Position:                             Rapid Response Coordinator

Location:                            Gaziantep - Turkey

Reports to:                        Hierarchy: to the Program Manager. Technically: to the Health Manager

Duration:                           6 Months

About RI: Relief International specializes in relief and development programs that benefit people in acute distress. A registered non-profit in the US, UK, France and Belgium, our work targets those fragile countries or communities that suffer from recurrent man-made or natural crises that impede human development. The people that we serve live in seventeen countries across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia where the debilitating effects of political instability, forced displacement, and natural disasters are pervasive. Often, RI is the only organization providing healthcare, education, logistics, energy, capacity building, economic development, sanitation, and many other forms of assistance to these highly vulnerable communities.  

Position Summary:         

Relief International (RI) currently seeks a dynamic, hands-on Rapid Response Coordinator to support northwest Syria project team in preparedness/response to public health crisis that might affect RI usual activities and require emergency response like IDPs influx and any outbreak including COVID-19. The post holder will be responsible and under the supervision of the program Manager/ Health Manager to provide technical expertise to the teams inside Syria for responding to outbreaks, assess and react accordingly to the IDPs influx and other public health needs. The post holder will provide managerial and technical direction to the health team and partners, ensuring all activities related to the  preparedness and response are of a high quality and respond to the assessed needs. The post holder is responsible for effective collaboration with partners under the umbrella of WHO health cluster and task forces established for this purpose, and for ensuring technical capacity strengthening at the health facilities and to the partners and set training plans accordingly. The post holder will be responsible for  ensuring excellence participation in project cycle management, development and strategic planning set to response and coordinate actions for an appropriate response to each outbreak (team composition, training, confirm an outbreak, appropriate response) as well as emergency needs of the IDPs and other public health needs

Position Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Management

• Support program/Health Managers, develop and setup response plans for public health crisis like diseases causing outbreaks and to response to the IDPs needs in the areas of interventions.
• Support program/Health Managers to review the strategic work plan according to project outputs and results.
• Evaluate that RI response implemented activities according to the objectives set with appropriate monitoring and evaluation plans, budget management and provide guidance to the RI staff, health facility staff and/or local partners to improve planning, management and delivery.
• Update rapid response plans in RI health facilities and outreach activities on regular basis and report to the Program/ Health Managers.
• Close coordination with MEAL team to set the project indicators and collect the required information to feed the proposals and regular reports to the donors.
• Close coordination with the operation team to facilitate RI response to IDPs influx, outbreak or any public health needs that required rapid response to it. In terms of well equipping the health facilities, training of the health staff, provision of IEC materials/ tools and facilitate collecting information.
• Attend HWG meetings, task forces established for outbreak response and EWARN coordination meeting, participate actively in discussion, sharing information/ plans and report to the Program/Health Manager.
• Maintain strategic relationships with health cluster partners as well as local authorities.
• Coordination with health facilities and specifically mobile medical teams in responding to the crisis utilizing available resources.
• Coordinate/ implement and under the supervision of the Program/ Health Managers implement any additional tasks upon the situation requirements and the emergency events happened.

Technical Direction:

• Provide technical guidance and support to the health facilities staff, M&E and program staff to effectively integrate recommendations to improve outbreak response quality and report to the program/Health Managers regularly and up on any emergency issue.
• Follow up the technical updates shared by WHO/RI/ EWARN and other relevant partners and keep updating the staff and conduct training when needed and applicable.
• Participate effectively in outbreak response plans with EWARN and relevant UN agencies to set alerts, criteria, beginning and ending of outbreak.  And report to Program/Health Managers.
• In coordination/ collaboration with RI counterparts ensure RI health facilities are in line with the preparedness/ response plan proposed in terms of supplies, well trained staff and tools as well.
• In coordination with RI focal points at health facilities, EWARN and WHO, follow up and report weekly alerts and sample collection to the Program/Health Managers.
• Prepare reports of epidemiological info about the morbidities, mortalities and include analysis in addition to calculate and follow up some epidemiological rates for diseases causing outbreaks such as the attack rate and fatality rate.
• Coordinate with CHWs coordinators and team leaders to ensure community engagement and provide them with technical guidance and ensure provision of the IEC materials and disseminating awareness/ education messages to the targeted population.
• Close follow with IPC core teams in the health facilities and in coordination with WASH monitor to ensure provision of IPC supplies at health facilities, RI vehicles and as well rationalization of its use. And ensure following IPC measure including best practices of waste management.
• Close follow up with RI teams on the ground to collect needs assessment data for IDPs influx, locations, distribution and the needs to direct/guide RI response accordingly.
• Coordinate with CHWs coordinator, operation team and other relevant RI teams to ensure RI response plan to response to IPDs movement is in place in line with the objectives set.
• Individual capacity assessment for field health Staffs and accordingly propose and implement capacity building activities aimed at enhancing skills of local health providers and/or partners in delivery of surveillance, risk communication and community engagement and case management in addition to needs assessment reports.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Nurse, midwife or pharmacist (or equivalent) diploma or MD.
• Preferable to have degree in epidemiology or Public health. Minimum of two years professional experience in Surveillance of communicable diseases and/or preparedness and response to outbreaks. 
• Minimum of two years professional experience in lead management implementing emergency response programs, preferably in a conflict setting.
• Solid background and knowledge of USAID Rules and Regulations;
• Solid background and contacts with U.N. agencies and other international emergency response and development actors;
• English Mandatory and Arabic, too.
• Strong English writing skills required.
• This position demands a dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, public speaking, and strategic planning skills required;
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, tasks efficiently;
• Excellent time management skills and resourcefulness with strong attention to detail;

RI Values:

• We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality and operational independence.
• We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities.
• We value
  • Inclusiveness
  • Transparency and accountability
  • Agility and innovation
  • Collaboration
  • Sustainability

Professional Standards

All Relief International members (staff, volunteers and interns) are committed to the RI policies such as, RI Code of Conduct, Child Protection Policy, Reporting Conflict of Interest, Reporting Misconduct, Reporting Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. All new comers are expected to adhere to all these policies.

Disclaimer Clause 

This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties and responsibilities associated with position.

How to Apply:

In case you meet the requirements and that you are interested in the position, please send your CV in English in addition to three professional references to provided in the apply/başvur button before June 18, 2020 stating in the subject “Rapid Response Coordinator“ All candidates must be eligible to work in Turkey"

Please note that the position may be filled before the deadline of submission of the applications