RCA, Bangassou en août 2017
© Natacha Buhler/MSF
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Head of mission

Profile

EXPERIENCE

  • 2 years minimum with at least 1 year in a managerial capacity in the humanitarian aid sector
  • experience in public health programmes is a definite plus

AVAILABILITY

  • 12 months minimum

LANGUAGES

  • english proficiency (C1 level)
  • knowledge of another language such as Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, etc. is a definite plus

SKILLS

  • human resource management
  • project management
  • budget management
  • communications
  • negotiating and problem solving
  • interest and involvement in international politics
  • context analyses and complex security issues
  • experience in and ability to manage interactions with national authorities as well as national and international partners (NGOs, United Nations, etc.)
  • awareness and understanding of the importance of speaking out and advocacy in MSF's mandate
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Liaising between field teams, field coordination teams and the coordination team in the capital, the head of mission has countrywide responsibility for all MSF projects and the teams tasked with their implementation.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the desk programme manager, the head of mission is in charge of the coordination team and the project coordinators and has responsibility for MSF's programmes and teams in a given country. He or she represents MSF to other governmental and non-governmental organisations. The head of mission ensures effective implementation of MSF's operational strategic plan and compliance with MSF's operational practices while upholding, enhancing and disseminating them across all activities. He or she coordinates activities, supervises and supports the team while facilitating their participation in the momentum of MSF.

  • Conception and implementation of projects (objectives and resources): responsive to the needs of beneficiaries, the head of mission sets up the procedures and resources necessary to deliver effective programmes based on an intervention strategy steered by the association's objectives and evolutions on the ground,

  • Managing, evaluating, adjusting and closing projects (objectives and resources): update objectives, processes and resources based on indicators, the situation on the ground and the association's operational objectives.

  • Supporting and managing the team: set up teams, ensure they are aware of the challenges of the mission and facilitate their participation in the momentum of the association.

  • Security of teams: reduce the teams' exposure to security risks through routine security regulation reviews and fostering individual responsibility and involvement.

  • Information, communications and networks: synthesise and communicate the mission's experiences to enable MSF to assume ownership, raise awareness to the situation of people on the ground and MSF's operations, develop and maintain a network of contacts, particularly of any partners and the authorities in order to be able to take appropriate action as the situation evolves.