Public Health in Emergencies Delegate Temporary

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with 190 member National Societies. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, our work is guided by seven fundamental principles; humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC or “the Federation”) is the world’s largest volunteer-based humanitarian network. The Federation is a membership organization established by and comprised of its member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Along with National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” It works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises. The IFRC is served by a Secretariat based in Geneva, with regional, country cluster teams and country offices throughout the world. The Secretariat is led by the IFRC Secretary General and provides the central capacity to serve, connect, and represent National Societies. The Secretariat’s focus includes providing support to the IFRC governance mechanisms; setting norms and standards; providing guidance; ensuring consistency, coordination, and accountability for performance; knowledge sharing; promoting collaboration within and respect for the Movement; and expanding engagement with partners. The southern Africa Cluster Office based in Pretoria, South Africa provides representation supports to the ten National Societies (NS) of Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia. South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Cyclone Idai made landfall on the evening of 15 March 2019 in the port city of Beira located in Sofala Province of Central Mozambique. The cyclone wreaked havoc on Beira and surrounding areas resulting in loss of communication, important damage and destruction to shelter and settlements, health and WASH facilities and thousands of hectares of standing crops, communication infrastructures and as well as loss of life and injury. In response, the IFRC launched a CHF 31 million dollar, 24 month appeal seeking to support over 200,000 people in the areas of health, shelter, WASH, Protection Gender and Inclusion and National Society Development. The IFRC has established a large operational structure working with CVM (Mozambique Red Cross) to implement the operation.

Clinical services are disrupted, leaving the population at risk for marked deterioration in health status due to pre-existing or newly acquired illness. Outbreaks of viral gastroenteritis, hepatitis, acute watery diarrhoea and other diseases are all possible risks. Malaria is endemic in Mozambique with a peak in the rainy season from December to April. The position holder will be providing technical public health leadership to the Public Health in Emergency component of the IFRC Emergency Appeal which seeks to address the immediate risks to the health of affected populations through the delivery of services in the following areas; First Aid, Psychosocial support and mental health, Health promotion and Epidemic prevention and control.

Epidemic prevention, Preparedness and control

• Together with local counterpart/s develop a public health response plan that balances context, capacity and broader operational goals;
• Take a strategic approach to public health intervention design in order to successfully plan for and incorporate transitions to early recovery/long term recovery and exit;
• Work closely with RCRC movement to mobile first aid/surgical teams, field clinics and field hospitals to ensure a cohesive and coordinated approach to emergency health as a whole;
• Draw upon sector and technical knowledge to provide contextual options to mitigate specific public health risks and address needs, particularly where public health is at the core of an operation;
• Act as a technical focal point for meetings, planning and reporting;
• Work closely with local counterparts, and operational team members such as logistics, HR, finance and information management to ensure that response plans and transitional/recovery programming have evidence based, contextual and relevant Public Health components.

Knowledge management and organisational learning

• Work with local counterparts and authorities and Information Management colleagues to establish secure and confidential data management systems including the collection of surveillance forms from different reporting health facilities and sites, editing and cleaning up data, and analysing/reporting the information;
• Monitor and support the health referral program and health information system and ensure feedback relating to key public health data is provided to operational partners, UN agencies, Ministry of Health (MoH), NGO partners and other relevant sectors (protection, community services etc.) to ensure a multi sectoral approach that evolves as needed with the situation;
• Asses and analyse data and ensure findings are documented and easily accessible for the emergency operations team to guide operational decision making.

Coordination and collaboration

• Work closely with other sectors undertake emergency needs assessments on the public health technical areas of the emergency response;
• Working with the CEA teams engage with the community through local health committees and seek feedback on the community’s perception of health services, promoting community involvement in all aspects of health programming;
• Coordinate and communicate with local government and partners, and other humanitarian agencies to ensure a holistic approach to public health and prevent gaps and/or duplication in services.

Capacity building

• Take a capacity building approach to working with the Mozambique RC, providing training, technical support, mentoring and dissemination as part of emergency response and recovery activities.

• Degree level in health or Social Sciences;
• Master’s Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology or other relevant Public health subject;
• IFRC Training Course on PHiE, CBHFA or equivalent knowledge and experience.

• Not less than 3 years of progressive experience in a medical, community Health or Public Health Position;
• Experience in Health Emergency response;
• Experience in field epidemiology and or disease surveillance;
• Experience in training of health personal and capacity building;
• Experience in social mobilization.

• Knowledge of good practices in participatory methodology, program planning and design, monitoring and evaluation, learning, and accountability;
• Good organizational skills;
• Excellent analytic and computer skills (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint);
• Knowledge of STATA, Epi-info, SPSS or equivalent statistical analysis software;
• Strong workshop facilitation skills;
• Skilled in training, mentoring and coaching individuals and groups, as appropriate;
• Capable of influencing and obtaining cooperation of individuals not under supervisory control, as a member of multinational team, and managing remote relationships to achieve results;
• Highly motivated, self-starter able to lead a process, engage others and create ownership;
• Flexible and willing to deal with ambiguity, changes and challenges;
• Able to prioritize work, multi-task and meet deadlines;
• Willing to travel and operate in a demanding working environment;
• Fluent spoken and written Portuguese;
• Fluent spoken and written English.

• National Society relations;
• Professionalism;
• Negotiation;
• Accountability;
• Teamwork;
• Communication;
• Innovation;
• Professional mastery;
• Building alliances.