Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Environmental Health (WASH) Specialist, Guinea

15-504: Infection Prevention and Control Environmental Health (WASH) Specialist

Background
International Medical Corps (IMC), a global humanitarian nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs, seeks candidates for the position of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Environmental Health (WASH) Specialist in Guinea.

Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, International Medical Corps is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in underserved communities worldwide. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at highest risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, International Medical Corps rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance.

Program Background
International Medical Corps is planning on establishing and operating Screening Referral Units (SRU) attached to existing locally owned and managed Health facilities. IMC’s establishment of SRUs is in support of the international effort to control and eventually stop the current outbreak in West Africa through local health systems strengthening. Strict adherence to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) protocols will be required for all staff exposed to heightened risks at their work place.

Job Summary
Under the guidance of the Environmental Health (EH) /WASH Technical Lead the IPC Environmental Health (WASH) Specialist’s main task is to lead the overall set-up and management of institutional health interventions at an International Medical Corps-managed Screening Referral Unit (SRU) and provide assistance and guidance to the associated locally operated health facility. The IPC EH Specialist will assume responsibility to operationalize effective EH related ICP activities and participate in hiring, conducting training and supervision of IMC WASH/EH staff at the SRU and assist, advice and train local health facility staff such as; laundry workers, hygienists, institutional housekeepers, facility waste handlers, facility maintenance staff. SRU EH activities include but are not limited to: water quality control, institutional sanitation, vector control, institutional housekeeping, infectious and hazardous waste management, vector control, infection control, food sanitation and safety.

Essential duties and responsibilities

• Oversee and advise on technical implementation of EH related activities at the SRU and technically support activities at the associated health center
• In close collaboration with EH/WASH Technical lead, develop and ensure strict adherence to protocols and SOPs for various tasks at the SRU and, where necessary, in community-based interventions
• Ensure regular and effective communication with EH/WASH Technical Lead, all International Medical Corps team members and associated health facilities leadership
• Monitor and evaluate appropriate implementation of technical interventions against program objectives
• Assure appropriate and timely implementation of EH/WASH related IPC interventions
• Provide regular reports, document results and lessons learned, and maintain detailed records
• In collaboration with relevant technical advisors, develop and deliver specific training for associated Health Facility staff
• Manage, supervise and provide support to all EH/WASH staff, and address any concerns raised in a timely and safe fashion
• Provide technical assistance and guidance to local health facility staff on IPC EH/WASH related interventions at the health facility attached to the SRU
• Pro-actively maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions
• Overall responsibility for International Medical Corps SRU EH/WASH staff work plans, including shifts and rotations, vacation schedules, staff training, and development
• Ensure adherence to and act in accordance with relevant policies and procedures
• Pro-actively participates at technical working groups, and ensures dissemination of

Other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all inclusive.

Qualifications
“To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function with or without reasonable accommodation.”

Skills & Requirements:

• University degree in civil / public health engineering or related field
• 5+ years of professional WASH technical experience, with at least 2 years in emergency response
• Solid understanding of facility-based outbreak response, and experience in WASH in health facilities, including management of infectious waste
• Strong project planning, organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Proven technical writing skills
• Budget management experience
• Competent in Windows, MS office programs, AutoCAD (or similar computer aided design), email and database experience
• Interpersonal qualities: Excellent leadership skills, promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure
• Work experience in West Africa preferable
• French speaking skills are required.

“International Medical Corps is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran.”