Location: Any MSF Office*
Duration: Mandated position (2 x 3 years) according to MSF practice and subject to national labour laws
Reporting to: Secretary General
Starting day: December 2023
Deadline for applications: 29th October 2023, 23.59 CEST
*By default, the successful candidate will be offered a contract in the MSF office of their country of residence at the time of application
I. MSF INTERNATIONAL
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion and natural disasters. MSF offers assistance to people based only on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.
MSF International is the legal entity that binds MSF’s 24 sections, 26 associations and other offices together. MSF International provides coordination, information and support to the MSF Movement, as well as implements international projects and initiatives as requested.
II. POSITION BACKGROUND
The International Communication Coordinator plays a key role in triggering and coordinating exchanges between MSF’s six Operational Directorates (ODs) to define critical public positioning on complex emergencies and global dossiers. The position also promotes mutual accountability on movement-wide commitments, stimulates collaboration and resource-sharing across the MSF communication and fundraising networks, contributes to the Management Team of the International Office (IO), leads the IO communication Department, develops IO communication resources to provide the best possible support for the movement, including through communication support to our fundraising efforts. The position is based in any MSF office as along as strong proximity to and awareness of operational activities and exchanges can be guaranteed.
III. PLACE IN THE ORGANISATION
The International Communications Coordinator (ICC) reports to the Secretary General and is part of the IO Management Team. On an ongoing basis, the ICC works closely primarily with the main platform of Directors of Communications (DirCom5) and Operational Communications Coordinators in the ODs as well as in Partner Sections (Full DirCom). When required, the ICC may work with other members in headquarters or the field such as fundraising, operations, or other departments as appropriate. The ICC also liaises regularly with the heads of comms across the movement and supports their efforts of building a community of support and collaboration.
On major crises and global topics, the International Communication Coordinator works directly with the International Medical Secretary, the International President and the International Operations Coordinator/Head of MSF’s Humanitarian Representation Team as well as the Fundraising Coordinator. When needed, they also work closely with finance, logistics, HR coordinators in the International Office and the Intersectional Legal Department.
The ICC heads the IO communications department, a decentralised team composed of 14 people that has gone through an inclusive and collaborative re-organisation process that ended mid-2023. In practice this implies the management of the three heads of units (AV, Digital Engagement, Editorial) as well as the Communication and Knowledge management adviser. The management of the Digital Engagement team is shared with the International Fundraising Coordinator, as the team serves both communications and fundraising objectives.
The IO communication department exists to 1. act as connectors, knowledge/ information managers and to make visible key common decisions communication dossiers, 2. Preserve the public institutional memory, make our positions public and ensure public accountability, 3. Enable the MSF movement to efficiently produce impactful, high-quality, and sensitive communication for a large variety of target audiences, including communities with whom we work, supporters, donors, etc.
In order to increase relevance, quality and mutual learning in MSF’s communication, the department provides support and helps coordinate a variety of groups such as the communications directors platforms, digital steering committee and working groups, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) task force for communications and fundraising, audio-visual managers, English and Arabic language editors, and on an ad-hoc basis provides support to field communications and fundraising campaigns and initiatives.
The department also manages and develops movement-wide tools such as the international audio-visual media database, msf.org website (in English and Arabic), @msf Twitter account, the International Activity report, as well as internal communication planning tools, emailing lists, and international comms sites and portals on SharePoint.
Together with the legal department we oversee the correct use of the logo and the MSF brand.
IV. OBJECTIVES OF THE POSITION
The purpose of the position of International Communication Coordinator is to strengthen the quality and impact of MSF’s public communication and positioning and maximise the use of resources across the network. This includes:
Coordinate the DirCom5 platform and operational Communications CoordinatorsStimulate and coordinate internal exchanges on public positioning and institutional messaging on major complex crises and global dossiers;Promote mutual accountability in relation to agreed practices, standards and commitmentsOn an ongoing basis, support communications around emergencies and operational priorities Coordinate the IO communication department and resources;Through the management team, contribute to the direction and policies of the IO;Stimulate collaboration and resource-sharing across the MSF communication network and provide visibility on intersectional comms investments;Broker agreements on the implementation of international communication dossier at the level of the DirCom5 and broader MSF communication network;Manage the MSF brand internationally and foster, together with the Fundraising Coordinator, a clear and mutually agreed brand positioning for MSF globally.