Job Title: Health Advisor

Location

Somalia 60% of the time, 40% Nairobi

Job Commitment

Start date: 1^st March 2022

Duration of commitment: 2-year contract

Job Holder Reports To

In Field: Country Director (CD), and Deputy CD in absence of CD

Headquarters: Senior Health and Nutrition Advisor

Overall Purpose

Provide technical advice and support to the field management and the health staff. Develop, lead, monitor, and evaluate the health aspects of the country programme. Coordinate and network at a senior level with national and regional health authorities and other NGOs. Lead on all health elements of proposals and reports, providing capacity building for national and international staff. Promote best practice in the health programmes and contribute to the overall management of the country programme.

Project Overview: Implementation of Health, Nutrition and WASH programmes in Mogadishu, and several other regions within Southern and Central regions of Somalia. Community health projects including Care Group Model and iCCM and constructions at health facilities. Projects also include emergency responses and may include expansion of initial programmes into areas with critical needs

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Health Project Technical Oversight

• Lead on all health elements of proposal writing and project reporting.
• Maintain an overview of the country health programme and of the regional context, with a view to strategically developing new projects in current sites and/or surrounding regions, and proactively planning for responsible exit.
• Give technical advice to field managers and HQ on potential involvement in new health interventions and internal health capacity for implementation.
• Provide technical support to the health teams in all project sites, including the evaluation and impact analysis of current projects and the writing of donor proposals and reports within the required timeframes.
• Carry out regular monitoring visits, where accessible, in conjunction with other field managers, ensuring that project objectives are met within the stated timeframes and in accordance with recognised international standards.
• Supervise and monitor the development of reporting systems for data collection (qualitative and quantitative), do data analysis and follow-up and feedback to relevant staff, donors, partners and other agencies.
• Maintain an oversight of medicines and health supplies ordered for the health projects, supporting the health and logistics staff in the coordination and quality control of health supplies.
• Provide input into the integration of beneficiary participation and accountability in all aspects of the project.
• Define appropriate policies, guidelines and protocols for the medical aspects of Medair’s work in country, in consultation with HQ advisors, other field managers, and in line with relevant government, Sphere and WHO guidelines.
• Set and manage approved drug lists and stock levels for health projects in consultation with other relevant field managers.

Representation

• Develop and maintain relationships with Ministry of Health, UN, NGOs, donors, partners and other stakeholders, with the objective of raising public awareness of Medair and ensuring good co-operation and partnerships.
• Seek out relevant networks or task groups on specific health related humanitarian aid issues and actively participate, if possible.
• Accompany donors on field trips, as requested, and ensure programme details are transmitted in a timely and professional manner.
• Represent Medair, as appropriate, at national health and nutrition cluster, coordination, sector and bilateral meetings, working groups, with national and/or local government departments and any other relevant meetings or events, facilitating supportive synergies and overall progress in the health sector and avoiding duplication with the work of other agencies (e.g. NGOs, UN, etc.).

Staff Management

• Be involved in the recruitment of health staff for the country programme, providing advice on technical skills and experience as requested.
• Ensure that all health staff are adequately trained and, if necessary, create possibilities for capacity building, mentoring and coaching, within budget constraints. Plan and develop training material as required with support from HQ advisors as needed.
• Support line managers in inductions and appraisals of health staff, particularly with regard to technical skills.

Financial Management

• Work with the relevant field managers and HQ staff to plan and construct health budgets.
• Ensure the health project expenditure is in line with approved budgets, advising on potential under/over spend and recommending appropriate corrective action, in close collaboration with the PMs and PCs.

Quality Management

• Ensure health projects are implemented in line with donor proposals and requirements and in accordance with Medair, donor, country and international standards e.g. Sphere and HAP standards, WHO recommendations, etc.
• Liaise with the Senior Health Advisor at HQ regarding quality, strategy and technical guidelines.
• Regularly assess and provide feedback and recommendations to HQ advisors as well as field staff on the quality of health programmes and interventions during field visits and at other relevant times.
• Maintain a resource library for the health team and keep up-to-date with the latest trends and updates within the sector. Ensure all health staff have access to necessary and appropriate information as required.

Staff Health

• Overall responsibility for staff health/occupational health procedures and compliance and development of procedures in-country.

Delegated Responsibilities

• Development of and adherence to the in-country health policy, strategy and guidelines in consultation with other relevant field managers and HQ staff.
• Oversight of the technical aspects of the health project, including recommendations for health staff objectives, training, promotion and disciplinary action.
• Responsible for the field input to health sections of donor proposals and reports and for all administrative records for the health components of the projects with final technical review from HQ advisors on all externally submitted documents
• Take the lead in health aspects of external relations in the country with authorities and government ministries, UN agencies, partner NGOs and donors, in consultation with the Country Director.

Qualification / Experience

• Clinical degree (nurse or doctor), or Public Health degree.
• Degree in Tropical Medicine desirable

Work experience

• 3 years’ experience in managing programmes in international public health work, with at least 1 year in humanitarian emergency context.
• 3 years’ managing and coordinating emergency responses – outbreaks, displaced populations, and/or nutritional emergencies desirable

Languages

• Strong working knowledge of English (spoken and written)Ability to speak.
• willingness to learn, local language desirable.

IT

• Competent with Microsoft Office programmes, in particular Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.
• Competent with statistical database such as EPI Info, SPSS or STATA desirable

Team building

• Team-player with good inter-personal skills
• Committed to team-building and able to develop and support other team members.

Adaptability

• Capacity to work under pressure and manage personal stress levels
• Creative, open-minded, flexible, self-learner
• Able to cope with basic living conditions in the field and during field trips
• Willingness to be stretched professionally, personally, and spiritually
• Able to persevere in the face of difficulties and discouragements
• Actively looking for ways to improve the quality of Medair’s work

Technical expertise

• Knowledge of humanitarian principles, Sphere and HAP Standards and other international humanitarian guidelines and protocols.
• Advanced planning, assessment and analytical skills
• Good report and proposal writing skills
• Good negotiation skills
• Problem solving ability
• Experience in the design, monitoring of implementation and evaluation of public health programmes.
• Networking and advocacy skills desirable

Management and leadership

• Advanced leadership and project management skills
• Committed to consultative and servant leadership
• Excellent communication skills
• Experience and willingness in training/mentoring staff
• Experience of representation at national and local levels desirable.