Netherlands: Medical Emergency Manager

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent, medical, emergency relief organisation that provides assistance to people worldwide, regardless of their background, religion or political convictions. Above all, we aim to save lives and to offer medical care to victims of disasters, wars and epidemics. Working together with local staff, we give direct support to the population. MSF also appeals to those in power, including governments and international organisations, and speaks out about the abuses we encounter in the course of our work.

MSF coordinates operations through collaborations between global offices. ‘Artsen zonder Grenzen Nederland’ (MSF-Holland) has a partnership with offices in the UK and Germany. This partnership, known as ‘MSF Operational Centre Amsterdam’ (MSF-OCA), operates medical humanitarian interventions in about 25 countries. Annually, MSF-OCA deploys approximately 1,100 international staff and employs 7,000 national staff.

The Emergency Support Department (ESD) is part of operations and plays a key role in responding to (new) humanitarian emergencies. The ESD conducts exploratory and assessment missions; initiates and manages large scale emergency interventions; The ESD also provides support to existing missions/projects in promoting and guarding emergency response capacity, enabling continued functioning of existing projects in long-term emergency and/or high security settings. The ESD consists of a headquarter based Emergency Desk of five people, the Head of the Department and three Emergency Managers (one non-medical and two medical) and an Operations Support Officer. The ESD works in close collaboration with other functional and thematic support departments. Managed directly by the ESD is the OCA Emergency Team for rapid deployment in the field (approx. 15 positions, mixed medical and non-medical profiles).

The office of MSF-Holland located in Amsterdam hosts more than 250 employees, offering direct support to MSF-OCA operations:

Starting 1 February 2016 we are looking for a fulltime
Medical Emergency Manager
based in Amsterdam (NL)

The overall objective of the post is to provide emergency medical and public health leadership across ESD supported contexts and countries, to ensure MSF-OCA interventions effectively address the health needs of the populations we serve.

POSITION WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION

• Reports hierarchical to the Head of the Emergency Department
  
• Functionally manages the Medical Coordinators and Emergency Team members for each mission within his/her designated contexts;
  
• Functional support direct from the Deputy Medical Director (and from Public Health Department, PHD+);
  
• Functionally co-operates with the Operational Managers, Health Advisors, Heads of Missions / Emergency Coordinators.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Contributes to the promotion and enhancement of emergency relief expertise capacity and response within MSF OCA;
  
• In conjunction with the other Emergency Managers, provides (medical) support and strategic leadership to Emergency Coordinators/Managers & emergency interventions, operationally under or supported by the ESD. This requires a close working relationship with the PHD, to ensure continuity and quality of medical expertise within the organisation;
  
• Contributes to the operational policy (development, research, introduction, implementation and continuous improvement of our emergency humanitarian action) of the ESD and PHD; and formulation in relation to strategic and tactical issues (overall operations and organisational capacity);
  
• Initiates rapid response to emergencies, from HQ and /or through field missions;
  
• Detects and identifies potential emergency intervention needs through scanning and monitoring of high risk / unstable situations, outbreaks, chronic crises, conflicts etc.;
  
• Participates in the identification, planning and execution of exploratory missions;
  
• Participates in the definition, initiation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of emergency programs;
  
• Cooperates with the MSF emergency network to promote coherent action and reactivity;
  
• Facilitates internal training modules, preparatory/ management courses;
  
• Responsible for regular (internal and external) updates and reports on emergency interventions;
  
• Visits the emergency projects to manage/support, advise and evaluate these projects.

To ensure each emergency response under his/her management has a clear strategic medical direction for programming in reaction to emerging and changing health needs:

• Provide direction, support and coaching for Medical Coordinator(s) or direct to Emergency Coordinators and field teams;
  
• Create effective and timely working collaboration with relevant medical and logistical specialists to support field response;
  
• Design and develop relevant, effective health programming ;
  
• Support prioritization and de-prioritization of activities;
  
• Review of program data, strategy and implementation at control cycle points;
• Ensuring that MSF-OCA field practice meets internationally agreed medical ethics, standards and laws (quality of medicines, treatment protocols, transport of biological and pharmaceutical materials), given contextual constraints.
  
• Reviewing/approving key HR appointments (Medco, Project coordinators etc.) for field projects, and briefing/debriefing of field staff;
  
• Monitoring the quality, outcomes and achievements of programs.

PROFILE CANDIDATE

Required

• Medical Doctor or Registered Nurse, with broad knowledge and experience in the field of international public health;
  
• Relevant academic qualifications (minimum RN/MD and ideally Master of Public or International Health);
  
• Relevant clinical skills;
  
• Proven ability to provide strong leadership, strategy and vision in project/program management;
  
• Proven analytical skills in medical programming;
  
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills (oral and written); Capable of coaching and managing people and programs through “long distance communication” like telephone, email etc.
  
• Knowledge and experience in the humanitarian world; commitment and passion for the goals and work of MSF;
  
• Knowledge of MSF – preferably field and HQ, and of MSF policies and procedures;
  
• At least 4 years field based experience with a medical-humanitarian organization, preferably with MSF;
  
• Demonstrated involvement in emergencies including outbreak settings ( Cholera, Measles, VHF) unstable conflict, natural disaster responses;
  
• Ability to provide direct emergency support to field programs for up to 4 weeks at a time at short notice (i.e. 48hrs) across all ESD supported or future supported settings; Up to 40% of time may be in the field.
  
• Willingness to at times work irregular and long hours in the spirit of MSF. Available to work 5 days per week in office – this job does not allow for part –time or job sharing work;
  
• Willingness to travel to unstable and conflict settings;
  
• Flexible attitude, stress resistant; Problem solving attitude and “Can-do” mentality.
  
• Fluency in English.

Preferred

• Knowledge and experience in the field of epidemiology, and/or a relevant clinical specialty (e.g. tropical medicine, nutrition, infectious diseases, paediatrics);
  
• Experience with MSF as a medical coordinator or in a line management role (HoM or PC).
  
• Good comprehension of French or Arabic

WE OFFER

• A contract for one year with a renewal option (subject to satisfactory performance).
  
• Salary grade 8 (with a gross monthly salary between € 3,559 and € 5,082 depending on relevant professional experience and based upon a 40-hour working week).
  
• Other benefits include 30 holidays and a premium free pension.

If you are interested in this post and would like additional information, please contact current Medical Emergency Manager Kate White kate.white@amsterdam.msf.org or the head of the ESD Karline Kleijer, Karline.Kleijer@amsterdam.msf.org

If you recognize yourself in the profile, please click herehttps://ldd.tbe.taleo.net/ldd03/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=MSFOCA&cws=53&rid=12579

to apply directly through our website and upload a updated CV and motivation letter in one combined document.

The application deadline is 28 December 2016