Health Coordinator

Medical Emergency Relief International (Merlin)
Closing date: 15 May 2010
Location: Central African Republic (the)

Programme: Central African Republic
Responsible To: Acting Country Director
Location: Mongoumba, Central African Republic
Start Date: ASAP
Duration: 3-6 months
Salary: £24,550 to £26,880 per annum (dependant on relevant experience), inclusive of annual Cost of Living Allowance
Benefits: Insurance cover, accommodation, R&R and annual leave entitlement of 24 days per annum rising to 30 days at the completion of 12 months of continuous employment with Merlin.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date.

Please note that this is an unaccompanied position.

Merlin International Profile
Merlin specialises in health, saving lives in times of crisis and helping to rebuild shattered health services. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries.

Context and Background

The UN has described the situation in CAR as “the world's most silent crisis.” Following a decade of coups and mutinies which have destroyed infrastructure and shattered the economy, the resurgence of armed conflict in October 2005 between the government and rebel forces in the north of CAR sparked a humanitarian crisis. The most affected areas were the prefectures of Bamingui-Bangoran, Vakaga, Nana-Gribingui, Ouham, Ouham-Pende and Nana-Mambere.
In response to this situation Merlin conducted an assessment in CAR in May 2007 which identified significant unmet needs in the health sector. Merlin subsequently set up a primary health care (PHC) project in Kaga Bandoro, the capital of Nana Gribizi prefecture as part of a 3-year strategy to increase access to and the capacity of government health services in CAR.
This programme has comprised of curative, inpatient observation, reproductive health services in 11 health facilities, expanded programme on immunisation (EPI) in three fixed facilities, preventive and promotive health services, disease surveillance, capacity building and HIV/AIDS awareness in the community. Merlin will hand over its activities in this region in the course of 2010. Merlin's work in CAR is continuously adapting to the situation on the ground and recent developments have led the organisation to focus its activities in Nana Mambere prefecture, in the west of the country. Merlin started a programme in August 2008 in Bouar and its surroundings supporting 3 health centres. Merlin will scale up in this region in the beginning of 2010, continuing its work on primary health care and starting a nutrition programme.
Merlin is planning to support the MoH in setting up a temporary static health centre for Congolese refugees who arrived in Mogoumba, CAR in Nov 2009, with vaccination, maternity services and a community based treatment of malnutrition to be organised within the camp with volunteers.

Main purpose of the role
The Medical Coordinator will lead on the delivery of high quality health care at the health centre in a refugee camp supporting 16,000 Congolese refugees in Mongoumba. He/she will report to the Acting Country Director based in Bangui. The main responsibilities are as set out below.

Responsibilities

Technical Project Management
- Ensure co-ordination of the medical activities within the project in close collaboration with the other members of the Merlin medical team and health authorities
- Conduct full oversight for implementation of the project medical activities, including changes of project direction or priorities, in collaboration with the Acting Country Director.
- In collaboration with the MoH, ensure appropriate medical protocols and data collection tools are in place.
- Design appropriate project performance indicators, in collaboration with the Acting Country Director.

Supervision
- Provide technical support to the medical team in all health zones, including participation in evaluation and impact analysis of current projects.
- Quality control of medical logistics within the project.
- Responsible for timely preparation and approval of all medical orders.
- Develop links and support integration of the program interventions across supported health zones.
- Promote correspondence between Merlin teams in the different field sites through cross – training and cross – monitoring, regular coordination meetings and knowledge management.

Monitoring and Evaluation
- Ensure constant assessment of the medical needs of the community and guiding of project activities to respond to their needs.
- Prepare monthly medical activity reports including data analysis, for inclusion in the monthly situation report.
- Ensure that the MoH receives regular activity reports and statistics.
- Responsible with the Project Coordinator for encouraging community participation in health activities to ensure the long term ownership and effectiveness of the programme.

Human Resources
- Recruitment and supervision of Merlin national medical staff and designation of responsibilities.
- Identify and implement requisite training for all medical staff to ensure the maximum use and development of their skills.
- Responsible for international staff health within the project areas including first aid provisions, medical evacuation and general monitoring of staff welfare with the Acting Country Director.

Representation
- Co-ordination and representation at the zone, district and provincial level to ensure all project activities are carried out with their agreement and, as far as possible, their participation, (in conjunction with the Project Co-ordinator).
- Co-ordination and representation with OMS, UNICEF, and other NGOs to avoid project activity overlap, whilst sufficiently addressing the full needs of the communities.
- Ensure Merlin fulfills its duties as Health and Nutrition Sub Cluster lead of Grand North Kivu.

Person Specification
Essential
Qualifications, experience and competences

- Qualified doctor or nurse with extensive post qualification experience.
- Qualification in tropical medicine and/or public health.
- Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures
- Ability and flexibility to understand the cultural and political environment and to work well with MoH and local representatives.
- Ability to travel to all field sites and to offer close supervisory support to both ex-patriate and national Merlin medical staff and MoH counterparts.
- Ability to remain calm and to be diplomatic, both with the MoH and with the community
- Excellent communication skills, with good spoken and written English and French.
- Ability to use data analysis software including Excel and EPI information.
- Experience of capacity building/training
- Good organizational skills with good leadership skills and/or willingness to develop them
- Ability to live and work in remote insecure environments
- Experience in epidemiological analysis
- Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines
- Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues
- An understanding of and commitment to Merlin's mission and values

Desirable
Qualifications, experience and competences

- Previous experience within a humanitarian aid organization in West/Central Africa.
- Strong HR management experience
- Experience of finance management on a field site
How to apply
To apply for this position

Please download an application form from our website www.merlin.org.uk Completed form should be emailed to applications@merlin-uk.org stating in the subject field the job title, country and reference number (if any).