Latest Vacancies at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)

Main Purpose

Planning, organizing and carrying out laboratory activities and supervising the laboratory staff according to MSF protocols, security measures and hygiene standards, in order to support the MSF medical team in the diagnosis of patients’ diseases.

Accountabilities

• Participating in the project planning and follow-up and reviewing the laboratory budget when necessary in order to support MSF’s medical activities.
• Ensuring the compliance of MSF hygiene and safety protocols, both individually and collectively as well as informing staff of existing biological risks.
• Performing laboratory tests and carrying out sample collection (serology, hematology, biochemistry, bacteriology, parasitology ...) in accordance with prescriptions as well as ensuring that quality control tests are carried out regularly. Informing the doctor of the results of the tests and keeping a record of the analysis with data from patients.
• Ensuring proper management (cleaning, maintenance, arranging) of all laboratory equipment and the adequate supply of needed equipment and material in order to prevent stock-outs. This includes being responsible for all required automatic instrument calibration, ensuring that no material is taken out of laboratories without prior authorization and carrying out a proper storage system and conditions, inventory, etc. In cooperation with logistics department, ensuring that cold chain is properly maintained in Laboratory areas for both, samples and reagents.
• In the absence of a Laboratory Manager, ensuring proper registration and needs of all lab related activities and implementing a correct use of the associated management tool (EpyTryp. Etc.) in order to have a proper recording of laboratory activities. Preparing and sending slides/samples for external quality control.
• Supervising, in close coordination with the Hospital Director, the HR department, the associated processes (recruitment, training/induction, coaching, evaluation, potential detection, development and communication) of the staff under his/her responsibility in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required
• Ensuring that all staff using medical devices are qualified and trained. Ensuring cleaning and minor maintenance tasks are performed according to the protocols. Reporting any malfunction to the project biomedical service.
• Producing regular reports on the testing and on any issues / problems related to laboratory personnel and / or the material used.

MSF Section/Context Specific Accountabilities

• Day-to-day running and coordination of all laboratory activities. On the job and theoretical teaching/training of auxiliary laboratory technician’s frequent supervision and support to the auxiliary lab tech working in the HP.
• Weekly blood supply management through deputy-Medco request if require from the donor
• Collect samples in an appropriate manner and according to the criteria in place, for further processing of sample in other locations (Nairobi, Lancet MSFF etc.). Ensure that results reach their destination timely.
• Ensure the equipment is available, handled carefully and that consumable goods are available and ordered in due time.
• Facilitate any needs relating to epidemic surveillance.
• Supervise the health post and lab consumable material and drugs, weekly order is done according to schedule agreed by project pharmacy managers, follow-up of daily, weekly registration books and reports. The storage conditions, inventories, follow-up of expired drugs and their destruction, drugs consumption related to departments.
• Part of the emergency team and also on–call providing support for emergency laboratory investigations at short notice round the clock as needed.
• Use appropriate, PPE’s provided by the facility while in the clinical setting and when attending to patients.
• Support capacity building of nurses, clinical officers and doctors in regard to making them proficient to perform point of care rapid tests on their own.

Requirements

Education

• Essential degree as Laboratory Technician
• Essential 2 years’ experience in a laboratory, preferably as a Lab Tech.

Experience

• Desirable in MSF or another NGO, desirable in a clinical laboratory

Languages

• Mission language essential (English).
• Local language desirable (Somali/Kiswahili)

Knowledge

• Essential computer literacy (word, excel and internet)

Application deadline: 10th of April 2023

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Main Purpose

• Support the implementation and monitoring of WATSAN field community subprojects/projects and strategies for the countries of his/her region. Assisting with the evaluation of the impact of the projects. 
• Support developing network and knowledge of the WATSAN local actors (institutions, training centres, suppliers etc., as relevant) at the Nairobi level.
• S/he will be based 60% in the field (shared between the missions) and the rest in Nairobi, where s/he will be following up on key field projects. 
• Drafting synthetic visit reports.
• S/he will get technical support from the WATSAN Team, and direct assistance from the WATSAN Referent based in Nairobi.

Dossiers

The job is structured around 3 main lines of work:

Follow up on specific field projects & subprojects.

• Support the teams in defining and implementing community WATSAN project activities that respond to the community needs and accompany our medical interventions. 
• Ensure the WATSAN community projects follow a People-Centered approach, in which the community has highly been involved in the definition and implementation of the project. 
• Support the teams in defining the indicators in the community activities to be followed, and monitoring, compiling and recording data.
• Compiling and analyzing statistical and monitoring data of WATSAN activities of the portfolio missions and guiding the team accordingly, in order to capitalize upon the impact of the interventions. 
• Ensure the use of a Health Monitoring Information System (HMIS) to compile the indicators of the projects
• Thinking of innovative ways of working and supporting the teams that bridge remove working in these security-challenged areas. 
• Train the teams on how to best follow and implement community WATSAN projects.

Water provision and people’s dignity

• Support the field teams in conducting WATSAN assessments, WATSAN data analyses and proposals (this could include the use of online platforms for assessments, like Solstice). 
• Support the mission in the drafting of WATSAN subprojects aligned with OCBA 2023 priorities (focus on water provision). 
• Propose innovative solutions or add to the existing solutions of water provision in emergencies for different communities in the region (i.e. kits for hand pumps, maintenance and repair…).
• Technical support for deploying water provision, and eventually, developing water provision lobby tool and follow up, in case of need.

Transversal dossiers

Waste Management. There is a growing interest and priority in the house to ensure proper management of hospital waste (hazardous waste and hospital waste (liquid/solid) so as to minimize the environmental health impact our projects have, and reduce in the coming years, MSF’s carbon footprint. Along these lines, the position will assist in:

• Skimming for regional solutions for hazardous waste management 
• Supporting the field teams to embrace waste management policies in the countries of visit 
• Punctually supporting the implementation of wastewater treatment solutions.

Networking. Nairobi is a humanitarian hub that gathers NGOs, training and academic institutions and private companies closely related to the field of water and sanitation. Along with the Technical Referent, he/she will be boosting the creation of a network of contacts so our operations further benefit from possible partnerships and innovations present in the region. 

Basics of the basics. Our health facilities need to ensure proper water supply and segregation are followed and monitored consistently. The WATSAN Officer might be required to monitor and assist the visited projects and ensure that follow-up is done properly.

Other Responsibilities:

• The responsibilities of the officer mostly lie within the East and Horn of Africa Region, but some circumstances might expand this support beyond the region. 
• The WATSAN Officer, when not in the field, will support the WATSAN Technical referent according to the specific needs.

Qualifications

• Technical education related to water and sanitation.
• Capacity to understand and analyze the links between morbidities and WATSAN conditions, and experience in specific programs that involve a link between WATSAN-related morbidities.
• At least 2 years of WASH experience in the field
• Experience working at community level, with community engagement in terms of water and sanitation is a plus.
• Previous field experience with MSF in WATSAN is a plus.
• Good understanding of computers and new technologies.
• Experience in training staff.
• Good written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to set priorities and organize his/her own work.
• Fluent in written and spoken English and one official language of the East Africa Region (French is an added asset).

Competencies

• Commitment to MSF’s Principles.
• Cross-cultural Awareness.
• Behavioral Flexibility. 
• Stress Management.
• Analytical Thinking.
• Results and Quality Orientation. 
• Service Orientation. 
• Planning and Organizing. 
• Teamwork and Cooperation.

Application deadline: 12th April 2023