Medical Advisor

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation. 

The Corporate Services Department (CSD), led by the Associate Vice-President, CSD, provides IFAD with the human resources, administrative services, safety and security, information technology resources and health support services required to allow IFAD to meet its objectives of enabling rural people overcome poverty. The work of the CSD is undertaken by three divisions (i) Human Resources Division (HRD) (ii) Administrative Services Division (ADM) and (iii) Information and Communication Technology Division (ICT) and three units: (a) Front Office CSD (b) Field Support Unit (FSU) and (c) Medical Services Unit (MSU). 

The Medical Services Unit plans and implements occupational health management services to support the mandate of CSD and IFAD. The mission is to promote the health and wellbeing of personnel and eligible dependents through disease and injury prevention, as well as response to health care and emergency needs. 

The Medical Advisor works in liaison with, and under the administrative supervision of the Associate Vice-President, CSD.

The Medical Advisor will design and implement a health strategy to minimize and address occupational health concerns and ensure the health and safety of IFAD workforce. S/He performs clinical and medico-administrative duties related to the staff members and eligible dependents of IFAD at the headquarters, as well as in field duty stations.
In light of lessons learned from the global COVID-19 pandemic and previous major health threats, and in anticipation of potential future health threats of similar nature, which may overwhelm health services and harm vulnerable economies on an ongoing basis, The IFAD President would constitute a health and safety response taskforce as and when required; to plan and mitigate the risks and impacts of such major health events. The mandate of such a health and safety taskforce would be to do everything possible to contain the outbreak, protect IFAD personnel on the ground expected to stay and deliver on IFAD’s programmes, and to ensure business continuity. The medical advisor is required to provide up-to-date technical health advice and guidance for the taskforce in support of the delivery of their duty of care mandate. The medical advisor, through her/his/their membership in the UN Medical Directors (UNMD) body and UN Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Forum, as well as in close collaboration with other technical public health and medical bodies, is expected to guide the taskforce in harnessing the UN system-wide response initiatives, such as the joint global medevac plan, vaccinations and immunization programs, etc.

1. CLINICAL MEDICAL ADVICE:  The Medical Advisor a) supervises and coordinates the acute care services provided by IFAD  (b) leads and supervises the provision of emergency and routine medical care, medical advice, and psychological counselling to staff during office hours; c) coordinates and manages medical evacuations and medical travels.
    
2. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH ACTIVITIES: The Medical Advisor;  
   a) carries-out occupational health visits to determine fitness for duty related to the process of appointment, periodic medical examination and separation examinations; 
   b) reviews and manages recurring and prolonged sick leave cases, including performing home visits where necessary; 
   c) provides medical advice in the determination that an illness or injury is service incurred as well as evaluates and rates permanent impairment linked to injury and/or illness; 
   d) approves medical travel for staff and their dependents deployed to field duty stations, provides oversight of emergency medical evacuations via air/ground ambulance when required;
   e) reviews and prepares recommendations to the FAO/WFP Staff Pension Committee of requests for disability benefits for staff members and their dependents; 
   f) reviews and approves requests for special child allowance and special education grants of staff with children having special needs;
   g) processes medical administrative matters related to such cases; 
   h) addresses work environment and occupational health hazards and risks as well as personal health matters, both in HQ and at the ICOs, and also liaises with local medical facilities, and provide health education to patients.
    
3. HEALTH PROMOTION The Medical Advisor;
   a) promotes continuous learning and capacity development on health related issues and ensures that appropriate training programs are planned, implemented and evaluated for impact, to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of staff and their eligible dependents. (e.g. health education, prevention of lifestyle related diseases, infectious diseases prevention, first aid response capacity building, etc.);
   b) conducts field missions to assess local medical resources, as required, and advises staff through medical assessments and health education.
    
4. COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP: The Medical Advisor  
   a) collaborates in the drafting of new or revision of existing policies, procedures and guidelines on Occupational Health and Safety matters;
   b) participates in drafting and implementing business continuity and emergency preparedness plans for both HQ and field duty stations;
   (c) liaises with all UN and inter agency actors, such as the UN Medical Directors (UNMD) Body and the UN Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Forum and other relevant stakeholders
    
5. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS: The incumbent is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources. This includes: (i) People Management through recruitment, performance and career management of staff as well as learning management establishing learning plans and ensuring staff supervised meet their development needs while meeting the needs of IFAD. (ii) Resource Management by providing strategic and data inputs into the divisional budget preparation exercises and execution, development of long-term and annual work plans, and overseeing accountability of material resources assigned to the Division. (iii) Knowledge and Content Management by ensuring (1) general administration knowledge content is continuously updated and available, (2) best practices are continuously identified, documented and distributed and (3) appropriate and up-to-date information and learning tools are available to the Fund’s managers, supervisors and staff. (iv) Information Technology Management through leveraging ERP functionality for improved business results, simplification of transaction and reporting processes and improved client services.

The impact of the Medical Advisor’s role is achieved when the occupational health concerns are minimized and health and safety of IFAD workforce is ensured.

The Medical Advisor provides a managerial oversight of the IFAD Medical Service. The IFAD Medical Service through CSD supports the Organization in the provision of a healthy and safe working environment (both at the HQ and ICOs) that protects and promotes personnel health and well-being. This is achieved through the provision of standard practice and policy-guided Medical, Occupational and Travel Health, as well as Medical Emergency Response and Evacuation support services for IFAD workforce, and for their recognized dependents. The Medical Advisor represents the Fund in official United Nations committees and networks, and in IFls, multilateral and bilateral meetings, symposia, fora and Global conferences upon request of the President, and builds organizational networks with peers. 

Organizational Competencies:

Level 2:

• Building relationships and partnerships - Builds and maintains strategic partnerships internally and externally
• Communicating and negotiating - Acquires & uses a wide range of communication styles & skills
• Demonstrating leadership - Leads by example; initiates and supports change
• Focusing on clients - Contributes to a client-focused culture
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating - Challenges, innovates & contributes to learning culture
• Managing performance and developing staff - Manages wider teams with greater impact on others and on the organization
• Managing time, resources and information - Coordinates wider use of time, information and/or resources
• Problem-solving and decision-making - Solves complex problems and makes decisions that have wider corporate impact
• Strategic thinking and organizational development - Staff in management and/or strategic leadership roles
• Team working - Fosters a cohesive team environment

Education:

• Level – Doctoral Degree in Medicine from an accredited institution, including residency training in a medical specialty
• Areas - Internal Medicine or Occupational Health; 
• Degree must be an accredited institution listed on https://www.whed.net/home.php .

Experience:

• At least eight (8) years of progressively responsible professional clinical experience, including occupational health, public health and tropical medicine.
• Three (3) years in a multi-cultural organization or national organization providing support on a global scope.
• Position-specific experience: Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable, Extensive and relevant experience in clinical medicine and occupational health including tropical medicine; Previous experience managing humanitarian crisis, including infectious diseases outbreak is highly desirable.

Certifications:

• A valid medical license/registration to practice in home country of member state.

Languages:

• Required English (4 – Excellent) 
• Desirable: French, Spanish, or Arabic (3 – Good) 
• Position-specific requirement: Knowledge of Italian would be an asset

Skills:

• Procedure adherence: Ability to strictly adhere to established, formal guidelines, including in new situations
• Record management: Know-how in record keeping (e.g. proper handling of records and systems to preserve institutional memory, including correspondence logs, office filing and reference systems, etc.)
• Verbal communication: Ability to use verbal communication as a main tool in profession; clear, succinct and convincing verbal communication; highly professional, balanced and diplomatic language
• Written communication: Ability to use written communication as a main tool in profession, including for speech writing; clear, succinct and convincing written communication; highly professional, balanced and diplomatic language
• Policy dialogue: Know-how in the representation of IFAD as a trusted and strategic partner; effective consultations with IFAD counterparts - like ministries and governmental bodies at all administrative levels, donors, civil society
• Performance management: Know-how in managing performance, learning management, establishing learning plans and ensuring staff supervised meet their development needs while meeting the needs of IFAD
• Time management: Adherence to deadlines under time constraints and pressure (e.g. to deliver governing body documents on time); ability to coordinate and manage complex workflows and in-house and external teams
• Planning: Know-how in the planning of human, financial and material management of IFAD resources
• Client orientation: Strong critical thinking combined with communication skills to liaise between the business and technologies to understand business problems and needs, document requirements and identify solutions
• Confidentiality & Discretion: Establishes self and division as trusted advisor to internal stakeholders by maintaining high level of discretion and confidentiality in assignments; demonstrates sound judgement when dealing with sensitive and/or confidential matters; drives good governance and is a "Culture Carrier" demonstrating IFAD institutional conscience through his/her work.

IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD. In accordance with IFAD's Human Resources Policy, the President can decide to assign them to any of the activities of the Fund. All International Professional staff members are required to be geographically mobile and positions in the professional category are subject to changes in location at any time in line with strategic priorities and reform initiatives in IFAD.

IFAD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic, social or political background, colour, nationality, religion, age, gender, disability, marital status, family size or sexual orientation. 

Please be aware of fraudulent job offers. IFAD does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process. Official communication from IFAD will always come from e-mails ending in @ifad.org