Relief & Recovery Orientation Course (ROC

Location: La Bessone, near Geneva, Switzerland.

Course dates: 18 - 25 November 2023

ROC Application deadline: 20 October 2023

Contract length: If a field contract is signed after the ROC, it normally ranges from (a minimum of) 12 months to 2 years. Please note that attending the ROC does not guarantee a job placement after the ROC.

Field Workplace: Medair is currently working in Afghanistan, D.R. Congo, Jordan, Lebanon, Madagascar, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen. Field contracts given will be based in one of these countries or any new programmes that Medair starts up.

Why consider the Medair ROC?

If you have professional experience that matches one or more of the Medair sectors but you cannot see any current jobs that fit your profile, apply directly for the Medair ROC, our "Relief and Recovery Orientation Course". We will try and match your profile to our upcoming field vacancy needs and if there is a good match, we will consider you for this or a future ROC. Everyone who works as an Internationally Recruited Staff in one of our field programmes must first successfully complete the ROC. Candidates accepted onto the Medair ROC/vROC will be considered for International Staff field roles. All new deploying international staff to Medair's country programmes (and other roles which require field travel) should be fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved COVID vaccine, supported with a COVID vaccination certificate as evidence.

ROC Overview

The ROC is an intensive experiential orientation to relief work with Medair. This 7 day course is held three/four times a year. Participants experience the challenges of relief work through practical simulations and become familiar with Medair's values, projects, and country programmes. Each participant will be interviewed by a senior member of the Medair Human Resources team to evaluate the week and discuss their possible future with Medair in a field programme. The course is normally held in Switzerland (covid permitting).

Fees, Content & Schedule

Download the ROC Brochure for course information and fees.

Key Activity Areas

The ROC simulation includes practical exercises, research, and daily updates of changing field conditions and security bulletins.

Other Experience / Competencies

• Minimum 1 year's professional experience in one of the sectors referred to above
• Project management and team management experience
• Management experience desirable, especially in a relief environment
• Experience at cross cultural communication techniques; Diplomatic and sensitive to cross cultural issues; Good negotiation skills, especially in the context of another culture
• Clear verbal and written communication skills; Able to express views clearly
• Experience in dealing with donors and government officials desirable
• Experience in training/mentoring staff; Team player with strong relational skills
• Committed to team-building, and to consultative and servant leadership
• Planning, assessment and analytical skills
• Report writing and proposal writing skills desirable
• Good level of self-motivation, with a pro-active approach to work, problem solver, dynamic, mature
• Able to prioritise clearly and oversee multiple tasks
• Capacity to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
• Ability to live and work in conflict and rural environment

Before you apply

Please review the following questions to know if applying for the Relief & Recovery Orientation Course (ROC) is right for you.

• Do you wish to apply as an International Staff (outside your home country)? If you wish to apply as a National Staff (inside your home country), click here to find job listings near you.
• Do your values strongly align with ours? Our values are important to us, so we seek out candidates who are fully committed to our core organisational values.
• Are you married? You and your spouse may both apply for field roles and Medair will do its best to place you in the same location. However, placements for International Staff with accompanying spouses are very limited and reserved mostly for senior or critical roles.
• Do you have children under 18 years old? Due to the emergency context of our work, we offer very few placements for families with children.
• Are you familiar with the time commitment and costs associated with attending the ROC? Please ensure you have fully understood the time and costs associated with this course.
• Do your skills and experience align with what we look for? Learn more about the profiles we seek and the benefits we offer for International Staff.
• Are you suitable to work with children? Medair is committed to safeguarding the protection of all parties we work with, especially children. We do not employ staff whose background we understand to be unsuitable for working with children. Please review our protection policies carefully before applying.