About Australian Aid and Cardno International Development

Australia's development program invests in an open, prosperous and resilient Indo-Pacific. Australia’s efforts contribute to stability, restarting economies post-pandemic, and managing the effects of resurgent poverty and inequality.

For over 50 years, Cardno International Development, a DT Global Company, has partnered with governments, communities, and the private sector to deliver practical, innovative, and sustainable solutions for an empowered and inclusive development in various disciplines such as education, health, governance, economic growth, gender and inclusion, climate change management, infrastructure, and environment.

With over 1600 staff around the world and active projects in over 60 countries, we are helping communities and clients achieve their sustainability goals with a strong commitment to use and build local capacity and empower local voices.

For more information visit our website: cddid.com.

About the Program

The Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security (CHS) was established in 2017 to implement the Australian Government’s Health Security Initiative (HSI) for the Indo Pacific Region. CHS has since been absorbed by DFAT’s Global Health Division.

The Initiative, which is funded through Australia’s overseas aid program, aims to inform evidence-based planning, help prevent avoidable epidemics, strengthen early detection capacity, and support rapid, effective national and international outbreak responses. It does this by accelerating research on new drugs and diagnostics, expanding partnerships at the national, regional and global level to strengthen human and animal health systems, and deepening people-to-people linkages that build national and regional health security capacity.

Cardno International Development is supporting the implementation of several activities delivered as part of the HSI across the Pacific and Southeast Asia.

Commencing in 2021, Australia is assisting 18 countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific to access safe, effective and affordable COVID-19 vaccines through the Regional Vaccine Access and Health Security Initiative (VAHSI).

Australia has an enduring interest in promoting the health of the people of Nauru. Australia is working with Nauru to strengthen its health services and systems and to tackle NCDs. DFAT provides support to Nauru’s health sector through bilateral, Pacific regional and global programs. All investments are guided by the Partnerships for Recovery: Australia’s COVID-19 Development Response 2020-2022 which focuses on three areas: health security, stability and economic recovery. Nauru receives assistance for COVID vaccination through DFAT’s CHS, including VAHSI.

Objective of Role

The role of the Senior Clinical COVID-19 Response Adviser in Nauru is to provide ongoing clinical support and guidance for the care and treatment of COVID-19 patients and to build capacity of health workers, with a focus on critical care.

Duties and Responsibility

The Adviser will undertake the following activities in Nauru:

• Support the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) to implement prioritised key activities in the COVID-19 National Response Plan and the MHMS COVID-19 Clinical Management Guidelines that require clinical skills and input, with a focus on critical care
• Support regular evaluation of the clinical COVID-19 readiness and preparedness across all hospital/health departments
• In liaison with the Senior Public Health COVID-19 Response Adviser, identify any additional support needed for Nauru to undertake COVID-19 preparation and response activities under the COVID-19 National Response Plan and COVID-19 Clinical Management Guidelines, including additional technical assistance, training, including procurement of essential PPE, IPC materials, and medical equipment
• At all times seek to mentor and build capacity of medical and nursing staff, and other health and non-health workers as appropriate, and seek to ensure that inputs build wider health security and health system capacity beyond COVID-19
• Work closely with the Director of Nursing Standards and Policy and the Director of Training and Development to identify and develop training of local counterparts and developing of SOPs and systems to improve clinical management and critical care of patients
• Support the provision of COVID safe clinical care services’ across acute care services, in consultation with the Director of Medical Services
• Provide advice and direct support to the Government of Nauru including, where required, supporting internal coordination within relevant government ministries, and external coordination with key development partners (such as Australia, WHO, SPC and other donors).

About you

The individual will have the following skills:

• A clinician with critical care expertise in the management of COVID-19 patients.
• Work effectively and proactively in a low-resource setting, across disciplines and at all levels.
• Engage respectfully and appropriately with senior national counterparts, including Cabinet Ministers.
• Communicate clearly and effectively in a cross-cultural setting.
• Organise, make appropriate recommendations and facilitate effective decisions.
• Review and interpret published literature related to COVID-19 from reputable sources and lead health agencies, to guide policy decisions.
• Experience of working in the Pacific is preferred.

Minimum requirements:

• Evidence of current up-to-date registration with a recognised national health professional regulatory Board, as the applicant must be able to register to practice in Nauru.
• Medical degree in a relevant discipline and specialist qualifications desirable.
• Proven experience working as an accredited critical care doctor or registered nurse in the acute care setting or equivalent experience in health facilities.
• Proven experience supporting senior government officials, working in a multi-disciplinary context, to bring together cohesive, implementable policy and program initiatives.
• Excellent command/highly proficient in spoken and written English.

How to Apply?

We welcome your interest in joining the HSI Program. Please ensure you review the Terms of Reference before applying (copy and paste into your browser): https://bit.ly/3Tl6ZDu.

To apply to the role, please click Apply Now and submit your CV including a cover letter that addresses the minimum requirements.

We thank all applicants however due to anticipated volumes of applications only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and abilities, LGBTQIA+, women, mature age workers and people with different abilities.

Cardno is committed to Safety and the Prevention of Sexual Abuse, Exploitation and Harassment (PSEAH), Child Protection, fraud and bribery prevention. We want to engage with the right people to deliver our client programs. As part of our approach you will be subjected to formal background screening, criminal record checks, employment verification, and periodic compliance checks. All Cardno staff receive safety, compliance and safeguards training and are responsible for contributing to a safer working culture.