STAFF HEALTH MEDICAL REFERENT

Médecins Sans Frontières, founded in 1971, is an international medical humanitarian organization that provides emergency medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters or exclusion from health care. Our teams are made up of tens of thousands of medical professionals, logistics, administrative and various other professions, all guided by our medical ethics and our principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality.

MSF WaCA, created in 2019, is the first MSF headquarters in Africa, and responds to the desire to reinvent the MSF movement after 50 years of humanitarian actions in the world, for more access to care, more reactivity and proactivity for greater medical coverage of affected populations in the world.

Why join us?

You are preparing to become a member of the MSF family, with over 50 years of emergency medical action that earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.

We are an inclusive organization that considers social and professional well-being a right for all and provides an environment that considers the diversity of each member.

MSF WaCA claims an African anchorage that considers the local expertise with which it contributes to the implementation of its activities and makes each member, a key actor of the new dynamics of the humanitarian action in the world.

We are looking for: STAFF HEALTH MEDICAL REFERENT

Department: Human Resources

Direct Manager: Head of Staff Health Unit

Working %: 100%

Based in: Abidjan, HQ

Mobility: All WaCA’s Interventions Zones

Type of Contract: Fixed-Term Renewable

Position to be filled: As soon as possible

Objectives

The Staff Health Medical Referent is vital for ensuring the health and well-being of MSF staff. This role involves pre-departure health check-ups, advice on specific health conditions, briefings and debriefings, contribute to the development and implementation of SHU strategy & staff health policies, and direct involvement in medical evacuations. The position requires on-call availability during nights and weekends, according to a specific shared schedule, and includes field visits to support MSF WaCA missions when required.

Main responsibilities

•  Conduct pre-departure health check-ups and ensure that staff are informed about health risks and care available in mission areas.

•  Ensure the briefings and debriefings of all newly appointed staff in HQ and managers/ coordinators prior to their departure in the field (Medical Coordinators, PMR, HRCo…).

•   Develop and implement a system of accessible and reliable for pre-departure/annual checks for mobile staff (international & detached).

•   Support national & international staff to access medical care when/if required.

•   Ensure that people with specific health conditions are well informed and safe about access to available healthcare and the level of risk taken when accepting a mission.

•    Collaborate with MSF WaCA's psychologist in the management of specific cases. 

•   Contribute to the development and implementation of staff health policies for locally hired and internationally mobile staff (HQ & missions)

•    Participate in a night and weekend on-call system to ensure 24/7 availability for guidance and support in the management of medical emergencies and critical incidents for MSF WaCA staff in the field.

•    Facilitate medical evacuations, maintain communication with all parties involved until the individual returns home.

•    Support in the organization of annual medical checks for all HQ staff.

•     Work in close collaboration with other units & departments (security, safety, safeguarding, logistics, IT, legal, medical…)

•      Support the collection, monitoring, analysis and reporting of all activities related to staff health.

•   Collect, monitor, analyze, and report on health data medical referent activities, participate in unit meetings, and propose recommendations to improve the staff health management in MSF WaCA.

•     Contribute to the development and update of guidelines, medical leaflets and training modules on staff health management in field missions & HQ in collaboration with the SHU Medical referent & advisors in other OCs.

•     Contribute to the development and monitoring of the annual plan and budget of the SHU including SHU strategy for 2026-2031.

•     Support the Reward Review ongoing process at the international level when required by the head of SHU.

•     Support the management of healthcare insurances for staff based in HQ & missions and facilitate the implementation of the Insurance support team’s recommendations.

Education & technical skills

•          Medical Doctor Degree

Technicals/Essentials Skills

•          Proficient in interpreting medical reports and offering informed recommendations.

•          Knowledge of medical evacuation procedures and protocols is beneficial.

•          Skilled in providing medical guidance and support during critical incidents.

•          Familiar with occupational health principles and practices.

•          Ability to work independently.

•          Effective stress management.

•          Strong intercultural competencies.

•          Excellent communication skills.

•          Ethics & respect of confidentiality

•          Excellent organizational skills

•          Teamwork and cooperation

Soft Skills

•          Flexible and approachable demeanor.

•          Creativity

•          Ability to think out of the box.

•          Kindness and active listening

•          Empathy and sensitivity in dealing with health concerns.

Professional experience required

•          Minimum 5 years of clinical experience, including Tropical Medicine, is essential.

•          Field experience with MSF or another international NGO

•          Experience in Travel Medicine, Medical Coordination position, and Occupational Health is highly desirable

Languages Skills

•          French and English (mandatory)

Computer Skills

•          Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, Word), Outlook

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MSF offers equal recruitment and development opportunities without any form of discrimination based on gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, geographical origin, physical disability or any other discriminatory ground.

Female candidates who meet the requirements are strongly encouraged to apply.

N.B.: This job description provides a framework for the main responsibilities and primary activities of the position. It is not exhaustive. Therefore, the responsibilities and activities of the position may differ from those described in this job description due to organizational and operational needs.

Deadline: 15th January 2025 18:00 GMT
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.