Physiotherapist – Women’s Health W/M

Médecins Sans Frontières, international medical humanitarian association founded in 1971, provides medical assistance to populations whose lives are threatened: mainly in the event of armed conflict, but also epidemics, pandemics, natural disasters or exclusion from healthcare. The French section is present in around thirty countries.

The MSF Foundation is an affiliate organization created in 1989 by Doctors Without Borders that is dedicated to medical innovation in humanitarian contexts. Its mission, on behalf of MSF, is to serve as a laboratory for innovation and to incubate high-risk, high-impact projects for the humanitarian sector. In this way, it helps make available diagnostic, preventive, and patient care tools designed to improve the way MSF delivers healthcare.

CONTEXT

The MSF Foundation launched a project in mid-2023 to develop rehabilitation services within the movement. Its goal is to provide support and expertise to missions seeking to expand their rehabilitation care offerings. We aim to assess needs, define objectives, assist with implementation, and monitor these projects.

Rehabilitation in women’s health is part of this offering. It involves supporting women during pregnancy and the postpartum period to prevent and alleviate pelvic floor dysfunction (incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, functional constipation, and pelvic pain) and musculoskeletal conditions common during the perinatal period. These conditions may persist after childbirth, continue throughout life, and worsen during perimenopause and menopause. Rehabilitation should be offered at all stages of a woman’s life, taking into account age, hormonal changes, multiparity, a history of obstetric trauma, and abdominal and pelvic surgical procedures as the main risk factors. Care for women also addresses trauma (sexual violence) or specific conditions (cervical and breast cancer).

MISSION

Define, implement, coordinate, and monitor all mission activities related to physical rehabilitation and the integration of the physiotherapy department into the mission’s broader project and objectives, in accordance with MSF protocols, standards, and procedures, and in a manner that ensures the quality of patient care.

Main Responsibilities

Ensure the quality of physiotherapy activities and strengthen individualized manual therapies. Address the program’s logistical needs and coordinate them by cooperating and collaborating with logistics teams and project coordinators.

Regularly monitor and evaluate the project’s progress on the objectives defined in the Annual Action Plan. Maintain data collection tools and provide monthly data (qualitative and quantitative) demonstrating the progress of the department’s activities. Provide monthly activity reports to the Medical Coordinator and the PMR (Project Medical Representative).

Coordinate all physiotherapy needs and ensure the department’s integration within the medical team. Attend coordination meetings, participate in on-call shifts, and perform clinical work as directed by the Medical Coordinator. Coordinate any emergencies within their area of expertise.

If necessary, collaborate on a referral system for patients being discharged to their homes. Coordinate follow-up and monitor treatment outcomes, patients’ progress at home, their needs, and success rates.

For coordination and information-sharing purposes, meet regularly with the medical coordinator, the Head of Mission, and other stakeholders involved in physiotherapy needs and issues.

If necessary, provide all types of training (theoretical, practical, etc.) related to discipline and propose protocols for approval by the medical department at headquarters.

Identify the needs of your team and provide support—including, but not limited to, training, activity organization, team management, treatment, and documentation. Stand in for the supervisor as needed.

In close collaboration with the Human Resources department, plan and oversee processes related to the staff under your responsibility—including recruitment, training, evaluation, identifying high potential, motivation, development, and communication—to ensure the appropriate staffing levels and required knowledge base, and to enhance staff competencies.

Specific Responsibilities

The women’s health physiotherapist will be responsible for supporting, training, and monitoring rehabilitation teams and, when necessary, implementing a rehabilitation program. He/She must be proficient in:

• Clinical assessment, prevention, and rehabilitation treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction (incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, functional constipation, and pelvic pain), as well as common musculoskeletal conditions during the perinatal period (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome, compressive neuropathies of the lower extremities).
• Clinical evaluation and rehabilitation treatment specific to cesarean section, taking into account emergency versus elective procedures and associated complications.
• Clinical Assessment and Rehabilitation Treatment for Women with Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Exacerbated by Hormonal Changes Associated with Perimenopause and Menopause.
• Clinical evaluation and rehabilitation treatment for women being treated for cervical or breast cancer.
• Training of female colleagues in these various fields.
• Raising awareness among other medical and allied health professionals to better recognize and manage these clinical manifestations.
• Incorporating the role of the caregiver and/or spouse into the patient’s rehabilitation journey.
• The use of appropriate clinical tools and the collection of relevant data that can be analyzed.

Note: This initial 5-month contract focuses primarily on a project implementation mission in Yemen, including approximately 3 months of fieldwork to:

Participate in the implementation of women’s health rehabilitation activities in Haydan (Yemen): The physiotherapist will be responsible for mentoring and training, within her field of expertise, a portion of the local team composed of physiotherapists already involved in the care of trauma, burn, pediatric, malnutrition, and maternity patients.

In addition to training the team, he/she will aim to:

• Structure the women’s health care pathway;
• Define and implement the tools necessary for patient care;
• Establish indicators for monitoring patients and program activity;
• Integrate this activity into the multidisciplinary team;
• Reassess the program and propose strategic directions for its development, with the support of the specialist. The physiotherapist will be expected to contribute to the various phases of program development defined by the specialist: needs assessment, recommendations for scaling the program (human resources, organizational structure, equipment), implementation, and follow-up.

Desired Profile

Education: Required – Degree in physiotherapy

Experience:

• At least 5 years of clinical experience, including 3 years in women’s health rehabilitation (primarily pelvic rehabilitation)
• Experience working with NGOs is preferred (experience in MSF field missions is a plus).
• A university degree or research experience is a plus.

Knowledge: Computer skills (Word, Excel, Internet)

Skills:

• Dynamism / Curiosity / Resourcefulness;
• Adaptability and responsiveness / critical thinking;         
• Ability to take initiative / to come up with new ideas;
• Organized, self-reliant, and thorough;
• Good at teaching / ability to communicate effectively;
• Flexibility and willingness to relocate both domestically and internationally;

Languages: English and French at a minimum B2 level (written/spoken); Arabic is a plus

Employment terms

Status: 5-month full-time fixed-term contract. Field position, pay grade 10 according to the MSF field salary scale, based on seniority and experience relevant to this position.

Conditions: 70% of time spent in our field operations and 30% at headquarters (Paris or location to be determined). Accommodation, travel, and per diem expenses are covered during visits and stays at headquarters.

Position available: as soon as possible

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Only selected candidates will be contacted.