Head of Emergency Surgical Platform Programme

Job description

Position: Head of Emergency Surgical Platform Programme

Department: Programmes

Responsible to: Head of Emergencies or designated manager in the country of posting.

Responsible for: Overall responsibility for the surgical platform: when in the UK includes logistics, HR and Health specialists. Internationally, up to 100 health professionals and operational posts.

Works with: Senior emergencies staff in Merlin and Save the Children, including Logistics and Health, other organisations, UK Med, Handicap International and DFID.

Location: London with some UK travel: Deployable to new emergencies up to 3 months per year and emergency overseas deployment.

Duration: 2 years

Salary: £46,960 - £48,960

Requirements: CRB check basic and DfID Security Clearance

Please note that: • Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be shortlisted on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date. • Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Background The Emergency Surgical Response Project is a flagship new programme funded by DFID and implemented in partnership with UK Med. The project involves the development of a pre-standing major surgical capacity, including medical supplies, logistics and skilled medical personnel, to deploy anywhere in the world in the event of a major disaster. The preparedness phase of the project is currently underway and will continue through to early 2014, at which point the facility will be deployable.

The project is currently led by Merlin in London. In July, Merlin and Save the Children joined forces in order to grow health and nutrition capacity and to create a world-class humanitarian health force for children and their families living in some of the toughest places in the world.
The Emergency Surgical project is a high profile and critical pillar of the joint strategic intent across Merlin and Save the Children and the operational delivery will transition to Save the Children during 2014.

Department Reporting initially to Merlin’s Head of Emergencies, the role leads Merlin’s Surgical Platform Project. This is a senior, strategic role that requires inspirational leadership skills, representation and excellent operational management.

The role will directly manage logistics, health and HR staff, and in the event of deployment, a full, large-scale programme team. The Surgical Platform Team will respond to events globally that require the immediate deployment of a self-contained surgical facility, such as an earthquake. This team will work in close cooperation with UK Med, Handicap International and the UK Department for International Development.

Main Purpose of the Role Leadership of the Surgical Platform project, including preparedness, maintenance, delivery and monitoring to ensure continuous improvement.

Overall Scope • Build readiness of the overall project. • Manage the timely implementation of the surgical platform project & lead the project execution team, including: o Oversee a team of logistics staff, to supervise all the logistical elements of the project o Manage the deployment of the surgical hospital staff, equipment and materials. • Build an effective monitoring process, including after action reviews, to ensure continuous improvement in the programme delivery. • Represent the project with key partners, donors, government representatives and the wider humanitarian community. • Undertake all representation with regard to the Surgical Platform Project.

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

The responsibilities for the role will include:

Project Management: • Ensure that the project is developed and delivered on schedule through proactive planning & management of resources during the preparedness, implementation and maintenance phases. • Coordinate the inputs & involvement of internal and external stakeholders to ensure smooth running of the programme • Create effective project plans for the deployment & return phases and execute them successfully when required. • In close cooperation with relevant HQ departments, assist in the continuing development of Merlin internal policies relevant to the Surgical Hospital operational support. • Supervise the design and execution of pre-deployment training & simulation exercises.

Assessment: • Under the management of the Head of Emergencies and in close coordination with UK Med, DFID and Save the Children, lead the planning and execution of designated country assessments in relation to the deployment of the Surgical Platform or in related emergency preparedness activities.

Surgical Hospital Deployment: • Develop preparedness plans, including deployment scenarios, proposals and work-plans. • Ensure strong donor relations, including the development of additional emergency funding through DFID, once an emergency is declared. • Responsible for evaluation and on-going review of scenarios and proposals. • Become familiar with the overall content and function of each module and its deployment and ensure appropriate systems are in place for radios/communication equipment, cold chain, generators and water sanitation facilities. • Develop and facilitate regular exercises (in the UK) by coordinating the deployment, assembling/disassembling of any or all Surgical Platform modules.

Emergency Response: • Under the management of the Head of Emergencies, manage the deployment of the surgical platform. • Manage large-scale deployments initially in head office followed by deployment as Team Leader of the Surgical Platform project in country for up to three months. • Coordinate the exit strategy for the programme including handover of activities to MoPH and follow up research and support, return to the UK, evaluation of programme and preparation for any subsequent deployments. • Coordinate with the relevant clusters, donors, other sector actors and national/local authorities as necessary. • Responsible for overseeing all support functions for the deployed hospital, including logistics, HR, security, finance, representation, communication and reporting in collaboration with the country lead and in line with Merlin guidelines. • Oversee and monitor deployed assets and equipment. • Ensure appropriate representation at relevant coordination meetings, particularly cluster meetings.

Logistics: • Oversee the logistics team, to ensure the significant logistical elements of the project are implemented effectively in close collaboration with the Global Logistics Advisor (GLA). This will include: • Maintain a high level of coordination between procurement and warehousing activities. • Supervise and manage the team procurement lead and through them, the procurement of the Surgical Platform stock, • In collaboration with GLA and the team procurement lead, ensure all logistics activities are executed in accordance with Merlin financial and logistics policies & procedures and are DfID compliant.

Human Resources: • Managing an HR surgical programme advisor and in close collaboration with UK Med create the project team, including recruitment, team building, performance management, and staff development. • Lead on the development and staffing of the deployment organogram. • Assess the continuing training needs of staff and ensure training needs are appropriately met and within budget • Coaching and mentoring of key personnel. Lead in strengthening existing capacity and further develop skills where required. • Oversee with the HR advisor the recruitment strategy for deployment and oversee its management during deployment.

Safety & Security • Monitor the security context and any deterioration in this that could affect operations and provide guidance to teams/sites as required. • Ensure that in-country Safety & Security Plans are developed and updated on a regular basis in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders, including contingency plans. • Provide support and advice for improved security management in the field hospital site and Country Management Team. • Facilitate the evacuation of field based teams if necessary.

Representation • Undertake all representation related to the surgical hospital platform project, specifically represent Merlin at all meetings with DfID, UK Med, Handicap International and Save the Children. • Ensure a functional Steering Committee with appropriate outcomes. • Contribute to UK Med’s deployment orientation programme. • Represent Merlin and promote the Surgical Platform at relevant national and international fora. • Ensure appropriate representation at all relevant meetings throughout the deployment of the Surgical Platform. • Ensure that the project is appropriately represented in internal meetings.

Dimensions and Limits of Authority • The role will be responsible for leading the surgical platform project, managing a team of logistics, HR and health in the preparedness phase and a full team of health and support functions during a deployment. • The role will be responsible for all aspects of the preparedness and deployment of the surgical hospital. • The role will be responsible for leading the support component of an operational deployment of the surgical hospital for a period of up to 90 days.

Person Specification

Essential qualifications, experience and competences • Excellent leadership skills, having managed large complex programmes. • Substantial experience of project and operations management in emergency humanitarian context (preferably in health projects that had a significant element of logistics complexity). • Extensive Experience of managing projects with multiple stakeholders. • Good experience of proposal development and donor report writing. • Good experience of supply chain management. • Good experience of security management in insecure environments. • Substantial experience of managing, training and supporting staff. • Substantial experience of planning and managing budgets. • Substantial experience of undertaking representational duties with institutional donors (preferably with DfID). • Ability to work in and maintain a positive team dynamic in insecure environments. • Level-head, resilience, and stress management skills for self and team. • Ability to reflect on and learn from personal and programme performance and act upon lessons learnt. • Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English. • Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office. • Able and willing to travel to remote and insecure locations for short periods of time and at short notice. • An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission, values and behaviours.

Desirable qualifications, experience and competences • Previous experience of field hospital management. • Previous experience of responding to sudden onset disasters. • Previous experience in managing DfID funded projects. • Working knowledge of second language, especially French and/or Arabic. • Knowledge and experience of Merlin’s systems, procedures, and values &/ DFID’s grant management policies.

Data Protection Please note that in accordance with the 1998 Data Protection Act, Merlin will hold and use personal information that you have given for the purpose of recruitment and employment. This information can be stored in manual and/or electronic form. This information may also be disclosed to third parties in accordance with the Data Protection Act. In cases where a job offer is conditional on ensuring that potential employees’ names do not appear on counter terrorism lists generated by the United Nations, European Union or the United States due to donor funding requirements, Merlin will use the information that you have given for checking that your name does not appear on these lists.

Work Permits Work permits are required for UK-based posts by all non-EC nationals. You therefore need to have the right to work in the UK order to apply for this post, and proof of this right will be required, at interview, and before any offer of employment is made.

How to apply:

To apply for this job, please go to www.merlin.org.uk/jobs and apply using our online recruitment system. In order to apply for a job with Merlin online you will need to complete a short registration process and create an account – the online recruitment system explains how to do this. Once your account has been created, you will be able to save the information that you have entered in your application and re-visit it at any time before you submit it.

If you are unable to apply online for any technical reason, please contact applications@merlin.org.uk. Please note that we do not accept CVs. Unfortunately due to the number of applications we receive, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.