Deputy Project Coordinator at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) - Holland

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is an international, private, non-governmental, non-profit humanitarian organization. Our organization offers assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters, to victims of armed conflict, without discrimination irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation. We have been working in Nigeria since February 1996. A Memorandum of Understanding between Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Federal Government of Nigeria facilitates this. We are at present co-operating with the Federal Ministry of Health, State and Local Government departments of health on various health projects.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Deputy Project Coordinator

Location: Sokoto
Employment Type: Full-time
Job Type: Indefinite
Duty Station: MSF OCA, Neru Project

Main Objectives and Responsibilities of the Position

• The Deputy Project Coordinator will assist the PC in planning project’s objectives and priorities, by identifying the population’s health needs, analyzing the context, risks and constraints, and by calculating human and financial resources needed.
• He/she will contribute to the supervision, monitoring and follow-up together with the PC of all aspects of the projects in order to ensure its efficient and smooth functioning. He/she will replace the Project Coordinator in his/her absence

Generic Accountabilities

• Contribute to the analysis of the political, humanitarian, economic and social context in project area in order ensure that MSF's charter, policies and image are respected with regards to national employees, populations, authorities and partners.
• Contributes to the planning, supervision, monitoring and follow-up, together with the PC, of all aspects of the projects, according to the project plan, MSF operational policy and main strategic lines.
• Participate in the security management in the project, updating the security guidelines.
• Upon request of the PC, represents MSF within the project limits (local authorities, media, governmental and non-governmental bodies, etc.) and negotiates collaboration agreements. Legal representation is not delegable unless legally backed up (powers of attorney, etc.)
• Support the PC in planning and organizing project’s human resources, participate in their day-to-day management, in the induction of new staff, undertake evaluation of staff under his/her direct supervision and define training needs accordingly.
• Participate in exploratory missions according to the PC’s indications, in order to better comprehend context, priorities, constraints and population needs.

MSF Section / Context Specific Accountabilities
Operational accountabilities:

• Represent MSF within project limits. In close consultation with the Project Coordinator, develop institutional contacts with national partners at project’s level (civil society, civil and military authorities, local NGOs, Ministry of Health representatives, etc.) as well as with media in order to obtain all information and agreements necessary for the integration of MSF ’s programmes in the local context and improve the targeted population’s awareness on them
• Together with the project team, evaluate needs by identifying the population’s health status, by analysing the context (environment, actors involved, negotiations for access etc.) and associated risks and constraints in order to define priorities and projects goals and to calculate material, human and financial resources needed
• Steer and supervise the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the programmes in collaboration with the team, by collecting information and comparing it with the objectives, schedules in order to monitor progression and early detect deviations and propose corrections
• Provide reporting to the coordination team on project’s evolution and propose corrections if needed
• Elaborate the Project’s institutional memory, keeping written records (and file them) on its development, in order to broadcast MSF achievements and improve awareness
• Is responsible for providing leadership to the emergency response part of the project
• Ensures effective functioning of the emergency response team
• Promotes humanitarian values and a culture of debate in the project team.
• Follow up of population movements linked to violence. Propose and organize appropriate response through remote management in case of lack of access for security reasons and respecting COVID preventive measures.
• Is responsible for monitoring and analyzing the local political context and its humanitarian and health implications, propose and organize MSF’s appropriate operational response:
• Effective scanning and contextual analysis (of potential humanitarian Medical needs).
• Is responsible to draft project planning and reporting in the control cycle, and timely preparation of draft (emergency) project proposals and budgets
• Ensures adherence to internal and external reporting requirements at project level
• Government relations: Manages and understands the governmental protocols in dealing with the respective ministries of health and emergency agencies in Nigeria to for the coordination of a MSF response in case of outbreaks or displacements.

Medical Accountabilities:
In collaboration with the Project Coordinator and the rest of the team, the Medical Coordinator and MoH partners, defines, implements and monitors medical activities according to MSF project plan, standards and protocols. This implies the following:

• Participate in the development of the project policy, annual plan, project proposal, budget review and project reports to donors.
• Be responsible for the formulation and documentation of standard operating procedures for all NERU interventions to ensure institutional reference documents.
• Participate in exploratory missions / situation assessments and define medical operational priorities when needed.
• Be responsible for medical data collection, analysis and reporting to the Medical Coordination in the capital, to ensure a proper monitoring of the program
• Ensure regular contact MoH, and other local medical actors.
• Assist in maintaining and sustaining the pool of national staff required for emergency response through ensuring training and support.
• Participate in the meetings and represent MSF when if required.
• Monitor activity in the different medical specialties, as well as providing technical support to medical personnel in the field through self-knowledge and policies to help MSF medical activities in the field. In this sense, includes monitoring and ensuring compliance with the protocols of MSF medical activities.
• Coordinate, supervise, coach and support medical team members’ performance to improve the medical components of the project and ensure compliance with MSF protocols and standards as well as MoH protocols. This requires someone with excellent knowledge of MSF protocols as he/she will have to manage an experienced emergency team.
• Plan and supervise, in close coordination with the Project Coordinator, the associated processes (recruitment, training, induction, performance evaluation, development and internal / external communication) of the medical staff of the project in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required, improve people capabilities.
• Supervise an efficient management of the MSF field pharmacy and medical equipment, in conjunction with the Logistics area, and monitor consumption follow-up and preparation of drug orders to avoid stock shortages and provide drugs at all circumstances; also consider program directions and protocol changes.
• Ensure the NERU team are able to support the MSF projects in developing emergency preparedness plans, train MoH and MSF staff in the various project locations according to anticipated disease outbreaks for response.

Requirements (Qualifications / Experience / Knowledge)
To apply for this role applicants MUST meet the following criteria:

Education:

• Medical Doctor with Current Practicing License

Experience:

• 2 years working experience as a Medical Doctor and previous experience with MSF in the field.
• Coaching and training capacity. Management experience.
• Experience with data analysis and outbreak response.

Knowledge:

• Very good knowledge of MSF protocols and guidelines

Languages:

• Very good written and spoken English. Ability to speak the Hausa language is desirable.

Competences:

• Strategic Vision - L2
• Planning and Organising - L3
• Teamwork and Cooperation - L4
• Leadership - L2
• People Management and Development - L3
• Networking and Building Relationships - L3
• Analytical Thinking - L3
• Security Awareness and Management - L3
• Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Childhood illnesses, including Malnutrition. Common Outbreaks (Measles, Cholera and Meningitis) - L3
• Diagnosis and treatment of main (other) morbidities in Nigeria - L1
• Reflection on Ethical Dilemmas in Project - L3
• Ensure adequate work relation between (para) medical staff - L3
• Stock and Supply Management
• Rational prescription principles and good dispensing practices
• Assess Medical and Humanitarian Emergencies, prepare and implement improvement plans.
• Representation of MSF at local level.

Application Closing Date
21st October, 2021.