Medical Administrator

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) was established by the Security Council Resolution 1876 on26 June 2002. The Security Council on 17 March 2022 extended UNAMA’s mandate until 17 March 2023. The UN medical services provide timely and reliable, costumer oriented, cost-efficient and prompt medical care to all UN Staff members.

The UNOCA Joint Medical Services (JMS) is a project that brings together all UN entities located in the UNOCA Compound, Kabul, Afghanistan, to cost share a medical center with the aim of providing accessible and quality medical services using economies of scale as recommended in the recent UNAMA strategic review. To fulfil this commitment, the UN requires the right resources and support mechanisms, which include medical emergency response. As a result, from October 2022, UNAMA will have the need to recruit 1 UNV Medical administrator for the JMS in Kabul.

The JMS will be the primary health care provider for all UN staff based in Kabul on the UNOCA and ICON Compound. The JMS aims to protect and promote staff health, to sustain and improve their working capacity, to contribute to a safe and healthy working environment, and to promote the adaptation of work to the capabilities of staff, taking account of their health status. With this in mind and given the current heightened security situation in the mission environment, we are seeking candidates with experience in managing healthcare institutions.

Under the direct supervision of Chief Medical Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks-esponsibilities: • Administering the JMS including scheduling of patient appoints with doctors, ensuring payment of fees for services provided and liaising with health insurers; • Implementation and maintenance of billing agreements with health insurers; • All financial reporting associated with the JMS including monitoring the JMS budget and prepara-tion of regular reports to the Steering Committee members and participating Agencies Funds & Programmes (AFPs) as required; • Liaison with respective AFPs as required including obtaining details of their staff who may re-quire the JMS services; • Maintaining medical and staff records and monitor presence; • Developing work schedule for medical staff; • Track medical supplies through proper acquisition plans and monitoring of relevant stock levels; • Maintaining all office supplies; • Updating patient health records, including admissions and insurance data; • Keeping records of expenses and suggest ways to minimize costs; • Responding to queries from doctors, nurses and patients and clients; • Liaison with medical staff to ensure efficiency in the JMS operations; • Ensuring compliance with current healthcare policies as outlined in the 2015 Medical Support Manual.

• Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness to ac-cept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage infor-mation objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented. • Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations. • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordi-nate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities. • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and posi-tions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards the staff, but objective, without showing personal interest; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently in austere, remote and potentially hazardous environments for protracted periods, involving physical hardship and little comfort, and including possible extensive travel within the area of operations; willingness to transfer to other duty stations within area of operations as may be necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidari-ty, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.

Medical Doctor. Healthcare Administration or Business Administration with qualification in healthcare.

Experience with clinic or hospital administration will be an added advantage.

Afghanistan is a hardship duty station with a volatile security. Living and working conditions for UN volunteers in the regions where the volunteers will be placed are the same to the living conditions of all other internationally recruited staff members. UN volunteers are provided with safe accommodation in the compounds with good infrastructure and amenities. Generally speaking stringent security measures are in place throughout the country and UN volunteers as other UN staff, are quite limited in all Afghan duty stations when it comes to movement, walking virtually not allowed. The movement is done inside the “green box” (only) mostly in armored vehicles driven by na-tional qualified UN drivers. Many places are off limits (including restaurants). There is also a curfew throughout the country, generally from 11pm to 5:30am but this can very between duty stations.

There are number of security measures to be compiled with, such as the minimum Operational Residential Security Standards or MORSS before moving into any accommodation. The UNAMA Security section provides these guidelines during the initial security briefing upon arrival in the mission area.

Upon arrival, volunteers will be accommodated at the UNV transit house within the UNOCA compound for a fix charge of US$ 10 per day (US$ 300 per month for a room), exclusive of food. Inside the UNOCA compound are two cafeterias, a restaurant, a “Superette”, two shops which provide a variety of imported canned and frozen food on offer and a vegetable market shop. There is also a social center, a gym hall and a small library with books and DVDs, run by the Welfare Office, within the same compound. There is a UN clinic in UNA-MA/UNOCA compounds and access is granted in Kabul to other private international clinics.

In the provinces, the situation is different where UN personnel are confined to guest houses in most of the regions, both electricity and water are readily available, although water can sometimes run low as a result of severe droughts in the last couple of years. Most guesthouses have secured water (e.g. through a well in the compound) and generators in the event of power failure.

Most produce/staples are common in the markets e.g. rice, meat, vegetables, cooking oil, salt etc. UNOCA has a new minimarket where basic goods can be bought also. There are also a number of UN cleared super-markets in all the regions. Eating arrangements differ from one region to another. Whereas there could be individual cooking arrangements in one region, in the other, there may be a system in place where staff members contribute, employ a cook who prepares a common meal for everyone. Individual purchases can be made from the local markets through the cook or with the help of cleaners

Contact with and outreach to the local community is usually limited. As mentioned many places are off-limits and the choice of recreational facilities are very poor. For all these reasons, bring a stock of books, DVDs/VCDs, computer games, etc., is highly recommended.

Living allowances are paid in US$ at the end of each month, but bank transfers by UNAMA to accounts abroad are possible. There are several Western Union money transfer offices in Kabul and two other interna-tional banks are operating downtown as well as in the UNAMA compound.

Summer in Afghanistan is hot and dry but winter is the opposite – cold and wet. Therefore, both summer and winter clothing and comfortable boots with insulation are necessary. Most common consumer articles are available in Kabul (and in the regions).

Afghanistan is a unique country and UNAMA is a unique UN mission. It requires more stamina, commitment, and flexibility than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in hazardous and harsh conditions involving physical hardship and little comfort are absolutely essential.