Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Closing date: 11 Oct 2019
Job purpose
The Preparedness Delegate will be responsible for driving the development, implementation, supervision, and evaluation of Preparedness activities for the Ebola response in DRC, along with ensuring Preparedness is built into National Society (NS) and IFRC ways of working for this emergency operation and recovery activities.
The position will provide strategic and technical advice, supervision, and training to improve the readiness of communities in high risk areas affected by the current EVD outbreak, and to build the capacity of NS during outbreaks and during the recovery phase.
Job duties and responsibilities
Preparedness delegate will be responsible to implement and monitor closely the Ebola preparedness plan in 4 neighbouring provinces (Sud Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Maniema and Tshopo)
Emergency preparedness
· Plan and organise Epidemic Control for Volunteers (ECV) training
· Implementation of activities at target communities through ECV
· Ensure with the Ops Manager that the Contingency Plan for diseases with epidemic (outbreak) potential is being developed (including risk assessment to identify the diseases of epidemic potential in the current context)
· Ensure the readiness of the NS and the IFRC through the set-up of a community-based surveillance (CBS) system in affected areas
· Implement the CBS component developed by IFRC and the DRC RC
· Ensure the readiness and processes of a rapid response team(s) for epidemics response
· Develop the required trainings for national emergency health response teams to be deployed and to respond
· Develop and maintain strong working relationships with MOH, WHO and other health partners to identify and respond to gaps in outbreak response
· . Facilitate the identification of necessary readiness and response actions to be taken, where necessary.
· Contribute to the development as well as reviews of Federation response mechanisms, operating procedures and protocols affecting different levels of the organisation, as they relate to public health emergencies and outbreak response.
· Monitoring and quality assurance of the activities
Knowledge management and organisational learning
· Identify and document good practices on health emergency and outbreak preparedness and response.
· Ensure appropriate prepositioning of kits in high risk health zones in North Kivu/Ituri and neighbouring provinces
NS capacity building
· Support National Societies’ health emergency and outbreak preparedness and response capacity strengthening consistent with their mandates and roles agreed with national authorities related to epidemics.
· Promote, and where possible facilitate, the integration and mainstreaming of health emergency and outbreak response programmes and initiatives into relevant National Society programmes, as well as the co-ordination and co-operation between National Society emergency health programmes and initiatives.
· Provide technical support to develop core capacities in the provinces in terms of preparedness and response to outbreaks and epidemics.
· Explore opportunities for NS Epidemic Preparedness leveraging on the ongoing Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Project (CP3).
· Support NS in positioning them in health emergencies and outbreak/epidemic response within the national epidemic response structures as auxiliary to gov’t/MoH.
Coordination and collaboration
· Participate in and work with relevant provincial preparedness coordination mechanisms with a view to improving health interventions in the operation, as well as strengthening effective and coordinated the Ebola response.
· Coordinate with DRC RC Provincial and technical teams to support EVD operation in North Kivu and Ituri.
· Support coordination of DRC RC with IFRC health regional technical teams and local partners to ensure alignment with the overall objectives of the response; ensure the response meet quality, safety and timelines standards; and adapts to changing evidence and/or emerging best practices in EVD response.
· Promote the collaboration between DRC RC, the Ministry of Health and other pertinent government sector partners.
· Represent the IFRC in technical meetings, conferences, seminars and forums.
Strengthen the communication, cooperation and coordination with other movement partners including ICRC.
Degree level in health or Social Sciences
Master’s Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology or other relevant Public health subject
IFRC Training Course on PHE, CBHFA, ECV or equivalent knowledge and experience
Experience
Not less than 5 years of progressive experience in the management of health systems and health programs
Experience in the management of outbreaks of vector-borne diseases and vaccine-preventable diseases
Experience in training of health personnel and capacity building
Experience training community members and lay health workers
Experience in social mobilization issues
Experience on SDB and IPC training protocol
Knowledge and Skills
Knowledge of good practices in participatory methodology, program planning and design, monitoring and evaluation, learning, and accountability
Good organizational skills
Excellent analytic and computer skills (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint)
Strong workshop facilitation skills
Skilled in training, mentoring and coaching individuals and groups, as appropriate
Capable of influencing and obtaining cooperation of individuals not under supervisory control, as a member of multinational team, and managing remote relationships to achieve results
Highly motivated, self-starter able to lead a process, engage others and create ownership
Flexible and willing to deal with ambiguity, changes and challenges
Able to prioritize work, multi-task and meet deadlines
Willing to travel and operate in a demanding working environment
Languages
Fluent spoken and written English
Fluent spoken and written French
Competencies
Professionalism
Communications
Collaboration and teamwork
National Society and customer relations
Building alliances
Accountability
Creativity and innovation
How to apply: