Spain: Decentralized Models of Care Advisor

Organization: Médecins Sans Frontières
Country: Spain
Closing date: 19 Nov 2017

GENERAL OBJECTIVE AND CONTEXT

The MSF Medical Department of the Operational Centre Barcelona (MSF-OCBA) is formed by referent advisors of different areas and specialties[1]. The Medical director is in charge of the overall management of the department with the support of the heads of the three specialists’ teams and the head of the medical-operational unit detached to the Operations, and an Assistant.

For the past years, there has been an increased investment in decentralizing activities outside of the medical facility, including decentralized specialized care as well as task shifting of clinical and public health activities as part of OCBA’s operations. The main objective of the Decentralized Models Advisor is to support the organisation when developing policies and providing technical and strategic support for all projects in order to create and sustain decentralized activities in the field. This general objective involves the following core areas:

–> Development of adapted models of care: to the MSF context

a) Establish the rationale for a specific model of care to target priorities defined by the medical and operations departments in a vulnerable population

–> Integration of different decentralized activities

a) Curative: primary and secondary healthcare approach

b) Preventive: support both emergency and public health preventive interventions

–> Contribute to development of toolkit and guidelines for Decentralized interventions

–> This position will require strong links with other members of the medical department in order to adapt the development of tools and strategies from the different existing dossiers.

The successful applicant will be based in Barcelona. The work will be carried out in the framework of the Strategic plan 2014-2019, the operational policy and OCBA annual plans as well as the Medical department plans, working in close collaboration with other technical advisors involved to contribute to a more transversal, integrated and holistic support to the polyvalent medical staff in the cells and the teams in the field and operations department in general at HQ level. S/he will be responding to the needs of OCBA missions.

PLACEMENT WITHIN THE ORGANISATION

The Referent will be hierarchically and functionally accountable to the Head of Referents – Team B (Tropical & Neglected Diseases; Community mobilization & Health Promotion; Nutrition; HIV-AIDS & TB; Mental Health; Pediatrics (2); Malaria Community / Decentralized packages;). Functionally linked and supporting Medical polyvalent (TESACO/ Desk HQ), Medical Coordinators (missions) and Project Medical Referents (projects), as the rest of the referent advisors of the Medical department. While in the field, he/she works under the regular hierarchical and functional structures of the missions, while keeping communication with the Medical Department and the Operational Cell.

Specific tasks:

Support the evaluation and analysis of complex environments form a Health perspective, aiming to provide meaningful data of isolated & vulnerable populations.
Participate in Forecast and Big data analysis in order to timely develop and/or adapt medical activities according to prospects and maintain or gain access to vulnerable population.
Support Operations in the adaptation and design of feasible and relevant health strategies aiming to enhance Access to vulnerable populations.
Contribute to decentralized toolkit development by compiling, adapting, and designing a set of tools together with other members of the medical and operations department to improve assessment capacity, overcome access barriers and facilitate health strategy design. These tools should also include monitoring and evaluation and quality of care.
Provide a quick hands-on support to Field Operations in complex emergencies, related to the technical areas mentioned above. Availability for fast Field deployment, operations experience and emergencies orientation are therefore major assets of this position.
Characterise and adjust to OCBA Strategic Plan priorities, health programmatic elements such as: continuum of care (where emergency care should play a central role) and access vs. coverage. Task shifting, referral systems and community engagement should be considered as major drivers/enablers. This should be brought to an exercise of vision that will help to identify the key investments in the following years. Coordination with Secondary Health Care Road Map, Health Promotion & Community Engagement Guidelines, Toolkit for Models of Access and Strategic Plan “Access” revision, is of the utmost importance.

Other specific tasks

S/he is responsible for developing the necessary tools in MSF-OCBA to achieve the objectives set in the action plan relating to decentralized interventions within the MSF-OCBA portfolio.
S/he gathers information and bibliography for the health professionals in MSF-OCBA about Decentralized models of care according to the needs of the organisation.
S/he conveys information about new developments in the field of Decentralized models of care to headquarters and the field and trains MSF expatriates.
S/he represents the Medical Department, at the request of the Medical Director when dealing with issues related to Decentralized models of care (i.e. interviews, paper writing; participation in conferences etc.)
S/he formalises and further develops if needed the networks of acknowledged external experts and scientific institutions and organisations working in the field of Decentralized models of care.
S/he creates and maintains a documentation system including all relevant issues developed in the past so as to preserve the institutional background history about these issues.
S/he supports and advises when recruiting, preparing and retaining, including briefing and debriefing, the staff in the projects in which Decentralized models of care are especially relevant.

Medical department development:

Effective and smooth coordination and collaboration in activities with other Referents of the Medical Department
Participating in all activities organized by the Medical department.
Providing proposals concerning the enhancement of the quality and relevance of adults services;
S/he will promote the development of malaria and NTDs programs within MSF OCBA, identifying key priorities issues which need to be invested in (operational research, key questions);
S/he liaises regularly with key actors related to Malaria and NTDs (academics, researchers, institution developing programs or policies) to inform or get informed on recent / ongoing developments in and outside of MSF (programs, research, initiatives, introduction of new tools) and use those info to feed internal discussion to promote innovation;
S/he remains in contact with other MSF bodies (e.g. Access Campaign: like Snakebites) to follow up and support if needed, initiatives of interests for MSF OCBA and Research Groups for NTDs like DNDi and Scientists / WHO for strategic and operational research exchanges
Participate in the roster of Medical Guardia
Collaborate when requested and green lighted by her/is line manager with specific dossiers with other departments and services (HHRR, Communication, Fundraising, Logistics, etc.)

SELECTION CRITERIA

Education, Experience and desired attributes

Public Health or Health systems specialist.
Medical or Paramedical training.
A minimum of 2-years’ experience in different MSF projects (different contexts) or with relevant medical organization working in low income countries and/or humanitarian settings
Work experience in programmes or projects developing models of care, preferably on decentralized activities.
Experience in medical programmes in developing countries of 18 months minimum.
Experience in programmes including an important medical staff-training component will be a plus.
Knowledge of and/or proven interest in research.
Fluent in English and Good knowledge of French.
Knowledge of another language (Spanish, Arabic, and Portuguese) is an asset.
Knowledge in computer: Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

Competences:

Commitment to MSF’s Principles
Cross-cultural Awareness
Behavioural Flexibility
Analytical Thinking
Strategic Vision
Results and Quality Orientation
Service Orientation
Initiative and Innovation
Teamwork and Cooperation

CONDITIONS

Temporary position based in Barcelona at the MSF headquarters office
Regular field visits (estimated to up to 50% of time)
Fulltime job,
Temporal position (2 years) with possibility of extension after evaluating the portfolio
Annual gross salary: 35,964.18 € (divided in 12 months payments) + secondary benefits, based on MSF OCBA reward policy
Starting date: Immediately

How to apply:

To apply, all applicants should please send their CV and cover motivation letter under the reference “**Decentralized Models of Care Advisor**” to recruitment-bcn@barcelona.msf.org

Please submit your CV and cover letter in ONE file and name the file with your LAST NAME

Closing date: November 19^th, 2017

Replies will only be sent to short-listed candidates.

Médecins Sans Frontieres, as a responsible employer, under article 38 of “Ley de Integración Social del Minusválido de 1982 (LISMI)” invite those persons with a recognized disability and with an interest in the humanitarian area to apply for the above mentioned position. Médecins Sans Frontieres, as a responsible employer, under article 38 of “Ley de Integración Social del Minusválido de 1982 (LISMI)” invite those persons with a recognised disability and with an interest in the humanitarian area to apply for the above mentioned position.