ຮອງທ່ານໝໍໂຄງການ/Deputy Programme Doctor

Job Title: Deputy Programme Doctor

Location: Sepon, Lao PDR

PO Level: 2.1

Reports To: Programme Doctor

Direct Reports: Medical Officer

Indirect Reports: Medical Assistant

Key Internal Contacts/Relationships:  Programme Doctor, Deputy Programme Manager, Operations Management Unit, HR Coordinator, Logistics & Stores Manager, Medical Administrator

Key External Contacts/Relationships:  District hospitals, local clinics, Ministry of Health (technical relationships)

Job Purpose: The Deputy Programme Doctor deputises for the Programme Doctor with full delegated authority during periods of leave or absence, expands the department’s clinical capacity, and develops the national medical team. The role combines a senior clinical caseload with line management of the Medical Officers and technical leadership across the medical department.

About HALO Laos:

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.

About the 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:

Unless otherwise stated, the responsibilities below are exercised in close coordination with the Programme Doctor. The Deputy Programme Doctor is expected to work as a peer to the Programme Doctor on clinical and strategic matters, while maintaining clear line management of the Medical Officers.

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 

Intermediate Care Providers (ICPs), including technician medics, are operations staff who report through the operations chain of command. The medical department is responsible for the quality and currency of their training.

• 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 

• The Medical Administrator manages the day-to-day operational stores work (Survey123 requests, stock monitoring, write-off preparation, equipment records). The Logistics & Stores Manager has functional oversight of Medical Stores documentation systems and compliance. The Deputy Programme Doctor’s role is clinical:
• 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.

General:

1. Uphold HALO’s core values and standards, promoting its ethos and mission statement.
2. Ensure familiarity with and adherence to all HALO policies and procedures, especially the code of conduct and safeguarding

Essential Requirements:

• 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 Requirements:

• 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.

To Apply:

Please submit a CV (no more than 2 pages) and a cover letter (no more than 1 page) outlining how your experience matches the key skills and competencies to hr@halolaos.org required by 31/08/2026.

Applications without a cover letter tailored to this position will not be considered.

We reserve the right to amend the closing date depending on the number of applications received.

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 attracting, developing, and retaining talented individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

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.