Desk 3 Medical Advisor - Dakar - Senegal

Position based in Dakar, Senegal with 25 to 30% of time spent in the field; Desk 3 covers the following countries: Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia and Guinea.

FUNCTIONAL AND HIERARCHICAL LINKS

• He/she is a member of the Operations team. He/she reports to the Desk Program Manager.

• He/she works closely with the other members of the Desk.

• He/she also works across departments, liaising with the medical service, finance, HR, logistics, development, communication and donors.

• He/she works closely with the members of the ALIMA country coordinations on missions covered by Desk 3.

• He/she is responsible for the functional supervision and training of the medical coordinators.

TASKS AND RESPONSABILITIES

The Desk Medical Advisor has three main responsibilities:

• He/She is responsible for defining the medical objectives of the programmes on the missions.

• He/She monitors and provides medical support to the field for the implementation of projects.

• He/She acts as the medical referent for monitoring staff health.

Furthermore, as with all managers within the organisation, the Desk Medical Advisor contributes to reflection on ALIMA's role and operational guidelines based on the practical questions they encounter.

1. Definition of projects medical objectives:

The role of Desk Medical Advisor is central to ALIMA's operations, given the medical nature of the work. He/she:

• is at the forefront of operations, working directly with the field teams to identify the medical needs of the populations and the medical issues to be taken forward.

• therefore, has a pivotal role in defining projects.

• anticipates the development of projects by identifying interesting medical issues, potential avenues for advancing them, staying abreast of new developments, and assessing feasibility.

• entails responsibility for evaluating medical projects, identifying potential difficulties and proposing solutions for project reorientation.

• entails responsibility for checking the medical objectives, medical indicators and medical budgets of project proposals. Consequently, he/she contributes to the preparation of project documentation for ALIMA and donors.

• actively participates in Desk meetings, as well as the review of documents. Additionally, the position entails the presentation of medical issues to the Management Committee, at the request of the Director of Operations.

• The role requires familiarity with the operational project, the association's medical ambitions and research objectives.

• The role also involves defining and participating in the writing of pilot medical projects. To this end, the position requires monitoring the international medical context on the issues addressed by the projects, with support from the Medical and Research Department.

2. Field support for project implementation : 

The Desk Medical Advisor supports country teams in the implementation of projects. He/she:

• ensures that field teams are aware of objectives, expected results, resources and indicators.

• assists the field in regularly analysing project medical data to better monitor implementation.

• ensures regular monitoring of diseases with epidemic potential in our intervention countries and participates in proposing the response strategy in the event of an epidemic.

• ensures that the field has the necessary medical documentation, statistical tools and appropriate medical orders.

• monitors and evaluates projects, identifying problems and suggesting changes of direction.

• validates medical orders in accordance with medical activity assumptions and the agreed budget.

• reads and comments on medical reports and medical sections of sitreps.

• checks that medical activities are correctly described in interim and final reports.

• provides guidance to the field on staff health policy.

3. Responsible for monitoring medical staff : 

The Desk Medical Advisor supervises the medical staff on missions. He/she:

• participates in and validates the recruitment of the mission's medical coordinator in agreement with the head of the partner NGO, if applicable (all joint project frameworks - ALIMA or partner NGO - must be validated by both parties).

• supervises and supports the medical coordinator. He/she will set objectives for him/her in collaboration with the Head of Mission and will contribute to the evaluation at least once a year with his/her superiors (Head of Mission and/or Head of the partner NGO).

• ensures the briefing and debriefing of ALIMA and partner NGO medical and paramedical staff in the various fields.

• identifies potential and participates in the development of a career path for specific medical leaders with the Human Resources Manager.
  
  

4. Participation in discussions on ALIMA's strategic directions:

The Desk Medical Advisor is responsible for providing input on ALIMA's role, positioning, structure, objectives, etc. He/she plays a key role in ALIMA's advocacy on important medical issues and participates in the various meetings organised on these issues. He/she plays a key role in ALIMA's advocacy on important medical issues and participates in the various meetings organised on these issues. In particular, he/she leads the reflection on medical issues.

5. Prevention of abuses.

The Desk Medical Advisor is familiar with the PSEA ALIMA policies. He/She:

• takes part in training and awareness-raising sessions

• applies abuse prevention standards

• ensures that team members attend training and awareness sessions and apply abuse prevention standards

• contributes to creating and maintaining a nurturing and protective environment