capacity building, coaching and training being a strong asset 
• Flexibility – Autonomy 

Languages 

• English and/or French essential  
• Arabic and/or Spanish/Portuguese is an asset 

Other 

• Availability to travel to any country on short notice  

CONDITIONS 

• Expected starting date: As soon as possible 
• Location: Mainly carried out in the countries of intervention (all contexts) - based in the country of residence in between assignments 
• Mobility: At least 70% 
• Contract type: Fixed term contract – Full-time 
• Contract duration: 12 months 
• Salary as per MSF international salary grid  
• The contractual terms, conditions and salary will be established according to the official residence of the selected candidate and in respect of MSF standard function and salary grids 
• Medical insurance 100% covered as per international package; 45 paid leaves; Accomplishment bonus of 1.5-month salary upon completion of 12-month contract 
• No family position  
• Adhere to the MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment  
• Adhere to the MSF Behavioral Commitments  

Deadline for applications:  2nd of October 2024 

How to apply? 

Please, send your CV and cover letter to the following link.  

Position only open to candidates with previous MSF experience!  

No MSF experience? Check out other job offers on our website.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.  

MSF values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, color or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.  

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