MEDICAL OFFICER 116 views

Org. Setting and Reporting

Established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN) in 1958 as one of the UN’s five regional commissions, ECA’s mandate is to promote the economic and social development of its member States, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa’s development. Made up of 54 member States, and playing a dual role as a regional arm of the UN and as a key component of the African institutional landscape, ECA is well positioned to make unique contributions to address the Continent’s development challenges. The strategic objective of ECA is framed around delivering ideas and actions for an empowered, inclusive and transformed Africa in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 of the African Union through its three core functions, namely, its function as a think tank, its convening function and its operational function.

The emergency and pandemic/disaster preparedness Medical Officer’s position is located within United Nations Health Care Centre, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The incumbent reports to the Chief Medical Officer and has a functional reporting relationship to the Medical Director, Medical Service Division OHRM New York as need arises.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Medical Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

Clinical Duties:

• Develop instructional materials for the UN staff, and make presentations on regular basis to staff and stakeholders in order to provide information on emergency plans and their implementation process.
• Prepares plans that outline operating procedures to be used in response to disasters/emergencies such as to pandemic, epidemic outbreaks, hurricanes, earthquakes, terrorist attacks and recovery from the events within the Commission and country.
• Develops and performs tests and evaluations of emergency management plans in the Commission according to UN guidelines and continuously update plans with changing environment and information.
• Inspects facilities and equipment such as emergency management centres and communications equipment to determine their operational and functional capabilities in emergency situations.
• Conducts surveys to determine the types of emergency-related needs that will need to be addressed in disaster planning, provide technical support to others conducting such surveys.
• Designs and administers emergency/disaster preparedness training courses that teach UN personnel how to effectively respond to major emergencies and disasters, including BLS, ACLS and First Aid Training and the implementation of the emergency plan.
• Coordinates disaster response or crisis management activities such as ordering evacuations, opening shelters and implementing special needs plans and programs.
• Reviews the emergency plan of the clinic to ensure its adequacy, including studying emergency plans used elsewhere to gather information for plan development.
• Conducts regular simulations exercises in collaboration with Safety and Security Section on mass casualty and building evacuation.
• Plans and maintains UNECA’s Business Continuity plan and activities, identifies equipment and other requirements for contingency planning to ensure the organisation’s disaster preparedness.
• In collaboration with WHO monitors disease occurrence in the country and the neighbouring countries and prepares advisory information circulars to staff members accordingly.
• Collaborates with other UNECA sections (FMS, SSS, etc) to prepare and analyse damage assessments following disasters or emergencies and advise the organization accordingly on mitigation measures.
• Ensures the maintenance of the fever clinic and emergency medical stocks (medications, vaccines and equipment).
• Undertakes day-to-day clinical duties, e.g. walk-in’s clinic, emergencies, including following up of patients admitted to hospitals or requiring medical evacuation and discusses the health conditions of the cases with outside specialists.
• Provides health education and health promotion programs, with special emphasis on different disease out-breaks in the continent and world at large.

Mass Casualties Preparedness:

The Disaster Medical Officer will design plans for the following phases:

• Pre-disaster preparedness.
• Patient treatment at the disaster scene(s).
• Transportation of the disaster victims to specialized treatment centres.
• Map out and regularly updates such maps of what is available locally and what is not but can be found in neighboring countries.
• Ensures availability of different transportation means (ambulances, air ambulance services approved by the UN Aviation services, backup transport services within the country).

Medico Administrative Duties:

• Liaises with UN Medical Directors of UN Agencies to ensure the well- being of their staff members.
• Follows the United Nations established policies and procedures regarding medical clearances, sick leave and medical evacuations/repatriations.
• Participates in drafting and implementation of business continuity and crisis preparedness plans for the duty station/mission.
• Deputizes for a more senior Medical Officer during his/her absence.

Supervisory Administration:

• Manages day-to-day mission medical support operations by ensuring availability of medical supplies and proper functioning of medical equipment.
• Ensures appropriate training programs are implemented in collaboration with HRMS in the area of emergency/disaster management.

General:

• Performs other related duties as required

  Competencies

  Competencies:

• Professionalism: Knowledge of clinical, and disaster/emergency medicine. Formal training in CPR and, preferably in BCLS and ACLS or equivalent emergency medical care. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• Planning& Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

  Education

  Doctorate (MD) in medicine with sub specialization in disaster/emergency medicine. A first level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in the specified fields with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advance university degree.

  Work Experience

  A minimum of five years of progressively responsible clinical experience in disaster medicine

and emergency response

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview

Special Notice

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 30 June 2019, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Suriname, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.