Openings at Médecins Sans Frontières

MAIN RESPONSABILITIES

Strategic support to the Secretary General (SG)

The ExCom Officer acts as the main point of support to the SG for content preparation and follow-up of ExCom platform meetings. This includes the preparation and dissemination of elaborated agendas and background documents, reporting on discussions at meetings, and assistance to ensure implementation of related tasks to achieve outcomes and action points.

• In detail, the ExCom officer carries out the following tasks:
• Anticipates and plans ahead to ensure the SG is well prepared for ExCom meetings with the relevant information, knowledge and documents;
• Develops agendas for ExCom meetings, in liaison with platform coordinators and contributors;
• Produces and prepares in autonomy supporting documents as delegated by the SG;
• Researches, prepares and presents findings in the form of briefing papers, reports and presentations;
• Reviews and assesses information submitted to the SG, followed by briefing and recommendations as needed;
• Tracks and follows up independently action items, deliverables and other commitments identified at ExCom meetings to ensure assigned tasks are completed;
• Ensures linkage between ExCom and IB agenda topics as well as planning prioritisation;
• Establishes a continuous and constructive dialogue with the SG in order to elicit new ideas or to test and consolidate opinions.

ExCom information management and communication linkage

The ExCom Officer plays a proactive role in providing reciprocal informational linkage between the SG as Chair of the ExCom and ExCom members, and towards other international platforms, bodies and stakeholders. Thus s/he is the focal point to:

• Proactively communicate decisions or any relevant information in support of the SG as Chair of the ExCom;
• Ensure information & communication linkage with MSF platforms, specifically the ExCom
• Produce overviews and summaries of content to support ExCom discussions and decision-making;
• Write minutes and follow up on approval and communication to members of the concerned platforms within established timelines;
• Prepare, update and track the ExCom annual topics of discussion;
• Liaise with coordinators and contributors for Full ExCom meetings with regards to agenda setting and content.

ExCom related administrative and logistic support

• Liaises with DG assistants at the hosting office on logistics in preparation of Core ExCom meetings;
• Oversees logistics arrangements for Full ExCom meetings;
• Ensures organized and thorough archiving of documents related to the ExCom;
• Provides support to the SG on ExCom email management;
• Can be requested to undertake other tasks by the SG as needed.

Job requirements

• Genuine interest in, understanding of and commitment to the humanitarian principles, social mission, operations, and challenges of MSF;
• Outstanding organisation skills; ability to complete multiple tasks within short deadlines, while maintaining correct priorities and quality;
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment; possessing maturity, patience and understanding;
• Ability to anticipate problems and proactively suggest solutions in a complex political environment;
• Tact, diplomacy, and tenacity as well as the ability to build and maintain a strong network within MSF to enable information gathering and smooth logistical support;
• Effective and supportive team member, problem-solver;
• Ability to synthesise information and produce professional minutes and meeting outcomes;
• Fluent written and spoken English, other languages an asset;
• Previous work with senior management;
• Office management experience;
• MSF or other NGO experience an advantage;

Deadline for applications: 21st July 2022

go to method of application »

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Planning and Coordination of the Medical Operational Platform and Projects

MedOp Meetings: Coordination to optimise the Medical Operational (MedOp) platform’s role and responsibilities. This includes: drafting the multi-year and annual plans, drafting and disseminating agendas, preparing the session structure, content and background documents with the IMS and relevant stakeholders, minuting the MedOp meetings, documenting and ensuring the follow-up of decisions to achieve expected outcomes and action points.

MedOp Projects: The Strategic Officer undertakes the following tasks for the delivery of Medical Operational-related topics:

• Autonomously researches, analysis, investigates and evaluates issues and trends to inform decision-making and the development of strategic plans;
• Prepares and presents findings in the form of reports, presentations, briefing papers, identifying risks, opportunities for improvement, strategic planning and project development;
• Plan, coordinate, evaluate and report on assigned projects and activities to provide advice on the progress against plans, goals and expectations;
• Responding to challenges which may impede effective delivery against strategic objectives, including identifying mechanisms to mitigate these risks;
• Balancing competing demands and stakeholder requirements to ensure key deliverables are met within the required timeframes and budgets;
• Assesses information submitted to the IMS, briefs the IMS, and makes other recommendations as needed;
• Follows up on decisions of international platforms, identifies potential subjects of interest and analysis;
• Establishes a continuous and constructive dialogue with the IMS as well as other departments and groups within the Movement to elicit new ideas or to test and consolidate opinions.

The Strategic Officer proactively manages information and communication on MedOp meetings and projects, and manages, organizes and structures information on other topics upon request.

Mutual Accountability Process

The Strategic Officer actively contributes to the Mutual Accountability Process, a MSF movement-wide, qualitative/quantitative monitoring and evaluation process with a humanitarian, operational, medical lens.

The process needs to be consolidated and monitored in order to make sure that transparency, reciprocal trust and good practices of information sharing are preserved. The Strategy Officer ’s role can include:

• Coordination of the Mutual Accountability Process;
• Coordination of the Operations Reflection Day;
• Coordination of the development of the Mutual Accountability Report in close cooperation with the IMS.

Support MSF External Representation

The Strategic Officer will proactively help prepare the IMS in her/his external representative role with the aim to communicate and advocate MSF’s views on agreed medical operational priorities, policies and positions.

The Strategic Officer ’s responsibilities can include:

• Coordination with other MSF offices and colleagues for the development of talking points, briefings, speeches, articles, presentations, etc. to support external engagement;
• Anticipation of forthcoming external engagements (conferences, high-level meetings etc.) and internal processes (platform meetings, programmes of work etc.), planning ahead to ensure the IMS is well briefed and prepared for all tasks.

The Strategic Officer leads and/or participates in other dossiers as requested by the IMS.

Job requirements

• Qualifications and work experience
• Graduate degree in public health, social sciences, humanitarian studies, international law or other related field;
• Public Health governance knowledge;
• Minimum 5 years experience working in the humanitarian/global health sector;
• Field experience with MSF is a significant asset.

Specific requirements

• Genuine commitment to the humanitarian principles and the social mission of MSF;
• Strong team player, empathic and practiced listener;
• Strong strategic, analytical and critical thinking capacity;
• Able to cope with pressure and handle changing priorities;
• Autonomous, self-organized, possessing a spirit of initiative and foresight;
• Capable to organize and structure complex information, analyse it and report the findings in accurate and cogent form;
• Attention to detail;
• Strong writing and editing skills;
• Oral and written fluency in English. Other languages are a plus, particularly French;
• Strong computer literacy, including experience utilising Office 360 and SharePoint.

Deadline for application: 24th July 2022