Spain: OPERATIONAL CELL 1 -BASED HEALTH ADVISOR Middle East/Latin America (based in Barcelona)
Country: Spain
Closing date: 07 Feb 2014
Médecins Sans Frontières-OCBA (Operational Centre Barcelona – Athens) is looking for a:
OPERATIONAL CELL 1 -BASEDHEALTH ADVISORMiddle East/Latin America Portfolio
(Position based in Barcelona)
GENERAL CONTEXTMédecins Sans Frontières is an international independent medical-humanitarian organization, which offers assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict, without discrimination and irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation.
The MSF movement is built around five operational directorates supported by 23 sections and offices worldwide. MSF OCBA is one of those directorates. The operations are implemented by 41 field teams and 20 mission coordination teams and organizational units based in Barcelona, Athens, Nairobi and Buenos Aires. The field operations are guided and supported by 5 Operational Cells, the Emergency Unit and other departments supporting operations.
GENERAL OBJECTIVE AND CONTEXTThe Operational Cell 1-based Health Advisor (TESACO-1, 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 and standards with those of other departments represented in the Operational Cell 1 (CO1, in Spanish), and that result is appropriate with the context of the missions assigned to the operational portfolio of the Op-Cell-1.
The post is placed in the operational unit (CO1) charged with the Middle Income portfolios, mainly the Middle East and to a lesser degree, Latin America within the Department of Operations. However the TESACO-1 will be the interface between of the Medical Department and the Operational Cell.
He/she is hierarchically accountable to the concerned Head of the Operational Cell-1 (RECO-1, in Spanish), and to its Deputy, while functionally linked to the Head of the Operational Medical Service of the Medical Department.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES, FUNCTIONS AND TASKS 1. 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 (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 Dept’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 (Emergency 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 statistics 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.
5.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.
Contribute to his/her Operational Cell• 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 backups.• 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
SELECTION CRITERIAEducation and Experience• Health/ medical physician) having good knowledge of health management of humanitarian projects, basic knowledge of public health and epidemiology.• A GP practitioner with hands on experience of chronic diseases in line with the desirable the portfolio of Middle Income countries• Experience of minimum 2 years in field medical-humanitarian projects. • MSF experience desirable• Previously experienced as Medical Coordinator and/or Head of Mission in MSF or a similar humanitarian organisation is highly valued• Arabic would be an additional asset. Very good level of spoken and written English is essential. French and or Spanish would be an asset but is not essential.
• Good level user level of MS Office package
Others• Knowledge of Middle Eastern health system 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 • Security Awareness and Management
POST CONDITIONS• Position based in Barcelona at the Médecins Sans Frontières-OCBA HQ with frequent travelling and visits to the field projects abroad (aprox. 35 %).• Full time position.• Minimum commitment of 3 years is required• Annual gross salary: 42,866.91 (divided in 12 monthly payments) + secondary benefits, based on MSF OCBA reward policy• Starting date: March 2014
How to apply:
Applicants please send CV and motivation covering letter under the reference “TESACO C1” to:Médicos Sin Fronteras / Dpto. RRHHC/ Nou de la Rambla, 2608001 Barcelonarecruitment-bcn@barcelona.msf.org
Closing date: 7th February. Replies will only be sent to short-listed candidates.
