Medical Advisor (Emergency Program)

Position Title: Medical Advisor (Emergency Program)

Location: North East Syria with possible periods of remote work (Dohuk) due to external factors in the Country

Period: 6 months with possible renewal

Closing date of the vacancy: 13/02/2022 (applications on a rolling basis)

Starting date: March 15^th 2022

Context Presentation: Un Ponte Per (UPP) is an Italian NGO established in 1991. It started its activities as “Un ponte per Baghdad”, in the aftermath of the first Gulf war, with the aim of organizing solidarity initiatives in support of the Iraqi civilian population. In subsequent years, UPP missions expanded to include Serbia and other Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries. The NGO aims at preventing armed conflicts, protecting human rights and supporting local civil society, especially in the Middle East, by promoting the nexus between its humanitarian, peacebuilding and development programs.

Since 2015, UPP has been one of the leading INGOs in the North East Syria (NES) response. Providing humanitarian aid and capacity building of local actors in Health and Protection as well as environmental health, including waste management. In partnership with local partners, UPP has been able to develop a comprehensive system of health services delivered in 26 facilities, including mobile units, hospitals, primary health care centres, and an ambulance network. For further information please refer to our website: www.unponteper.it/en/

CONTEXT BACKGROUND: Conflict and displacement continue to affect North East Syria (NES), while needs are heightened due to the COVID-19 outbreak, impacting the provision of healthcare services, especially in remote areas and IDPs camps across all governorates. In continuation with previous Actions, UPP and partners aim to ameliorate living conditions and save lives of war-affected persons in NES by improving access to emergency and primary health care, life-saving obstetric and Reproductive Health (RH) services, and support the COVID-19 preparedness and response. Through a strengthened community-based strategy, UPP and partners will provide prevention outreach in health and protection to support local resilience. Through a flexible structure and a wide geographic coverage, the Action aims to provide the capacity to quickly assess and respond to emerging health and protection needs in different locations in NES.

DEFINITION OF THE POST: The Medical Advisor (MA) will work under the supervision of the Medical Coordinator in the Health Department in collaboration with the HoM and Health desks of UPP NES Mission to ensure the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the activities related to emergency, in UPP supported facilities in NES, through the design and the application of a comprehensive Emergency Programme and related Clinical Protocols or the revision of existing ones.

The MA role is also to advice the Programme Department in the decision-making process and deliver project related documents according to donor requirement, with the programmatic direction and guidance of the Programme Manager.

Key Duties and Responsibilities: The medical advisor will be responsible for:

Technical guidance:

• Providing technical advice and guidance to Program Department and to Mission Management in the sector of intervention which the advisor is assigned (Emergency)
• Designing, planning and ensuring implementation of an emergency program and related clinical protocols (in line with recognized international standards, and organizational mandate),
• Designing, planning, and providing technical advice with regards the referral, and ambulance system in NES
• Advice, and Review medication consumption in health care centers.
• Designing and organizing the registration and health care communication programs, and general clinical records and morbidity communication
• Coordinating and advising on the functional design and operation of the services in the clinical medical and nursing services, both in emergency and program development,
• Advising and organizing the general clinical services with particular capacity for planning, developing and training of emergency program in primary care settings
• Developing the linkage of patient services as part of the emergency programs connection with Maternal Program, Healthy child program and Chronic diseases program
• Developing and organizing all aspects of emergency services, such as allocation, distribution and organization of staff, patient flows, of emergency intervention involving, doctors, nurses and paramedics
• Advising and organizing the accountability activities of centers and units in front of patients and communities
• Develop and design comprehensive quarterly training calendar and provide essential training to medical and non-medical staff in emergency services, in particular: emergency algorithms; ambulance services accreditation; pharma protocols; medical commodities supply chain
• Supervising the overall work of two UPP local Medical Advisors in charge of monitoring centers’ activities

Human Resources and Capacity Management:

• Supporting, advising and organizing a quarterly training curriculum for doctors, nurses, paramedics and CHWs in line with health strategy, HWG and policy makers in the region
• Supervise and mentor the national health project staff in the implementation of the health activities, by setting clear objectives and assisting the team achieve them
• In close collaboration with the Medical Coordinator, participate in the planning, definition and sizing of the health-workforce in the mission projects and supervise the associated processes (job description, recruitment, validation of medical staff, training/induction, appraisal).
• Engagement and support by offering regular updates and corrective measures in line with sector strategy for the medical department and the evolution of health issues in the operational spaces on a regular basis

External Coordination:

• Be aware, engaged and informed on health actor interventions in areas of operation
• In coordination with MC, ensure that HWG data and requirements are available and referred to for sectorial knowledge and development
• Develop relationships with Health Authorities, Health Cluster, NGOs, and partners with the objective of ensuring good co-operation and partnerships.
• Accompany donors on field trips, and ensure programme details are transmitted in a timely and professional manner

Strategic Development:

• Contributing in the decision-making processes related to the design and implementation of strategies and tools related to the specific sector of intervention (Emergency)
• Identify gaps in emergency sector and propose/contribute to strategic development for programming factoring in sector specific requirements

Programme Co-ordination:

• Elaborating M&E data for reporting purpose – Supporting the project managers in the reporting activities Monitoring the overall functioning of emergency services and programs in the targeted facilities, meeting the challenges identifying gaps and bottlenecks, recommending possible solution pathways
• Supervise, monitor and update the health activity progress in participatory decision making against the workplan, project plan, budget/medical logistics in coordination with the departmental focal points and project manager with contribution from implementing partners
• Conducting regular field monitoring visits engaging with partners, and developing and implementing contingency tools for remote monitoring in case physical access is limited due to extra ordinary circumstances
• Advising and collaborating with the Project Manager in relation to project activities, implementation, monitoring, and reporting

Reporting:

• Supervise and monitor the development of reporting systems for health data collection, analysis and follow-up and feedback to relevant staff, donors, partners and other agencies
• Contributes to the monthly situation report and write the health-related part, submitting to the Medical Coordinator on a monthly basis
• Work closely with UPP personnel and local partners to prepare donor reports, adding technical component to narratives including the evaluation and impact analysis of current projects within donor proposals and reports.
• Work with health care providers, local authorities, community members and project team members to identify clinical and community health system issues that impede access to quality care, regularly offer reports and feedback

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Medical degree (Doctor, nurse).
• Minimum of three years professional experience in the primary care services.
• Minimum of two years professional expertise developing emergency programs
• Accredited experience as trainer or teacher of emergency services in primary care models.
• Accredited experience in setting primary care services in low income countries and or conflictive and far-to-reach areas
• Experience in emergency medicine and public health activities (specialization and/or master in primary health care management is an asset)
• Experience in planning and implementation of emergency programs
• Experience in coordination of humanitarian aid projects
• Proven experience as field trainer in primary care area
• Good understanding of the project life cycle management
• Excellent capacity to work in team.
• Proven capacities to plan activities successfully targeting results and objectives.
• Ability to supervise and/or mentor the medical staff.
• Previous work experience in humanitarian field.
• Excellent oral and written English. Arabic is an asset.
• Working experience with local counterparts (CSOs, local NGOs, local institutions).
• Experience of planning, organizing and prioritizing work, working under pressure and meeting deadlines.
• Ability to work under pressure in stressful environments

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

• Knowledge of the Middle East. Specific knowledge about Syria economic context is a strong asset;
• Knowledge of Arabic and/or Kurdish.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Un Ponte Per is an International NGO committed to diversity and inclusion within its teams, in line with the principle of non-discrimination. UPP encourages all candidates irrespective of gender, religion and ethnicity including persons with disabilities to apply and become part of the organization.

Ethical Conduct

*UPP upholds all the minimum standards in terms of Ethical Conduct and strives to increase its standards over the minimum. Zero tolerance is reserved to Sexual Abuse and Exploitation and to Child Abuse, Violence, Harm, Injury and Negligence. By applying, any candidate assures that s/he has never breached any standard in terms of SEA and Child Safeguarding and that s/he will not in the future. For the protection of beneficiaries, communities and partners, UPP will conduct extensive reference check and vetting on shortlisted candidates, also over the contacts indicated by the candidate. Candidates are alerted that the required background check might compromise their privacy. Shortlisted candidates shall promptly provide an up-to-date criminal background check.*