Background 

Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural and man-made disasters and exclusion from healthcare in more than 70 countries. MSF offers assistance to people based on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.  

MSF has worked in India since 1999, providing free-of-charge essential healthcare to people in remote areas, and specialist care for people affected by HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, hepatitis C, tuberculosis, kala azar and sexual and gender-based violence. We also respond to natural disasters and other emergencies, provide mental healthcare and advocate for the development of more effective and affordable medicines to improve access to treatment for people everywhere. 

We currently run projects in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Manipur, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.

MSF was awarded the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development in 1996 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999. 

 MSF OCBA in Bihar 

MSF has been working in Bihar treating kala azar since 2007 with a gradual transition of the project to focus on HIV-Kala Azar co-infected patients. After treating more than 13,000 patients in Vaishali, MSF began focusing on the treatment of kala azar-HIV co-infection in partnership with the Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS) in Patna in 2016.

Further, MSF has collaboration with All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna and Bihar State AIDS Control Society (BSACS) with whom MSF is conducting two qualitative studies focusing on the perception of quality of life by VL-HIV coinfected patients and the stigma which PLHIV group faces at health facilities and in the community. Anecdotal evidence from different sources suggests that there is a very high level of stigma attached to HIV in Bihar and PLHIV often presents with advanced stage HIV with multiple opportunistic infections. To make the matter worse, these patients do not get adequate and quality healthcare services leading them to no option but succumb to their illness at home. Hence, MSF endeavours to start a project for treating life-threatening opportunistic infections in people living with HIV in Bihar in collaboration with BSACS and Government of Bihar (GoB). 

This seamless partnership over more than a decade between the Government of India, the State Government and other stakeholders has enabled MSF to provide the best quality, free of cost treatment to the people of Bihar without any discrimination on the basis of caste, colour, religion or economic status. The major beneficiaries of MSF services have been those who are the bottom of the societal pyramid. 

Working in this area, HIV-VL confection, has led us to realise the systematised discrimination against HIV patients by the community but more so among health care providers in the public and private sector with them often being excluded from healthcare outside of government ART centres. Bihar, with a population of 110 million people is one of the largest states and least economically developed. It has an estimated adult HIV prevalence in the range of 0.21– 0.25% accounting for 150,000 PLHIV and 7,514 deaths (5,794-10,575) annually. Only 20,000 HIV patients were on ARVs in 2014. 

As per July 2017 WHO guidelines for those above 5 years of age, Advanced HIV disease is defined as those presenting for care with a CD4 count below 200 cells/mm3 or presenting with an AIDS-defining event, regardless of the CD4 cell count. All children less than 5 years are considered to have Advanced HIV Disease. 

The mortality rate of advanced HIV disease is estimated to be between 30 to 40%. In Bihar, within MSF´s existing HIV related project we have a number of observed cases of severe disease where specialized medical care is required including palliative and symptomatic care and end of life care for some of them, including psychosocial support for patients and family members. In such situations, where we have tried to refer the patients into the public or private sector, they have been refused admission or admitted, ignored and ultimately sent home to die. 

 MSF Response 

In this situation, MSF in collaboration with MoH (BSACS and NACO) tends to set up a program as inpatient centre for the advanced HIV and holistic care for all the admitted patients and those with life-threatening conditions.
The main purpose of the program is to provide a holistic centre for seriously sick advanced HIV patients in order to improve the quality of life by gaining comprehensive HIV care and support and palliative care with the focus of patient rights and dignity. 

 Referral Criteria to MSF Care Centre 

• HIV patients with CD4 less than 100 regardless of opportunistic infections/comorbidities
• Suspected or diagnosed advanced HIV disease regardless of CD4 count (specific conditions for referral will be defined)
• Seriously ill HIV+ patients with danger signs
• Other HIV related life threatening conditions such as IRIS, suspected clinical failure, drug hypersensitivity and so on

 MSF services 

• Advanced HIV diagnosis and care package + Palliative care 
• Linkage to care (from ART centres and community to MSF care centre)
• Retention in care and health promotion activities in the community

 Target Population 

• Direct Beneficiaries: People living with advanced HIV (PLHIV) – estimated to be 10% of the 150,000 diagnosed HIV patients in Bihar
• Indirect Beneficiaries: General population of Bihar through the decreased spread and increased awareness, others living with HIV with regards to policy change in India.

 Project Location 

Guru Govind Singh Hospital, Patna City, Patna. 

 Purpose of Post 

Is responsible for the implementation of Human Resources policies in the project and the correct Administrative Management of all staff working in the project (National, International, Regional, etc).

 Functional and Hierarchical Lines 

Hierarchically accountable to Project Coordinator and Functional accountable to HR Coordinator. 

Hierarchically supervises Cook.

 General 

Number of post available: 1 

Location: Patna, Bihar 

Project: HIV Co-infection 

Availability: Minimum 1 year, annual renewal of contract 

Last application date: 14th March, 2019 

Starting date: ASAP 

Email: msfe-delhi-recruitment@barcelona.msf.org AND msfe-patna-fin@barcelona.msf.org

 Main Responsibilities and Tasks   

 Accountabilities 

• Advise Project Coordinator on set up (org chart) and together with the HR Coordinator, update the project’s organizational chart and job descriptions
• In close coordination with the Project Coordinator and the HR Coordinator, calculate the HR operational needs and the associated budget in order to efficiently ensure the required sizing and capabilities of the project and to facilitate budget following-up.
• Ensure hiring, carry out amendments and contract termination formalities for employees at the project level, according to labour local laws, archiving and updating individual employee files, informing them on their rights and preparing all mandatory tax declarations, in order to ensure legal compliance..
• Assist the Project Coordinator, and/or team leaders and supervisors to draw up annual holiday planning and staff shifts in order to forecast HR needs and to ensure HR availability for the project activities..
• Supervise/perform payroll procedures, ensuring that all data related to the monthly salary calculation of national employees of the project are correctly entered in Homere (days off, unpaid leaves, sick leaves, overtime, salary advance, etc.), in order to ensure on time and accurate salary payments.
• Under the supervision of the HR Coordinator, ensure the indexation process of national staff salary grids in order to ensure internal equity, cost-of-living adjustments and the correct application of employment conditions in the project sites.
• Support, in close coordination with the HR Coordinator, the project line managers in detecting training needs, in properly evaluating people performance and in potential identification, in order to improve people capabilities, and their end results contribution to mission goals.
• Plan and supervise, in close coordination with the HRCo, the associated processes (recruitment, training/induction, evaluation, potential detection, development and communication) of the staff under his/her responsibility in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required
• Together with the Project Coordinator, support the line managers in implementing the internal communication policies in order to boost staff active participation and MSF commitment.
• In close collaboration with the Project Coordinator and HRCo, applies the administrative procedures part of any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in force between local partners (eg. Ministry of Health, etc.) and MSF.
• In close collaboration with the Project Coordinator and HRCo, looks for the best options to avoid and/or solve possible labour conflicts in the project.
• Ensures all staff in the Project (National, International, Regional, visits, etc.) is properly briefed and/or inducted.
• Is responsible for all movements and/or accommodation of staff in the Project.
• Ensures all HR reporting of the Project.

 Specific Accountabilities

Administration

• Guarantees the respect of the administrative rules by all the project staff
• To look after the administration and management of office in consultation with PC
• Communicate with capital any information regarding the leaves of the staff.
• Manage with capital the medical reimbursement and per diem of the staff.
• Plans together with HRCO the holidays of the employees and ensures their follow up.
• Ensures the administrative part of staff’s movements (accommodation, mission orders, living conditions for mobilised staff) according to the mission internal rules. 
• Calculates per diem 
• Organises the stay of the visitors
• Prepares all correspondence with local authorities (i.e. tax offices, the Ministry of Labour)
• Manage and follow up on different contracts such as rent agreements, service agreements, and professional agreements. 

Training 

• Identifies and defines training needs of the project’s staff.
• Reviews the quality of trainings offered and follows up its impact on staff.
• Supports the practical organization of trainings and/or individual support plans in the project.
• Helps training and development of national staff in conjunction with their supervisors. 

HR management

• Updates organisation charts on monthly bases, and disseminates them
• Ensures all positions existing in the project are defined in a job description that is updated regularly
• Helps the activity managers and supervisors with the drafting of job descriptions and their regular revision
• Plans and follows up the staff’s evaluations together with activity managers and supervisors
• Explains the evaluation tool and its correct use to the persons who have to carry out evaluations
• Organises and possibly leads regular staff meetings
• Ensures the fluid circulation of general information about the mission within the staff of the project 
• Ensures the diffusion of information on the association, the DWBI movement 
• Manages labour conflict if any, with the support of the Field coordinator and if required from HRCO as well
• Communicates with PC promptly on any brewing dissent or dissatisfaction among team members and address it in consultation with PC

Reporting 

• Ensures continuous communication with Project Coordinator and HRCO 
• Sends the project Homere monthly sending and the Homere checklist to HRCO, as well as contracts, payslips. 
• Follows-up cost of living on a regular basis through food basket report
• Writes monthly reports in conjunction with the other departments. 

Record Keeping

• Maintains a file of all staff’s educational qualification and registration
• Maintains a soft copy of all medics, paramedics, drivers and other staff’s licences and registration renewal date
• Informs concerned staff 1 month in advance before the expiry of their registration or licences
• Maintains an excel sheet of all other documents which needs annual/ monthly renewal and ensure their renewal on time
• Verifies people’s registration and licences by writing or visiting appropriate authority
• Inform PC ASAP if any discrepancy found. 

 Notes 

The nature of the Project HR Manager position necessarily requires access to certain information that is both confidential and sensitive. This may include, but is not limited to, staff salaries and personal information and records/details of DWBI HR and operations. 

It is necessary for the employee to agree to respect the confidentiality and sensitivity of the information to which he/she is exposed and signing this job description is a formal acceptance of this condition of employment. 

 Requirements

 Education    

• Essential Degree in Management (business, HR) or Administration.
• Desirable Post Graduate in Business or HR related course. 

 Experience    

• Essential at least one year working experience in administration management and good knowledge of local administration. 
• Desirable experience in MSF or other NGOs in developing countries. 

 Languages

• Mission language and local language essential

 Knowledge

• Essential computer literacy (word, excel, internet)

 HR & Benefits 

• Salary: Rupees 59,899 gross/month (non-negotiable)
• Benefit of 13th Month Salary 
• PF and Gratuity are applicable as per law.
• Total Leaves: 18 days annual leave; 12 days as per organisation public holiday list; 
• Sick/Casual leave of 12 days as per the calendar year (pro-rated based on hire date).
• Wide Medical and Accidental coverage (Employee + Direct Dependant), as per organisation policy.

 Application Procedure 

To apply please email your CV and a motivational letter mentioning why you would be interested to apply for the position with the subject Ref: Project HR Manager to msfe-delhi-recruitment@barcelona.msf.org AND msfe-patna-fin@barcelona.msf.org on or before 14th March 2019. 

Applications that are no completed (CV + Covering letter) will not be considered.

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders India is an equal opportunity employer.

Women candidates are encouraged to apply.