NGO JOBS

Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an international humanitarian aid organisation that provides assistance in more than 60 countries to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflicts, without discrimination and irrespective of race, religion, creed, or political affiliation.

The South African Medical Unit (SAMU) of MSF’s Operational Centre Brussels (MSF-OCB) was established in 2006, and provides support to projects with tuberculosis (TB) and HIV activities across Africa and beyond. This includes activities related to diagnosis and management of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB).

MSF-OCB is currently recruiting a TB/HIV Adviser to be based in Cape Town, South Africa as part of the SAMU team.

Main Objectives of the post

Support field teams in the definition and implementation of TB (both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant) and HIV activities, in both high and low burden settings
Increase MSF-OCB’s internal capacity to implement TB (including DR-TB) and HIV programmes with progressive and innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies
Participate in operational research on TB and HIV

Main functions

To give support and direction to MSF programmes with TB, DR-TB, and HIV activities in both high and low burden settings, in close collaboration with medical coordinators on the field, medical polyvalents in the Operations Department, other members of the Medical Department (paediatrician, pharmacist, patient support, infection control, etc), and external experts
To supervise strategic and technical aspects of these programmes
To conduct field support visits, including for project evaluations
To support the integration of TB care and treatment in HIV and other programmes
To contribute to the definition of policies, strategies and technical norms on TB, DR-TB, and HIV (with external expert network)
To participate in updating technical guidelines, strategic papers and tools for TB, DR-TB, and HIV, including in neglected diseases
To capitalise on MSF experience in these issues (e.g. contributing to the Medical Activity Report)
To participate in operational research in TB, DR-TB, and HIV in collaboration with those supporting operational research: define priority areas for research, suggest topics for specific projects, write protocols, supervise/coordinate study and data analysis, contribute to writing of reports/articles (e.g. MSF-OCB’s Medical Activity Report)
To organize briefings of field staff on TB, DR-TB, and HIV
To organize/participate in training courses organised by MSF
To participate as necessary in MSF’s international working groups
To help keep an overview (including data collection and program indicators) of all MSF-OCB activities related to TB and DR-TB
Contribute to medical advocacy where relevant
Contribute to the international strategic direction of TB and HIV/AIDS for the movement

Job requirements:

Candidate’s profile

• Medical doctor with additional training in tropical medicine
• Training in epidemiology and/or public health is an advantage
• A minimum of three years of field experience with MSF, including a minimum of 12 months in a project with MDR-TB activities
• Able to work independently and accept responsibility
• Able to work as part of a team
• Languages: English essential, French and Portuguese an advantage

Conditions

• Full-time
• Based in South Africa with frequent travel to field programmes
• Open-ended contract starting in January 2013
• Moral commitment of 3 years