Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides assistance in more than 60 countries to populations in distress, to victims of natural or manmade disasters and to victims of armed conflicts, without discrimination and irrespective of origin, religion, creed or political affiliation.
Operations Coordinator Cell 4 (m/f/x) – MSF Belgium – Brussels
CONTEXT
As a principle, an Operations Coordinator (CO) position in OCB (Operational Center Brussels) is not essentially tied to any specific context and countries, as a re-shuffling of the portfolio within the operations department can occur. The Operations Coordinator is asked to oversee ambitions on operations, with capacity to deal with security management of unstable context, access negotiation, related advocacy and complex medical strategies. It requires an interest in complex medical topics, with managerial leadership, humanitarian analytical interest and capacity.
Presently, Cell 4 portfolio consists in:
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Afghanistan: inter-sectional mission led by OCB and managed in close collaboration with OCA (Operational Center Amsterdam), OCP (Operational Center Paris) and OCBA (Operational Center Barcelona). Lead reflection about re-organization of the mission to adapt the support of the Intersectional Coordination / the evolution of the Intersectional set-up to the increased operations footprint and the context evolution; 8 projects (+ Coordination in Kabul and Dushanbe in Tajikistan; MSF plane) with 3 for OCB being Khost ( Maternal and Child Healthcare), Kunduz (trauma center), Kabul (Iin-patient Therapeutic Feeding Center in Maimawand Teaching Hospital). Afghanistan remains one of the heaviest missions in terms of risks management.
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Pakistan: One project by choice in Karachi (Hepatitis C), one Emergency intervention in Sindh (floods), and one capacity building activity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Focus in 2023 on preparing post emergency response and future of Karachi project, together with future of MSF in Pakistan.
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Indonesia: MSF is positioning itself in a country considered as strategic and is working on an emergency preparedness hub at national level. Focus in 2023: to develop the hub and propose a second project (and ensure good relation / develop opportunities in the region with HK and SEEAP - Southeast and East Asian and Pacific).
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Bangladesh: Support to Rohingyas refugees, with strong advocacy component. Bangladesh is an intersectional mission (in terms of representation, but working with 1 coordination per OC), led by OCA. Ops consist in Jamtoli project (2 Primary Health Care clinic with Out Patient Department, Emergency Room, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Non Communicable Disease, Hep C, Scabies, ...) and Sadar hospital (Infection Prevention and Control capacity building). In 2023, we will focus on advocacy, develop NCD / Hep C, improve complementarity with other actors, possibly be involved in Mass Drug Administration for scabies, and move one of the PHC in a new area under-construction; we will hand over Sadar IPC activities; we will follow up on possible assessment of Bashan Char island.
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India: Main Drugs Resistant / Drugs Sensitive Tuberculosis project of OCB. Close collaboration with SAMU – South-Africa Medical Unit. In Mumbai, Shatabdi hospital (cohort of 1500 + patients), focus on decentralized model of care (bringing diagnostic and treatment closer to patients), focus on replicability; MSF clinic (DWBI); Advocacy (Access to drugs, Access to pediatric formulation, drug sensitivity testing). EndTB project in Pune. + part of Steering Committee of DWBI, MSF legal entity in India, with OCA (lead), OCBA, South-Asia GD and CAL (Compliance Accounting and Legal) head.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop a strategic vision for each country with the Deputy Operations Coordinator, Head of Mission (HoM) and Medical coordinator (Medco).
- Maintain an overview of the implementation of operational activities with the other cell members and the HoM.
- Lead the design of Ops / teams and support teams as per Operation Decision making process document.
- Support the HOM in his/her responsibility to implement the projects (coaching, mentoring).
- Keeps an overview of the implementation and represent the missions in your portfolio towards the MSF movement and the external world.
- Represent the cell for external actors.
- Develop a network of interesting and useful actors to better connect the programs with its environment. This should also help to get a better analysis of the contextual dynamic where the programs are implemented.
- Be responsible for the information flow internally (Field, Cell, Advocacy & Analysis, Communication, Operations Directors, HQ, and MSF network) and keeps relevant people updated.
- Ensure that projects / Missions have a pertinent advocacy strategy.
- Identify important topics for communication (and/or support the missions to do so).
- Make sure that the HR are properly managed in the missions in his/her portfolio.
- Make sure that the Logistics are properly managed in the missions in your portfolio.
- Make sure that budgeting and internal control are properly managed in the missions in your portfolio.
- Be the final responsible of the security for the missions in your portfolio.
- Participate in the recruitment of HOM, manage and evaluate the HOMs.
- Participate in the recruitment of your cell’s members.
- Coordinate, and manage the cell (med, HR, log, fin, comm, supply) as per the operations’ roles and responsibilities.
- Evaluate the cell (med, HR, log, fin, comm, supply) with the concerned Middle Manager.
REQUIREMENTS
Education & Experience
- Master’s degree in political sciences, law, humanitarian affairs or similar domain; relevant experience in relevant domain will be considered
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Minimum 3 years of MSF experience
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Minimum 1 year as Head of Mission with MSF
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Minimum 5 years in management position
- Comprehensive knowledge of humanitarian intervention
- Experience or real interest in issues like access to drugs, epidemics (TB, AIDS, Hep C, Covid), IHL, public health, IDPs and refugees, emergency response, geo-politics and security management
Competencies
- Strategic vision
- Leadership (strong leadership capacities, team management skills / able to make choices and assume decisions)
- Planning and organizing (set priorities and organization skills)
- Behavioral flexibility (high level of maturity in interpersonal relationships, flexibility)
- Networking and Building Relationships (Representation)
Languages
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Good oral and written communication in English, and French
- Arabic language is an asset
Other
- Availability for frequent travel and visits in unstable contexts
CONDITIONS
- Expected starting date: 01/04/2023
- Location*: Brussels (Belgium)
- Contract: mandate of 4 years (extendable for max. 2 more years) – Full time
- Salary according to MSF-OCB HQ grid – Meal vouchers - Hospital Insurance (DKV) – Pension Plan – 100% reimbursement for public transportation costs – In-house canteen at fair prices
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Adhere to the MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment
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Adhere to the MSF Behavioral Commitments
*Applicants must already have the permanent right and/or valid work permit to work in the mentioned location
Deadline for applications: 15 December 2022