Health Officer (French Speaking) at The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Vacancy No: IFRC04040
Duration: 6 Months
Category of Staff: National Staff

Organizational Context

• The Secretariat of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is organized into four Business groups in Geneva and five Business Groups in the field, namely the Regional Offices for Africa, Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
• The Africa Regional Business Group is organized through cluster offices covering the National Societies in Eastern Africa, West Coast Cluster, Southern Africa, Sahel and Central Africa as well as country offices in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Republic of South Sudan, Chad, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, in its commitment to building strong National Societies and to supporting scaling up of National Societies’ services to the most vulnerable populations, has in 2013 established a Country cluster Office in Nigeria. This Cluster Office is charged with the responsibility of supporting the National societies of Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo in developing their long-term strategic direction and generating resources to support a framework designed to address the needs of individuals and communities across a range of service delivery areas particularly focused on health and disaster risk management. On 31 December 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) was informed of a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. As early as 8 December 2019, the first cases presented symptoms similar to the SARS coronavirus, which belongs to the subgenre Sarbecovirus.
• The coronavirus, which is causing the pneumonia outbreak, was declared by WHO as a public health emergency of international concern on 30 January 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging health systems across the world. Rapidly increasing demand for care of people with COVID-19 is compounded by fear, misinformation and limitations on the movement of people and supplies that disrupt the delivery of frontline health care for all people. Ministries of Health across the cluster has repeatedly recognised the Red Cross as a key stakeholder in preparedness and response to COVID-19. NS has provided support at different levels since COVID-19 was first reported across the West Coast Cluster and is involved in all the strategic and thematic group meetings.
• At present, Ministries of Health has assigned NS to manage risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) activities, in addition to community-based surveillance through contact tracing.

Job Purpose
Reporting to Health and Care Delegate, the Health Officer will:

• Support the National Society activities in line with the plan and budget for COVID-19 response
• Support the National Society in developing regular and quality technical COVID-19 health support
• Assist the Health delegate in managing the COVID-19 operations in the whole operation in West Coast Cluster

Job Duties and Responsibilities
The Health Officer is responsible for:

• Support the monitoring of the COVID-19 operation developments and will coordinate all the COVID-19 activities closely with the National Society in West Coast Cluster, volunteers and other stakeholders
• In close collaboration with the Health delegate/Regional Health Coordinator for Africa, the Health Officer will provide overall leadership and management, ensuring that the COVID-19 interventions are managed in line with the plan of action and in compliance with National Societies in West coast cluster, IFRC and donor requirements.
• Provide technical support to National Societies in the cluster to systematically incorporate appropriate Public health response into COVID-19.
• Promote the use of IFRC tools and approaches; Community Based Health and First Aid CBHFA, Epidemic Control for Volunteers ECV, Community Based Surveillance CBS and Community engagement and accountability CEA in NS COVID-19 health programmes.
• Contribute to ensure that COVID-19 programme implementation is managed through structured, updated work plans, spending plans, indicator tracking sheets and approved monitoring & evaluation tools
• Provide technical supportive supervision to cluster health focal persons to ensure effective and high standard delivery of the COVID-19 health operation activities
• Ensure effective linkages, communication and collaboration with the relevant sector technical officers and delegates involved in the COVID-19 response.
• In collaboration with the Health delegate/Regional Health Coordinator for Africa, arrange for quality assurance/monitoring field visit on COVID-19 implementation.
• Identify volunteer and National Societies focal points capacity development gaps needed for the effective implementation of the COVID-19 operation plans
• Ensure that National Societies staff and volunteers have appropriate training and that new National Societies staff and volunteers receive comprehensive orientation of their work on COVID-19
• In collaboration with the Health delegate/Regional Health Coordinator for Africa, the Health Officer will contribute to the development and monitoring of the COVID-19 project budget and resource allocation and utilization and good management of working advances
• Produce financial and narrative Reports on COVID-19 response in accordance with the donors reporting requirements
• Support any COIVD-19 projects that are currently being implemented by the NS in the Cluster to ensure quality of activities and timely and accurate reporting.

Job Requirements
Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Health Management, Public Health or related fields
• Master’s Degree in Public Health would be an added advantage

Experience:

• At least 5 years post qualification experience
• RC/RC experience

Knowledge, Skills and Languages:

• Self-supporting in computers
• Knowledge in Program and financial management
• Knowledge of humanitarian Community based Health and First Aid
• Ability to build and develop Branch capacity (with Strong facilitation and training skills)
• Ability to multitask and work under pressure
• Ability to develop and maintain good relationships with partners, counterparts
• Self-management skills within a distance management setup
• Good analytical skills with good communication and report writing skills
• Good knowledge of the west coast cluster
• Flexibility and ability to travel in the operation’s areas
•  Fluent in written and spoken French language is mandatory

Competencies and Values:

• Communication - Teamwork
• Professionalism – Integrity – Diversity
• Judgement-Decision-making
• Results focus and accountability