Medical Support Officer At Médecins Sans Frontières

BRAMU – Brazilian Medical Unit

BRAMU is a medical unit that responds to Médecins Sans Frontières projects in the Latin American region.

Their professionals provide technical support as requested by the Operational Centers based on project needs. The main activities constitute the following: Technical Support to MSF missions in Latin America, provision of training, development of institutional partnerships, and support to MSF Brazil advocacy unit in medical topics.

The growing challenges in the Latin American region around migration, violence, environmental health crisis, and other emerging health issues have made the unit move towards a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach using applied social sciences, evidence-based medicine, and epidemiology.

OBJECTIVE

To strengthen and develop the institutional medical work of MSF Brazil through institutional representation by connecting MSF with experts and innovative actors in Latin America. In addition, this position acts 50% of the time as a focal point in the region to support operations on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD).

RESPONSIBILITIES:

MSF-Brazil institutional medical support:

• Contribute to enlarging and maintaining a regional institutional medical network and initiatives by participating in strategic meetings/conferences/events/workshops.
• Support the MSF Brazil directorate in analyzes of key relationships with partners in NTDs, such as DNDI, Fiocruz, etc.
• Support Fundraising and Communications departments in activities requiring medical advice, such as information and communication strategies on medical topics. Validate medical content for articles, interviews, magazines, donor consultations on medical issues, etc.
• Support the Management Team of MSF-Brazil in medical reflections and institutional representation when necessary.
• Support advocacy unit in MSF Brazil with medical topics
• Support staff health focal point in MSF Brazil to revise and adapt staff health protocols if needed.
• Participates in relevant national forums/events to disseminate/represent BRAMU/MSF-Brazil’s position on humanitarian medical issues.
• Contribute to the reflection on medical and humanitarian issues in the region through analysis and brainstorming exercises with MSF and external partners.
• Act as point of contact for MSF-Brazil institutional issues in the absence of the BRAMU director.
• Collaborate with the MSF- Brazil association to develop a medical network, participating as a medical representative in the different association initiatives when relevant.
• Contribute to BRAMU’s strategy and planning
• Follows up on events/conferences/webinars pertinent to the Unit’s portfolio
• Supports BRAMUs documentation and information management

NTDs-related activities:

• Providing appropriate technical assistance on NTDs to medical field teams in Latin America (remote and field visits)
• Establishing guidance and best practices for the NTDs regional portfolio in the specified area(s).
• Focus on specific NTD dossiers based on the needs identified by OCB and the working group. Dengue and Chagas disease will be part of these.
• Participating in related OCB medical circles
• Creating and maintaining a documentation system to preserve the region’s MSF institutional background history of NTDs.
• Communicating and coordinating with MSF regional projects and MoH partners to implementing NTD activities to maximize resources.
• Liaising with regional technical actors and scientific institutions working in the field of Neglected Tropical Diseases to identify and develop coordinated efforts or initiatives toward NTD control or elimination.
• Participating in relevant NTDs forums and debates about access issues in the region.
• Conveying information about new developments in NTDs to provide updates of literature and the latest initiatives to HQ and field staff.
• Supporting staff skills training on NTDs within the scope of work.
• Implement or provide technical support to operational research linked to NTDs in the LA region.
• Support the development of NTD communication and health promotion materials
• Contribution to transversal topics where NTDs are relevant

NOTE: This position will be based in the Brazilian Medical Unit (BRAMU) and work in close collaboration with the Operational Center Brussels OCB (Medical Department and Operations).

EDUCATION

• Medical degree with specific training or experience in tropical diseases or Infectious Diseases
• Expertise with NTDs. Demonstrated expertise in Dengue and Chagas disease and desirable Zika and Leishmaniasis. Knowledge and experience with more of these diseases are preferred.
• Master’s/PhD in Public/International Health or equivalent professional experience is an asset

EXPERIENCE:

• Medical Humanitarian field projects (differential)
• Experience working with NTDs in the Latin American region, particularly with vulnerable populations groups
• Experience working in the public health sector
• Established professional relationships with key stakeholders in the NTD sector is an asset
• MSF experience is an asset

LANGUAGES:

• Fluent in Portuguese or Spanish
• English (intermediate or fluent)

SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Deep knowledge of the South American region
• Public Health/International Health
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong communication and presentation skills.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Commitment to MSF principles.
• Service Orientation
• Planning and Organization
• Behavioral Flexibility