Medical Advisor-Harm Reduction/drug use

Presentation of the organization:  

Medecins du Monde (MdM) is an international humanitarian healthcare organization whose French branch is governed by French Law of 01/07/1901 and has its registered headquarters in Paris. MdM gathers a network of 17 national counterparts over Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The network currently operates in over 74 countries worldwide, providing emergency and long-term medical care to the world’s most vulnerable populations, in partnership with local organizations. In the Middle East, MdM has over 17 years of experience running health programs in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), and Türkiye. MdM advocates to end health inequities in the realms of sexual and reproductive health and right (SRHR), mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), harm reduction, and migration rights.   

www.medecinsdumonde.org  

Context : 

MdM In Iraq is looking for a medical advisor to manage the MHPSS activities of its Harm Reduction program in Baghdad. MdM is opening a community center for drug users (amphetamine type stimulant) including a psychiatrist, a psychologist and a social worker. The Med Advisor will be in charge of designing the medical strategy of the program and leading the implementation of the activities. He will be the main focal point between the center and the coordination team.   

The candidate should be aware of addiction thematic and of harm reduction approaches from a mental health and medical perspective. International ethical standards of respect, discretion and nonjudgement should be put by the Med Advisor as priority when working with vulnerable groups such as people using drugs.  

Main mission: 

To provide technical supervision of the implementation of the mission’s medical and paramedical activities. 

To ensure the operational roll-out of the intervention strategy, technical support, quality of treatment and relevance of medical activities, practices and information. 

To directly or indirectly lead/supervise teams (line management or operational management) 

Activities 

• Advise and monitor the quality of patient care (monitoring of protocols, adaptation of protocols, identification of training needs, organisation of the referral process, review of diagnoses, control of prescriptions, control of pharmacy management, review of orders and consumption, etc.) 
• Create and disseminate tools, guidelines and training and awareness-raising materials 
• Provide technical supervision, capacity building and support for teams (MdM and/or partners) 
• Identify national and regional actors in the theme and lead the relevant network 
• Be the technical representative of MdM with authorities, partners and other NGOs 
• Implement and monitor the collection of data, manage and training teams, compile and analyse data 

• Make recommendations and proposals to modify and adapt activities and identify opportunities to develop new activities 
• Plan resources (logistics, finance, HR). 
• Carry out health and epidemiological monitoring and implement the health policy on the national and regional levels. 
• Design and conduct needs and impact assessments 
• Evaluate partners 
• Contribute to the medical/paramedical components of draft proposals and donor reports. 
• Write activity reports, capitalisation reports, summaries, etc. 
• Analyse activity reports from MdM and/or partner teams 
• Monitor the budget for these activities and contribute to the construction of the budget. 
• Contribute towards advocacy work 

Management 

• Manage and lead a team (information, setting objectives, monitoring activities, managing leave, recruitment, discipline, security, training, skills management). 
• Planning and monitoring activities and implementing corrective action where necessary. 
• Advise, arbitrate, and support measures to be taken in the event of difficulties, malfunctions and incidents 

Main skills: 

• Understand national and international medical and paramedical standards and protocols and MdM frameworks 
• Understand a healthcare system (including organisation, curriculum of medical profiles and national healthcare programmes) and summarise the broad outlines 
• Know the audiences and their environment (needs, understanding, care, acceptance, relationship with the target audiences, etc.) 
• Define integrated needs, evaluate the impact of actions, adjust them accordingly and adapt operational activities to the constraints 

• Identify, analyse, prioritise and summarise information relating to the field of activity. 
• Draft and format notes, documents and/or reports relating to the specialist area 
• Analyse medical indicators and data 
• Draft, adapt and formalise tools relating to the field of activity. 
• Identify training needs, design and lead training sessions 
• Create and develop a network of professionals on the theme 
• Work in a multi-disciplinary team 
• Communicate MdM values and positions 
• Discuss and negotiate with healthcare authorities 
• Public speaking 
• Master the language of the coordination: English 
• Arabic language native  
• Kurdish, French an asset 
• Use the Microsoft Office Pack 

Management skills 

• Take decisions and arbitrate 
• Draft action plans and follow-up indicators and results in a given area 
• Organize activities and objectives, distribute workload 
• Communicate with the team 
• Assess and develop colleagues’ skill 

Training– Previous professional experience required: 

• Level I or II (Doctor, Pharmacist, Nurse, Midwife, clinical Psychologist) 
• 3 years of experience in the relevant area + 4 years of experience in technical supervision of projects 
• Master’s in public health is desirable 
• Experience in addictology, Harm Reduction and drug users’ community  

Conditions of the position:  

• Technical supervisor: Harm Reduction Medical Coordinator, Direct manager: General Coordinator. 

• This position will be based in Baghdad with regular field visits all around the city. Possible regional and international trips.  
• The candidate should embrace MdM values and be able to work with vulnerable groups.  
• Salary: monthly gross IQD 3 944 272 (Cat 8a) + Health insurance + food and transport allowance + 13th salary.   
• Duration: 6 months renewable.  
• Starting date: 15th of July  
• Status: national position, only candidate able to work and live in Federal Iraq and located in Baghdad region will be envisaged.  

To apply, send a CV and Cover Letter in English to [email protected] , only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. All incomplete applications won’t be considered.   

We are an inclusive organization and actively promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential. We welcome all applications from a wide range of candidates. Selection for roles will be based on individual skills and experience alone.