MSF Academy Representative (m/f/x) – Yemen At Médecins Sans Frontières

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.

MSF is looking for a: MSF Academy Representative (m/f/x) Yemen

OPERATIONAL CONTEXT

The knowledge and practice of MSF’s medical and paramedical staff are at the core of the quality of care provided to MSF’s patients around the world. In many countries, however – and within the Middle East in particular – investment in medical education is far below what is necessary for providing quality medical care that meets MSF standards. Many educational programs inadequately prepare healthcare staff for their future jobs, especially the specific field conditions in which MSF is active.

The MSF Academy for Healthcare is an intersectional training initiative, designed to improve the quality of healthcare provided in MSF projects and to strengthen the local health systems where healthcare human resources are weak:

• through continuous professional development and targeted on-the-job and bedside training
• by working with local health and education ministries, schools and all 5 Operational Centers
• counting 5 separate projects, with each a specific priority of MSF operational needs, in Central Africa Republic, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Mali and Yemen.

MAIN OBJECTIVES

The Academy Representative is responsible for MSF Academy’s operational response in the country and coordinating MSF’ Academy programme execution, promotion and representation toward the relevant national and international authorities and training institutions. He/she is in charge of defining the operational strategy for the MSF Academy for Healthcare in the country

He/she develops, plans and oversees the implementation and management of the Continuous Professional Development program and scans further needs and opportunities for the MSF Academy in the country.

This work is done in close collaboration with the Coordination teams (mainly HoM, Medco, HRCo, PDM and FieldCos/ PMR) of the different OCs present in the mission country, and, at HQ level, the Program Manager of the MSF Academy’s global team and the technical referents (nursing sciences, pedagogical and clinical).

These activities must be executed while ensuring compliance to MSF’s charter, ethical standards and policies in order to realize organizational objectives and improve the quality of care within MSF-supported health facilities.

RESPONSIBILITIES

As MSF Academy Representative for Yemen**,** you will be in charge of:

• Being accountable and supervising the execution of MSF Academy programs, including potential emergency response activities. Ensuring that the MSFs technical and ethical standards are followed, and objectives are achieved. Coordinating activities with all MSF sections in the country.
• Representing MSF Academy for Healthcare and defending its interests before MSF Operations, national and local authorities, NGO’s, donors, training institutions and media to realize an active positioning and a positive public image. Raising awareness in the local, national and international community about the existence of MSF Academy programs.
• Leading negotiations for access and defining risks and constraints in order to make project proposals, set project targets and determine material, human and financial resources needed. Bearing witness, documenting and raising awareness for the target populations needs/distress.
• Being responsible for the proper application of HR policies and associated processes in the project (recruitment, briefing/debriefing, evaluation, staff learning and development and internal communication) in order to ensure both the sizing of the team and the amount of knowledge required for the project activities. Ensuring the associative character of MSF is reflected in the briefing of all MSF staff, maximizing their commitment to MSF values and project’s goals
• Ensuring data collection and the implementation of the Monitoring & Evaluation framework of the MSF Academy in the country, in agreement with the MSF Academy Program Manager, in order to define effective medical training programs for the medical and paramedical staff and to evaluate their impact, outcomes
• Evaluating program performance and providing all the required reports to MSF Academy Program Manager on project planning, project monitoring and project evaluation in line with the MSF Academy program reporting cycle
• Centralizing and shares all HRH Development related resources, within the mission and with HQ, thereby supports the knowledge management organization-wide;
• Supervising the project material resources put at MSF’s disposition in order to ensure a correct use and its longevity. Supervising all orders (medical and logistical) and the MSF Academy purchases as well as the financial indicators, in order to ensure efficiency and early detect deviations and its causes
• Responsible for the management and cohesion of the MSF Academy team, ensuring all understand their roles and responsibilities, providing guidance and support to each team member, and ensuring that adequate support is organized when necessary (anticipating the needs), as much at field level than from the MSF Academy global team.

Specifically, for Yemen, he/she:

• Ensures the development of a comprehensive context analysis in view of the start-up of the MSF Academy nursing care learning programme.
• Ensures the planning of the start-up of the nursing care initiative in the MSF hospitals in Yemen.
• Ensures that the long-term strategy of MSF Academy activities is in accordance with the needs and priorities of all MSF- supported structures in the country. This requires obtaining buy-in from all OCs’ coordination teams, and to create ownership from all teams, at coordination and field levels
• Designs the MSF Academy strategy and implementation plan specific to each project site, in close collaboration with the field team, the Medical Coordinators, PDMs of the relevant OC and the MSF Academy Program Manager of the MSF Academy Global team,
• Promotes the role of the MSF Academy for Healthcare and advocates for the right implementation conditions within all MSF projects in the country
• Networks and advocates with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to achieve strong ownership and develop the strategy to achieve the official recognition/accreditation of the training activities – Key actors are the Ministry of Health for the Continuous Professional Development and the Ministry of Higher Education for recognition of the acquisition of new competencies. This will be carried out with the technical support of the pedagogical manager and the global team
• Maps out opportunities – locally, regionally and internationally – and networks for learning and training for Human Resources for Health in close collaboration with the Medical Coordinators & Personnel Development Managers. Exploring which of the MSF Academy initiatives can be translated into the projects’ HRH Development strategy
• Manages and Plans the daily running of MSF Academy programs in the mission; this includes the planning of the various trips of the clinical mentors to the project sites and coordination with operations, the smooth running of distance support, the organisation of Training of Facilitators ensuring all concerned are notified on time, etc.

REQUIREMENTS

Education

• University degree: minimum Bachelor level
• Asset: Nursing / midwifery diploma

Experience

Essential:

• MSF experience: Minimum 3 years in the field position (Field Coordinator or Project Medical Referent) and minimum 1 year in a coordination position (Medical Coordinator, Human Resources Coordinator or Head of Mission)
• Proven experience in the understanding of health systems in the Middle East
• Experience in project management and team management

Desirable:

• Working experience in relevant similar positions in other NGO’s, in different contexts.
• Experience managing pedagogical projects, strong interest in teaching
• Experience in advocacy and networking within MSF and with higher authorities
• Experience in change management

Competencies

• Strategic vision
• Leadership
• People Management and Development, Planning and Organizing
• Results and Quality Orientation, Initiative and Innovation
• Capacity to Negotiate, Networking and Building Relationships, Advocacy
• Stress Management, Emotional intelligence, Positive-minded and energetic
• Essential computer literacy (word, excel and internet) and facility to learn using new IT tools

Languages:

• Fluent in both Arabic and English, oral and written

CONDITIONS

• Expected starting date: 2 May 2023
• Location:
  • Based in Sanaa, Yemen
  • Mobility required with frequent visits to the project locations up to 30%.
• Length of contract: 12 months (extension possible)
• Contract type: fixed-term contract
  • The contractual terms, conditions and salary will be established according to the official residence of the selected candidate and in compliance with the standard MSF function and salary grids
• No family position
• Adhere to the MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment
• Adhere to the MSF Behavioral Commitments