Médecins Sans Frontières is an international independent medical-humanitarian organization which offers assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict, without discrimination and irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation. The MSF movement is built around six operational centers (OCs) and 36 offices worldwide. We conduct medical humanitarian operations in over 70 countries. Medical operations are implemented by field teams and the project coordination teams. The field operations are guided and supported by operational cells from the Directorates and their support departments.

Three operational directorates, OCBA, OCG and OCP, have agreed to strategically organize their medical support to MSF field projects in West Africa. Their effort has led to the creation of a medical platform in Dakar, which aims to ensure and coordinate needed medical implementation support to MSF field operations in the region and to grow MSF medical knowledge and expertise in medical issues of high relevance for West.

The Dakar platform is led by a Head of Platform (HoP) who manages a pool of Specialty Implementation Supports to West Africa Operations (SIs), and is connected to a vast operational and medical network both within and outside of MSF. The aim of the platform is to enable a proper identification of key medical implementation support needs as well as the best coordinated response for MSF field programs in the region. By ensuring that it is closely linked to the OCs, the platform intends to foster knowledge and expertise that benefit all MSF programs.

The current portfolio covered by the Dakar platform currently includes MSF field operations in Burkina, Cameroon, Mali, Niger and Nigeria but is expected to evolve each year according to the medical needs.

Mission

GENERAL OBJECTIVE AND JOB ENVIRONMENT

The main objectives of this position are to:

1. Contribute to the identification of pediatric needs and accompany the practical operationalization of the pediatric component in OCBA, OCG and OCP field projects managed by Dakar based cells in West Africa.
2. Provide direct ad hoc support to the design, implementation and follow-up of pediatric activities in the projects managed by the Dakar based cells in West Africa. More specifically:
3. Contribute to the cross-fertilization within and among OCs, and to the coherent development of the pediatric strategy in the region.
4. Actively develop and participate in the West African network of expertise with a view to increase MSF’s know-how.

The Pediatric Implementation Support is managed by the Head of the Dakar Platform (HoP), and technically guided/advised by the OCs pediatric referents/ advisors of the given projects.

Her/his priorities are based on the yearly roadmap of the Dakar medical Platform and assigned by the HoP in consultation and coordination with the respective OCs operational cells and referents/advisors.

He/she will have a direct and sustained collaboration with the pediatric referents/Advisors of the OCs, the Operational cell(s), the country medical coordinators, and projects involved.

This position should be preferable based in Dakar, although a remote location can be negotiated, will depend administratively by the Dakar office through an MSF Senegalese contract.

She/he must be able to spend 70% of the working time in the field, while the remaining 30% will be dedicated to project follow-up, knowledge sharing and strengthening MSF medical West African network in Dakar.

When possible, She/he should dedicate one month of field deployment / year to non-West African programs to stay exposed to the diversity of MSF’s challenges and responses in pediatrics.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

1. Actively contribute to the implementation or re-implementation of MSF pediatric protocols according to MSF standards and priorities identified by the project and mission in coordination with the medical department:

• Participate in the preparation of the mission, with pre-analysis of requirements for the correct implementation of these protocols (supplies, HR, training time, etc.), in conjunction with the project medical team.
• Conduct participatory trainings with the concrete objectives identified. Creation of such training material if necessary, based on MSF pediatric protocols.
• Direct supervision of the medical team after the first phase of implementation (training).
• Objective monitoring of progress for further analysis and planning of activities.
• Detection and communication of problems that may be affecting the correct implementation of these protocols, communication to the project medical team and suggestion of solutions.
• Active mentoring of physicians and pediatricians of the medical and nutritional team, and supervisors of different services.
• Follow-up plan after the end of the mission with specific objectives on these protocols.
• Communication of problems not previously identified to the project medical team and necessary medical referents.
• Clarification of technical doubts about the protocols and their interpretation in coordination with the pediatric referent.
• Promotion of the use of Telemedicine for all clinical cases requiring specialist consultation.
• Final report with the specific training carried out, material, staff benefited, and analysis of the situation of the specific protocol at the end of the mission, with chart review/audit if necessary. The report should be shared with relevant field teams, the HoP and OCs cells and referent/advisors.

1. Contribute to the identification of needs and accompany the practical operationalization of the pediatric component:
   • Support field teams in developing and implementing pediatric strategies in line with the respective OCs strategies.
   • Propose the necessary means for a proper implementation of paediatric activities in the field such as HR, medical tools and equipment and capacity development needs among others.

• Make sure that there is a good coordination and continuation of care in the projects.
• Identify training and capacity development needs related to pediatrics and to contribute to elaborate training tools and provide tailored or ad hoc on-site training in coordination with the pediatric Referent/Advisor.
• Support onboarding of pediatric staff in/for the region when relevant
• Identification of protocols/tools to be created or modified according to the context, communication with the pediatric referent, and joint work if necessary.
• Support improvement of the M&E quality of the paediatric activities, including set-up, analysis and interpretation of paediatric data from field teams in coordination with the medical team and pediatric referent
• Keep with care and confidentiality all documents related to the projects and make them available to relevant operational cells and medical referent/advisors.
• Keep regular contact with field pediatric teams and mentor them. Provide feedback to field teams, referents/advisors, HoP and operational cells, maintaining an open communication.
• Exceptionnally fill gaps in the pediatric field work if urgent needs are identified by the HoP and operational cells.

1. Contribute to the Cross-fertilization within and among OCs and to the coherent development of the pediatric strategy in the region:
   • Under the coordination of the HoP, participate in the annual planning of the medical platform activities.
   • Participate in and execute the planning of field deployments and implementation support in close coordination with the cells, the relevant medical referent/advisor and the field missions.
   • Suggest and participate in operational research projects, concept papers and study protocols in coordination with OCs referents/Advisors.

• Foster collaboration between the different technical profiles involved in paediatrics at project, program, mission and country level for an effective knowledge sharing dynamics.
• Work closely with related specialties to ensure coherent medical transversality within and among projects.
• Share good practices amongst the different projects in the region.
• Help organize M&E pediatric activities promoting the use of validated tools in the region.

1. Actively develop and participate in the West African network of expertise with a view to increase MSF’s know-how, in coordination with the pediatric advisor:
   • Support field teams in meetings related to paediatrics with others actors (MoH, WHO, etc…)
   • Liaise and coordinate with other regional actors and platforms (academia, INGOs) to increase MSF pediatric network for exchange of experiences and potential partnerships.
   • Participate in the MSF Paediatric Days and paediatric-related external committee(s) and forums when relevant.
   • Strengthen technical relation with academia and external institutions to improve MSF knowledge related to paediatric best practices.

Compétences professionnelles

Qualification:

• A Diploma in medicine with pediatrics specialty, from qualified University program. At least 3 years of demonstrated professional experience in pediatrics in developing countries could be consider instead of the specialty.
• MSF previous experience required as field pediatrician, preferably in nutritional projects. Other positions would be an asset (medreff, flying ped, ped trainer…-).
• Fluent French and English.
• Knowledge of and previous exposure to the West Africa context strongly preferred.
• Experience in Nutrition, use of antibiotics (stewardship) and training expertise.
• Essential computer literacy (Word, Excel and Internet)

Qualités requises

Competencies

• Analytical thinking
• Results, service and quality oriented
• Interest and aptitude in training
• Planning and organizing skills
• Mentorship and networking skills
• Capacity to work in stressful environments
• Ability to navigate in multi-cultural environments
• Readiness to travel extensively and to be flexible with working hours
• Team spirit, Flexibility
• Understanding of and commitment to MSF principles and to respect MSF policies and rules.

Spécificités du poste

CONDITIONS:

• Based in Dakar or home-based with travel to the fields 70% of the time.
• A minimum of one month/year in similar functions in non-West African project
• Commitment: 2 years
• Annual gross salary: Based on Dakar (HQ) Salary Compensation policy
• Secondary benefits (including housing allowance) based on MSF Dakar Compensation policy
• Practical working conditions while in the field are as per the MSF Dakar guideline.
• Starting date: TBD

Type de contrat/ CDD

Durée du contrat/ 24 mois

Salaire (€)/ Niveau 11 de la grille de rémunération de MSF Sénégal

Date limite de dépôt de candidatures/ 29 mai 2023

How to apply

https://www.msf.fr/agir/rejoindre-nos-equipes/toutes-nos-offres-emploi/pediatrics-implementation-support-to-west-africa-operations-mw

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https://reliefweb.int/job/3959951/pediatrics-implementation-support-west-africa-operations-mw