Senior Officer, Staff Health

Organizational context

The International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 192-member National Societies. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, & promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing & alleviating human suffering & thereby contributing to the maintenance & promotion of human dignity & peace in the world.”  The IFRC works to meet the needs & improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during & after disasters, health emergencies & other crises.

The IFRC is part of the International Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies & the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, & universality.

The IFRC is led by its Secretary General, & has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development & Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy & Digitalization; & (iii) Management Policy, Strategy & Corporate Services.

The IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East & North Africa, Europe, & the Americas.  The IFRC also has country cluster delegation & country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters & the field structure (regional, cluster & country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

The global impact of COVID-19 has already been significant, & it represents the most serious global health threat resulting from a respiratory virus, since the 1918 influenza pandemic.  IFRC has been actively responding to the pandemic by focusing on both preparedness & response. The IFRC has launched a global appeal which focuses on preparedness & response across all regions.

The role MENA  National Societies (NSs) play in the fight against COVID-19 is a function of their auxiliary status. The IFRC represents a Red Cross & Red Crescent Society in each of the17 MENA Countries. IFRC, Regional MENA Office based in Beirut , Lebanon has been providing support to MENA  NSs through its County Cluster Support Teams (CCST) offices & Country Offices (COs) in responding COVID-19 pandemic.

Job purpose

The aim of this position is to improve the staff health service given to all IFRC staff in the region in close cooperation with the Staff Health Unit in Geneva.

Provide all staff in the region with professional support & advice on health management-related matters, including COVID-19 health related information, guidance & support during the whole employee life-cycle, & to actively promote & engage in staff health & wellbeing initiatives.

General:

• Act as the focal point in the region for staff health related issues
• Ensure support & follow up of individual case management when its needed for national staff & in cooperation with Geneva for delegates
• Ensure that staff health policies & insurance coverage systems are in place for national staff & reviewed regularly
• Ensure PSS is integrated in staff health activities

Pandemic specific:

• Advisory role for all health staff related issues during COVID-19 pandemic
• Draft & review communication related to staff health & infection, prevention & control for COVID-19 & any other infectious disease. Ensure communication is in line with corporate practice, aligns with existing policies & procedures, & reflects the advice of external health agencies that IFRC is either following or works with closely. Ensuring that all documentation & presentation is aligned with the global level.
• Support the review of business continuity plans in close coordination with the BCP team

Job duties & responsibilities

Overall:

• Work within the Staff Health Unit that is led by Geneva as focal point for the region by participating actively in task that can affect the global level & benefit the region
• Work closely within the regional HR department & in cooperation with the health department

Administrative Procedures

Context-specific Health risks assessment

• Identify the health risks specific to RO & IFRC countries/clusters offices & discuss them with head of operations in order to evaluate the specific preventive measure (i.e., epidemic disease, outbreaks, collapse of the health system).
• Reduce the impact of environmental risk directly linked to working & living places in the office premises & the delegate residents.
• Disseminate information from authorities & any regulatory body related to COVID-19 & any other emergency medical sources
• Liaise with HR Team in the Regional office & HR focal points in the Country offices & country clusters to ensure consistent messaging & advice.

Develop policies & guidelines, & oversee their proper implementation

• Participate in the development of policies & guidelines on staff health issues in the region with focus on COVID-19 health issues, medical evacuation procedures, psychosocial support & substance abuse
• Act as the focal person for the region related to COVID-19 staff health file, including but not limited to follow up on the public health risk reduction measures at the work spaces at RO, CO & CCO, travels, contact tracing, assuring that the staff are aware & complying with IFRC public health recommendation
• Put in place measures to ensure confidentiality of the medical data related to COVID-19 cases & other medical related issues at the duty stations across the region
• Provide input for the review of the health insurance plan as well as the emergency assistance plan for all national staff
• Ensure proper implementation of the Staff health policy in all IFRC offices in the region
• Conduct regular field visits to IFRC offices in the region to ensure proper staff health activities & procedures are in place
• Act as the focal point for the HIV in Workplace programme related to the region
• Work closely with the Health Department on institutional initiatives meant to maintain & improve staff health & wellbeing aligning with the global strategy
• Participate in workshops & conferences related to staff health if requested
• Link with professional staff health colleagues to ensure sharing of best practice within & outside the organization

Health Briefings & Debriefings

• Individual/collective staff health briefing for new staff arriving in the Federation (PNS where applicable), advising on specific local health risks (mental & somatic health) & on avoidable behavioural risks.
• Briefing on management of medical emergencies (medical helpline, external services of emergency services, referral facilities, access to post-rape kits & first aid kit)
• Provide travel health advice in line with global public health recommendations & ensure balance between the public health risk & the continuity of the operational needs

Vaccination

• Advise on vaccination recommended for the specific place assignment for National staff
• Support the centralized care of delegates & the follow up
• Advise on/ensure that National employees exposed to professional risk receive adequate medication
• Ensure that all IFRC employees have access to information about risk of any disease, test & emergency treatment.

Medical screening

• Ensure counselling for medical screening at recruitment of all future National staff & for “exposure missions”
• Monitoring of routine test for specific professional categories i.e. drivers’ eye

Management of sick leave

• Monitor the sick leave certificates for both delegates & national staff as stipulated in the staff regulations in the regional office

Education, Training & Equipment

• Co-organize First Aid training for all staff on a regular basis.
• Advise staff on the appropriate use of PPE as a preventive measure for risk reduction

• Ensure all IFRC offices are equipped with medical kits & staff are fully informed about the use (First aid kits during field trips, offices & residences: inventory, replenishment, storage, location.)

Clinical care & emergencies

• Assessment of referral facilities safety of access for all employees in the region either by yourself & delegating to another health professional in the country of need. A matrix of identified health facilities & related contacts is made available to all staff & regularly updated as needed.
• National reference structures for vertical program & for vaccinations are identified where appropriate
• Integration of Medical Contingency Plan (MCP) in the overall contingency plan of the RO & other countries/cluster offices.
• Case management: support GVA for delegates related health issues & be available for national staff in RO
• Ensure the possibility of support 24/7
• Strict medical confidentiality is warranted towards individual medical information of all IFRC staff.
• Provide direct medical advice or to refer to external consultations as needed
• Standard IFRC guidelines should be applied in medical evacuation, accidents (including Post Exposure Prophylaxis) & illness of all staff.
• Direct Support is provided to Delegate or National staff assisted by IFRC Self-insurance through direct contact & follow up with local health providers. Employees are followed up individually when appropriate & when advice is sought.

Psychological support, Stress management

• Support management in the implementation of best organizational practices in stress management, according to IFRC’s Psychosocial Support Program.
• Guide staff on how to gain access to the IFRC’s PSP services
• Ensure that all staff receives information about the appropriate communication channels to report sexual harassment in the workplace according to IFRC policies & procedures.
• Ensure availability of post-incident & chronic stress management support from PSP Stress Counsellors
• Liaise with the regional office’s Occupational Health & Safety Committee on organizational initiatives meant to create a safe & healthy work environment, conducive to improve staff health & wellbeing.
• Organize peer support sessions in case of critical incidents according to Critical Incident Stress Management practices, coordinated with PSP Stress Counsellors.

Health insurance

• Ensure compliance with procedures related to medical insurance in coordination with HR/Admin
• Case management for all staff is handled according to the relevant IFRC procedures for Delegates & National staff contracts (i.e.: ensuring that employees use the medical facilities selected, the request of the use of other facilities/specialists is case by case examined, ensuring that medical invoices for illnesses for National staff & their families are authentic & consistent with the prescription & clinical history)
• The arrangements regarding health insurance for employees & volunteers are explained
• The arrangements regarding health insurance for National staff are updated & adapted according to needs (i.e.in case change of reference structures & or new emerging needs).
• Support is provided for the administrative tasks related to staff health cases in strict medical confidentiality.

Monitoring & evaluation

• Collect general medical data, produce a quarterly report within the global reporting of the staff health Unit & contributing to the regional reporting
• contribute to the client satisfaction monitoring in terms of their level of satisfaction & potential improvements to be made

• support to collection of health evaluation data, health surveillance data
• Program monitoring & evaluation

Contribute to build an effective, high quality HR Department, by:

• Ensuring excellent collaboration with HR colleagues & contributing to their professional development as suitable
• Participating in the development of a customer service-oriented culture that values proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation, & high performance

Duties applicable to all staff

1.    Actively work towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals 
2.    Abide by & work in accordance with the Red Cross & Red Crescent principles
3.    Perform any other work-related duties & responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager

Education

University degree in relevant discipline: professional qualification as a health practitioner (medical doctor or nurse) - Required

Experience

Minimum 5 years’ experience in a similar function (nursing/medical & administration) - Required

At least two years of field-based staff health-related work within an international organization with experience dealing with acutely ill patients in a medical setting - Required

Tropical Medicine course - Preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Language

Excellent interpersonal & communication skills - Required

Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment - Required

Capable to work under stress & outside office hours - Required

Teamwork & cooperation - Required

Tact, discretion & confidentiality - Required

Fluently spoken & written English & Arabic - Required

Good command of French - Preferred

Competencies and Values:

National Society Relations, Diversity , Teamwork, Communication, Professional ism, Innovation, Accountability