Health Regulatory Liaison, Togo

**The compensation range for this position is $60,000–$64,900. This is a full-time, 5 months fixed-term assignment based on-site in Togo, with the selected candidate required to be in-country by October 26. The listed compensation range applies to U.S.-based hires; actual compensation may vary based on the selected candidate’s location**

Application Deadline: October 11.

Mercy Ships is seeking an experienced Health & Regulatory Liaison for its work in Togo. The Health & Regulatory Liaison leads coordination of the health and regulatory Advance workstream required for field service readiness, translating Mercy Ships technical requirements into the country context and coordinating their local delivery.

The Country Director retains ownership of overall government, health-sector and institutional relationships and alignment with the Country Strategy. The role works through these relationships while establishing the technical working relationships required with professional councils, regulators, healthcare facilities, laboratories, pharmacies and other operational counterparts.

The Health & Regulatory Liaison does not independently determine clinical standards, healthcare policy, credentialing standards or other technical requirements outside delegated authority.

How You Will Contribute:

The Health & Regulatory Liaison will support:

Health & Regulatory Readiness

• Lead planning and coordination of health and regulatory readiness activities required for field service implementation.
• Map and coordinate medical licensing, professional registration and credentialing processes with relevant authorities and Mercy Ships technical teams.
• Understand regulatory requirements affecting Mercy Ships healthcare delivery and incorporate these into readiness planning.
• Coordinate pharmaceutical import requirements, permissions, exemptions and approvals.
• Coordinate readiness for laboratory, pharmacy, radiology and other required clinical support services.
• Gather and validate country-specific information required by Hospital Programs and other technical functions for operational decision-making.
• Maintain relevant readiness plans, milestones, dependencies and deadlines, escalating significant risks or barriers as required.

Medical Evacuation & Health Risk Preparedness

• Coordinate the in-country elements of medical evacuation readiness in accordance with requirements established by the relevant technical authority.
• Identify potential healthcare providers, referral facilities and evacuation pathways for technical review and establish the practical arrangements required to operationalize agreed plans.
• Coordinate country-specific infectious disease and outbreak preparedness requirements with relevant health authorities and technical counterparts.
• Ensure key health risks, referral arrangements and operational requirements are documented and communicated to relevant teams.

Day Crew Health Screening

• Coordinate in-country operational arrangements for Day Crew health screening in partnership with People & Culture, Crew Health and relevant technical owners.
• Identify and coordinate approved local providers for required screening, including TB screening and vaccinations where applicable.
• Establish practical processes for scheduling, participant lists, documentation, invoicing and payment.
• Integrate screening arrangements with Day Crew recruitment and onboarding processes.
• Escalate provider, regulatory or implementation issues to the appropriate functional owner.
• Clinical review, interpretation of results and individual medical clearance remain with the appropriately designated medical authority.

Technical Stakeholder Coordination

• Work within the stakeholder framework led by the Country Director and Country Team, using established government and institutional relationships wherever possible.
• Serve as the principal technical working-level liaison during Advance with health regulators, professional councils, healthcare facilities and other relevant health-sector counterparts within the role's delegated scope.
• Establish the technical relationships required to progress licensing, credentialing, regulatory approvals and health-readiness requirements.
• Brief and involve the Country Director where senior-level government or institutional engagement is required.
• Coordinate closely with Hospital Programs, Healthcare Policy & Cooperation and other technical leads to ensure local engagement reflects agreed organizational positions.
• Coordinate with International Relations/Diplomacy where formal government engagement or escalation is required.

Coordination, Tracking & Handover

• Work as an integrated member of the Field Service Advance Team and maintain assigned actions within Advance schedules and readiness trackers.
• Provide clear visibility of health and regulatory readiness status, dependencies, risks and outstanding decisions.
• Maintain accurate documentation of regulatory processes, approvals, providers, contacts and operational arrangements.
• Capture relevant information in the country knowledge repository and contribute lessons learned to future readiness processes.
• Coordinate with other Advance specialists where requirements intersect with logistics, customs, facilities, security, staffing or other workstreams.
• Produce a structured handover for the Ship Hospital Director and other relevant ship- and country-based teams.
• Transfer ongoing technical relationships, processes, commitments, risks and outstanding actions to the appropriate operational owner.
• Contribute to continuous improvement and standardization of health and regulatory readiness processes.
  Maintains alignment and upholds Mercy Ships Core Values, Code of Conduct, and follows the policies and procedures published on Compass.
• Follows the model of Jesus and aligns with our core values by Loving God; Loving and Serving Others; Being a Person of Integrity; and a Person of Excellence in all you say and do.
• Other duties may be assigned that are not included in the information provided in this job description. 

Ideal Candidate:

• Strong understanding of healthcare operations, regulation and/or clinical service delivery.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, planning and project-management skills.
• Ability to map complex regulatory and administrative processes and translate them into clear actions.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate across multiple functions and work effectively within a country-led stakeholder model.
• Strong risk identification, problem-solving and communication skills.
  Strong cultural awareness and ability to work effectively in international and cross-cultural environments.
• Significant experience in healthcare operations, hospital administration, public health, healthcare regulation or clinical program delivery.
• Experience working with healthcare regulators, professional licensing bodies, government health authorities and/or external healthcare providers.
• Experience in international, humanitarian or development environments strongly preferred.
• Mercy Ships vessel, Advance, Hospital Programs or Field Service experience desirable.
• Fluent in English and French; Portuguese desirable.
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively and deploy for extended periods in host countries

Education and/or Experience;

• Clinical qualification in nursing, medicine or another relevant healthcare profession strongly preferred; substantial relevant healthcare regulatory or operational experience may be considered.
• Or equivalent combination of experience and education.