TIC-MOBILE OUTBREAK LABORATORY (MOL) MANAGER

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 six operational directorates. 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 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.

OCBA is leading one TIC (Transformational Investment Capacity) project entitled “Mobile Laboratory for Outbreaks Control” looking towards to create Laboratory Capacity (equipment and team) rapidly deployable to the field when an alert appears, to investigate and confirm epidemic outbreaks to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the MSF operational response. The project has ended its phase I at the beginning of November 2021 with the validation of its Minimal Viable Product.

 GENERAL OBJECTIVE

In the emergency setting where MSF works, the diagnosis capacity for outbreak detection is not always available at field level. There are also many deficiencies in the outbreak confirmation process in national reference laboratories to timely react; many times, due to vertical approaches (one disease targeted at a time and in case negative, there is need to restart the investigation) but also due to lack of capacities.

All these together provoke delay in identification of the causative agent of an outbreak and could result in inadequate and/or late responses to outbreaks. On the other hand, more and more, technology is advancing and new diagnosis tools that can be used in a decentralized manner for outbreak investigation are available. The combined operation of a field and reference laboratory allows improving diagnostic capacity under difficult circumstances and proving it to be accurate, efficient and safe in operations.

MSF OCBA has been granted TIC incubation project to develop the second phase of the Mobile Outbreak Laboratory (MOL) capacity (equipment and mobile team) rapidly deployable to the field when an alert appears. Autonomous, but in a coordinated manner with the different resolution/technical levels at the country, the MOL will ensure a rapid turnaround time diagnostic and an improved “alert investigation” circuit and therefore, it will improve the set-up of timely and adequate operational response.

The incubation project has a budget of 250.000 euros for 15 months with a team composed of the MOL Manager, the Implementation Technical lead (Lab Tech) and a Logistic support National Staff. As per deployment complementary team would join the core MOL team if necessary. The field implementation team will be embedded in the Alert Investigation Team (either MSF, MoH or other actors present in RCA) and as such will have a link with its MoH/WHO Surveillance System. The project will have a project committee to overview the implementation and ensure coordination with other key related TIC projects or initiatives: Minilab, GOARN, etc.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES, FUNCTIONS AND TASKS

The MOL Manager depends hierarchically to the MOL Program Director and functionally to the Diagnostic Referent.

The MOL Manager is the responsible to manage the whole project, ensuring the achievements of objective within the resources and timeframe approved by the Project Committee. She /He is also in charge of supervising the project team.

• Defines, implements and adapts the Project strategy
• Develops the Project Initiation Documentation (and its components)
• Plans the implementation of the project, defining gates, milestones and deliverables. Review the goals and objectives and define KPIs.
• Ensures deployment scenarios are agreed and MOL is deployed when they occur
• Defines scope and ensure it is validated by Project Committee.
• Improves version development and is in charge of ensuring some innovation iterations are included in new MOL version within the frame of Phase II.
• Elaborate and control the budget and is responsible for the use of Project Resources (248.000 Euros for 15 months- starting in Nov 2021)
• Supervises the Project Team and review the project chart when relevant.
• Defines a clear RASCI for key activities ensuring the involvement of all project members and key stakeholders in the right moment/time.
• Makes decisions on escalated issues in its scope of responsibility
• Ensures that risks are identified, assessed and controlled especially in areas that are not within a current MSF intervention area before and during deployments
• Escalates issues and risks to Project Committee if project tolerance is forecast to be exceeded
• Ensures overall assurance of the project - which it remains on target to deliver products that will achieve the expected benefits, and that the project will be completed within its agreed tolerances. Where appropriate delegate some Project Assurance activities.
• Participate and organizes Project Committee meetings (together with the PC Chair)
• Guarantees completion of deliverables and updates.
  • As representative of the MOL in the mission will be in charge of: compliance of MoU with MoH and its renewal,
  • communication and networking with the key stakeholders present in the country
  • coordinate the deployment of the MOL with the Alert Investigation Team according the alert identified

S/he will work in close collaboration with the Project Committee Members, the operational cell members, the mission coordination team and the Technical Referents to ensure the alignment of the priorities of the project with the operational need and strategies within the framework of the Strategic Plan, Operational Policy, Departmental plans and best practices of MSF OCBA.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Education and Experience

• Project Coordination experience (desirable)
• Proven Experience in Context Analysis & Security Management in insecure environments
• Experience in the humanitarian sector (desirable)
• English and French language proficiency – written and spoken.

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
• People Management and Development

CONDITIONS

• POSITION BASED IN BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, at the Médecins Sans Frontiers-Spain offices with possibility of traveling to participate in meetings outside CAR (Dakar, Barcelona, etc).
• Full time position
• Temporary position -> 12 months- extendable
• Annual gross salary L11 based on Field salary grid
• Starting date: As soon as possible

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, please follow the link below and submit your CVand cover letter
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• Closing date:February 23th, 2022, 23:59 CET (Central European Time)

MSF is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, race, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We are committed to achieving a balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. MSF provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. MSF does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo reference checks.

Médecins Sans Frontieres, as a responsible employer, under article 38 of “Ley de Integración Social del Minusválido de 1982 (LISMI)” invite those persons with a recognized disability and with an interest in the humanitarian area to apply for the above-mentioned position