Candidate profile

• Lawyer
• Educational background in International Humanitarian Law
• Minimum 5 years of professional experience as a lawyer
• Field experience in humanitarian organizations in the areas of IHL and the protection of victims of violence in zones of armed conflict or other crisis situations.
• French and English speaking

 

Conditions

• Long-term contract - Full time
• Based in Brussels (Ixelles) with visits on the field
• Hospital insurance (DKV) - pension plan - canteen - 100% reimbursement for public transport costs

• Starting date:  immediate.

 

Deadline for applications: 04 of October 2016

Curriculum Vitae and covering letter to be sent by e-mail to Recruit-HQ-DG@brussels.msf.org  with “legal advisor” in the subject.

Context

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international humanitarian aid organisation founded in 1971 that provides assistance in more than 70 countries to populations in distress, to victims of natural or manmade disasters and to victims of armed conflicts, without discrimination and irrespective of religion, creed or political affiliation. The management of MSF’s operations are divided between 5 sections based in Paris, Barcelona; Brussels, Amsterdam and Geneva.

Under the hierarchical supervision of OCB General Direction and the functional supervision of the Director of the International Legal Department, the Legal Advisor provides direct legal support to operational teams to defend the protection of the Medical Mission and MSF’s humanitarian space.

(S)he works in a team with other legal advisors of the Intersectional Legal Department to ensure that all sections receive quality, uniform support. Based on his/her legal analysis, (s)he submits un annual plan of action tailored to the needs of their relevant section and contributes to the identification and resolution of intersectional legal issues with the legal team and with the Director of the Legal Department.

The Legal Advisor is also responsible for the assessment of the missions’ overall legal risks and the definition of tax strategies and mitigation measures. S(he) is part of the SHIELD, supporting field teams in the negotiation of special statuses of exemption for MSF through Host Country Agreements, to ultimately securing MSF’s presence in the long term.

Finally, (s)he participates in various working groups, in particular advising on legal risks relating to search and rescue activities, other migrant-related activities and refugee requests in Europe.

 

Job Profile

 

In particular, s(he) will be charged with the following responsibilities:

 

IHL / IHRL / International Justice

 

In collaboration with the IHL specialists of the legal department, develop expertise and support missions on International Humanitarian Law, International Human Rights Law and International Justice:

 

• Support field teams in the development of legal arguments aimed at defending the medical mission and MSF’s humanitarian space, particularly providing support to field teams regarding IHL issues during negotiations of MOU or special agreements/status, during the management of incidents and in the protection of victims of conflict.
• Support MSF teams in the management of individual cases of violence against patients as well as against MSF personnel in the field (such as arrest, kidnapping, murder, threats or cruel treatment).
• Manage legal issues of requests from commissions of inquiry or national or international legal proceedings regarding violations of IHL, or national or international criminal frameworks and ensuring that MSF’s policy on participation in such proceedings is applied.
• Train MSF personnel on relevant IHL issues and develop relevant tools.
• Participate in and contribute to intersectional working groups of the legal department, particularly relating to IHL and national/international legal proceedings.

 

Medico-legal issues and the Protection of victims of violence

 

Assist field teals with the legal management of victims of violence in conflict and non-conflict affected countries.

• Define the various national medico-legal frameworks for the protection of victims of violence and of sexual violence (including minors), particularly taking into account specific operational contexts.
• Manage MSF’s medico-legal liability in regards to the protection needs of victims of violence, notably that of minors, and liaise with the other legal advisors and relevant “protection” actors in field missions to manage individual cases.
• Provide support to field teams regarding violence/proceedings against MSF structures and patients (security incidents, arrest, notification obligations, medical confidentiality, specific considerations concerning minors, legal proceedings etc.)
• Develop tools to improve the documentation of medico-legal cases and contribute to updating the statistics of the OCB medico-legal database.
• Train MSF teams on relevant medico-legal issues related to the protection if victims of violence.
• Participate and contribute to the intersectional working group on medico-legal issues.

 

 

Taxes and Host Country Agreements

 

Assess the level of operational, legal and fiscal risks and secure the legal environment of the field missions in the context of the SHIELD.

 

• Evaluate and analyse legal and fiscal risks applicable to each legal/administrative framework where MSF operates.
• Advise and implement optimal solutions to improve the legal and administrative frameworks of MSF missions.
• Support field teams in their management of their tax audits and identify/evaluate local tax lawyers for mission teams.
• Undertake SHIELD studies of individual country contexts and solutions provided in local law (ad hoc agreements) and in international law (Host Country Agreements) and identify legal policies and procedures to negotiation such agreements or special fiscal or administrative exemptions from the relevant authorities.
• Participate in working groups and workshops organized by the SHIELD and contribute to the development of tools to further technical expertise.
• Train MSF teams on relevant tax issues and negotiations of exemptions.

 

Migrants/Refugees/Search and rescue operations

 

• Analyse and advise on the care and management of refugees and migrants in MSF operations.
• Evaluate and manage legal risks related to MSF search and rescue operations in collaboration with local lawyers.
• Support field teams in the management of incidents and requests/investigations.

Qualifications required: - Solid knowledge and experience in complex programme management, especially in development cooperation with EC DEVCO - Excellent knowledge of the rules and requirements of the EC and experience in financial management of EC programs - Ability to work autonomously and to take initiatives - Solid planning and coordination skills - Excellent command of English and French and/or Spanish. Working knowledge of Spanish will be considered an asset - Familiar with and interested in working in a trade union environment.

Job description: Ensuring the overall operational implementation and budget management of the TUDCN program in accordance with the requirements of the donor, and under the guidance and supervision of the TUDCN Coordinator. Specific tasks: - Monitoring and drafting reports on the operational status of the programme: • oversee the delivery of agreed outputs, including partners reporting requirements • identifying difficulties and ensuring they are addressed in time • summarize progress in overall delivery of agreed outputs/outcomes, and budget expenditure on a regular basis - Drafting narrative and financial planning documents; - Compiling narrative and financial reports (working with the FIN department of the ITUC), including budget reallocation procedures; - Conceptualising and drafting narrative and budget amendments proposals to donors; - Overseeing the narrative and budget plans as well as reports from ITUC regional networks in Latin America, Africa and Asia-Pacific; - Follow up with relevant staff of regional organisations the operationalisation of the programme and management of budgets; - Supporting capacity of relevant staff of regional organisations in planning and reporting.

 -        Formation supérieure ou universitaire dans le domaine de la communication.
 -        Expérience professionnelle en communication.
 -        Bonne connaissance du secteur.
 -        Bonne pratique du néerlandais et de l’anglais (orale et écrite).
 -        Dynamique, motivé(e), disponible et flexible.
 -        Capacité d’écoute et d’observation.
 -        Capacité à fédérer autour d’un projet.
 -        Capacité à travailler seul comme en petite équipe et de manière autonome dans un cadre
           (pré)défini.

 BFTF est la fédération belge du commerce équitable. L’asbl vise à rassembler, défendre, représenter et promouvoir les entreprises et organisations actives dans le commerce équitable en Belgique afin de contribuer au développement d’une économie dont la finalité est le développement humain dans le respect de l’environnement et non le profit.

 Actuellement soutenue par le gouvernement wallon, l’asbl est principalement constituée de membres francophones. Son objectif est cependant de devenir un interlocuteur national.

 BFTF recherche un collaborateur (M/F) à ¾ temps, dans un contrat à durée déterminée d’un an, pour entrée en fonction immédiate.

 Description de la fonction

 En collaboration avec le coordinateur de l’association, il/elle assumera entre autres les tâches suivantes :
 -        La gestion et le suivi de projets internes et externes à la fédération en termes de 
           fonctionnement et d’organisation ;
 -        La gestion de la communication : site internet, réseaux sociaux, newsletter, médias, etc. ;
 -        La réponse aux sollicitations des membres et aux appels de l’extérieur.

 Conditions de travail

 -        Prestations principalement au siège de l’association à Liège.
 -        Déplacements réguliers en Belgique.
 -        Environnement francophone avec pratique ponctuelle du néerlandais et de l’anglais.
 -        Contacts humains réguliers.
 -        Implication personnelle dans le développement d’un réseau économique solidaire en pleine
           évolution.
 -        Horaires parfois atypiques.

 Conditions d’engagement

 -        Contrat de travail ¾ temps à durée déterminée d’un an.
 -        Salaire brut mensuel conforme aux barèmes de la CP 329.
 -        Chèques-repas.
 -        Détenir un permis de conduire catégorie « B ».
 -        Etre disponible pour entrée en fonction immédiate.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Qualifications

• A masters level degree in public health or epidemiology
• 5 or more years professional experience in a similar role is preferred
• Clinical experience strongly preferred
• Experience working with relational databases desirable
• Familiarity with medical coding standards such as UMLS and ICD-10 desirable
• Experience with DHIS 2, OpenMRS or commercial health information systems tools desirable
• Experience in MSF (at field or HQ level) is preferred
• Strong negotiation skills. Ability to challenge counterparts arguments
• Able to travel to the field once or twice per year as needed
• Willing to work in an international, multidisciplinary and humanitarian environment
• Experience in training is an asset
• Fluent English with the ability to write clearly - fluency and writing skills in French is a strong asset

CONDITIONS

• Fixed-term contract 12 months extendable - Full-time - Based in Brussels MSF Headquarter
• Hospital Insurance (DKV) - Pension plan – Canteen – 100% reimbursement for public transportation costs
• Starting date: immediate

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION / 01/10/2016

Please submit all applications only by email to: Géraldine Pellegrin (Recruit-HQ-Operations@brussels.msf.org ) stating eHealth Epidemiologist in the title. Please submit only one file containing your CV and cover letter and name the file with your last name only

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted

CONTEXT

OPS eHealth Support Unit Vision statement

Field-focused, bottom-up approach, governance-minded, we aim to provide MSF operations dedicated digital services support for humanitarian medical services.

OPS eHealth Support Unit Mission statement

Médecins sans Frontières Operational Centre Brussels (MSF OCB) understands eHealth as the use in the MSF field of digital tools and electronic components of all kind for medical/operational purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, Telemedicine, GIS, UAV’s, mHealth, Health Information System, EMR…

We provide first line ICT services and tools, from needs analysis to solutions identification and project management. We identify new tools, assess proposed solutions, support with the implementation and day-to-day maintenance (directly or thought external partners), build and update the eHealth products catalogue. We capitalize on experiences and lessons learned and share them globally to ensure the best solutions for all projects.

Nature of the function

For years MSF has tried to build and operate eHealth/mHealth projects in the field with mixed results. Due to lack of project methodology, governance and poor communication, different issues have been observed: many stakeholders involved with little or no coherence and strategic overview, multiple eHealth tools deployed in OCB with little or no inter-operability, limited support planned, no sharing of good and bad experiences resulting in the reinvention of similar solutions, etc…

In order to resolve these issues, a mapping of all ongoing initiatives was done and a strategy to go forward was proposed. This includes the creation of an eHealth Unit in the OPS department to handle field requests for all eHealth projects and assure maximum return on investment of deployed eHealth systems.

On the other hand, The Medical Department (MED) provides technical support on medical issues and strategic guidance for the operations of MSF’s OCB. The department is composed of advisors in various fields, among them health informatics. The medical department’s health informatics support to operations facilitates the collection and analysis of data for project monitoring and epidemiologic surveillance. As OCB begins the adoption of Electronic Medical Records systems, this support will extend to the collection and analysis of data for patient management, hospital management, and clinical support.

Integrated within OCB headquarters OPS eHealth Unit and OCB Medical Department, the eHealth Epidemiologist, provides epidemiologic support to the eHealth team to ensure that the content managed by the tools being developed and configured is optimized to support medical and operational decision making and patient care.

JOB PROFILE

• Ensure that the data collected by OCB eHealth systems are appropriate, complete yet concise, and properly documented given their intended uses
• Ensure that the outputs of the health information system are aligned with MSF’s technical and operational standards. In practice this is accomplished by:
  • Reviewing the monitoring and surveillance indicators and, in collaboration with the subject matter experts in the medical department and managers in operations, effecting any changes in the health information system needed to keep it consistent with current needs.
  • Collaborating with subject matter experts and operational managers to develop reporting formats to best convey current operational intelligence.
• Ensure consistency of medical event information across OCB operations and platforms. This is primarily accomplished by developing or adapting case and concept definitions for the subjects of analysis as well as developing methods for harmonization of necessarily heterogeneous data.
• Promote data quality by development of quality checks and validation rules that may be used by the health information system
• Provide or support training activities on data driven decision-making and data quality
• Assist in ongoing monitoring of data quality
• Act as first line technical resource for public health content of eHealth tools
• Business analysis of clinical and managerial information needs to inform design of eHealth tools
• Participate in international collaboration between eHealth teams
• Act as public health expert for new tool development and represent the interests and input of other technical referents