Closing date: 02 Dec 2009 -- (CLOSED)
Location: Kenya - Nairobi
Responsible To: Country Director / Country Health Director
Location: Nairobi, with possibility of field visits where security permits.
Contract Duration: 2 Months
Starting Date: ASAP
Salary: £21,146 to £23,370 per annum (dependant on relevant experience) inclusive of annual Cost of Living allowance.
Benefits: Insurance cover, accommodation, free return flights, annual loyalty bonus and 24 days annual leave.
Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date.
Please note that this is an unaccompanied position.
Merlin International Profile
Merlin specialises in health, saving lives in times of crisis and helping to rebuild shattered health services. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries.
Context and Background
Merlin has been working in Somalia since 2004 with its first office opened in Garowe, the capital of Puntland State of Somalia. Since then, Merlin has been expanding and scaling up its programmes in Somalia and Merlin is operational in all three regions of Somalia, namely Somaliland, Puntland, and South Central Somalia and has established office bases in Hargeissa, Garowe, and El-Buur. Merlin is currently implementing HIV/AIDS, TB, Early Warning and Response, and Communicable Disease Control, and Primary Health Care projects in Puntland; emergency health and nutrition project in El-Buur district of Galgadud region in South Central Somalia; and primary health and nutrition care project in Awdal region of Somaliland. In implementing its programmes in Somalia, Merlin is working in partnership with the Ministry of Health (particularly in Puntland and Somaliland) and in close collaboration and coordination with other national and international actors as well as communities.
Main purpose of the role
The CDC officer will have the responsibility for the surveillance, prevention and control of communicable disease in the Puntland State of Somalia and in Galgadud region of South Central Zone of Somalia. In discharging this responsibility, the CDC officer will maintain and develop effective working relationships with individuals and organisations involved with provision of health services and other agencies that have a close link to health outcomes e.g. water and sanitation agencies, health cluster, nutrition cluster and the health sector.
Overall Objectives (scope)
- Develop and maintain an effective system for the surveillance of communicable diseases with potential for epidemics in Puntland and ensure that the surveillance system in the different districts feeds into regional and national surveillance.
- Assume overall responsibility for the response to and the control of outbreaks of infectious disease under the guidelines issued and approved by Somalia Health Authorities (MoH).
Responsibilities
Promote emergency response and preparedness
- Ensure adequate contingency planning and preparedness for potential epidemics.
- Facilitate the development of the regional emergency preparedness plan, including identifying necessary stocks and supplies for responding to various epidemics
- During an outbreak, lead the rapid assessment of the situation / outbreak investigation and identify and prioritize gaps that need to be filled quickly and effectively in coordination with the relevant agencies, organizations and Puntland Health Authorities;
- During an emergency, ensure that effective response measures are in place, and communicate the gaps in timely manner to the health cluster
- Identify problems, define objectives, prepare plans and set targets for the control ofcommunicable diseases in Puntland and in South central regions.
- Supervise and coordinate activities for the prevention of communicable diseases
- Be part of outbreak task force and play a leading role in ensuring the preparation of contingency plans for the control of major outbreaks is in place and share with the health cluster and Puntland Health Authorities.
- In exceptional, unforeseen circumstances, be prepared to provide remote assistance to neighbouring Zones (South central and Somaliland) during major communicable disease outbreraks.
- Contribute to education and training in communicable disease prevention and control,
- Contribute to the monthly health cluster bulletin and report on the health of the population in the health cluster meetings.
Information management and reporting in a timely manner
- Ensure adequate reporting and effective information sharing to effectively communicate focal agency activities, progress, reports, data and other relevant information to partners and stakeholders;
- Promote common software for health data collection and analysis as designated and endorsed by the health cluster and the health authorities;
- Establish a local network to collect information from the region through the health facilities and the community health workforce.
Logistics/Finance/Administration
- Ensure all projects adhere to Merlin’s systems and procedures
- Ensure that projects implementation meets donor compliance requirements
Human Resource Management
- Maintain good team communication, engender good team dynamics and take remedial action when problems occur
- Support team members professionally and monitor and support stress management
Expected Deliverables/ Outputs
- Accurate epidemiological data in readily user friendly format
- Analyse the existing data for lesson learning and disseminate the findings to partners.
- Strengthened coordination amongst stakeholders on all aspects of disease surveillance and outbreak response
- Improved capacity among MOH staff on disease surveillance and outbreak response
Person Specification
Essential Qualifications, experience and competences
- Masters in Public health with experience in disease surveillance and epidemic control at field level with high degree of professional competencies.
- On hand experience in basic epidemiological analysis, interpretation and documentation
- A competent trainer with good experience of developing and implementing training plans.
- Hands on project management experience.
- Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English
- Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office
- Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures
- Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines
- Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues
- An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values
- Willing to travel extensively and working in dynamic work environments
- Good documentation and dissemination / presentation skills
- Should be able to live, work and travel in an insecure environment, following strict security guidelines at all times.
- Proficient in use of computers, able to use - Microsoft Word, Excel and Epi-Info and relevant data processing software packages.
Desirable Qualifications, experience and competences
- Previous working experience in the region
- Knowledge of Somali or Arabic will be an asset
Data Protection
Please note, on submitting your application, you are agreeing to Merlin holding and using the information that you have given for the purposes of recruitment and employment – should an offer be made. In order to process your job application, it may be necessary for your application to be sent to the Country Director (in the country you are applying for) for consideration. If you do not agree with this, please state so when applying.
Reference Code: RW_7XELNC-78
