HOSPITAL PROGRAM MANAGER

CONTEXT

The ICRC Health Program in Lebanon encompasses a broad portfolio of program and activities, including First Aid and Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, Primary Health Care, Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support, Hospital Support, Health Care in Detention, and Physical Rehabilitation. The strategy of the Health Department is rooted in the ICRC Health Strategy, and focuses on a strong public health approach, aiming at ensuring high quality of a continuum of care for people affected by violence and conflict in Lebanon (Syrian and Palestinian refugees, migrants, and vulnerable Lebanese).

The Lebanese Hospital System, already heavily privatized and fragmented since the end of the Civil War that affected the country from 1975 to 1990, has undergone successive shockwaves that have further hindered its capacity to absorb the increasing caseload created by the presence of high concentrations of refugees, the financial and economic crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and lately the catastrophic explosion at the Beirut port.

The ICRC aims at supporting public hospitals in Lebanon to be able to cope with the increasing demand for services, generated by: a) the poor utilization of primary health care services that leads to development of medical, surgical and obstetric complications that could have been prevented by timely access to preventive services; and b) the increasing levels of violence in the country and consequent increase in the number of wounded unable to pay for their treatment reaching the public hospitals.

The main focus of the ICRC Hospital Support Program in Lebanon is three-fold:

1) Ensuring access to emergency medical, surgical and obstetric care for people affected by violence and conflict in Lebanon;

2) Strengthening Mass Casualty Preparedness by virtue of the increasing violence and the volatility of the situation along the Southern border;  

3) Improving Infection Prevention and Control measures (including for, but not limited to, the COVID-19 pandemic).

PURPOSE

The Hospital Program Manager (HPM) is in charge of and the focal point for all activities related to hospital projects in Lebanon. S/he is responsible of ensuring coherent assessment, design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the ICRC Hospital Program in Lebanon in compliance with ICRC standards. S/he is also responsible for institutional reporting on the projects, and training and mentoring of the field health staff involved. S/he has an overall view of the Hospital Support Program in Lebanon and works in close interdisciplinary collaboration with other members of the field Health team to promote a continuum-of-care approach.

The main focus of his/her role is to overview the ICRC type IV supported hospitals in Lebanon, particularly in response to subsequent shocks that have hit the hospital system (Syrian crisis, financial and economic crisis, ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and blast explosion of the 4th of August).

S/he is responsible also for assessing other public hospitals in all Governorates and identify needs for additional support.

S/he reports to the directly to the Health Coordinator and supports her/him in the strategic management of health care activities related to hospitals.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Minimum 10 years’ experience as registered nurse (RN) or medical doctor (MD)

Minimum 5 years’ experience in the humanitarian health sector, of which at least 2 years with the ICRC

Desirable experience in hospital management and/or clinical staff supervision

CERTIFICATIONS/EDUCATION REQUIRED

Degree as registered nurse (RN) or medical doctor (MD) absolutely necessary

Master’s level degree in hospital or health system management or equivalent

Project management qualification an asset

Fluent in English, French and Arabic

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Elaborates a Hospital support strategy for the Health Department in Lebanon

Produces project documents for all type IV supported hospital, ensuring coherence with Hospital Reference Framework and all ICRC standards.

Implements the health activities in his/her AoR, according to the PfR objectives (e.g. emergency responses, referral + support to WW, supported hospitals) and meets the objectives defined by the delegation in close collaboration with health management (Coordinator and Deputy) for Beirut and Mount Lebanon, and the Head of Sub-Delegations in the Sub-Delegations.

Establishes a good coordination with the sub-delegation team and collaboration with protection, cooperation, communication, water&habitat and economic&security departments, logistics

Liaises with humanitarian stake holders and health authorities in Area of Responsibility (AoR) to monitor access of target populations to hospital care (focus on Covid-19 treatment, surgical care and obstetric care).

Analyses all information available and provides accurate data which pertains to the health and well-being of ICRC target population (e.g. WW, Syrian refugees, Palestinian Refugees) to implement the activities s/he is responsible for and/or adjust accordingly.

Contributes to institutional reporting, Quarterly health reviews at the Delegation and Sub-Delegation.

Responsible to organize health emergency response in her/his area of activities in close collaboration with management and health (or deputy) coordinator.