AfrikaBurn is looking for a Healthcare Coordinator to join our operations team. The purpose of this role is to manage & coordinate the full portfolio of health care services available throughout the year and at the AfrikaBurn event in the Tankwa Karoo. This role requires extensive pre-event coordination of the various departments which form the health care cluster at AfrikaBurn and to link these services into the overall operations of the event. Among the departments you’ll need to manage & coordinate are the volunteer driven Sanctuary & Psychological Trauma Facility as well as the field hospital on site, including the medical service provider operating that facility. You will also be the central point of contact for Air Mercy Services (AMS) (stand-by air ambulance).

This role requires you to ensure that there is enough quality medical and mental health care services at the AfrikaBurn event. You will be the central link between the operational and volunteer portfolios and will need to ensure that there is no double handling of health care services, or gaps in the health care being provided on site. You will be required to communicate effectively and be part of the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) around the available and appropriate medical and mental health response needs on site. You also need to ensure all departments within the health care cluster are aware of their operational event roles and responsibilities, as well as the parameters and jurisdiction within which they have a duty of care.

The ideal candidate for this role is someone who would enjoy a unique healthcare service delivery challenge with a solid medical and psychological care background, including formal qualifications and training. We will consider applicants with experience in this role at events too.

Job Description:

●  Engage in the development of the Standard Operating Procedures as relates to the Medical Care Cluster’s role onsite.
●  Manage the formal appointment of the medical service providers and be the point of contact and driver in all medical service level arrangements.
●  Develop a comprehensive medical services plan, disaster plan, vendor operational requirements framework for the community, service providers/vendors and the organisation
●  Oversee Medical assets register and stock management, and delegate collation of pre & post inventories of equipment to the medical vendor
●  Form a dedicated volunteer team (medical and medical health professionals) and ensure year-round training and nurturing
●  Manage the Medical Care Cluster budget.
●  Attend compulsory Joint Operations Center (JOC) meetings and be an active member of the discussions as the official representative of the AfrikaBurn Medical Care Cluster.
●  Manage the volunteer driven Sanctuary & Psychosis facility operations, being the link between the department and the AfrikaBurn Operations Team ensuring the volunteer teams deliver effective participant support in these areas.
●  Ensure that Sanctuary provides a full range of services for substance abuse and mental health related community needs
●  Plan and strategise on improving the safety of participants, reducing organisational risk and improving the outcomes of adverse events, related to potential medical situations including pediatric special needs, potential injuries and illness and the use of Alcohol and Other Drugs during events.
●  Ensure that AfrikaBurn’s medical services and solutions are in line with the requirements specified in the AfrikaBurn event permit as well as national medical legislation and South African law.
●  This role will work closely with the AfrikaBurn Operations Manager, the community mediators (known as Rangers, Green Dot & Night Vision), the Sanctuary team, the head of security, as well as the event Health and Safety Officer.
●  Implement a community-based education program (with a primary and secondary prevention focus), identify problems early and ensure the correct handling of adverse events, together with other departments e.g. Green Dots and rangers
●  Although the various heads of department involved in the different health care facility onsite at the annual AfrikaBurn event are trained in the area in which they are providing care, you will be required to manage the full AfrikaBurn health care cluster onsite at AfrikaBurn, working with the various heads of departments to ensure adequate and appropriate health care is provided to the AfrikaBurn participants. Your role is to maintain a holistic view of the health and mental care operations onsite and ensure the smooth running of the facilities.
●  Build a culture of medical service provision in line with the 11 principles
●  Ensure that all Medical documentation is available timeously to the organisation
●  Ensure completion and satisfactory resolution of all critical incidents and adverse events, or ensure that follow up can be completed post event
●  Host a post event debrief with Medical, improve the quality of reporting and post event trend and data analysis for a medical report and main debrief

Traits (we value these highly):

●  Collaborative team player – enthusiastic about working with others.
●  A born-problem solver – enjoys creating appropriate healthcare solutions and putting effective systems in place.
●  Attention to detail – methodical, efficient, and meticulous.
●  Dynamic and able to work in a rapidly changing environment with a very wide variety of people and personalities.
●  Respectful of collective decision-making and consultative processes.
●  Excellent interpersonal skills, able to work with people at all levels from a patient to air ambulance service provider.
●  Able to embrace the unknown and thrive in a pressured and challenging desert environment.
●  A passion for looking after people, and providing top-quality healthcare.
●  Able to spend no less than 10 days in the desert around the event period.

This is a paid contract role on a part time basis, with a focus on deliverables in the months preceding the event (end April 2023). If you are interested in applying or want to know more, please apply to [email protected] with a subject title: Health Care Coordinator, along with a CV and a short letter of motivation.

Closing Date: 2 December 2022