Médecins Sans Frontières (also known as Doctors without Borders or MSF) is a private, non-profit, international humanitarian medical organization that intervenes in emergencies and crisis situations to relieve human suffering resulting from unmet medical needs. MSF observes strict neutrality with respect to politics and provides its assistance without discriminating on the basis of race, religion, ideology, or political affiliation. MSF’s members are required to respect humanitarian principles and principles of medical ethics at all times.

·      Number of Positions:  One

·      Place of work: Addis Ababa Coordination  

·      Terms of employment: One year with possibility of extension

·      Activity Rate :  100%

·      Remuneration and Benefits:

-         Starting gross salary/month: 88,862.00 ETB

-         Transportation allowance: 2,200.00 ETB

-         Medical Coverage : as per organizational Policy

·      Date of application: 29th May– 16th June 2024

 Main Purpose

Defining, coordinating and monitoring the epidemiological activities, ensuring the development of appropriate methodology and the quality of studies according to MSF protocols, standards and procedures in order to identify risk factors for diseases and to determine the optimal treatment approaches to clinical practice and the preventive medicine to be used in the missions

Accountabilities

  v Defining, scheduling and organizing, in close collaboration with other medical team members, the annual epidemiological activity plan as well as its associated budget, in order to improve early detection of risk factors to better define treatment approaches and preventive practices.

  v Leading the implementation of the protocols and epidemiological methodology, ensuring all related staff follows them in order to improve research efficiency.

  v Supervising, according to annual plan, the epidemiological research activity ensuring that contacts with community groups and authorities are aligned with the objectives of the research and that the population participating in the research is properly informed. Reporting on the progress of data collection, on ongoing analysis of research or on any issue causing delay, in order to achieve epidemiological goals on time.

  v Advising the MSF medical team on epidemiological matters that arise in the course of their activity research, and when necessary, designing and implementing epidemiological tools and data collection to meet new epidemiological needs.

  v Ensuring, in coordination with logistics department, that national or international shipment of laboratory samples acquired for research purposes is done within datelines and according to protocols, following security rules and keeping conditions needed for the sample

  v Supervising data filing procedures, ensuring that all epidemiology software tools are properly used and are updated regularly, in order to ensure full data traceability and availability

  v Planning and supervising, in close coordination with the HR department and the MSF vision, policies and values, the associated processes (job description, recruitment, training, performance evaluation, development and internal/external communication) of the epidemiological staff in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required, to improve staff technical capabilities, contribution and commitment to MSF values.

  v Supervising, in close coordination with the Logistic Manager that research equipment and materials are properly maintained and stock level is above minimum point in order to ensure availability and research activity continuity.

  v Participating in operational monthly reports and organizing and/or assisting medical staff in preparing epidemiological reports related to health facilities and to researched areas

 MSF Section/Context Specific Accountabilities

 Mission overview

MSF has worked in Ethiopia for more than 30 years, responding to emergencies countrywide, including malnutrition, malaria, acute watery diarrhoea, refugee health and access to healthcare. 

 Ethiopia mission provides health care in four of the regions:

• Kule project in Gambella region in the west

• Somali Region Emergency Response Unit (SRERU) in the Somali Region in the east

• Amhara emergency and neglected diseases in the north-west, including Abdurafi project

• Shire and Sheraro in Tigray region in the North

• Additionally emergency responses may be conducted in other parts of Ethiopia

 Accountability

The epidemiology activity manager will support and mentor the project epidemiologists in assessing, implementing and maintaining the epidemiological surveillance systems/monitoring according to MSF protocols, standards and procedures. They will contribute to appropriate evidence-based decision making and outbreak response. This position will ensure maximum staff capacity building for project-based epidemiologists and clinical surveillance officers as needed. In addition, the mission epidemiologist will support mission-level activities, including data for advocacy activities, EPREP planning, DHIS2 system maintenance, MoH reporting, operational research, and strategic planning.

• To organize the MSF-OCA epidemiological objectives in the mission in collaboration with the MedCo.

• Provide mentorship and training of project epidemiologists and clinical surveillance officers, as needed, in collaboration with the HQ epidemiology advisor.

• Conduct deep-dive analyses of program data to contribute to evidence-based planning and decision-making.

• Provide input on project-level medical strategy and interventions; Reviewing of indicators for regular reporting - in line with the Annual Plan logical framework.

• Maintain all mission and project databases (i.e., DHIS2). Function as mission focal point for health information system and liaise with E-health team of headquarters. Improvement of data quality in the project.

• Monitor key performance indicators for MoH project agreements and produce reports for MoH quarterly and annual reporting.

• Serve as MSF-OCA Mission surveillance focal point; monitor and regularly update Medco on the epidemiological trends of diseases/risk factors of interest in mission project areas and other regions of interest in Ethiopia. Liase with external partners and represent MSF in relevant platforms at national level in matters related to disease surveillance, as requested by Medical Coordinator.

• Support the development of research collaborations with external partners alongside other coordination team members. Support Medical coordination in development of research concept notes and protocols and participate in design, implementation, analysis and reporting of operational research in the mission.

• Develop regional surveillance strategies for each location where OCA projects are present in collaboration with project epidemiologists and HQ epidemiologist. Support the development, maintenance, and evaluation of surveillance systems for all projects.

• Conduct surveys (nutrition, mortality, morbidity, KAP, LQAS etc), as requested by the mission or assist the project teams in doing so.

• Provide additional emergency response epidemiology capacity at project level, as needed. Remain deployable to conduct health explos and participate in emergency response Contribute to the advocacy strategy as expressed in the Country Policy.

• Submits monthly Mission Epi reports (or weekly when indicated in case of outbreak) to the Medical Coordinator (MedCo) and relevant Project Coordinator(s) during emergency responses

   Requirements

Education   Essential: degree (or masters) in Epidemiology or Public Health with extensive training in statistics and epidemiology

Desirable: specialization or training in tropical diseases

Experience   Essential: working experience of at least two years in epidemiology related jobs and in outbreak response, working experience with MSF or similar humanitarian / development organizations

Desirable: working experience in developing countries, previous experience in operational research and peer reviewed publications

 Languages      Essential :Mission language (English ) 

Desirable: Local language (Amharic ,Somali, Tigrigna, Nuer/ agnuak )

 Knowledge   Essential: Basic computer skills (e.g. excel, MS word, MS Power Point), R for Epi software,

Desirable: Skills using statistical software’s, data collection, management and visualization tools

  Competencies  

•   People Management and Development L2

•   Commitment to MSF Principles L2

•   Behavioural Flexibility L3

•   Results and Quality Orientation L3

•   Teamwork and Cooperation L3

How to Apply

Register using THIS LINK