Background:
FIELD RECENTRALISATION (FrC)/ In 2019 OCB launched a reform of the support of the projects aiming at providing more autonomy to the projects (see FrC concept paper). Southern-Africa ‘s missions (Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South-Africa missions) have been selected as first pilot and an innovative and transformational approach will be implemented in 2020 in the region. This unique set up will promote more autonomy for the project by increasing responsibility and competences at the project level, by reducing the responsibility of the today’s national coordination teams who will transition towards ad-hoc National Support Teams. A Regional Support Team (RST) will be established to be the first line contact of the projects for strategic matters. The RST will report directly to the OCB Director of Operations. The core positions of the Regional Support team will be based in Johannesburg, joining the SnA section with the aim to develop as many synergies as possible, primarily on Comms, HR and advocacy common interests. This Regional team will promote a holarchic managerial approach by including the projects staff in strategic decisions and by encouraging distributed roles that are part of the regional team. The Regional Engagement and Leverage Responsible will be part of the three strategic positions at the core of this Regional team together with an Ops Responsible and a Med Responsible.
ANALYSIS & ADVOCACY / The Analysis & Advocacy team (formerly known as DNA), the Extended Management Team, as well as some key individuals in MSF SA, do interact with a mosaic of actors creating and sustaining networks in the region, for which MSF at large could benefit from a better visibility and more proactive mapping, as well as the identification of common areas of interest. The increased external engagement strategy of all MSF SA departments often requires a more pro-active internal communication and coherence, in order not to duplicate contacts, networks and seek a better efficiency of MSF SA external engagement.
NETWORKS / Over the past 20 years, MSF SA and various missions / OCs operations in Southern Africa, created links with grass roots and civil society organisations in the region. By CSOs, we mean all third sector actors outside of state and the profit oriented private sector: include community based organisation, patient groups (HIV/TB etc…) medical professional associations, medical student associations, interest groups, social movements, academic institutions, local non-governmental, faith based organisation… Some being recognized as unique models of collaboration (eg with TAC & StopStock-outs in South Africa). Yet, keeping these links alive and dynamic is not always the priority of MSF missions & projects, particularly when operational needs evolve, or when projects and mission close (eg in Lesotho, Zambia…). As a consequence, several projects looked at the possibility for MSF SA as a section to be the long term partner taking care of these relations, keeping a regular engagement, identifying opportunities and extending the reach of MSF interactions with the societies of the region beyond short term operational needs.
EPREP / Since the creation of MSF SA and Xenophobic Violence in SA 2008, the section positioned itself and acted at various occasion on emergency responses (Fees Must Fall movement in 2015, Burns Emergency Mozambique 2016, Cholera and DRC refugees in 2017, Cyclone IDAI 2019). For that reason, following a model developed by MSF Hong-Kong since some years, and in collaboration with OCB Field Recentralization Project, MSF SnA decided in 2019 the creation of an Operational Support Umbrella, creating a lively link between long term networks of actors, regional operations, advocacy and analysis, and arising short term needs of support in times of emergency, with the objective of a better coherence internally (MSF SnA, regional OPS) and externally (CSOs) towards a more qualitative support to people affected by different crises in the region.
Job Purpose and Core Responsibility
Job Purpose: To support the Operations in the region and the Southern Africa Section to Engage &Leverage civil societies, authorities, patient groups and any other relevant stakeholders in the region and beyond. To bring coherence to the Operational Support Umbrellaand facilitate the integration of OSU staffs to the section in order for the OSU to fulfil its role of:
Support to the regional operations
Emergency Preparedness & response support
Advocacy, research and analysis
Networking with CSOs and NGOs operating in Southern Africa
Core Accountabilities
Main Accountabilities & Activities
Support the OCB regional projects as part of the Regional Support Team specifically through leverage and advocacy,
Support & capacitation of region projects in development & achievement of Leverage plans
Connecting between Global and Regional, bringing Global level closer to ops
Direct support to the implementation / activation of leverage strategies
Maintain overview of region’s key advocacy priorities Ensure coherence of region’s leverage approaches
Focal point for the 3 countries on strategic leverage components of operations
Cross-fertilizing approaches between project interventions on strategic leverage components of operations
Linking to best-practice and global support (incl. L&D dept) + PC/PMR profiles to brief & train on strategic leverage components of operations
Mirror & mentor advocacy roles at country & project
Coordinate the Analysis & Advocacy Team within the Operations Support Umbrella (OSU)
Manage the Analysis and Advocacy component of the OSU, defining strategic orientations, multi-year planning, annual KPIs & budget reflecting the ambitions and the objectives agreed with MSF SnA Executive Director and hybrid units like the Regional Support Team & delocalized E-Pool positions (OCB), particularly focusing in of the coherence of the OSU activities in the Southern African region. Manage the staff from the Analysis and Advocacy team of the OSU.
Provide analysis, research to support MSF advocacy / representation in the region directly or indirectly. The tasks include, but are not limited to, research, analysis and networking. This is done in collaboration with the different components of the OSU.
Be the representative of the Regional Team towards the executive and the associative of the section. Facilitate the collaboration, when proven necessary, between the support department of the section and the OSU.
Ensure and possibly coordinate that initiatives and campaigns within the MSF SnA section benefits from the capacity and expertise already existing in MSF SnA and its association, in order to optimise MSF SnA links with external stakeholders, be these communication, fundraising or FHR related;
Linking the institutional memory present in the MSF SA office, SAMU and association to the work of the section
Play a key role in defining and developing MSF SnA advocacy, including adapting MSF movement-wide advocacy and comms’ to the Southern Africa audience.
Coach and support advocacy managers attached to the OSU in order to provide a coherent analysis & advocacy frame to MSF and the projects in the region.
Maintain a live mapping of CSO networks, including active key contacts & ongoing programs, though all existing MSF stakeholders.
Strengthening relations with external stakeholders to enhance joint advocacy, coordination as well as leverage of CSO expertise
Identify strategic convening opportunities for engagement
During Emergencies activate network as part of the Regional Support Team and MSF Section
Maintaining a functional link & regular follow-up between e-prep team and the section
In support of Epool to harness the collective MSF resources (section & Operations) within the region to support emergency operations
Coordinate with the other MSF offices in the African Region to support emergency operations
Ensure the OSU digital portal (REACH Platform) contains relevant, accurate and updated information, in collaboration with MSF SnA Association, & MSF Hong Kong
Support MSF SnA Governance.
Represent OSU Teams at MT & Ext-MT. Advise MT on sensitive topics linked to OPS in the region. Get & share with the section regular information on the projects supported in the region
Facilitate the integration of the OSU within the section and promote the collaboration between the different departments and the Association of the section with the OSU
Ensure effective link between OS umbrella and section stakeholders (support: fin, hr etc… governance: board, GD etc) Contribute and actively engage in the strategic orientations and policy/decision making in the MSF-SA Management Team (Executive)
Organise the annual Southern Operational Forum in Africa (SOFA)
In collaboration with the other members of the Regional Support Team, represent MSF-SnA in all operational related matters internally within the MSF movement and externally with humanitarian actors, partners, contacts and strategic interlocutors
Be part of the MSF-SnA Crisis Management Team, if/when needed.
Dimension of the Position (managerial & decision making)
Managerial dimension of the Position
Decision making dimension of the Job
Academic Requirements
Knowledge, Know-How and & Experience Requirements (Competencies)
Assets
Other Soft skills Required
Closing Date: 30th June 2020
MSF reserves the right not to make an appointment if a suitable candidate cannot be found. While MSF thanks all interested applicants, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
This vacancy is archived.