ຮອງທ່ານໝໍໂຄງການ/Deputy Programme Doctor

Overview

The HALO Trust is an international landmine and UXO clearance charity. We work in Lao PDR conducting survey and clearance of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO), employing over 1,200 staff based in Sepon, Savannakhet Province, with a small administrative office in Vientiane.

The HALO Trust team in Sepon works a monthly cycle, with an average of 22-23 days worked at the start of the month, with the remainder of the month as ‘standdown’ (rest days). HALO works a short cycle during April with an extended break for public holidays. More information on us can be found here www.halotrust.org

Purpose of Role

The Deputy Programme Doctor is the senior deputy to the Programme Doctor and provides additional clinical capacity, technical leadership and management to the medical department. The medical department is responsible for the health and wellbeing of approximately 1,200 HALO Laos staff. The Deputy Programme Doctor line manages the Medical Officers, deputises for the Programme Doctor in their absence with full delegated authority, and runs their own clinical caseload alongside the Programme Doctor.

The Deputy Programme Doctor is expected to combine senior clinical work with technical supervision, training and governance. The role is structured to ensure continuity of medical leadership during periods of leave or transition, to expand the department’s clinical capacity, to strengthen the development of national medical staff, and to improve the quality of care delivered across the programme.

Responsibilities

Clinical Practice
·       Run a clinical caseload alongside the Programme Doctor, sharing responsibility for more complex cases referred from Medical Officers and for hospital referrals.

·       Assess sick or injured staff and recommend treatment.

·       Determine fitness-to-work status and certify sick leave in line with policy.

·       Provide sick-leave and fitness-to-work recommendations to HR and the Deputy Programme Manager.

·       Provide medical advice and assessment relating to pregnancy and maternity, in coordination with HR.

·       Maintain accurate and confidential medical records in line with HALO policies and applicable Lao law.

·       Ensure medical treatment protocols remain current and promote rational and appropriate use of medicines.
Deputy to the Programme Doctor
·       Assume full Programme Doctor responsibilities during periods of leave or absence, exercising formally delegated authority for clinical, operational and administrative medical decisions.

·       Hold delegated authority on a permanent standby basis (activated when the Programme Doctor is absent) for sick leave certification, fitness-to-work decisions, controlled medication approval, mental health referrals, and other decisions that require a registered medical practitioner.

·       Provide direct medical and operational cover for Medical Officers during periods of leave, absence or increased operational demand.

Technical Supervision & Capacity Building
·       Line manage the Medical Officers, including tasking, coaching, performance management, and ensuring appropriate cover and handovers.

·       Provide technical supervision and clinical mentoring to Medical Officers; support the development of the wider medical department, including Medical Assistants who report through the Medical Officers.

·       Plan, deliver and oversee medical training and refresher training for Medical Officers and Medical Assistants.

·       Set and monitor clinical competency standards across the medical department.
ICP Training & CASEVAC
·       Plan, deliver and oversee ICP training and refresher training, in coordination with the Programme Doctor (or directly when the Programme Doctor is absent). Strategic and policy matters (training scope, standards, programme-wide direction) route through the Programme Doctor.

·       Coordinate directly with operations management on operational delivery of training (scheduling, attendance, simulation logistics) and on identifying training needs from field experience.

·       Maintain training records and certifications for all ICPs across the programme.

·       Track currency of certifications and schedule renewals.

·       Oversee CASEVAC exercises, document lessons learned, and escalate concerns for corrective action.

·       Review, update and validate accident response and medical evacuation plans in coordination with operations staff.
Clinical Governance & Data
·       Lead clinical governance activities, including incident review, protocol updates and periodic checks of medical kit readiness.

·       Hold technical authority over the programme’s medical database (and any successor digital health system) — set data quality and recording standards, define access controls, maintain audit logs, and ensure data is handled in line with HALO policy and Lao law. Day-to-day data entry sits with the Medical Administrator.

·       Contribute to the design of monitoring tools; analyse medical data to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement; report findings to the Programme Doctor and senior management.

·       Ensure full compliance with HALO Laos medical SOPs and applicable Lao national regulations across the medical department.
Public Health & Field Presence
·       Conduct field and camp visits to monitor compliance with health and safety policies and provide practical recommendations.

·       Coordinate infection prevention and control measures and support preparedness and response to communicable disease outbreaks affecting staff.

·       Report significant medical incidents, outbreaks or trends to the Programme Doctor and senior management; provide medical guidance on appropriate responses.
Medical Stores & Supplies
·       Set clinical requirements for medicines and medical supplies, including the approved formulary and clinical minimum stock levels.

·       Approve replenishment orders prepared by the Medical Administrator to ensure clinical needs are met without unnecessary surplus.

·       Authorise the write-off of expired medicines and supplies in line with HALO policy.

·       Engage constructively with store checks and compliance work conducted by the Logistics & Stores Manager.
External Relations
·       Maintain effective clinical working relationships with local hospitals, clinics and relevant medical authorities for referrals, consultations and professional networks. Administrative liaison with district hospitals (paperwork, certificates, expense vouchers, social security claims) is handled by the Medical Administrator.

·       Participate in accident investigations as requested and provide medical input to findings and preventive measures.

·       Work closely with Operations, HR and senior management to ensure appropriate medical support to programme activities.
Capacity Building
All medical training and development for the medical team is delivered in-house by the Programme Doctor and Deputy Programme Doctor. The Deputy Programme Doctor is expected to:

·       Coach Medical Officers individually on case management, clinical decision-making and management responsibilities, with the long-term aim of MOs who can run their areas with reduced direct supervision.

·       Develop Medical Assistants’ clinical competence through structured rotations and case-based teaching.

·       Build the medical department’s collective clinical competence by promoting evidence-based practice, periodic protocol review and clinical audit.

Qualifications, Skills & Experiences

Essential
·       Medical degree (MD or recognised equivalent).

·       Registered and licensed medical practitioner in accordance with Lao national regulations.

·       Minimum 3 years’ post-qualification clinical experience.

·       Demonstrated experience supervising or mentoring junior medical staff.

·       Experience working in rural or remote environments and with field-based teams.

·       Computer literacy (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) with the ability to maintain records, manage a clinical database, and produce reports.

·       Fluent in Lao (spoken and written).

·       Working knowledge of English (sufficient for engagement with international colleagues, HALO policy documents, and clinical literature).
Desirable
·       Experience in occupational health, pre-hospital care, or remote/expedition medicine.

·       Experience working with NGOs or in humanitarian programmes.

·       Experience with electronic health records or clinical database systems.

·       Driving licence and driving experience.

Safeguarding

Ensure that you will not exchange money, offers of employment, employment, goods or services for sex or sexual favours, nor any other forms of humiliating, degrading or exploitative behaviour.

General Statement

The HALO Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

The HALO Trust is committed to a culture that is both diverse and inclusive and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

The HALO Trust is committed to ensuring that it provides a safe and trusted environment which safeguards and promotes the welfare and wellbeing of anyone who comes into contact with, or is part of, the Charity, with a zero-tolerance approach to behaviours which challenge this.

How to apply

Please send your update CV and Cover Letter expressing your interest and expected salary in the role to hr@halolaos.org

The application deadline is 11 May 202 at 04:00 PM. Due to a high volume of applicants, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.