Vaccination Advisor

Vaccination Adviser

50% until 31^st December 2013

(based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands)

The overall purpose of MSF is to preserve life and alleviate suffering while protecting human dignity and seeking to restore the ability of people to make their own decisions. MSF accomplishes this through the provision of medical aid and a personal commitment to act as witness to events surrounding populations in danger. This work is essentially performed in periods of crisis, when a situation is no longer held in balance and the very survival of a population may be threatened. The underlying basis for realising its objectives is respect for medical ethics, humanistic ideals, human rights and international humanitarian law.

The Public Health Department (PHD) of the MSF Operational Centre Amsterdam supports the overall purpose of MSF, providing medical and public health leadership for the organisation. The department is responsible for providing strategic direction and integrated advice on medical and public health issues to the field and headquarters. The PHD plays a key role in developing and maintaining the medical humanitarian identity and image of MSF-OCA, and in continuing to develop and improve intervention strategies so as to be relevant and effective.

The department is made up of a group of generalist Health Advisors (based in Amsterdam, Toronto and Berlin) and medical and public health specialists (paediatrics, nutrition, water and sanitation, mental health, HIV/TB, Access campaign, etc.) so as to provide expert support in a range of fields. The Manson Unit, a medical unit based in MSF-UK, focuses on support to tuberculosis and epidemiology.

The strategic vision for MSF-OCA continues to prioritise operations that respond to the medical needs of people in areas of active and chronic conflict. This includes a focus on outbreak response and mass vaccinations in these contexts. Next to this MSF-OCA has the ambition to improve and expand its routine vaccination activities within its primary health care programmes by introducing new vaccines and increasing coverage among children and women in reproductive age.

Position within the organisation

The Vaccination Adviser reports hierarchically to the Coordinator of Health Advisors, Public Health Department. The Vaccination Adviser shares responsibilities with one of the Health Advisers, who holds vaccination as a topic. The Vaccination Adviser works in close collaboration with all Health Advisors and relevant Specialists on strategic and technical support issues and is responsible for support to selected missions.

Main objectives of the post

The overall aim of this post is to provide support and impetus to strategic planning and implementation relating to vaccination in MSF-OCA projects.

This includes:

·Scaling up vaccination in current projects and improvement of quality

·Introduction/implementation of new vaccines (Hepatitis B birth dose, Pneumococcal vaccine)

·Support missions in outbreak response vaccination campaigns

·Development of tools to improve vaccination activities

Key outputs expected

Provide vaccination specialist support to MSF-OCA in order to successfully implement the strategic plan and the MSF vaccination policy. This will include:

oContinuously review progress in vaccination activities against the MSF-OCA strategic plan and the topical annual action plan

oDevelopment of strategies to include routine vaccination in additional projects, address missed opportunities and adherence within OCA EPI activities

oIdentify constraints and implementation challenges in vaccination in MSF OCA and recommend measures to overcome them

oAssist Health Advisors and Operations Managers in development and implementation of vaccination services

oProvide quality and timely technical support to field staff (medical coordinators) concerning “specialist” and non-routine vaccination questions

oDevelopment of better outbreak investigation strategies for measles outbreaks

oProactive development of initiatives for preventive vaccination campaigns (in line with MSF vaccination policy)

oSupport field teams in the use and analysis of routine program monitoring information and coverage surveys on vaccination activities

oOversight and analysis of vaccination activities and outputs in all relevant projects so that quality of care can be evaluated effectively

oAdvocate on vaccination policy and quality issues to MSF-OCA operations and other relevant staff

oSupport to local advocacy activities for scaling up EPI/new vaccines

oCollaboration with MSF Access Campaign in developing vaccination advocacy activities

oDevelop further networks to enhance MSF-OCA expertise and support for field implementation

Candidate criteria

Education and experience

·Medical doctor or nurse with broad knowledge and experience in the field of international health with MSF or an equivalent organisation

·Experience with planning and implementation of EPI and mass vaccination programmes

• Relevant field experience with a humanitarian organisation,
• Proven interest and experience in technical expertise development

Capacities and skills

·Good oral and written communication skills

·Willingnessto spend up to 30% of time in the field

• Proven analytical skills, policy development experience and strategic thinking

·Strong analytical and problem-solving capacity

• Strong interpersonal skills: stimulating, innovative,able to mobilise/motivate and coach people
• Able to work under time pressure on various projects at a time

·Fluent English essential; French desirable

We are offering

• A part-time appointment 50% (20 hours per week) until 31^st December 2013

·A gross monthly salary between € 3,018 and € 4,312 (based on fulltime appointment), depending on relevant professional work experience

·A challenging position within a stimulating, professional environment in a major internationalorganisation

More information?

If you are interested in this post and would like additional information, please contact Koert Ritmeijer, Coordinator of Health Advisors, at: +31 (0)20 520 8767

Application

Please send your letter of application and CV before 19 April 2013 to the attention of Ms Jaline Wijkhuizen (Personnel Officer HQ) by email toofficejobs@amsterdam.msf.orgmentioning “Vaccination Adviser” in the subject line; could you also mention where you read this vacancy.