JOB DESCRIPTION

MSF UK and Ireland

Application checklist

Please check you have included the following documents in your application email to by 9am on 30th September 2013:

CV

Letter of motivation

Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

Lab Specialist

Manson Unit/Public Health Department OCA

London, Amsterdam or Berlin Based

Job description

MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is a leading international independent medical relief organisation, dedicated to providing expert medical relief to vulnerable populations at times of conflict or disaster. In over 70 countries worldwide, MSF provides both life-saving emergency relief and longer-term assistance to make healthcare services available to the most vulnerable or excluded communities.

MSF-UK is one of 23 offices and operational centres (OCs) in Europe, America, Asia and Australasia, pooling funding, expertise and staff for field operations. There are currently 6 departments within the UK office (fundraising, communications, finance, programmes, medical (called the Manson Unit (MU), HR) and an office in Dublin.

MSF's aim is to provide impartial assistance, on the basis of need alone, regardless of ethnic origin, gender, creed or political affiliation. To maintain its independence from political interference, MSF relies on donations from individuals around the world for at least 50% of its income. This private funding gives MSF the freedom to respond to the greatest needs as fast as possible.

As medical professionals, MSF field staff have a duty to try and protect their patients from violence and abuse. MSF often chooses to speak out about gross violations of humanitarian law against civilians in conflict, refugees, unaccompanied children and other vulnerable groups, in an attempt to bring abuse to world attention.

The mandate of the UK section has traditionally been to provide technical, human resources, financial and communications support to field operations. That support has now evolved towards taking direct, medical and operational responsibility for specific project development. MSF-UK’s income for the year ending 31 Dec 2010 was in excess of 25 million, over 80% of which was spent directly on MSF’s overseas field programmes. The UK office currently has around 50 full time staff working in the London office and placed over 200 medical & non-medical staff to work in projects in the field during 2010. The staff in the UK office are dynamic, enthusiastic, committed to the aims of MSF and not afraid of “mucking-in” when necessary.

Public Health Department and Manson Unit (PHD+)

The Public Health Department (PHD) of the MSF Operational Centre Amsterdam (OCA) supports the overall purpose of MSF, providing medical and public health leadership for the organisation. The department is responsible for providing strategic direction and integrated advice on medical and public health issues to the field and headquarters. The PHD plays a key role in developing and maintaining the medical humanitarian identity and image of MSF-OCA, and in continuing to develop and improve intervention strategies so as to be relevant and effective.

The department is made up of a group of generalist Health Advisors (based in Amsterdam and Berlin) and medical and public health specialists (paediatrics, nutrition, water and sanitation, mental health, HIV/TB, etc.) so as to provide expert support in a range of fields.

The Manson Unit has been in existence for over 9 years, primarily working in cooperation with MSF-Holland (MSF-H) now Operation Centre Amsterdam or OCA (MSF Holland, Germany, Canada and UK/Ireland). It has proved itself as a model for supporting MSF operations, having fulfilled its first task of ensuring that Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) was implemented across MSF-OCA programmes for the treatment of malaria (2003-5). The role of the Manson Unit is to improve the quality of MSF’s medical programmes.

Currently the Manson Unit has 9 staff. It identifies developments in the management of medical issues such as tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS, malaria and outbreaks of infectious diseases and environmental contamination. The Manson Unit helps MSF field projects put these changes into practice, monitors the implementation of these changes and documents lessons learned from the experience.

Clinical Trial Project management team

MSF is implementing the TB-PRACTECAL project to identify shorter, more effective and less toxic M/XDR-TB treatment regimen(s) that are feasible to scale up using newly registered drugs and new clinical entities. This principally involves the implementation of a multi-centric (multi-operation centre)ICH-GCP level phase II/III clinical trial. MSF is both the sponsor and investigator.

The Project management team (PMT) which is part of the Manson Unit, is the lead in implementing this project. It consists of 8 members based in the London and other MSF offices as well as in collaborating organisations. The core team includes the Project Manager, the Clinical Trial Manager, and the study sites Principal Investigators (PIs). The PMT maintains extensive collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the Medical Research Council UK, Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, RESIST TB, The TB Alliance and other global organisations such as WHO.

Lab Specialist

Manson Unit

Reports to: Public Health departmentmanager (to be defined depending on base office)

Job purpose:

  • To work in collaboration with the two OCA laboratory advisers to ensure the development and implementation of MSF OCA laboratory strategy and support and advise designated field missions in order for them to implement these according to MSF OCA quality standards.
  • To lead the laboratory components for the TB-PRACTECAL Clinical Trial including participation in the protocol writing, SOP development and implementation, assessment and advice to potential field sites on attaining Good clinical Practice standards for laboratories (GCLP) and ongoing advice and technical supervision of the laboratory components of the clinical trial.

Main Duties and Responsibilities Of The Lab Specialist

1)Support to the MSF OCA and the Public Health Department+ (50%)

  • Support the implementation of diagnostic TB lab procedures within MSF-OCA programmes. This will include the following tasks: sample collection and assessment; fluorescent and brightfield microscopy; PCR-based testing (Xpert MTB/RIF and Hain MTBDRplus); and liquid and solid culture.
  • Implement laboratory safety protocols; develop MSF standard format SOPs for the above; maintain an up to date MSF TB field microscopy manual.
  • Provide advice to field teams on technical issues relevant to the above
  • Liaise with the TB and lab working groups on the preparation of intersectional TB guidelines and reports.
  • Provide lab support for antibiotic resistance studies
  • Support a portfolio of MSF OCA missions in general lab activities, and perform field trips as necessary, following the principles described in the MSF OCA Lab Specialist job description (annex 1)
  • Work alongside the Amsterdam-based laboratory advisors as a member of the OCA Lab Specialists Group, thereby contributing to general OCA lab policies and protocols
  • Provide cover in the absence of the other lab specialists
  • Facilitate OCA and intersectional lab workshops as required
  • Facilitate MSF training exercises (e.g. Co-days, MMC, LogCo days etc) as required
  • Perform field laboratory assessment and training as appropriate
  • Build and maintain a network within the academic and NGO community
  • Keep abreast of developments in the field of TB diagnostics through networking and literature review and feed into the Lab Working Group on a regular basis; represent the OCA on relevant Working Group as appropriate
  • At the direction of line manager, participate and attend relevant international conferences or meetings
  • Contribute to the writing and preparation of work for publication and presentation
  • Undertake operational research in TB diagnosis/laboratory topics as appropriate in collaboration with other, with a view to external dissemination of results and publication
  • Participate in Manson Unit activities including participation in preparations for scientific day, attend public health and Manson Unit meetings and public health block days

2) Support to the TB-PRACTECAL project (50%)

Assume overall responsibility for the lab functioning of the multicentre study, the success of the study being heavily dependent on the quality and robustness of lab results.

Achieve the above by:

  • Ensuring that the trial design and protocol are feasible and appropriate from a laboratory perspective, in collaboration with internal and external experts
  • Preparing SOPs and documentation for all laboratory procedures for the trial
  • Drafting the laboratory aspects of the clinical trial protocol
  • Negotiating with relevant authorities regarding the bringing of field laboratory practices in trial sites up to GCLP standards
  • Ensuring OCA labs comply with GCLP standards: evaluation of current state, supervising the upgrading to required standards, preparation for independent audits, and responsibility for implementation of recommendations arising from the inspections.
  • Technical Management of field-based lab personnel as required

The position is hierarchically responsible to the Public Health departmentmanager (to be defined depending on base office) and functionally responsible to both the Public Health departmentmanager and the TB-PRACTECAL Project Manager.

Given the decentralized nature of the position, there will be weekly telephone briefings with the Laboratory Specialists, Amsterdam, plus at least three periodic MSF OCA Laboratory Management Block Days per year. The postholder will be expected to be available to travel to Europe and field projects on a regular basis (up to 50% of the time).

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

  • Diploma in Laboratory Technology or degree in Microbiology
  • Demonstrable practical experience of working in a laboratory
  • Experience working in low/middle income context programmes
  • Knowledge of sample-taking and basic diagnostic techniques
  • Advanced knowledge and experience in TB laboratory diagnostic procedures including culture, DST and molecular testing.
  • Advanced knowledge and experience of laboratory quality control procedures.
  • Demonstrable (virtual) team-working skills as well as ability to work independently
  • Experience and affinity with training and coaching
  • Experience in research
  • Knowledge of GCLP Standards for Tuberculosis clinical trials
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  • Fluency in written and verbal English
  • Computer Literacy
  • Ability to travel domestically and internationally
  • Commitment to the aims and values of MSF
Desirable
  • Higher level of experience in TB/HIV programmes
  • Knowledge of additional languages particularly French and/or Russian

This is a full-time, permanent position, and the requirement is to work 40 hours a week. The salary for this post will be £39,298 including London Weighting

Current Benefits at MSF UK and Ireland:

SALARIES

MSF UK & Ireland pays the salaries into the bank account on the 21st of each month.

FLEXITIME SCHEME

MSF UK & Ireland operates flexi time. The daily requirement for full time staff is to work 8 hours plus half an hour for lunch with core hours between 9.30am-5.00pm and flexi time periods between 8.30am – 9.30am and 5.00pm-6.00pm.

ANNUAL LEAVE

The MSF UK & Ireland holiday (annual leave) year runs from 1st January to 31st December. Annual entitlement for full-time staff is 28 days per year in addition to UK bank holidays (pro rata for part-time)

SICK LEAVE

On completion of the probationary period, employees of MSF UK & Ireland receive additional benefits though our Group Income Protection Scheme and Group Life Scheme.

PENSION PLAN

On completion of the probationary period employees of MSF UK & Ireland can join the Group personal Pension Plan. Members of the scheme contribute between 3% and 5% of their salary. Contributions are deducted from salaries. MSF contributes 3% (for those paying 3 or 4 % of their salary) and 10% for those paying 5%.

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

MSF UK & Ireland has an annual performance review process in place during which individual development needs are discussed and training needs identified.

HOW TO APPLY – THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Timetable:

  • Closing date for applications: 9am on 30th September 2013
  • Interviews: W/C 7th October 2013
  • Start date: ASAP

To Apply

If you are interested in this position please send your CV and a letter of motivationexplaining how your skills and experience relate to the person specification to:

Beverly Gurevitz

Human Resources Officer

E-mail:

Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) UK is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment. MSF UK/Ireland values the diversity of its workforce and is firmly committed to creating a culture of dignity and respect at work that values the rights of every individual.

We ask you to complete this form to assist us in monitoring who is applying for employment with us, our adherence to equal opportunities best practice and our progress towards identifying any barriers to diversity among our workforce.

This form will be separated from your application on receipt, and will not be seen by the interview panel or used in any way for the purposes of selection. If you are subsequently employed by MSF UK/Ireland it may be retained upon your personal file. All information will be treated in the strictest confidence, and in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

SECTION A: AGE

Please tick the age group you belong to

 16 – 21 22 – 30  31 – 40 41 – 50 51 – 60

 61 – 64 65 + I would prefer not to say

SECTION B: GENDER

What is your gender? Male Female I would prefer not to say

SECTION C: ETHNIC ORIGIN

What is your ethnic group? Choose ONE section from 1 to 5, and then tick the appropriate box to indicate your cultural background.

1. White

BritishIrish

Any other White background (please specify)

2. Mixed

White and Black Caribbean White and Black African White and Asian

Any other Mixed background (please specify)

3. Asian or Asian British

IndianPakistaniBangladeshi

 Any other Asian background (please specify)

4. Black or Black British

CaribbeanAfrican

 Any other Black background (please specify)

5. Chinese or other ethnic group

ChineseAny other (please specify)

 I would prefer not to say

SECTION D: DISABILITY

The Equality Act 2010 defines a disability as ‘a physical or mental impairment which has substantial and long term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. With this definition in mind, do you consider yourself to be disabled?

 Yes No I would prefer not to say

If yes, please provide a brief summary of your disability if you wish to.

SECTION E: RELIGION AND BELIEF

Please indicate the term which best describes your religion/belief.

Christian

Buddhist

Hindu

Jewish

Muslim

Sikh

Other (please specify)

No religion or belief

I would prefer not to say

SECTION F: SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Please indicate the term which best describes your sexual orientation.

Bisexual

Gay man

Gay woman / lesbian

Heterosexual

I would prefer not to say

SECTION G: ADVERTISING

Where did you hear about this opportunity to work for MSF?

MSF UK/Ireland Association

MSF UK/Ireland website

Agency (please specify)

Other website (please specify)

Newspaper (please specify)

Magazine (please specify)

Conference / Event (please specify)

Word of mouth

Updated August 2013