October 17, 2023

Standard Job Description

Health Support Coordination Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

Due to the need to strengthen and streamline occupational medical support for UNHCR personnel (and by extension to recognized dependents) in the field duty stations, along with coordination of medical response to outbreaks /pandemics, particularly regarding UNHCR’s duty of care responsibilities, this position will have 2 reporting lines, one to the Country Representative or Senior Coordinator and the other technical reporting line is to the Chief of Medical Section, through the Regional Medical Officer. S/he is expected to work in alignment with the UN Medical Directors’ (UNMD) policies, guidelines and recommendations.

The expected results include the implementation and monitoring of compliance to preventive medical actions and responses based on recommended mitigation measures for mandatory health support elements, as well as disease outbreak/crisis.

The incumbent will improve access to health care providers implementing medical evidence-based interventions, training, prevention to ensure the physical and mental health of UN/UNHCR staff. Improve compliance to and maintenance of health care service delivery based on UN Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety (HQPS) standards.

S/he will develop and maintain coordination mechanisms between UNHCR Medical Section and the country operation, as well as other stakeholders for prevention of health hazards and health promotion, as well as maintenance of health care service delivery compliant with UN Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety (HQPS) standards.

Work implies frequent interaction with the following:

• UNHCR personnel in the country
• Staff within work unit
• Staff counsellors of the UN system
• Senior management throughout the Organization
• Security personnel
• All specialized agencies
• Senior/Regional Medical Officers of various UN agencies
• Humanitarian agencies working with the UN
• Health care providers including UN Clinic, UN designated or examining physicians and public, private, governmental and NGO – administered medical facilities
• Physicians and representatives of Laboratories, Pharmaceutical Companies, Medical Associations and Societies

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

• Coordination with Medical Section
  • As in-country focal point for all medical emergency or medevac questions and requests
  • Facilitate in-country medical referrals and coordination of medical care for personnel and dependents requiring acute, life-threatening, or specialized care.
  • Under supervision of RMO:
    • Manage communication with health care providers/specialists on the ground to ensure clinical management of cases among UN/UNHCR personnel and contact tracing of workplace exposures, based on protocols agreed with Medical Section.
    • Monitor number of personnel seeking occupational health services in the UNHCR recommended health facilities such as entry medical, periodic medical examinations, travel-related medical procedures, and immunization.
  • Organize health education and health promotion activities, as per Medical Section strategic priorities.
• Health Support to Operations

Under the supervision of the S/RMO:

• Coordinate, facilitate and monitor implementation of the Health Support Plan (HSP) project for the duty station(s) based on UNMD Mandatory Health Support Elements (MHSE) and Health Risk Assessment (HRA).
• Update the MHSE Status and the Health Support Plan for duty stations in the country of assignment.
• Conduct assessment of health care facilities, medical services and ambulance providers then develop or update medical referral pathways for the duty stations.
• Develop and update standard operating procedures (SOPs) for medical evacuation plans in all duty stations
• Collaborate with Field Security colleagues and UNDSS by participating in drills, review and providing context-specific medical referral pathways into casevac, medevac and MCI plans.
• Provide medical input into business continuity and crises preparedness plans for the duty station/country.
• Prepare situational updates and reports, based on subjects and frequency agreed between Medical Section and the operation, to relevant stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Procurement/Supply Unit on drafting terms of reference (TORs) and technical assessment, monitor delivery timelines as required for contracts related to health services or equipment. Closely work with UNHCR functional units, particularly Administration, Human Resources, and Supply/Logistics team, in handling all matters related to the contracts, MOUs or agreements with health care providers in case of MHSE requirements. Monitor compliance of vendors (medical/health providers) to patient safety and quality standards for commodities and services.
• Where applicable (in duty stations where UNHCR directly implements a Health Support Project such as a clinic):
  • Monitor service delivery and performance of health care providers within the country and recommend specific actions to improve performance.
  • coordinate with the health care providers in undertaking necessary verification/ monitoring and evaluation before release of funds/payment by UNHCR.
• Where applicable, and if in line with Medical Section priorities, coordinate vaccination campaigns with health care providers.
• Perform any other task as agreed between technical supervisor (Medical Section) and line manager.

• Coordinate with Stakeholders
  • Closely collaborate with UNHCR Senior/Regional Medical Officers or Medical Advisers of UN entities, with corporate OHS/Medical Services, on the clinical management and medevac and follow-up care of personnel and eligible dependents within the country.
  • Attend SHWS/Medical Section meetings or briefing sessions.
  • Participate in Health Sector Coordination meetings.

• Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For P3/NOC – 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Nursing,                Health Care Management,                 Doctor of Medicine                             or other relevant field.

(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses

First Aid Training ,                              Nursing,                 Project Management, NEBOSH for Occ Hlth & Sfty

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

A minimum of 6 years’ work experience in the humanitarian sector either in Occupational Health and Public Health with Clinical and Project Management experience. Experience in health care management, supervision and coordination of medical teams is essential. Experience seeing projects through the full life cycle

Desirable

UN field experience in the occupational health care sector is desirable. Previous experience in humanitarian crisis and infectious diseases is highly desirable  

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification will be an asset.

Functional Skills

MD-UN-wide health care policies and protocols (e.g. medical evacuation procedures, etc.)

MD-Assessment of quality standards of health facilities

MD – Conduct health risk assessments

PH-Public Health Surveillance, Outbreak Investigation and Response

LE-Data protection laws & procedures for sectoral practices (employment, health, security)

OS-Occupational Health and Safety critical risk control methods

OS-Occupational Health and Safety statistical reporting

MD-UN Medical Service standards and practices

MD-Medical Evacuation route planning and operationalization with MOU

PM-Project monitoring and evaluation

PM-Project lifecycle management

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.

For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

Competency Requirements

All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The six core competencies are listed below.

Core Competencies

• Accountability
• Communication
• Organizational Awareness
• Teamwork & Collaboration
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies

• Empowering and Building Trust
• Judgement and Decision Making
• Managing Performance
• Managing Resources

Cross-Functional Competencies

• Planning and Organizing
• Change Capability and Adaptability
• Stakeholder Management

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination, and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

General description of responsibility:

Person in charge of/responsible for day-to-day implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of health support initiatives/projects in the country of assignment or duty station.
Coordination with various functional teams on the ground.

Reporting Line / Accountability:

Head Of Sub Office
Regional Medical Officer

Supervisees:

Serves a project manager on the ground and supervises clinicians and support personnel in the project clinics. Although not the supervisor of Admin, Finance or Procurement/Supply personnel involved in the project, s/he is required to ensure they carry out their assigned project-related tasks.

Planning:

In consultation with RMO in the region and HQ Projects Support, directly engage with Finance / Admin or Supply colleagues in country operation and contractor to ensure MS technical input is included in the procurement, contractual, monitoring and evaluation processes.
input is included in the procurement, contractual, monitoring and evaluation processes.

Implementation:

Direct involvement in set-up of health care facility and supervision of contractor / medical staff on the ground, including induction, orientation, evaluation of performance and monitoring of clinical service delivery.
Ensure clinical protocols, algorithms and SOPs are communicated to medical staff and complied with.
Organize clinical and admin coordination meetings based on timeframes agreed with stakeholders, document meeting minutes, highlight action points / time frames and follow-up on progress or execution.

Monitoring:

Monitor assets and inventory. Initiate procurement process with Supply Section.

Track project deliverables against the agreed timelines and outputs (recruitment, travel of personnel, rotations, delivery of equipment, inventory items, etc.) and resetting time frames or expectations depending on the context.

Verify / monitor project expenditures against project budget allocation.
In consultation with RMO/ HQ Projects Support, work with Admin / Finance on possible reallocation, budget review or other measures required to ensure service delivery is maintained throughout project cycle.

Accountable for clinical governance including HQPS in medical facilities set up in the duty stations.
Observe compliance to procedures,

Evaluation:

In consultation with RMO, provide feedback (positive or negative) on performance of individual clinicians to health care provider medical director.

Reporting:

Compile and summarize key achievements then draft his/her situational reports and submit to MS HQ and senior leadership in the operation/other stakeholders.
Keep country senior leadership, direct supervisor and Medical Section apprised of project activities, progress, challenges or gaps.
Ensure challenges / gaps are addressed in a timely manner.

Functional Clearance

This position requires Functional Clearance

Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level)

Desired languages

Additional Qualifications

Skills

LE-Data protection laws, standards, and procedures related to international instruments, MD-Assessment of quality standards of health facilities, MD – Conduct health risk assessments, MD-Medical Evacuation route planning and operationalization with MOU, MD-UN Medical Service standards and practices, MD-UN-wide health care policies and protocols (e.g. medical evacuation procedures, etc.), OS-Occupational Health and Safety critical risk control methods, OS – Occupational Health and Safety statistical reporting, PH-Public Health Surveillance, Outbreak Investigation and Response, PM-Project lifecycle management, PM-Project monitoring and evaluation

Education

Bachelor of Arts (BA): Healthcare, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Medical Doctor, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Nursing

Certifications

First Aid Training – Other, NEBOSH IGC for Occupational Health and Safety – Other, Nursing – Other, Project Management – Other

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