Head of Mission at Médecins Sans Frontières

Main Purpose

Is responsible for MSF operational response in the Country/Mission. Defines the mission operational strategy in collaboration with the Operational cell. Leads plans and coordinates MSF programs in the mission, including identification of new humanitarian challenges. Represents and defends MSF’s interests before third parties, according to the organization’s charter, policies, and ethics as well as international and national laws and regulations, in order to develop and effectively implement all the programmes and projects in the mission.

Accountabilities

Be responsible for representing MSF at national level and defending its interests before local authorities, other NGO’s or international institutions, local donors, military organizations, other MSF sections, other humanitarian organizations and media, to guarantee an active positioning and a good public image.

• Is responsible for negotiating/facilitating collaborations and agreements between MSF and local authorities, donors and institutions.
• Is responsible for developing and integrating an internal and external communication policy for the mission, performing external communication actions to media when required.
• Is responsible for monitoring the political, humanitarian and health situation of the country.

Is responsible for monitoring and analyzing the political, humanitarian issues at stake, and health situation across the country and surrounding countries through established contacts with key persons/institutions and carrying out exploratory missions in order to identify potential fields of intervention.

• Is accountable for properly studying data collected from the field, detecting population’s needs.
• Is responsible for analyzing the context (and the consequences of an intervention of MSF, evaluating risks and constraints, and setting priorities.
• Is responsible for drawing-up project proposals and provide response to emergencies taking into account the points above and submitting them to Headquarters for approval.
• Is responsible to produce, together with teams in the projects, and submit all requested operational reports, and ensures keeping them properly filed and updated.
• Is responsible to conduct an active and permanent follow up of potential emergencies in the Country/Mission.

Be accountable and supervise the implementation of projects and programs and evaluate their evolution, final results and achievements to ensure that organization’s technical and ethical standards are followed and objectives are achieved.

• Is responsible for leading, briefing/debriefing, providing coaching, evaluating, identifying training needs and supporting the coordination team and project coordinators.
• Is accountable for the progress made and submits reorientation strategies to Headquarters when necessary.
• Is accountable for ensuring a proper control of financial indicators and mission budget.
• Is responsible for ensuring coordination of actions with other MSF sections in the mission-country/region.

Be accountable for the proper plan, size, and coordination of all resources (human, material and financial) needed in the mission in order to enhance overall performance of the mission and the projects carried out.

• Is accountable for a proper implementation of HR management policies by HRCo and cell based HR referent, according to vision, policies and values.
• Is responsible for the coordination of the Mission Coordination Team (MCT)
• Is accountable to ensure that all technical responsible within the CMT grant a proper organization of needs, working schedules and decision making processes.
• Is accountable to ensure that HRCo grants the well being of teams (appropriate living conditions, good general health status, stress levels, conditions, etc.) and ensures appropriate conducts and behaviors.

Be accountable for ensuring that FinCo coordinates an active search of local funds while controlling expenditures, budgeting and purchases.

Be accountable for supervising a rational use of means and resources to carry out projects and programs.

Be responsible to ensure information flow and reporting to Headquarters.

Be responsible to define and ensure implementation of mission’s security policies and protocols, aligned to globalMSF policy, to ensure safety of staff across the mission. In this sense, the Head of Mission has the ultimate responsibility of all security aspects of the mission.

• Is responsible for analyzing external risks and threats to staff security.
• Is responsible for keeping staff and headquarters informed and updated of events and issues related to this matter.
• Is accountable for ensuring involvement, motivation and monitoring of staff on security practices.

Requirements:

Education

· University degree. Particularly in medicine, public health or paramedical or the field of international relations is a plus.

· For OCBA: Desirable degree in project management or HR management. Experience · At least two years in management positions in humanitarian aid.

· Essential experience with MSF or other NGOs

· Essential working experience in developing countries. Languages · Mission working language essential.

· High Level Portuguese an English

Knowledge

· Essential computer literacy (word, excel and internet)

Competences

· Strategic vision.

· Leadership.

· Networking.

· Cultural.

Starting date: 1st December 2015

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply, all applicants should please send their CV and cover motivation letter under the reference “HoM ANGOLA” to:

recruitment-bcn@barcelona.msf.org

Closing date: September, 25, 2015.

Replies will only be sent to short-listed candidates

Médecins Sans Frontieres, as a responsible employer, under article 38 of “Ley de Integración Social del Minusválido de 1982 (LISMI)” invite those persons with a recognised disability and with an interest in the humanitarian area to apply for the above mentioned position.