Medical Officer

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has been working in BIH since 1992 and closed its office in the country at the end of January 2010. In July 2018, DRC re-opened its mission responding to increasing and priority needs of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers, hereby considered Person of Concern (PoCs), in close cooperation with the BiH Authorities. More specifically, DRC BiH focuses on improving the access to primary and secondary health care, including psychosocial and mental health services to PoCs, as well as on enhancing the overall protective environment for PoCs, with particular focus on case management in SGBV and timely outreach response to the rights violations at the borders. DRC BiH has its main office in Sarajevo and the activities implemented in Una-Sana, Herzegovina- Neretva, Sarajevo Canton, Zenica-Doboj Canton, Tuzla Canton and Republic of Srpska.

Danish Refugee Council (DRC), one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for qualified and motivated Medical Officer who will contribute to provision of essential humanitarian assistance to refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).

Duty Station: Sarajevo, Sarajevo Canton, with potential field travels to the locations in Una-Sana, Herzegovina- Neretva, Sarajevo Canton, Zenica-Doboj Canton and Tuzla Canton, which host temporary reception centres and/or abound with outdoor areas in which PoCs aggregate.

Project implementation period: January - June 2021

Period of engagement: March – June 2021

Basic functions: Medical Officer is responsible for quality and effective medical operations and exercises in the field ensuring that health needs of Persons of Concern (PoC) of different gender and age are duly met. He/she carries out the quality improvement activities in collaboration with the Medical Team Leader, in compliance with the law and policies related to Health Care in BiH.

Reference: Medical Officer refers directly to the Medical Team Leader, working under the supervision of Healthcare Manager and in close collaboration with other project involved staff. 

Specific duties and responsibilities:

• Assesses health care needs of PoCs, including children and unaccompanied and separated children (UASC), supervises their referrals to primary and secondary health-care treatment and advocates for their rights to health care;
• Provides medical care (including First Aid) and counseling to PoCs in need in either temporary reception centres or outreach (out of sites), with the support of Medical Team Leader, establishing a strong quality control system and ensuring that PoCs’ rights are respected;
• Mitigates the effects of the COVID19 pandemic through medical counseling on IPC, including provision on personal protective equipment (PPE);
• Mobilizes, motivates and advises local Primary Health Centre medical teams and direct health-care providers in their response and delivery of services, medicines and supplies under the national healthcare system;
• Regularly liaises and communicates with all other relevant local health departments and implementing agencies’ medical personnel on relevant matters, under the supervision of Medical Team Leader;
• Supports medical procurement process including the preparation of medical specifications, provision of inputs to tender dossier, as well as evaluation and contract management;
• Contributes to the maintenance of a financial and administration control system for payments committed and released by DRC related to the project implementation, under the supervision of Medical Team Leader and with the support of the Finance Officer;
• Ensures that all health-related project and reporting documents are handled and filled in accordance to DRC Operations Handbook.
• Be adequately responsive and collaborative due to other local and central stakeholders' health related priorities and requests, having consulted the supervisory DRC staff beforehand;
• Provides other adequate responses related to health and/or protection;

Qualifications & experience required 

• Secondary degree in a relevant field or higher education or related license in Medical Science, Emergency Medicine or another related field;
• Added value would be experience in refugee/displacement programs or in programs targeting local vulnerable groups with health challenges;

Work experience 

• At least 2 years' working experience in health care response (general medicine, family medicine, first aid, MHPSS and related matters),
• Experience in working in complex, fast-changing and volatile contexts,
• Experience in cooperating and collaborating with local and international humanitarian actors would be an asset;

Key Competencies

• Thorough understanding of best practices and strategies in health care response programming (general medicine, family medicine, first aid, MHPSS and related matters);
• Proven experience working in emergency settings and ability to work in multicultural and difficult environments, including stressful and critical situations;
• Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills, diplomacy skills, flexibility and pro-activeness;
• Strong planning and time management skills;
• Valid driving license, high level of professionalism evidence by clear driver’s record;

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.