Head, Occupational Health Unit (P-4) - Short-term

Organisational context

The Head, Occupational Health Unit reports directly to the Director of Management Services. The main functions of the OHU are related to staff welfare and, as such, need to be implemented in close cooperation with the Human Resources Section (HRS), to ensure coordination of advices and services, in the best interest of both the organisation and its staff. The Director creates synergies within the Division in the delivery of management services. DMS consists of the Office of the Director, the Budget Section, the Finance Section, the Human Resources Section, the General Services Section, the Safety and Security Section, the Occupational Health Unit and the SAP Team. The OHU’s objective is to ensure that the organisation has effective tools for minimizing preventable staff harm, and for optimizing the occupational health conditions and working environments of the Court’s workforce. 

The core elements of OHU’s activities are:

• Organisation of health services: promotion and maintenance of workplace policies and programs that ensure the physical, mental and emotional well-being of staff, with particular focus on prevention of work-related injuries and diseases as well as protection and promotion of the health of staff.  This element of the Unit’s work includes support to field offices and missions away from the Court.
• Risk management: ensuring relevant risks are actively evaluated and managed within the ICC’s working environment. The Unit is responsible for implementing continual improvement processes: analysing, mapping and evaluating relevant risks to propose appropriate remedial actions to senior management fitting the needs of both staff and the organisation.

To reach these objectives, the OHU provides the following services:

• Emergency/primary care;
• Health program focusing on detection and prevention of medical issues directly related to the workplace including ergonomics and disability assessment;
• Occupational health risk assessments, analysis and reporting;
• Certification of sick leave and, after long-term sick leave, fitness-to-work evaluations based on external medical evidence.
• Conduct travel clearance, Advise on medevac, vaccination programs and briefings to travellers, leveraging on medical risk assessments conducted by UN and other organisations to ensure the most efficient and effective approach;
• Provides advice and support to field offices on occupational health matters;
• Liaison with medical insurance provider on specific medical issues on a need basis.

Duties and Responsibilities

Within this framework, working in strict cooperation with the HRS and under the direct supervision of the Director of DMS, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

• Maintains a comprehensive occupational health at the Court, including medical-administrative and supervisory duties;
• Manages the OHU by exercising overall supervision on the Unit. Supervises, trains and guides the work assignment of the Unit to develop and maintain in-depth technical knowledge by staff, in order to ensure effective high quality activities can be performed by the team. Incorporates the principles of occupational health risk management into all applicable activities;
• Undertakes and supervises duties in accordance with the mandate of the Unit, e.g. certifies sick leave; in coordination with the Security and Safety Section, ensures the availability of a first aid service on ICC premises and maintains suitable equipment and supplies to support the medical function at the Court;
• Ensures a range of preventative health programs is available at all times and that appropriate training programmes are implemented. Prepares medical documentation packages for missions, when necessary and ensures availability for medical advice and review of staff on mission. Provides authorization of duty travel for hazardous areas travel;
• Oversees the management of health related risks at the Court. Monitors and reports on patterns of health and safety related issues at the Court. Propose remedial action to newly changing risks. Determines and supervise 'Return To Work' programs for staff members;
• Advises the Management and HRS on medical standards;
• Establishes and manages relations with the Medical Service at United Nations Headquarters and Field duty stations, the medical services of other international organisations in The Hague and the Dutch health authorities;
• Advises and assists the Administration/HRS on pre-employment medical clearances (fitness for duty), medical clearance for travellers going on mission, sick leave, medical evacuations, medical disability, worker compensation, and medical insurance claims;
• Assesses and responds to concerns raised by staff concerning medical aspects of their workplaces;
• Ensures the Office is providing sufficient assistance to staff in their interactions with the local medical system and the necessary travel medical services for staff on mission;
• Liaises with medical insurance providers to ensure adequacy of services provided and reviews agreement from the technical point of view, if necessary. This may include liaising with the medical doctor of the insurer when claims are rejected or challenged and providing technical support in reviewing the policy;
• Leads relevant procurements as appropriate.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Essential Qualifications

Education:

Doctorate (MD) or equivalent degree in Medicine,  with a postgraduate qualification in occupational health is required.

Additional qualification in public health is highly desirable.

Registration in the Dutch Healthcare Professionals (BIG) Register and in the Specialist Register as a Bedrijfsarts is highly desirable.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in the medical field, preferably in an international environment;
• Demonstrated knowledge and hands on experience in clinical medicine;
• Proven supervisory ability and technical medical leadership.
• Experience developing and maintaining a comprehensive occupational health and medical service, including medical-administrative and supervisory duties.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations both as a team member and team leader.
• Ability to establish priorities and to plan, co-ordinate and monitor own work plan and those under his/her supervision.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Proven and sustained communication (verbal and written) skills, including the ability to prepare reports, articulating options clearly and concisely and making recommendations.
• Willingness to keep abreast of new developments in the medical field.
• Solid computer skills and good knowledge of relevant medical databases.
• Tact, discretion, and accuracy in handling confidential information.
• Knowledge of the Dutch health system and capacity to liaise with the organisations concerned would be an asset.
• Previous experience in international organisations would be an asset.

Knowledge of Languages:

Proficiency in one of the working languages of the Court, English or French, is required. Working knowledge of the other is an asset. Knowledge of another official language of the Court (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish) would be considered an asset. Knowledge of Dutch would be considered an asset.