ThaiNGO

Job Title: Health Coordinator

Location: Mae Sot

Background/IRC Summary:  

Background/IRC Summary: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is at work in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. The IRC has been operating in Thailand since 1975 and currently provides assistance to displaced persons in Tak, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Mae Hong Son provinces.

Job Overview/Summary:

IRC provides primary health care and environmental health services in several refugee camps in Thailand. Primary health care services work to maintain low morbidity and mortality rates, while increasing the capacity of refugee-trained health care workers to provide curative and preventive treatment. IRC and community-based partner organizations also lead provision of clinical services in the camps, including reproductive health services and neonatal care. Clinical services include out-patient department (OPD) and in-patient department (IPD) care; laboratories supporting IPD/OPD and reproductive health clinics; pharmacy services for essential drugs; community health education, and mental health care. Environmental health services aim to create a healthy living environment for refugees living in the camps through the provision of quality water and sanitation facilities, leading efforts to improve access to chlorinated water, sanitation, and hygiene in the camps.

Under the direct supervision the Senior Health Coordinator and the overall guidance of the Deputy Director of Programs (DDP), the Health Coordinator assists the Senior Health Coordinator in managing and coordinating the day-to-day portfolio of the health programs, including primary health care, reproductive health, community health, environmental health and psychosocial support. The Health Coordinator plays a key local representational role with various stakeholders, particularly Thai public hospitals, Ministry of Public Health and other counterparts/partners (i.e. UN agencies, civil society organizations and community-based organizations) in the health sector. The Health Coordinator ensures all clinical activities are on track and in compliance with programs objectives and donor regulations. The Health Coordinator is also responsible for mentoring and capacity building of health staff in the field offices. 

Major Responsibilities:

Program Implementation

• Assist the Senior Health Coordinator in implementing and monitoring of IRC’s health programs, interventions and activities through effective planning, monitoring and coordination to ensure efficient and effective implementation in accordance with IRC global standards as well as donor regulations, best practices and local requirements per the Thailand Ministry of Public Health, and Burma Border Guidelines, IRC guidelines, thereby ensuring the programs address the needs of the most vulnerable beneficiary populations in the most cost-effective manner.
• Develop curricula, training and conduct training of trainers (TOT) for community health workers, health assistants and medics, laboratory staff, nurses in collaboration with partner organizations and in accordance with the Committee for Coordination of Services to Displaced Persons in Thailand (CCSDPT) Health Sub-Committee standards.
• Coordinate and manage day-to-day implementation of the health activities, particularly the clinical aspect of the health program in Tak province and all other technical and clinical support, mentoring and quality assurance support and facilitate IRC efforts to support the organizational and leadership development of community-based health partners and community-trained health workers.
• Conduct regular communication and program monitoring meetings with field-based senior clinical managers and the Environmental Health (EH) manager.
• Conduct regular field visits to each of the camps to ensure program efficiency and quality and address issues and concerns, working closely with the Senior Health Coordinator.
• Facilitate quality assurance activities, following all monitoring and evaluation tools used within the current health program and ensure they provide relevant data to measure results / impact of the health program.

Grants Management and Reporting

• Track indicators that result in high quality health services for beneficiaries. Facilitate quality assurance activities.
• Review progress in achieving program objectives and targets in collaboration with the Senior Clinical Managers, the EH Manger and the Program Unit.
• Assist the Senior Health Coordinator in reviewing technical aspects of internal and external reports prepared by the managers within agreed deadlines using IRC and donor formats, as required, and review quarterly reports to ensure that they are of highest quality.
• Ensure workplans for the health programs are on track.
• Assist the Senior Health Coordinator in monitoring program budgets and spending plan to ensure expenditures are on track and utilized accordingly to donor formats. Monitoring project budgets against expenditure, and ensuring appropriate adjustments by providing support and oversight to program managers on programmatic spending, track Budget vs. Actual reports and ensuring no over or underspending.

Partnerships and Coordination

• Represent the IRC and serve as the primary focal point and liaison with Thai public health authorities, local government and Thai hospitals on IRC health programs and activities.
• Promote coordination and collaboration between IRC partners, including regular health coordination meetings, Health Information System (HIS) Working Group, and other similar fora.
• Promote close coordination and integration with other program sectors.

Staff Management and Development

• Support staff by creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and empowers staff to take responsibility. Approve and manage all leave requests to ensure adequate coverage.
• Mentor, manage and evaluate staff performance of direct reports.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:  Senior Health Coordinator
Position directly supervises:  Field-based senior clinical health manager(s) and clinical manager(s); and environmental health manager

Job Requirements:

• Post graduate degree in public health, tropical medicine or other health-related field. Medical degree (MBBS or MD) is a plus.
• Minimum of five years of experiences working in humanitarian and/or development assistance health programs, including a minimum of three years in a management position.
• Demonstrated successful experience in capacity building.
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in managing comprehensive primary health care programs with particular expertise in Primary Health Care, Reproductive and Child Health, and/ or Health Information Systems.
• Demonstrated ability to foster strong collaborative partner relationships particularly with government authorities - based on principles of mutual trust and respect, mutual accountability, reciprocity, inclusion and transparency – with an ability to promote a common project vision among a wide array of diverse partner organizations.
• Ability to manage sizeable multi-cultural team delivering assistance involving a wide array of program stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written.
• Strong writing and analytical skills, including ability to communicate technical matters to a range of audiences.
• Competent in Windows, MS office programs, emails and relevant health database (HMIS, DHIS etc.).
• Fluency in spoken and written Thai and English is required; Burmese is a plus.
• Able to travel regularly along the Thailand-Myanmar borders and able to travel to refugee camps and other project areas on a regular basis.

Working Environment: The position will be based in the IRC office in Mae Sot, with extensive travel to the refugee camps and the Thailand-Myanmar border area.

HOW TO APPLY:

Application letter and most recent CV in English stating qualifications and experience should be submitted to the IRC Human Resources Department at Thailand.HR@rescue.org

All applications will be treated confidentially and not returned. The IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, national origin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or physical or mental disability. The IRC is an equal opportunity employer.

 APPLICATION DEADLINE : 26 DECEMBER 2017