Job Purpose
Reporting to the Health and Care Coordinator in the Africa Region, the Emergency Health Coordinator will lead and coordinate the Federation’s support to National Societies in Africa in ensuring that the public health components of disaster preparedness, response and recovery programmes, as well as preparedness and response programmes to disease outbreaks and/or epidemics, adhere to Federation policies and strategies, meet established public health/humanitarian standards and technical guidelines, and reach the most vulnerable.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
Programme Development and Capacity Building
- Support, in collaboration with Federation country and/or regional offices, National Society capacity strengthening in emergency health preparedness and response, particularly in the development of strategies, programmes and plans, but also training and management of staff and volunteers in emergencies
- Promote, and where possible facilitate, the integration of National Society emergency health programmes/activities with OD, DM, DP, DR and ER programmes/activities, as well as the co-ordination/co-operation between NS emergency health programmes/activities and those supported by bilateral/partner NS, ICRC, UN agencies, governments and non-government actors, to maximise synergies and impact, and to avoid service gaps and unnecessary overlaps.
- Further, and where feasible, promote the development of cross-country RCRC co-operation in emergency health preparedness and response.
- In collaboration with the Emergency health delegate and regional health coordinators support the Mapping of Emergency Health and Epidemic Control (EHEC) capacities and resources in the African NSs and support NSs in developing and implementing their capacity building plans for the subject.
- Lead IFRC Africa efforts to develop and expand nutrition focused programming.
- Coordinate and lead Africa wide assessment of nutrition programming needs (acute and chronic) and develop a prioritised plan to expand nutrition programming.
- Identify fundraising opportunities and lead the dialogue with potential partners, with support from resource mobilisation.
- The delegate will focus on rolling out and adapting standardised IFRC tools for use in preparedness and response by African NSs.
Technical Support
- Enforce and disseminate international emergency response standards (SPHERE, etc).
- Provide technical guidance, and where necessary, direct and coordinate the Federation’s international public health response in emergencies in an accountable manner, and in cooperation with all relevant partners. Where necessary, participate in assessments and start-up of emergency operations within the Africa Region and beyond as per request from DMU.
- In coordination with the Federation medical logistics officer and relevant logistics units, advice on and/or oversee the procurement, storage and distribution of emergency medical supplies, following accepted Federation and WHO standards and guidelines
- Provide technical support and guidance to IFRC offices and through them to National Societies in nutrition related interventions and ensure the quality of their implementation.
- Provide technical input to implementation of nutrition interventions in all food security operations according to best practices and quality standards. Promote National Society participation in existing country coordination structures on nutrition
Job Duties & Responsibilities 2
Knowledge Management
- Monitor regional and national epidemiological data, standard health indicators and disaster patterns for analysis and early detection of trends, disease outbreaks and/or epidemics. Facilitate the identification of necessary actions and corrective measures to be taken, where necessary.
- Ensure high-level emergency health response preparedness capacity in Africa Region through the effective use of Disaster Management Information System (DMIS), Emergency Appeals, Field Assessment and Co-ordination Team (FACT), Emergency Response Units (ERU), Regional Disaster Response Teams (RDRT), including medical logistics/supply lines.
- Obtain and collate information, reports and case studies from preparedness and response by NSs and establish best practices on emergency health and epidemic preparedness and response and share knowledge within and outside the Movement.
Coordination.
- As budget holder, the Emergency Health Coordinator is responsible in ensuring that expenditure charged to their cost centre or project is appropriately allocated and correctly stated.
- Help build and facilitate fundraising initiatives for National Society and Federation emergency health and Nutrition programmes, in collaboration with Resource Mobilization and other coordinators.
- Produce regular, written and accurate technical reports to the Health & Care Coordinator, with copy to the Emergency Health Unit, Health & Social Services Department/Geneva.
- Coordinate with other technical units/functions at Regional, Cluster and Country levels to ensure quality of nutrition related activities.
- Ensure proper communication, coordination and harmonization of tools with the different stakeholders involved in food/nutrition activities.
- Promote RC/RC Movement cooperation and exchange of learning in Africa on various nutrition programming.
- Provide specific technical support to ensure National Societies are able to effectively incorporate community based health within each stage of the emergency cycle and along the resilience continuum.
- Map and continually assess best practices and priority needs of National Societies including active monitoring of global health risks and development of relevant epidemiological and other emergency health information management systems.
- Work with the Community Health and Emergency Care team leader to actively engage with the relevant IASC sub committees, Health Cluster and the Global Emergency Medical Team coordination mechanisms to ensure that NS are prepared and able to interact with these and other global health emergency coordination systems as needed.
- Work with the Psychosocial Reference Centre to promote and support effective psychosocial support in emergencies and during recovery.
- Support National Societies to provide quality emergency medical services and emergency community health care through investment in preparedness, standard setting, tool development, monitoring and evaluation and knowledge sharing.
- Work in close collaboration the four emergency health related cross organizational work streams: Emergency Medical Services, Public Health in Emergencies, Psychosocial Support in Emergencies and Health Emergency Coordination.
Education
- Basic Delegates Training Course
- Degree in Public Health, and/or relevant medical qualification
- Relevant Post Graduate qualifications
Experience
- Experience of working for the Red Cross/Red Crescent or international Humanitarian agency
- 6 years’ experience in public health with focus on Emergency Health, Experience with nutrition is an asset.
- Experience of managing, coaching, and supporting staff
- 4 years’ experience of project planning & budgeting, supervision and management to include monitoring and evaluation
- 4 years experience in working in both emergency contexts and engaging effectively with beneficiaries especially women and children and other vulnerable groups
- Experience of producing narrative & financial reports
Knowledge, Skills and Languages
- Strong skills in general administration, oral and written communication
- Ability to represent the Federation with potential and existing donors, Government officials and members of the Diplomatic Community.
- Ability to engage effectively with NS staff, volunteers and beneficiaries, being results focused and accountable, being a team builder and team player, a good communicator at all levels, having professional mastery over their technical area, having leadership qualities and encouraging others to take the lead when appropriate, having managerial effectiveness
- Self-supporting in computers (Windows, spreadsheets, word-processing)
- Valid international driving licence (manual gears 4 x 4)
- Skills in training and developing staff
Competencies and Values
Communication; Collaboration and Teamwork; Judgement and Decision Making; National Society and Customer Relations; Creativity and Innovation; Building Trust;
More Information
- Job City Nairobi
