EPIDEMIOLOGIST REFERENT (BASED IN NAIROBI)

GENERAL CONTEXT

Médecins Sans Frontières is an international independent medical-humanitarian organization, which offers assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict, without discrimination and irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation.

MSF is a civil society initiative that brings together individuals committed to the assistance of other human beings in crisis. As such MSF is by choice an association. Each individual working with MSF does it out of conviction and is ready to uphold the values and principles of MSF.

The MSF movement is built around five operational directorates supported by MSF’s 21 sections, 24 associations and other offices together worldwide. MSF OCBA is one of those directorates. The operations are implemented by field teams and the mission coordination teams; together with the organizational units based in Barcelona, Athens and decentralized in Nairobi, Dakar and Amman. The field operations are guided and supported by 5 Operational Cells, the Emergency Unit and other departments supporting operations.

CONTEXT AND GENERAL OBJECTIVE OF THE POST

The position provides support to the epidemiology activities of the existing and future missions in Cell 5 of MSF OCBA (East Africa Unit) and is hierarchical under the management of Head of NOSH (Nairobi Operational Support Hub) based in Nairobi but with functional line managed by the Health Advisor of Cell 5 and with direct technical line with Epi Referent, based at Barcelona.

She/he will work closely including capacity building of different Epidemiologist based in the missions & will be involved under guidance of Health Advisor in different dossiers aiming at strengthening epidemiology, data analysis and usage within MSF projects: Operational Research design and implementation, Health Surveillance Program, outputs for operations, and for providing relevant information for defining advocacy strategies.

The key objective of the position is to providesupport to the development and implementation of epidemiological surveillance systems adapted to each context and will reinforce possible operational research activities.The position will also participate/lead in the training of the Rapid Response to Emergencies teams or other profiles linked to epidemiology activities, especially in situations of outbreaks or epidemics.

As mentioned above, current missions under Cell 5 operations are: Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia & Ethiopia, although this may vary depending on the MSF OCBA portfolio.

In additions, the position will support in scanning of the external epi data to support analysis of epi trends related with food security & surveillance of different diseases outbreaks in the region (East Africa).

FUNCTIONAL AND HIERARCHICAL REPORT LINES

He/she reports to:

• Hierarchically to the Head of Nairobi Operational Support Hub (NOSH).
• Functionally to the cell 5 Health Advisor & with concerned Medical Coordinator during their stay in each country.
• Technical line for support with Epi Referents based in HQ – Barcelona.

At all times, he/she stays in contact and works closely with the focal point in charge of epidemiology activities in each mission (Mission Epis), both with the specific one of the countries where he/she is located and remotely with those of the other missions.

The priority for visits to each mission will be decided by the Health Advisor of the Cell 5 according to demand and needs in the portfolio.

The Epidemiology Referent of the MSF OCBA Medical Department assigned to the Cell 5 will participate in the orientation & technical discussions and will be consulted by Health Advisor when necessary. make important decisions about managing the position.

LOCATION

The position is Nairobi based but structure to support the MSF OCBA missions in the East Africa Region, involves regular field visits, supporting the Cell 5 countries in the region which are currently Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia but with assessment opportunities outside of the current portfolio based on needs.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND MAIN TASKS

1. Support epidemiology activities for Cell 5, East Africa Unit:

• Support or directly provide methodology in the adequate use of the data collection system to monitor/document programs when required;
• Assist the field teams/cell in the monitoring of health programs or other relevant epidemiological interventions;
• Collaborate with the Health Advisor and field teams in the identification of field needs;
• Participate in the planning and implementation of assessments as well as in the development of proposals for potential operational interventions;
• Support or conduct surveys/studies when requested by the field missions/cells (e.g.: KAP, nutrition, mortality surveys, etc.) in collaboration with other technical colleagues;
• Brief and debrief field medical staff whose profiles include epidemiology-related components;
• Support missions directly through field visits and/or short applied epidemiology missions.

2. Contribute to strengthening epidemiology in MSF-OCBA in the region:

• Support and supervise field/mission epidemiologists and consultant epidemiologists;
• Determine and/or assist in identifying the training needs related to epidemiology in collaboration with mission Epi, Epi referent and/or the OCBA medical and operations departments;
• If requested, participate in the development of a pool of epidemiologists OCBA in collaboration with HR, with focus in EA region; Participate, at the request of the HR Department, in the selection of people who are to carry out epidemiology-related activities in the missions/projects.

3. Provide methodological support to cells and missions in outbreak response:

• Emergency outbreak investigation support;
• Deployment to field to support outbreak response if needed;
• Advise and implement standard data collection tools and processes;
• Support/Provide analysis of disease/outbreak data.

4. Support implementation of Health Surveillance Program in selected sites:

• Contribute to planning, preparation of Community-based Health Assessments (CBA);
• Assist in obtaining clearances for survey from Medical Department/MSF ERB; which includes protocol contextualization;
• Advise and/review data collected;
• Analyze and write report.

5. Support MSF-OCBA’s health information system processes (HMIS):

• Assist missions and projects in interpreting and reviewing data collected via HMIS, and with further analysis if needed;
• Advise projects on data flow and management;
• Work in collaboration with the e-Health team to answer/solve HMIS-related issues in the field.

6. Support operational research within MSF-OCBA:

• Contribute to the definition of priorities in operational research;
• Provide oversight and follow up on operational research in the Cell 5 regions;
• Participate in the planning of research activities including but not limited to identification of research questions and objectives, literature review, developing/writing the research protocol, submission of protocol and relevant materials to MSF ERB;
• Participate in supervising the progress of operational research activities such as data collection and management;
• Contribute to, as requested, data cleaning, analysis, report and manuscript writing in coordination with other medical referents and Health Advisor.

7. As delegated, represent MSF-OCBA and East Africa Unit and serve as focal point for relevant coordination:

• Maintain key intersectional relations with regional epidemiology peers/network;
• Participate in meetings of thematic platforms internally, and experts at regional level;
• Contribute to identifying and maintaining relations with potential operational and technological partners (intersectional, external and institutional);
• Participates in the training activities as a facilitator when requested;
• Develop and maintain regional network with organisations that we can learn from, collaborate or partner with in areas related with EPI.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Education:

• Advance degree in public health, with epidemiology modules.
• Advanced degree in epidemiology.

Essential:

• Minimum 2 years of previous field experience as international staff, with MSF or equivalent.
• Proven experience in the management and analysis of quantitative medical data: management of computer tools with demonstrable ability and experience in the use of epidemiology programs and health information systems such as SPSS, R, STATA, Epi-info (or Epi -data), DHIS2;
• Ability to design, implement and analyze epidemiological surveillance systems;
• Demonstrable skill and experience in field epidemiology, as well as basic knowledge of the process of preparing and implementing epidemiological surveys and studies;
• Previous experience in producing epidemiological content reports, surveys, studies or publications;
• Ability to present data in meetings with clarity and precision;
• Ability to develop process and result indicators;
• Basic knowledge of health systems, as well as their design, monitoring and evaluation;
• Ability to create and offer training on the different components of your area.

Desirable:

• Previous training in Field Epidemiology Programs (FETP);
• Knowledge and skills in one or more of the following areas: epidemiological surveillance in the community and investigation of events, cohort epidemiology (eg HIV/TB, chronic diseases), knowledge in design and implementation of health needs assessment tools, mechanisms for evaluating emergencies and responding to epidemiological outbreaks, novel methodologies for carrying out surveys (GPS sampling, etc.), management and quality of health services.
• Experience in GIS techniques, development of “dashboards” and use of data collection on mobile devices;
• Knowledge of qualitative data analysis packages (N-Vivo, Atlas Ti) will be an added advantage.

Languages:

• Mandatory fluency in oral and written English.
• Working knowledge of Arabic considered an added advantage.

COMPETENCIES

• Absolute commitment to humanitarian principles.
• Respect for medical ethics and professional secrecy.
• Observation and monitoring of MSF processes and protocols.
• Focus on results and quality.
• Planning and organization skills.
• Team spirit and inter-disciplinary cooperation.

CONDITIONS

• Position based in Nairobi with time shared between the various missions and frequent trips to projects. Final location will be subject to the employability of the preselected candidate (residency, work permit, etc.).
• Full-time work.
• Contract duration: 6 months, extendable as needed. Type of contract according to the local contract modality.
• Annual gross salary: HQ-4A. Salary and additional benefits defined according to the functions grid of MSF EA. Subjected to local conditions.
• Start date: as soon as possible.