Administration Officer - Doctors without Borders

Doctors without Borders (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation committed to two objectives: providing medical assistance to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion, natural and man-made disasters; and speaking out about the plight of the populations assisted.

MSF offers assistance to people based only on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation. Today, MSF is present in more than 60 countries, where thousands of MSF doctors, nurses, logisticians, water-and-sanitation experts, and other medical and non-medical professionals work together to bring essential health services to people caught in humanitarian crises.

The ISTP is a skill-based training targeting surgeons, which was created by the Berlin Medical Unit (BeMU) and the MSF Academy.

The diversity of surgical projects is increasing, ranging from rural hospitals, providing essential life- and limb-saving surgery, to more specialised projects for more complex reconstructive and paediatric cases. In addition, MSF runs dedicated Trauma Centres, addressing the needs of victims of intended and unintended violence, principally in the context of active conflict.

This operational strategy around surgical care requires an adapted surgical workforce. MSF Surgeons need to master an adapted set of surgical competencies and skills, reaching from broad to specialised, from obstetrics to vascular interventions. While all these interventions are performed under various degrees of resource constraints, the ambition of the organisation is to maintain strong standards of quality of care.

For this purpose, MSF decided to invest in targeted training for its surgeons that aims to improve and broaden their surgical skills to increase the safety and quality of surgical care for MSF patients. This training aims to serve the need of the entire MSF movement and is coordinated through all the MSF offices.

ABOUT THE MSF TRAINING IN CAPE TOWN

The ISTP is developed for MSF surgeons to acquire additional practical skills adapted to the MSF needs. For this training, a partnership is developed with the University of Stellenbosch that will allow the surgeons to work in the hospitals in an adapted training scheme.

The training sessions will take 6 weeks to 3 months, and will be organised in a continuous mode. We expect 2 to 4 surgeons to be present in Cape Town at any time of the year.

Trainees in the program will originate from a very diverse set of countries, for some of them, the administrative needs (Visa, travel and registration) will be more challenging.

JOB OVERVIEW

This is a 50% FTE position.

ISTP KEY TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES (50%)

Objective of the Post

Ensure the planning and all administrative and logistical requirements for the ISTP trainees that come to Cape Town.

Tasks:

• Assist in the overall planning of the trainees scheduling;
• Organise the travel and visas for participants (in collaboration with field admins);
• Organise the booking of accommodation logistics of all trainees;
• Oversee and help to organise documentation/paperwork for registration of all surgical trainees at the HPCSA;
• Oversee and support registration of participants at Stellenbosch University;
• Coordinate payment of supplier invoices, budget follow-up and recording (with the Project Coordinator as the final responsible);
• Support and guide trainees travel in the Cape Town area (available for practical questions, helping with transportation e.g. Uber);
• Being in charge of handing out/collecting the project mobile phones and monthly per diems to participants;
• Update and report on a regular basis to the Project Coordinator.

REQUIREMENTS

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification; recognized secretarial certificate or diploma;

Experience

• 5 years of relevant work experience;
• Experience in arranging travel, visas and accommodation for international groups;
• Experience within an NGO would be an advantage;
  
  

Knowledge and Skills

• General administration skills;
• Knowledge of office systems;
• Computer skills;
• Good organisational skills;
• Good communication and interpersonal skills;
• Preferably has Driving license;
  
  

Languages

Fluency in spoken and written English;

French and/or Portuguese an advantage;

Personal attributes

• Self-motivated uses initiative;
• Accurate and meticulous;
• Tolerant and patient;
• Systematic and organized;
• Sensitive to diversity and cultural issues;
• Attention to detail;
• Ability to work in a team;
• Willingness to work beyond official working times.