Medical Coordinator (VHF)

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.

IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

On 15th May, the Institut national de recherche biomédicale (INRB) Kinshasa confirmed an outbreak of the Ebola virus in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The virus is reported to have originated from Mongbwalu, Bunia and Rwapara Health zones in Ituri province. The virus is confirmed to be the Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD), a severe and often fatal strain. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), due to the risk of further regional spread within the region, including across borders.

Unlike previous outbreaks caused by the Zaire strain, the Bundibugyo strain does not currently have a licensed vaccine or specific targeted treatment. This makes community-based measures, early detection, supportive healthcare, and prevention efforts more critical than ever. The outbreak appears to have circulated for several weeks (with the first known case dated 24 April 2026) prior to confirmation as Ebola. Early presentation of cases with non-specific febrile symptoms, common to endemic diseases such as malaria, combined with initial laboratory testing focused on the more common Zaire strain, contributed to delays in identification. As a result, transmission occurred in both community and healthcare settings before targeted control measures were fully implemented.

Alongside multiple existing health risks in eastern DRC, gaps in health practices may contribute to ongoing transmission of the Bundibugyo strain among communities and healthcare settings. Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures are not consistently applied, increasing the risk of transmission among health workers. The absence of an approved vaccine or specific treatment further emphasizes reliance on core public health measures, including early detection, isolation, contact tracing, and supportive care, which require sustained operational capacity and resources.

The outbreak comes just months after the DRC’s 16th Ebola outbreak in Kasai Province, which was declared over in December 2025.

The Medical Coordinator (MedCo) will deploy in response to an outbreak of Viral Haemorrhagic fever (VHF) as part of IFRC emergency response. The MedCo will support the clinical activities and Ebola Treatment Centre (ETC) Team, lead/staff and will work in collaboration with other partners such as WHO and MSF, Movement Partners, delegates, national staff and volunteers, local health authorities and affected communities within the mandate of IFRC. This must build on evidence, best practices, solid understanding and participation of local communities, the changing epidemiology and humanitarian context and the interests and capacities of the host National Society and internal and external stakeholders.

The MedCo is responsible for:

• Oversight, overall management, strategy and accountability for safe and quality delivery of clinical services to affected populations including in the ETCs supported by IFRC;
• Day-to-day management of the clinical activities including ETC (logistics, coordination and administration support);
• Coordination and communication with key stakeholders such as MoH, WHO and partners to ensure a standardized approach to clinical and ETC management;
• Application of rigorous standards for quality of care and safety for IFRC clinical activities including in the ETC with daily monitoring of indicators, immediate reporting of breeches and course correction in collaboration with MoH, WHO and partners;
• Ensuring that cross-cutting themes are incorporated including gender, disability, child protection;
• Coordination and regular reporting to the IFRC led technical advisory group (IFRC and PNS) on clinical activities and reporting on indicators for quality and care and safety.

Principal management responsibilities:

• Supervise the IFRC clinical teams including the ETC management team, providing direction and coordination for the day-to-day management of clinical/ETC activities;
• Ensure evidence, best practices and core standards are applied to all levels of clinical/ETC activities, to ensure quality of and safety;
• Assume overall responsibility for the HR and finance management of the clinical work including supporting the ETC Team Leads;
• Assume overall safety and security of all staff in the clinical and outreach including safety monitoring, security protocols, Duty of Care, mental health, R&R;
• Ensure compliance with RC Code of Conduct, SOPs, security guidelines and other applicable policies by all clinical/ETC team members;
• Assign specific tasks within the clinical management teams as required.

Safety and Security management:

• Assume responsibility for the security and safety of staff working in clinical care/ETC with IFRC security and Staff Health;
• Elaborate and regularly review the ETC security and contingency plans (including medical evacuation) in close collaboration with IFRC Security and Staff Health;
• Ensure that safety guidelines are in place and well understood by delegates and local staff.

Planning, monitoring, reporting and evaluation:

• Work with local counterparts and Information Management colleagues to establish secure and confidential data management systems for clinical care in collaboration with the MoH and WHO;
• Monitor IFRCs clinical care activities including ETC’s capacity/needs according to the changing context of the operation (material, financial and human resources), in collaboration with the ETC management team;
• Develop strategies and plans for clinical activities/the ETCs to address/adjust for unmet health needs, in collaboration with partners and other stakeholders as required;
• Report regularly on clinical/ ETC activities and issues to the Ebola Coordinator including indicators on quality of care and safety;
• Make recommendations on transition, handover strategies together with the Ebola Coordinator;
• Conduct performance evaluations against core competencies and expected tasks of clinical management staff and provide continuous training and capacity building in collaboration with MoH, WHO, MSF and other partners.

Communication and representation:

• Establish and maintain regular communications with the local (national, regional/district and community) health authorities and relevant stakeholders relevant for the safe functioning of the ETC;
• Support the IFRC delegation Communications Officer with talking points to represent the clinical care with media and high-level stakeholders (e.g. embassies);
• Represent the work on clinical care to internal and external stakeholders as relevant in coordination with the Ebola Coordinator and maintain effective working relationships with leaders of affected communities around the clinical services/ETC, Red Cross Movement (HNS, IFRC, ICRC, PNS, ERU delegates from other deploying NS), Local health authorities, and partners such as WHO and MSF;
• Ensure effective working relationships with IFRC Ebola Coordinator.

Support the Host National Society (HNS):

• Support the capacity of the HNS (staff and volunteers) working in clinical care and develop relevant skills where possible;
• Work through the HNS and reinforce their leadership role whenever possible, especially vis a-vis the local authorities;
• In coordination with the Ebola Coordinator, identify counterparts for clinical care and ensure that critical information is shared with them to inform the decisions made by the HNS;
• Identify opportunities with the HNS and act as a technical advisor when appropriate.

• Professional qualification as a medical doctor, registered nurse or similar clinical profession
• IMPACT, BTC or equivalent experience
• Health ERU training is preferred

• 5 years of experience working for the Red Cross or other humanitarian organizations on health in emergencies
• 3-5 years health experience, preferably in emergency or humanitarian contexts or working with disadvantaged or remote communities
• Experience implementing IFRC health tools and approaches in emergencies
• Experience working in a coordination role in an international emergency

• Strong management and organizational skills, including ability to delegate authority and responsibility
• Proven people management skills in a multi-cultural environment and strong track record of developing people
• Good intercultural communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal negotiations skills, including ability to effectively communicate a vision, solve problems and manage conflict
• Drive change and improvements and the ability to deliver strategies in a challenging environment
• Ability to work in a cross cultural and cross functional environment
• Demonstrated core proficiency in (a) digital communication & collaboration, (b) basic digital content creation, (c) digital safety & security, (d) data literacy, and (e) problem solving with technology (including responsible use of AI assistants.
• Understanding of and commitment to IFRC’s mission and values.
• Fluent spoken and written English
• Fluent spoken and written French

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust

Managerial Competencies: Managing Staff Performance; Managing Staff Development

Functional Competencies: Strategic Orientation; Building Alliances; Leadership; Empowering Others