Emergency Ebola Watsan Coordinator

Context

Médecins Sans Frontières Switzerland is reinforcing its emergency response capacity to support a large-scale Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak currently affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The outbreak is expected to require a sustained operational response over an extended period and carries a significant risk of cross-border transmission to neighbouring countries.

The Emergency Ebola Watsan Coordinator will provide strategic and operational leadership for WASH and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) activities throughout the response. The position requires a highly experienced emergency professional capable of rapidly deploying to outbreak hotspots, establishing and supporting Ebola Treatment Centres (ETCs), and strengthening community-based transmission control activities, including Safe and Dignified Burial (SDB) and ambulance referral systems.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

As part of MSF Switzerland's Emergency Pool, the successful candidate will be expected to:

• Support ongoing Ebola outbreak response activities in DRC and potentially in neighboring countries affected by the outbreak.
• Deploy rapidly to new transmission areas as the epidemiological situation evolves.
• Provide technical leadership and coordination in both acute emergency phases and longer-term outbreak management.
• Contribute to preparedness, contingency planning and surge capacity development in countries at risk of Ebola transmission.
• Support other emergency interventions when operational priorities require.

1. **Direct technical support to field operations**

- Promote and implement water & sanitation activities of the mission (implement or facilitate)
- Lead the design, construction, commissioning and operational management of Ebola Treatment Centres (ETCs), Transit Centres and Isolation Units.
- Ensure implementation of WASH and IPC measures in high-risk Ebola environments, including patient flow, zoning, decontamination and waste management systems.
- Provide technical support for Safe and Dignified Burial (SDB) activities and associated decontamination procedures.
- Support ambulance referral systems, including vehicle decontamination, patient transport procedures and staff safety measures.
- Conduct rapid assessments of Ebola transmission risks and recommend mitigation measures.
- Support community outreach activities related to infection prevention, hygiene promotion and Ebola control measures.
- Assume the post of WHS Coordinator, where appropriate, in emergencies.

1. Contribution to missions operational strategies

- Shares information with medical and logistic coordinators to identify potential WHS related activities to develop
- Contribute to Ebola outbreak response strategies in close collaboration with medical, IPC and health promotion teams.
- Advise on preparedness and surge capacity for Ebola and other viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks.
- Support development of outbreak-specific WASH and IPC contingency plans.

1. Management and supervision

- Contribute to the definition of Watsan team required in emergency
- Organize and prioritize the Watsan team members according to needs.
- In the field provides coaching to WHS and logistic teams both local staff and expatriate

1. Follow up of wash specific supply and budget line in mission.

- Compile orders coming from the team he/she supervises
- Validate orders according to the finance validation grid
- Follow up and ensure dispatch according to priorities
- validate local suppliers.
- Clean up stock and Eprep stocks

Duty Station

Initial deployment is expected in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in support of the ongoing Ebola Virus Disease outbreak response.

The position is field-based and may require deployment to any country affected by, or at risk of being affected by, the outbreak, including neighbouring countries where cross-border transmission or preparedness activities are required.

Your Profile

- Minimum 24 months of humanitarian WASH experience in emergency contexts.
- Demonstrated experience in at least Two Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak response.
- Proven experience in establishing and/or managing Ebola Treatment Centres (ETCs), Isolation Units or similar infectious disease treatment facilities.
- Proven experience supporting Safe and Dignified Burial (SDB) operations during an Ebola outbreak.
- Experience supervising ambulance decontamination and patient referral activities in outbreak settings.

Requirements

- A demonstrable understanding of the need to integrate Medical and Public Health/WatSan activities,
- Good, hands-on experience of deploying and using MSF WatSan kits in the field
- Advanced knowledge of Ebola transmission pathways and operational outbreak control measures.
- Strong expertise in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) in Ebola Treatment Centres and other high-risk healthcare settings.
- Experience with infectious healthcare waste management, wastewater treatment and en