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Country Health Director - Ethiopia

Job Description
Position Country Health Director
Responsible to Country Director, Ethiopia, and technically to HO Health Advisor.
Working with Ethiopia Health Authorities, UN agencies, NGO partners and other stakeholders
Location Addis Ababa with frequent travel to the field
Start Date ASAP
Duration 12 months- extendable funding dependant
Salary: £34,850 - £35,600 per annum (dependant on relevant experience)
Benefits: Insurance cover, accommodation, additional return flights, and annual leave entitlement of 24 days per annum rising to 30 days at the completion of 12 months of continuous employment with Merlin.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be shortlisted on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date.

Merlin International Profile

Merlin is the only specialist UK charity which responds worldwide with vital health care and medical relief for vulnerable people caught up in natural disasters, conflict, disease and health system collapse. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries.

Context and Background

The goal of this mission is to address acute and chronic humanitarian crises within Ethiopia. The current health system is unable to cope fully with the needs of an increasingly vulnerable population experiencing a food crisis, combined with the destabilising effects of systemic changes in the health system and limited capacity and resources.

Since March 2003, Merlin has been working in the Oromiya region, one of the areas worst affected by prolonged drought. Merlin works on community-based water and sanitation programmes as well as primary healthcare. Merlin is also operating in Somali region Ethiopia, undertaking primary health care and nutrition projects, and we will be looking into the possibility of expansion.

Main purpose of the role

To provide strategic and technical leadership to ensure the effective development, implementation and monitoring of quality health programmes in Ethiopia.

Overall Objectives (scope)

• Provide leadership and management to the programme in Ethiopia.
• Ensure the effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Merlin health programming in line with approved program proposals and budgets.
• Contribute to the overall planning and strategic direction of Merlin’s program in Ethiopia
• Provide technical support to the Ethiopia program.
• Represent Merlin to national authorities, international donors, international organisations and other NGOs at the national level

Responsibilities

Leadership
• Develop and maintain a coherent programme strategy that contributes to Merlin’s aims in collaboration with the Capital Management Team (CMT) and Programme personnel.
• Coordinate and functionally manage the overall planning and direction of Merlin’s health activities at country level.
• Determine programme direction in consultation with the CMT and project personnel.
• Create a shared vision among all health staff of Merlin’s programme personnel.

Programme Development
• Monitor the health and humanitarian situation in the country and develop strategies for programme development/expansion.
• Undertake/assist in the conduction of needs assessments as necessary.
• Support the preparation of accurate and timely programme proposals and donor reports.
• Support the Country Director in negotiating new programmes with donor representatives.
• Monitor Merlin’s emergency preparedness capacity in relation to the humanitarian context.
• Liaise closely with Merlin London Health Department on policy development and strategy.

Representation
• Represent Merlin’s health work to the various zonal authorities (at all levels), international donors, UN agencies, NGOs and other stakeholders.
• Contribute towards the dissemination of Merlin’s health work through publications (general, health sector, academic) in consultation with the Regional Health Director, London health department and London PR officer.

Programme Management/Support
• Support project/medical coordinators in the fulfillment of their duties according to the project design.
• Establish systems and standards for regular assessment, monitoring and evaluation of programmes against their strategic aims, objectives and expected outputs.
• Ensure Merlin programmes are implemented according to Merlin policy and recognised international standards.
• Ensure appropriate systems and plans are in place for dealing with health emergencies and provide leadership for staff during emergencies.

Staff Management / HR
• Coordinate and support the national and international health teams, ensuring that the individuals work effectively together and achieve the programme objectives.
• Line manage health staff, including performance management and appraisals - (the overall operational management line comes under the CD while the technical line management comes under the CHD-Ethiopia).
• Take an active part in the recruitment of health staff in coordination with Merlin London HR department.
• Enhance technical and health management skills of national health staff through formal & informal training in conjunction with medical personnel.

Staff Health
• Responsible for staff health and well-being through the implementation of Merlin Staff Health Policy including medical evacuation procedures.
• Ensure national staff health policy is developed and implemented.

Person Specification

Essential

Qualifications, experience and competences

• Medical background with postgraduate qualification in public health
• Extensive experience in management of relief and development programs
• Strong international health project management skills and experience
• High professional commitment to provision of high quality health programs
• Able to live, work and travel in an insecure environment, following strict security guidelines at all times.
• Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office
• Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures
• Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines
• Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues
• An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values

Desirable

Qualifications, experience and competences

• Considerable clinical experience, particularly in infectious diseases in developing country context (particularly in Africa) and in general medicine (for staff health)
• Previous experience in Ethiopia or the Horn of Africa

Data Protection

Please note, on submitting your application, you are agreeing to Merlin holding and using the information that you have given for the purposes of recruitment and employment – should an offer be made. In order to process your job application, it may be necessary for your application to be sent to the Country Director (in the country you are applying for) for consideration. If you do not agree with this, please state so when applying.
How to apply
To apply for this position
Please download an application form from our website www.merlin.org.uk Completed applications should be emailed to applications@merlin-uk.org stating in the subject field the job title, country and reference number (if any).