OPERATIONAL CELL4-BASED HEALTH ADVISOR LATIN AMERICA (TESACO LATAM) At Médecins Sans Frontières

GENERAL CONTEXT

Médecins Sans Frontières is an international independent medical-humanitarian organization which offers assistance to populations in distress, victims of natural or man-made disasters and victims of armed conflict, without discrimination and irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation.

MSF is a civil society initiative that brings together individuals committed to the assistance of other human beings in crisis. As such, MSF is, by choice, an association. Each individual working with MSF does it out of conviction and is ready to uphold the values and principles of MSF.

The MSF movement is built around five operational directorates supported by MSF’s 21 sections, 24 associations and other offices together worldwide. MSF OCBA is one of those directorates. The operations are implemented by field teams and the mission coordination teams; together with the organizational units based in Barcelona and delocalised in Nairobi, Dakar and Amman, and the most recent one, Bogotá. The field operations are guided and supported by 5 Operational Cells, the Emergency Unit and other departments supporting operations.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE AND JOB ENVIROMENT

MSF OCBA Strategic Plan 2020-2023 strongly reasserts the commitment to assist populations affected by violence and to respond to emergencies, prioritising those where MSF can have the biggest impact and be more relevant. Community engagement strategies, active listening and involvement of patients and communities in the design, monitoring and implementation of our programs will become a cornerstone of our action.

The main objective of the Health Advisor position is to define and orient the OCBA medical strategy in Latin America, mainly (but not only) related to assist populations affected by Other Situations of Violence (OSV) and Conflicts, and with regards to transversal areas like internal displacement and transcontinental migration, sexual violence, forced disappearance, urban violence, civil unrest, or torture. Thus, provision of quality medical care, mental health, comprehensive care for survivors of sexual violence and ill treatment, and safe abortion care are crucial in LATAM portfolio, where community-based interventions will bring proximity to the most vulnerable.

He/she is hierarchically accountable to the LATAM Operations Manager of Cell4 (RECO4), while functionally linked to the Head of the Operational Medical Unit, bridge between Operations and Medical Departments.

MAIN RESPONSABILITIES AND TASKS

1. To lead the innovation of medical strategies associated to Other Situations of Violence (OSV)

• Detect opportunities and propose innovative solutions to enrich medical response in OSV contexts within LATAM missions or in other contexts, including continuum of care through pre-hospital, mobile clinics and distance care by use of social media/phone.
• Coordinate and consolidate medical referents support according to context.
• Incorporate strategic advice to develop medical referents support.
• Contribute to potentiate OSV networking, including MSF entities in LATAM.
• Contribute to develop collaboration with regional medical resources.

2. Provide strategic and technical support to field teams in LATAM Cell portfolio

• Collaborate with and give medical-operational support to the teams in the field in all phases of the project cycle (design of project proposal, planning, implementation, 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-operational support to the assigned portfolio, considering operational orientations and the input from support services.
• Support emergencies when needed, to ensure effectiveness of our response.
• Promote cross-fertilization between missions/projects and contribute to capitalize LATAM portfolio experiences that can contribute to MSF know-how.
• Contribute to create and sustain LATAM inter-mission medical support platforms.

3. Supervise and support implementation of policies and plans

• Ensure that the organization’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.
• Ensure compliance to Medical Local Purchase Policy in all LATAM missions, including validation of Medical Orders by TESACO.
• Contribute to implementation of the annual operational plan in the projects within portfolio, according to medical policies.

4. Follow up projects and support reporting

• Analyze the fulfilment of operational and medical objectives, and feed medical-operational monitoring and analysis.
• Follow up of the achievement of the general objectives and expected results of the projects in the medical area through field visits and technical reports.
• Analyze and follow up through managerial dashboard of the key medical performance indicators generated at mission level (HMIS).
• Support Mission Coordination Teams, with focus on Mission Medical Coordination Team, on analysis and monitoring of operational and medical objectives of their mission.

5. Internal communication/training

• Carry out medical operational briefings and debriefings of all members of Mission Coordination Teams.
• Carry out technical briefings and debriefings of Medical Coordinators, Deputy Medical Coordinators and PMRs in his/her Cell, involving the technical Referents of the Medical Department when needed.
• Participate in internal and external courses/information sessions imparted by MSFE/OCBA or other entities in agreement with his/her corresponding RECO.
• Maintain good networking and exchange of information with MSF entities and medical partners in the region like BRAMU, CAMINO or other Health Advisors.
• Promote and support exchange of information between medical platforms currently functioning in LATAM portfolio.

6. Others

• This position is member and contributes to the TESACOs Platform; upon request and according to availability, represents the Platform providing input and guidance to strategies/dossiers.
• 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.
• Organize regular exchanges with other operational units managing different portfolios and other relevant stakeholders.
• Agree with the Medical Department and provide support/recommendations on any operational research and surveys conducted in the field.
• Participate in the medical on-call system in HQ according to schedule.
• Participate in the operational back-ups as per need.
• 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).
• Provide input, review and approve external medical advocacy reports.

SELECTION CRITERIA

• Health/medical physician having a good knowledge of health management of humanitarian projects, knowledge of public health, mental health and epidemiology.
• Operational background on Other Situations of Violence, preferably in Latin America.
• Experience of minimum 2 years in field medical-humanitarian projects, preferable with MSF and/or in Latin America and international contexts.
• Previously experience as Medical Coordinator and/or Head of Mission in MSF or a similar humanitarian organization is highly valued.
• Fluent in English and Spanish, French is an asset.
• Advanced knowledge of Windows setting as a user (mainly Word and Excel).
• Availability to travel frequently and on short notice.
• Flexibility with working hours.

CONDITIONS

• Position will be based in Bogotá at the Médecins Sans Frontières-OCBA Cell office with frequent travelling and visits to the field projects abroad (aprox. 25 %).
• Desirable commitment with the position of min. 3 years.
• Full time position.
• Salary conditions and secondary benefits will be subject to MSF-OCBA Rewards Policy in Colombia.
• Starting date: January 2023.