Medical Officer

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

17 November 2026-23:59-GMT+03:00 East Africa Time (Antananarivo)

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of extreme weather shocks.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

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WHY JOIN WFP? 

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.
• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.
• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.
• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

Job Title: Medical Officer

Type of Contract / Grade: Fixed Term, NOC

Duration: One (01) year renewable upon confirmation of the probation period

Duty Station: Fort-Dauphin or Tuléar, Madagascar

Vacancy Number: One (01) position

Date of Publication: November 04, 2026

Deadline for Application: November 17, 2026

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The role is based in Fort-Dauphin or Tulear, Madagascar, and reports to the Country Director or as an alternative, to the officer designated by the Country Director. The ESARO (East and South Africa Regional Office) Regional Medical Officer, based in Nairobi, provides technical supervision, guidance and clinical oversight to the incumbent.

THE ROLE

The Medical Officer oversees the provision of primary or occupational healthcare services to eligible individuals, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, and evidence-based medical care. The role provides technical guidance and professional support to medical doctors and other clinical staff, promotes the consistent application of clinical standards, and advances the continuous improvement of quality of care and medical services in line with professional and organizational requirements.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority):

• Provide expert clinical and technical guidance on medical service delivery, clinical standards, quality of care, and case management to support the effective and consistent provision of healthcare services.
• Deliver primary or occupational medical services to WFP employees, personnel from other UN agencies, and eligible dependents, such as clinical consultations, medical assessments and clearances, emergency care, referrals, and follow-up, in accordance with professional standards and organizational requirements.
• Provide clinical advice and support to the management of complex medical cases, referral pathways and medical evacuations, return to work of employees after extended sick leave, ensuring appropriate clinical decision-making and continuity of care.
• Contribute to clinical coordination, peer review, and case discussion processes to support quality and consistency of medical practice.
• Promote continuous improvement of medical services through the review of clinical practices, identification of service improvement opportunities, and provision of technical recommendations aligned with evidence-based practices.
• Monitor, report, and interpret medical and health-related information, including healthcare trends, service utilization, health hazards (work related or environmental), and emerging medical concerns, to support decision-making, service improvement, and effective healthcare planning and delivery.
• Provide technical guidance on health promotion, disease prevention, staff wellness, and medical preparedness initiatives to address priority health risks and needs.
• Ensure the confidentiality, accuracy, and integrity of medical records, and related health information systems, and compliance with applicable medical, ethical, and data protection standards.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with healthcare providers and relevant stakeholders to facilitate access to appropriate medical services and continuity of care.
• Deliver health briefings, awareness sessions, and training activities to promote health, wellbeing, and informed health-related decision-making among staff and eligible beneficiaries.
• Provide specialized medical expertise to emergency preparedness and response activities, including medical evacuations, referrals, and other staff health-related incidents, as required.

OTHER SPECIFIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Lead the implementation and periodic review of the Madagascar Country Office medical support strategy, ensuring medical support arrangements remain responsive to operational needs and evolving duty-of-care risks.

• Strengthen access to healthcare services across the country by assessing, accrediting and maintaining a network of qualified healthcare providers, hospitals, laboratories, specialists and emergency response services, particularly in remote duty stations.
• Develop, maintain and regularly test country-specific medical contingency plans, standard operating procedures and field support arrangements for remote locations, including critical staff health emergencies.
• Support management in identifying and mitigating health-related operational risks affecting personnel in remote and hardship duty stations, and provide recommendations to enhance staff safety, resilience and wellbeing.
• Coordinate medical outreach and preventive health initiatives for field-based personnel, including periodic missions to all area and field offices to assess healthcare access, identify gaps and strengthen medical preparedness.
• Other, as required.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education: Advanced University degree (Doctorate, Masters or equivalent) in Medicine. Registration as a General Practitioner in the country of employment or country of origin is required. Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certificate is required, PHTLS certificate is an advantage.

Experience: Minimum five (5) years of post-graduate clinical practice experience is required. Experience either working in a hardship location or providing medical services to staff working under very difficult and insecure environments is an asset.

Knowledge & Skills:

• In-depth knowledge of clinical standards, healthcare service delivery, and the assessment of medical needs and health risks.
• Ability to provide clinical and technical guidance on quality of care, case management, referral pathways, and medical service delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to create a trusted environment in which patients can discuss health concerns confidentially and professionally.
• Ability to manage medical emergency situations with limited resources.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people of both genders and diverse national and cultural backgrounds.
• In-depth knowledge of Madagascar's healthcare landscape, including public and private healthcare providers, referral systems, and medical service availability in remote and underserved locations, is required.

• Experience working in remote or resource-constrained environments, including establishing healthcare networks, referral pathways and medical support arrangements in locations with limited access to medical services, is highly desirable.

Language: Fluency (level C) in English and French are required.

Deadline for Application: November 17, 2026

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Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact:  [email protected]

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.

• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at [email protected]. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.

• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.