CONTEXT

Médecins Sans Frontières Belgium is recruiting for the Environmental Health (EH) Unit an Environmental Health (EH) The EH Unit is part for the Medical Department, and this position will be seconded to the Emergency Pool.

Within MSF Operational Center Brussels (OCB), the Medical Department provides strategic direction and technical leadership, committing to keeping up to date on innovations in health care. We share the responsibility of the operational choices and the responsiveness, and we are involved in the support of our project teams co-developing context-adapted medical-operational strategies and defining levels of care. The department also does normative work (e.g., developing guidelines, tools), supporting their translation (e.g., trainings, quality improvement, information knowledge management), and enabling operational research and innovative ideas.

The Environmental Health objectives of MSF as defined today are:

▪To support and promote good hygienic environments in medical infrastructures

▪To define and support the implementation of EH strategies of immediate response in emergencies (especially, but not limited to, outbreaks and displaced populations)

▪To promote and organize the preventive health aspects linked with water, hygiene, and sanitation of MSF programs in emergencies and in longer-term programs

▪To contribute to MSF engagements on Climate, Environment & Health linked to operational adaptation and footprint reduction

As the EH advisor in the EPool, you will be working under the daily functional management of the medical deputy EPool coordinator in order to develop relevant high impactful EH strategies and implement and/or support the implementation of EH activities in OCB’s emergency interventions in conflicts and in outbreaks

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participate in exploratory assignments and/or emergencies (in directly supporting project teams and/or via direct implementation), in early phases of the response
• In collaboration with the epool team, Contribute to the development of intervention strategies, activities and definition of resources (human resources and material and equipment) with project teams
• Provide technical and strategic support to assigned emergencies from Brussels and through project visits.
• Recruit and supervise the EH Mobile Implementation Officers permanently part of the Emergency pool workforce and coach EH field staff
• Monitor quality of programs through reports, (de) briefings, visits and communication with the projects and suggest adjustments when required. Provide advice on selection of EH personnel in accordance with the specialties required
• Contribute to the development of relevant tools (guidelines, evaluations and technical support documents), updating the intervention scenario and the emergency stocks

Contribution to the MSF EH Unit overall vision and priorities

The EH operational advisor will be part of the EH unit and will contribute to reaching the objectives of the EH Unit as defined within the Medical Department

• Contribute to the EH strategic orientation definition and its operationalization
• Participate in presenting MSF training modules. Participation in review and design of training will also be required
• Participate in representing the EH Unit internally and the organization externally from a EH/watsan perspective

REQUIREMENTS

Education & Experience

• Higher vocational education or engineer in the water, hygiene and sanitation sector, preferably Public Health Engineering or Environmental Health
• Minimum 3 years international experience with MSF or other INGOs in a coordination position in the field of emergency Water Hygiene and Sanitation
• Experience with outbreak response and public health emergency interventions
• Experience in Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers outbreaks is an asset
• Proven field expertise in the technical and human related aspects of the following topics: Water Supply – Excreta Disposal – Waste Water management – Waste Management – Vector Control
• Experience in defining, monitoring and evaluating EH-strategies/activities in Medical Programs is an advantage

Competencies

• Efficiently combines a strong short-term focus on concrete results with a more proactive, strategic and therefore longer-term approach
• Demonstrates analytical skills, critical sense and can take decisions
• Works as a part of a team and cross functionally but also autonomously
• Stress resilient
• Sense of humor, good team-player, flexible, ability to work independently and under pressure
• Ability to provide emergency support to international programs for up to 4 weeks at short notice (e.g., within 48 hours) and work directly in the capacity of an EH or Water and Sanitation Coordinator
• Extensive knowledge of the humanitarian sector, with a strong commitment to the principles and objectives of MSF

Languages

• Fluency in written and spoken English or French is mandatory
• Professional proficiency in the other language is mandatory
• Arabic and/or Spanish/Portuguese is an asset

CONDITIONS

• Expected starting date: June 2025
• Location: Brussels, Belgium
• Contract type: open ended contract – Full-time
• Mobility: 40% in MSF Projects with flexible working hours
• Salary according to MSF-OCB HQ grid
• Meal Vouchers – Hospital Insurance (DKV) – Pension Plan – 100% reimbursement for public transportation costs
• Adhere to the MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment
• Adhere to the MSF Behavioral Commitments

Deadline for applications: 14th of April 2025

How to Apply:

• Submit your application via the ‘Apply here‘ button on our vacancy page
• You will be directed to the online application form for this position
• It should take 5-10 minutes to complete. Thank you in advance for having your CV and motivation letter ready to upload

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

MSF values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, color or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

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