Area coordinator

ACTED (http://www.acted.org)

Job Location Afghanistan (Kabul )

Closing date 26 Jan 2004

Job Description and qualifications:

I. Background on ACTED:

ACTED, l'Agence d'Aide à la Cooperation Technique et

au Développement or the Agency for Technical

Co-operation and Development, is an NGO registered in

France with global operations in Central Asia, Europe,

Latin America and Africa. ACTED has been active in

Afghanistan since 1993, and is one of the largest NGOs

in the country, capitalizing on a continued 10-year

presence in Afghanistan throughout successive regimes

and on established operations throughout Central Asia.

ACTED operates mainly in the North, Northeastern and

Central areas of Afghanistan.

While most of ACTED's operations in Afghanistan have

so far been centered on relief activities (e.g.

provision of food, shelter, response to natural

disasters and IDP camp management), the agency is

moving towards an integrated development strategy

including community mobilization, infrastructure

rehabilitation, water and sanitation, agriculture and

micro-credit. As such, ACTED Afghanistan is both

growing and changing, and requires staff which have

the ability to operate in and manage this change

effectively and creatively.

II. Responsibilities:

ACTED is currently looking to fill an Area Coordinator

position in Kabul. This is a key challenging position

requiring the ability to balance and effectively

address internal organizational management challenges

and close liaising with external stakeholders to shape

a forward-looking programmatic and strategic

direction.

As such key responsibilities will include:

Internally

Manage the local staff team, including a few

expatriates - mainly sectoral specialists; spread

across three field sub-offices for higher performance;

Facilitate program development, through

conceptualization, design, proposal and program

initiation, with a particular focus on shelter

construction, water and sanitation programmes as well

as community mobilization and micro-credit activities;

Ensure effective integration and mainstreaming of

gender into all programs;

Build and/or improve systems to supervise and manage

the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation

of programmes;

Ensure cross-program integration, learning, sharing

and adoption of best practices from other ACTED

regions of operations;

Closely supervise and monitor the work of the finance,

administration, logistics and auditing departments;

Administer program budgets and evaluate financial

program effectiveness;

Facilitate the development of monitoring and

evaluation tools for program.

Externally

Demonstrate vision and leadership in building a

coherent strategic direction for the area, in line

with ACTED Afghanistan's overall strategy;

Liaise with all external stakeholders: donors,

partners, the government, incuding local authorities,

and commuties;

Act as a catalyst with all stakeholders to better plan

and coordinate existing and new programs;

Ensure that reporting requirements for projects are

met;

Actively contribute and participate in the strategic

direction of ACTED Afghanistan through facilitation of

timely needs assessments to inform strategic planning.

III. Qualifications:

Qualified candidates must have:

Post-Graduate diploma in Management, International

Relations or Development studies with relevant work

experience.

5+ years of field experience in project management of

development and/or relief programs - preferably large

programmes;

Strong educational background in development studies,

agriculture and/ community mobilization or any related

field,

Solid experience in working with community-based

institutions and capacity-building programmes;

Excellent communication and drafting skills;

Ability to manage a large team and demonstrate

leadership by bringing a geographically scattered team

around a same vision and developing programmatic

quality standards across regions;

Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment

requiring flexibility;

Familiarity with the aid system, and ability to

interface with donors, Ministries, local authorities

and community leaders;

Strong leadership and interpersonal skills;

Commitment to gender equity, and passion for

development an absolute requirement;

Knowledge of Afghanistan and/or the region an asset;

Fluency in English required - ability to communicate

in Farsi/Dari a plus;

Ability to operate Microsoft Word, Excel and Project

Management software a requirement.

IV. Conditions:

Contract duraction: 6 months to be renewed

Salary: depending on experience

Benefits: All accommodation, food and travel expenses

covered, including a one-week R&R between the third

and fourth month of operation. Medical and life

insurance also covered.

Applications for this position should be sent to:

jobs@acted.org

=============================================

Country Director

Relief International (http://www.ri.org)

Job Location Afghanistan (Kabul)

Closing date 02 Feb 2004

Job Description and qualifications:

Position: Country Director - Afghanistan

Reports to: Regional Director

Supervises: National and Expatriate Staff in

Afghanistan

Duty Location: Kabul, Afghanistan (with up 50% of time

spent in program sites)

Specified Duties:

Program Planning and Development

- Develop, in cooperation with other staff, short,

medium and long-range strategic plans maintaining

program focus in areas congruent with RI's program

objectives

- Maintain effective communications with donors by

tracking trends and anticipating the likelihood of

funding opportunities. This will include all OECD

donor institutions, the UN and other donor

organizations as the possibility arises

- Spot and aggressively pursue new opportunities for

program growth and start-up which may include

conducting full-scale assessments

- Assess other implementing organization's activities

using all available means to identify gap areas and

overlap

- Negotiate contracts and agreements with donors

ensuring both programmatic and financial requirements

in conjunction with other RI senior staff

- Maintain effective communications with RI's HQ,

regarding program development, funding agreements and

staffing

Program Management

- Manage project implementation, including allocation

of resources and ensuring that appropriate controls

are maintained at all levels, by working with program

managers and heads of sub-offices

- Provide adequate support to each program support

including but not limited to strategic vision and

technical input and advice

- Ensure that all logistical and operational needs are

met by supervising managers of those specialized staff

- Monitor project implementation, communication and

report both internally and externally

- Serve as a link between RI and all project

counterparts

Personnel Management

- Serve as national director overseeing the leadership

and management of roughly 125 national and expatriate

staff

- Assess international personnel requirements for all

projects and programs within Afghanistan in

conjunction with HQ and program managers

- Provide indoctrination briefings to all incoming

expatriate staff covering RI goals and objectives,

country and program background, vision and future

plans, policies and procedures and security or

delegate these topics

- Supervise all expatriate personnel and provide

annual or end of contract evaluations for each

expatriate

- Supervise Kabul based staff in conjunction with the

General Manager and other program managers

- Ensure that the hiring, promotion, firing and

determination of compensation levels of Afghan staff

in accordance with local laws and practice

- Ensure the continued safety of all personnel and

establish and implement emergency security evacuation

plans as appropriate

Security

- Serve as country security focal point or designate

someone for that position

- Attend all weekly security related meetings

- Make security policy and recommendations based on

all available information

- Ensure security guidelines are up to date and fully

implemented

- Regularly report to HQ regarding safety and security

Reporting and Control

- Provide daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual

reports that are timely, meet information requirements

and professionally written as needed by RI and as

required by donors

- Evaluate and monitor all country programs to

determine the extent to which they are meeting goals

and determine action needed to improve achievements

- Provide periodic project and program reports as

needed

- Ensure all programs are completed within time, on

budget and achieve its objectives

Financial Management

- Budget preparation and monitoring

- Ensure that the national office and sub-offices

maintain complete, up to date and accurate financial

records and that records are adequately reported and

stored

- Ensure equitable allocation of shared national

office operating costs to the various projects and

donors as per an agreed formula

- Ensure the timely preparation and accuracy of

financial reports by working with financial accounting

staff as required by RI and donors

External Representation

- Maintain a suitable image for RI in Afghanistan and

protect RI's interest and assets

- Effect liaison with the TISA, donor governments and

other lead agency representatives

- Represent RI at high level and routine meetings with

the TISA, donors, IOs, and ACBAR

- Initiate RI's response to disasters and emergencies

when appropriate

Media Relations

- Responsible for all in-country advocacy and media

relations

- Develop media briefs and materials as needed

- Liaise with mass media organizations to effectively

communicate RI's goals, programs and achievements

- Provide program-related interviews following

established guidelines for print, radio and television

broadcasts representing all RI efforts in Afghanistan

Other

- Undertake additional activities as required by RI HQ

Qualifications:

Required Background

- Bachelor's degree in relevant or technical field

- Minimum 5 years experience in international

development, preferably in community sustainable

development and/or post-conflict humanitarian aid with

skill-sets in each of the areas outlined above

- At least 3 years successful experience at the

managerial level

- Ability to live, work and travel under difficult

environmental conditions and in physically

insecure/politically complex areas

Required Skills

- Superior leadership skills

- Outstanding interpersonal skills, particularly when

dealing with national staff and multicultural teams

- Solid programmatic, financial and organizational

planning skill

- Proven initiative and resourcefulness

- Excellent oral communication skills and writing

ability

- Knowledge of USAID grantee regulations

- Demonstrated record in collaborating with local

governments, rural communities, other NGOs, and United

Nations organizations

- Proven decision making and problem solving abilities

Preferred Qualities

- Master's degree in related area (e.g. International

Relations or Development) or technical field (e.g.

Engineering or Medicine/Public Health)

- Proficiency, or aptitude and willingness to quickly

become proficient, in a language of the region

- Prior experience as a Country Director (or Head of

Mission, Head Delegate, or Chief of Mission) for a

relief/post-conflict oriented NGO

- Prior experience in Asia

- Knowledge of security procedures, ability to drive

four-wheel drive vehicles and familiarity with various

communications systems (Sat phones, HF/VHF radios,

etc.)

Contract period: 12-24 months

Salary Range and Benefits: $2500US-$3500US per month

depending on experience plus per-diem, leave,

insurances, housing, and travel. This is an

unaccompanied post.

Submission:

Please submit cover letter including salary history, a

copy of your resume/CV and 3 professional references

(name, title, organization, relationship, phone

number, email) to hr@r....

The email subject line MUST include the following:

Senior Program Officer Afghanistan

RESUMES WITHOUT THE JOB TITLE IN THE SUBJECT HEADER

CANNOT NOT BE CONSIDERED

Applications for this position should be sent to:

hr@ri.org

==============================================

Country Director

Relief International (http://www.ri.org)

Description Emergency Relief and Development

Job Location Afghanistan (Kabul)

Closing date 20 Jan 2004

Job Description and qualifications:

Position: Country Director - Afghanistan

Reports to: Regional Director

Supervises: National and Expatriate Staff in

Afghanistan

Duty Location: Kabul, Afghanistan (with up 50% of time

spent in program sites)

Specified Duties:

Program Planning and Development

- Develop, in cooperation with other staff, short,

medium and long-range strategic plans maintaining

program focus in areas congruent with RI's program

objectives

- Maintain effective communications with donors by

tracking trends and anticipating the likelihood of

funding opportunities. This will include all OECD

donor institutions, the UN and other donor

organizations as the possibility arises

- Spot and aggressively pursue new opportunities for

program growth and start-up which may include

conducting full-scale assessments

- Assess other implementing organization's activities

using all available means to identify gap areas and

overlap

- Negotiate contracts and agreements with donors

ensuring both programmatic and financial requirements

in conjunction with other RI senior staff

- Maintain effective communications with RI's HQ,

regarding program development, funding agreements and

staffing

Program Management

- Manage project implementation, including allocation

of resources and ensuring that appropriate controls

are maintained at all levels, by working with program

managers and heads of sub-offices

- Provide adequate support to each program support

including but not limited to strategic vision and

technical input and advice

- Ensure that all logistical and operational needs are

met by supervising managers of those specialized staff

- Monitor project implementation, communication and

report both internally and externally

- Serve as a link between RI and all project

counterparts

Personnel Management

- Serve as national director overseeing the leadership

and management of roughly 125 national and expatriate

staff

- Assess international personnel requirements for all

projects and programs within Afghanistan in

conjunction with HQ and program managers

- Provide indoctrination briefings to all incoming

expatriate staff covering RI goals and objectives,

country and program background, vision and future

plans, policies and procedures and security or

delegate these topics

- Supervise all expatriate personnel and provide

annual or end of contract evaluations for each

expatriate

- Supervise Kabul based staff in conjunction with the

General Manager and other program managers

- Ensure that the hiring, promotion, firing and

determination of compensation levels of Afghan staff

in accordance with local laws and practice

- Ensure the continued safety of all personnel and

establish and implement emergency security evacuation

plans as appropriate

Security

- Serve as country security focal point or designate

someone for that position

- Attend all weekly security related meetings

- Make security policy and recommendations based on

all available information

- Ensure security guidelines are up to date and fully

implemented

- Regularly report to HQ regarding safety and security

Reporting and Control

- Provide daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual

reports that are timely, meet information requirements

and professionally written as needed by RI and as

required by donors

- Evaluate and monitor all country programs to

determine the extent to which they are meeting goals

and determine action needed to improve achievements

- Provide periodic project and program reports as

needed

- Ensure all programs are completed within time, on

budget and achieve its objectives

Financial Management

- Budget preparation and monitoring

- Ensure that the national office and sub-offices

maintain complete, up to date and accurate financial

records and that records are adequately reported and

stored

- Ensure equitable allocation of shared national

office operating costs to the various projects and

donors as per an agreed formula

- Ensure the timely preparation and accuracy of

financial reports by working with financial accounting

staff as required by RI and donors

External Representation

- Maintain a suitable image for RI in Afghanistan and

protect RI's interest and assets

- Effect liaison with the TISA, donor governments and

other lead agency representatives

- Represent RI at high level and routine meetings with

the TISA, donors, IOs, and ACBAR

- Initiate RI's response to disasters and emergencies

when appropriate

Media Relations

- Responsible for all in-country advocacy and media

relations

- Develop media briefs and materials as needed

- Liaise with mass media organizations to effectively

communicate RI's goals, programs and achievements

- Provide program-related interviews following

established guidelines for print, radio and television

broadcasts representing all RI efforts in Afghanistan

Other

- Undertake additional activities as required by RI HQ

Qualifications:

Required Background

- Bachelor's degree in relevant or technical field

- Minimum 5 years experience in international

development, preferably in community sustainable

development and/or post-conflict humanitarian aid with

skill-sets in each of the areas outlined above

- At least 3 years successful experience at the

managerial level

- Ability to live, work and travel under difficult

environmental conditions and in physically

insecure/politically complex areas

Required Skills

- Superior leadership skills

- Outstanding interpersonal skills, particularly when

dealing with national staff and multi-cultural teams

- Solid programmatic, financial and organizational

planning skill

- Proven initiative and resourcefulness

- Excellent oral communication skills and writing

ability

- Knowledge of USAID grantee regulations

- Demonstrated record in collaborating with local

governments, rural communities, other NGOs, and United

Nations organizations

- Proven decision making and problem solving abilities

Preferred Qualities

- Master's degree in related area (e.g. International

Relations or Development) or technical field (e.g.

Engineering or Medicine/Public Health)

- Proficiency, or aptitude and willingness to quickly

become proficient, in a language of the region

- Prior experience as a Country Director (or Head of

Mission, Head Delegate, or Chief of Mission) for a

relief/post-conflict oriented NGO

- Prior experience in Asia

- Knowledge of security procedures, ability to drive

four-wheel drive vehicles and familiarity with various

communications systems (Sat phones, HF/VHF radios,

etc.)

Contract period: 12-24 months

Salary Range and Benefits: $2500US-$3500US per month

depending on experience plus per-diem, leave,

insurances, housing, and travel. This is an

unaccompanied post.

Submission:

Please submit cover letter including salary history, a

copy of your resume/CV and 3 professional references

(name, title, organization, relationship, phone

number, email) to hr@r....

The email subject line MUST include the following:

Country Director Afghanistan

RESUMES WITHOUT THE JOB TITLE IN THE SUBJECT HEADER

CANNOT NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Applications for this position should be sent to:

hr@ri.org

===================================================

Country Manager

Merlin (Medical Emergency Relief International)

(http://www.merlin.org.uk/)

Job Location Afghanistan (Taloqan, Takhar, North East)

Closing date 18 Jan 2004

Job Description and qualifications:

PROGRAMME: Basic Health Services Package in six

districts in Takhar Province

RESPONSIBLE TO: Country Manager/ Regional Management

Team

START DATE: ASAP

DURATION: 30 months (at least 1 Year)

SALARY: £900 - £1400 ($1,459 - $2,270)

MERLIN

Merlin is a humanitarian Non Governmental

Organisation, providing health care to populations in

crises. This assistance is targeted at the most

vulnerable populations, who have the greatest health

needs and poorest access to healthcare provision.

Merlin provides health care to populations regardless

of race, religion or political affiliation to support

people affected by war or natural disaster, anywhere

in the world. Merlin focuses on providing quality

healthcare addressing needs within the realms of

infectious disease control, primary healthcare,

maternal child healthcare, TB, malaria control and

laboratory rehabilitation.

Merlin works within existing local health structures

and collaborates with other agencies, where possible,

to increase efficiency and effectiveness of

humanitarian assistance.

Merlin currently supports health programmes in

Afghanistan, Albania, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Liberia,

Guinea, Congo, Kenya, Siberia, India, East Timor and

Tajikistan.

MERLIN Afghanistan

Merlin's activities in Afghanistan span two different

periods: 1994-1999 and 2001 to the present. Merlin

undertook its first assessment in Afghanistan in

October 1993, and became operational in December 1994.

Areas of operation were Kandahar (Dec 94 - Dec 95),

Badakhshan (Aug 96 - Aug 99), Badghis (March 96 - July

99) and Farah (March 95 - July 99). Operations were

closed in August 1999. This reflected a policy

decision prompted by increased difficulties

experienced in working with the Taliban regime. Merlin

run running primary health care services in a number

of districts in the above mentioned provinces.

Merlin returned to Afghanistan in 2001 assisting the

IDPs/refugees stranded along the Tajik/Afghan border

in the North-eastern region (River Pianj islands).

Merlin increasingly assisted the provincial MoH to

re-establish health care services for both returning

and existing population with DFID, AUSTCARE and UNHCR

funding. Merlin worked in Baghlan and Kunduz provinces

until March and June 2003 respectively, and continues

to operate in Takhar, supporting a network of nine

primary health care clinics (static and mobile) in

collaboration with the provincial MoH. The package

includes ensuring access to health care in the target

area (running mobile clinics where the needs are

absolutely unmet; training of TBAs/CHWs), maintaining

quality of the services (provision of essential drugs

on a regular basis; initial and refresher training of

health workers, enforcement of standardised treatment

protocols, the introduction of HIS forms, provision of

incentives, establishing and enhancing EPI and MCH

services, and capacity building of the MoH (training,

provision of necessary equipment, and refurbishment

and maintenance of existing MoH facilities).

Merlin has rehabilitated health facilities and two

laboratory facilities in Kunduz and Taloqan provincial

hospitals through DFID/UNHCR Quick Impact Projects

(QIPs). With MSH/USAID support Merlin also runs a

malaria and leishmaniasis control project aimed at

improving case management and strengthening malaria

prevention activities in the three provinces, malaria

drug efficacy studies have been conducted in

conjunction with WHO, and malaria control has been

incorporated into PHC programmes in the target area.

The effectiveness of this approach was recently

evaluated by an External Evaluation team. Merlin

operated in Kabul, where it rehabilitated part of the

MoH building; clinical laboratories of five hospitals,

and three health facilities.

Merlin also recently ran a highly successful Malaria

Awareness Campaign in Taloqan and Kunduz, promoting

the use of bednets through a football tournament, and

also erecting signboards in Takhar and Kunduz

provinces. The existing programme will now be

superceded by a greatly enlarged project - the

provision of the Basic Package of Health Services in

six Provinces of Takhar, NE Afghanistan for the coming

2 ½ years.

BPHS Programme:

Merlin has recently secured funding from USAID REACH

(MSH) to run a new programme due to start on 1st

October 2003 for 2 ½ years for which we are recruiting

staff.

The overall purpose of this new programme is to reduce

excess morbidity and mortality amongst the identified

vulnerable populations in six target districts of

Takhar province (Bangi, Chah Ab, Farkhar, Kalafgan,

Rostaq, and Taloqan) through ensuring provision and

delivery of the priority services as outlined in the

Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS).

The BPHS Programme Objectives:

OBJECTIVE 1: To expand and/or enhance delivery of

services in 6 districts of Takhar province (Bangi,

Chah Ab, Farkhar, Kalafgan, Rostaq, and Taloqan)

according to the BPHS

OBJECTIVE 2: To Improve the quality of the Basic

Package of Health Services (BPHS)

OBJECTIVE 3: To increase the capacity of provincial

health departments and Merlin Afghanistan

OBJECTIVE 4: To empower the community to take

responsibility for and promote sustainability of the

health facilities.

Responsibilities

Overall responsibility for implementation of the Basic

Package of Health Services

Overall responsible for effective and efficient

management of the project consistent with the project

management cycle and compliant with Merlin procedures,

systems and guidelines

Ensure monitoring systems are in place and that

project reviews are carried out periodically in

conjunction with the team and HQ staff.

Overall management of International and National

medical staff

Optimise, in conjunction with other team members, the

use of human, logistical and financial potential

Supervision activities of expatriate program

co-ordinators and national medical co-ordinators

Overall planning for all training and supervisory

activities

Review/revise all technical aspects of the program on

a regular basis

Establish Merlin Health policy in co-ordination with

the Regional Co-ordinator

Monitor budget for training, drugs and medical

supplies on a regular basis with the Finance officer

Represent Merlin in Merlin on all program and

technical aspects at the provincial level

Co-ordinate with all the other INGOs working in the

area

Prepare regular reports for London office and the

donor agencies

Serve as attending physician for Merlin international

staff

Ensure implementation of Merlin HR and security field

guidelines in the field

Oversee the activities of all other Merlin expatriate

staff

To be responsible for safety and well-being of all

team members in Takhar province

Plan national and international staff requirements

Maintain good inter-team communications, engender good

team dynamics, and take suitable action when problems

occur

Carry out appraisals as per Merlin standard

requirements and procedures

Support team members professionally and monitor and

support stress management

Ensure all new team members are adequately briefed on

arrival in the field, and departing team members are

debriefed

Responsible for capacity development and training of

all national personnel

Overall responsible for national staff selection,

recruitment and dismissal procedures and systems.

Position requirements

Essential

Qualified physician with clinical experience

Public health training or experience, experience in

managing PHC programs, experience in managing 50 to

100 bed hospital

Previous co-ordination & representational experience

in humanitarian context

Demonstrated ability to co-ordinate with MoH and INGOs

Previous supervisory experience

Excellent management and communications skills

Ability to analyse and interpret health data

Ability to formulate public health responses to

changing disease patterns, in collaboration with field

team, consultants, and MoH representatives

Ability to write clear and concise reports

Fluent spoken & written English language

Ability to work independently to a high professional

standard

Sensitivity to the cultural & political environment

Competent Microsoft office computing skills: Word,

Excel, Outlook

Adaptable and practical

Diplomatic

Ability to work in climatic extremes and with frequent

travel within the province

Desirable/advantageous

Considerable clinical experience, particularly in

tropical diseases in a developing country

Knowledge of Dari

Previous experience in Afghanistan/ Islamic countries

Some familiarity with epidemiological/statistical

programmes such as EpiInfo, SPSS, SAS

Applications for this position should be sent to:

HR Department

Merlin

5-13 Trinity Street

Borough

London SE1 1DB

United Kingdom

Email: elizabeth.olawaiye@merlin.org.uk

Fax: +44 (0)207 378 4899

==============================================

Country Manager

Merlin (Medical Emergency Relief International)

(http://www.merlin.org.uk/)

Job Location Afghanistan (Taloqan, Takhar, North East)

Closing date 18 Jan 2004

Job Description and qualifications:

PROGRAMME: Basic Health Services Package in six

districts in Takhar Province

RESPONSIBLE TO: Country Manager/ Regional Management

Team

START DATE: ASAP

DURATION: 30 months (at least 1 Year)

SALARY: £900 - £1400 ($1,459 - $2,270)

MERLIN

Merlin is a humanitarian Non Governmental

Organisation, providing health care to populations in

crises. This assistance is targeted at the most

vulnerable populations, who have the greatest health

needs and poorest access to healthcare provision.

Merlin provides health care to populations regardless

of race, religion or political affiliation to support

people affected by war or natural disaster, anywhere

in the world. Merlin focuses on providing quality

healthcare addressing needs within the realms of

infectious disease control, primary healthcare,

maternal child healthcare, TB, malaria control and

laboratory rehabilitation.

Merlin works within existing local health structures

and collaborates with other agencies, where possible,

to increase efficiency and effectiveness of

humanitarian assistance.

Merlin currently supports health programmes in

Afghanistan, Albania, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Liberia,

Guinea, Congo, Kenya, Siberia, India, East Timor and

Tajikistan.

MERLIN Afghanistan

Merlin's activities in Afghanistan span two different

periods: 1994-1999 and 2001 to the present. Merlin

undertook its first assessment in Afghanistan in

October 1993, and became operational in December 1994.

Areas of operation were Kandahar (Dec 94 - Dec 95),

Badakhshan (Aug 96 - Aug 99), Badghis (March 96 - July

99) and Farah (March 95 - July 99). Operations were

closed in August 1999. This reflected a policy

decision prompted by increased difficulties

experienced in working with the Taliban regime. Merlin

run running primary health care services in a number

of districts in the above mentioned provinces.

Merlin returned to Afghanistan in 2001 assisting the

IDPs/refugees stranded along the Tajik/Afghan border

in the North-eastern region (River Pianj islands).

Merlin increasingly assisted the provincial MoH to

re-establish health care services for both returning

and existing population with DFID, AUSTCARE and UNHCR

funding. Merlin worked in Baghlan and Kunduz provinces

until March and June 2003 respectively, and continues

to operate in Takhar, supporting a network of nine

primary health care clinics (static and mobile) in

collaboration with the provincial MoH. The package

includes ensuring access to health care in the target

area (running mobile clinics where the needs are

absolutely unmet; training of TBAs/CHWs), maintaining

quality of the services (provision of essential drugs

on a regular basis; initial and refresher training of

health workers, enforcement of standardised treatment

protocols, the introduction of HIS forms, provision of

incentives, establishing and enhancing EPI and MCH

services, and capacity building of the MoH (training,

provision of necessary equipment, and refurbishment

and maintenance of existing MoH facilities).

Merlin has rehabilitated health facilities and two

laboratory facilities in Kunduz and Taloqan provincial

hospitals through DFID/UNHCR Quick Impact Projects

(QIPs). With MSH/USAID support Merlin also runs a

malaria and leishmaniasis control project aimed at

improving case management and strengthening malaria

prevention activities in the three provinces, malaria

drug efficacy studies have been conducted in

conjunction with WHO, and malaria control has been

incorporated into PHC programmes in the target area.

The effectiveness of this approach was recently

evaluated by an External Evaluation team. Merlin

operated in Kabul, where it rehabilitated part of the

MoH building; clinical laboratories of five hospitals,

and three health facilities.

Merlin also recently ran a highly successful Malaria

Awareness Campaign in Taloqan and Kunduz, promoting

the use of bednets through a football tournament, and

also erecting signboards in Takhar and Kunduz

provinces. The existing programme will now be

superceded by a greatly enlarged project - the

provision of the Basic Package of Health Services in

six Provinces of Takhar, NE Afghanistan for the coming

2 ½ years.

BPHS Programme:

Merlin has recently secured funding from USAID REACH

(MSH) to run a new programme due to start on 1st

October 2003 for 2 ½ years for which we are recruiting

staff.

The overall purpose of this new programme is to reduce

excess morbidity and mortality amongst the identified

vulnerable populations in six target districts of

Takhar province (Bangi, Chah Ab, Farkhar, Kalafgan,

Rostaq, and Taloqan) through ensuring provision and

delivery of the priority services as outlined in the

Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS).

The BPHS Programme Objectives:

OBJECTIVE 1: To expand and/or enhance delivery of

services in 6 districts of Takhar province (Bangi,

Chah Ab, Farkhar, Kalafgan, Rostaq, and Taloqan)

according to the BPHS

OBJECTIVE 2: To Improve the quality of the Basic

Package of Health Services (BPHS)

OBJECTIVE 3: To increase the capacity of provincial

health departments and Merlin Afghanistan

OBJECTIVE 4: To empower the community to take

responsibility for and promote sustainability of the

health facilities.

Responsibilities

Overall responsibility for implementation of the Basic

Package of Health Services

Overall responsible for effective and efficient

management of the project consistent with the project

management cycle and compliant with Merlin procedures,

systems and guidelines

Ensure monitoring systems are in place and that

project reviews are carried out periodically in

conjunction with the team and HQ staff.

Overall management of International and National

medical staff

Optimise, in conjunction with other team members, the

use of human, logistical and financial potential

Supervision activities of expatriate program

co-ordinators and national medical co-ordinators

Overall planning for all training and supervisory

activities

Review/revise all technical aspects of the program on

a regular basis

Establish Merlin Health policy in co-ordination with

the Regional Co-ordinator

Monitor budget for training, drugs and medical

supplies on a regular basis with the Finance officer

Represent Merlin in Merlin on all program and

technical aspects at the provincial level

Co-ordinate with all the other INGOs working in the

area

Prepare regular reports for London office and the

donor agencies

Serve as attending physician for Merlin international

staff

Ensure implementation of Merlin HR and security field

guidelines in the field

Oversee the activities of all other Merlin expatriate

staff

To be responsible for safety and well-being of all

team members in Takhar province

Plan national and international staff requirements

Maintain good inter-team communications, engender good

team dynamics, and take suitable action when problems

occur

Carry out appraisals as per Merlin standard

requirements and procedures

Support team members professionally and monitor and

support stress management

Ensure all new team members are adequately briefed on

arrival in the field, and departing team members are

debriefed

Responsible for capacity development and training of

all national personnel

Overall responsible for national staff selection,

recruitment and dismissal procedures and systems.

Position requirements

Essential

Qualified physician with clinical experience

Public health training or experience, experience in

managing PHC programs, experience in managing 50 to

100 bed hospital

Previous co-ordination & representational experience

in humanitarian context

Demonstrated ability to co-ordinate with MoH and INGOs

Previous supervisory experience

Excellent management and communications skills

Ability to analyse and interpret health data

Ability to formulate public health responses to

changing disease patterns, in collaboration with field

team, consultants, and MoH representatives

Ability to write clear and concise reports

Fluent spoken & written English language

Ability to work independently to a high professional

standard

Sensitivity to the cultural & political environment

Competent Microsoft office computing skills: Word,

Excel, Outlook

Adaptable and practical

Diplomatic

Ability to work in climatic extremes and with frequent

travel within the province

Desirable/advantageous

Considerable clinical experience, particularly in

tropical diseases in a developing country

Knowledge of Dari

Previous experience in Afghanistan/ Islamic countries

Some familiarity with epidemiological/statistical

programmes such as EpiInfo, SPSS, SAS

Applications for this position should be sent to:

HR Department

Merlin

5-13 Trinity Street

Borough

London SE1 1DB

United Kingdom

Email: elizabeth.olawaiye@merlin.org.uk

Fax: +44 (0)207 378 4899