Deputy Programme Responsible (“ARP”) – E-Cell At Médecins Sans Frontières en Suisse

Context & Mission

Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent humanitarian organization providing medical aid to victims of man-made or natural disasters, epidemics and endemics. Its Operational Centre in Geneva is responsible for medical assistance programmes in 24 countries.

The Programme Responsible (RP) and Deputy Programme Responsible (ARP) are central positions in MSF, accountable for the activities of the organisation in the field and acting as interface between the missions and the headquarters.

Responsibilities

By delegation of responsibilities and tasks by the RP:

• In accordance with the Charter, the Chantilly / La Mancha agreements and the operational policy of the OCG, the Programme Responsible ensures the overall relevance, timeliness and quality of MSF’s assistance for populations in danger (within a selected group of countries).
• Is responsible for steering the operations’ planning cycle, making sure that transversal internal processes are respected, that MSF policies are translated into action unless justified otherwise, and that resources are adequately mobilized to support the operational objectives and chosen intervention strategies.
• Is responsible for the overall management of the cell team, for the collective and individual follow up of all team members, ensuring proper learning and development support, as well as the correct level of information and knowledge management, prioritising collective decision making when possible.
• Makes sure the key medical and/or humanitarian stakes are identified within each mission and project, prioritizes them, carries them internally / externally (through bilateral meetings, documentation, témoignage and communication); determines the way MSF will address the issues at stake and its public position.
• Creates and maintains a network of relevant political, humanitarian, medical, academic contacts to ensure the best knowledge of the environment for the teams working in the field, especially in tense contexts.
• Monitors the level of exposure to risk affecting teams in the field and validates the security frame proposed by the heads of mission for each project;
• Supervises, advises, supports and evaluates the heads of mission in the fulfilment of their global responsibilities / duties; in this perspective, delivers them all useful information and visits the missions at key moments (explos, programme definition phases and/or reorientations due to evolving needs, context or policy).
• Organizes the best level of headquarter support to field operations by optimizing the input, the expertise and control function of professionals from different departments, each representing a technical field necessary for the good running of projects in the field.
• Monitors the implementation of programmes and the good running of the mission, by analyzing the situation and programme reports sent by the coordination, and providing feedback; is accountable for the timely reporting on operations, including towards institutional donors who support MSF’s action in the field.
• Aims at constantly improving MSF’s medical assistance by evaluating results achieved, leading thematic working groups on intervention strategies, initiating critical reviews as needed, supporting operational research projects, and contributing to the design and animation of training modules for coordinators.

Specificities of the position

• Participates to the recruitment, follow up and career development of E-pool members.
• Liaison with the Medical Department to ensure the technical expertise is available in relation to emergency response.
• Manages and adapts the content of the emergency stock together with other cell members.
• Identifies the strategic medico-operational priorities for adaptation together with the support departments.

Your Profile

Education

• A university-level diploma (Medicine, Public Health, Paramedical domain or the field of international relations)
• An equivalent professional experience

Experience

• Successful experience in the field of humanitarian aid as an MSF Head of Mission, Medical coordinator or Emergency coordinator
• Expertise in the analysis and management of unstable contexts and crisis situations and experience and interest in medical, social, economic and political issues in countries undergoing humanitarian crises (one-off or long-term) or in the process of development are a plus.

Languages

• Fluent English and French.
• A 3rd language is an advantage.

Personal Abilities

• Dynamic and flexible;
• A capacity for taking the initiative and making decisions;
• A capacity for analysis and summarising;
• A sense of priorities;
• Highly developed stress management skills;
• Ease of communication and public speaking,
• Participative management style

Skills/ Technical competencies

• High level representation and diplomatic skills; an aptitude for negotiation
• Strategic planning and orientation skills
• An aptitude for analysing humanitarian contexts; knowledge of medical issues and MSF’s intervention strategies
• A capacity for conceiving and planning medical programmes, setting up a network, animating and motivating teams, organising roles and delegating tasks;
• Excellent writing skills

Terms of Employment

• Full-time position 100% (40h/week)
• Fixed-term position : 12 months
• Working place : Geneva, with very frequent travels (up to 3 months abroad per year)
• Start date: June 17th 2024
• Gross annual salary: from CHF 109’560.- to CHF 124’980.- (salary commensurate with equivalent experience and internal salary grid)
• Paid vacation: 25 days per year, prorate temporis, plus any Swiss public holidays falling within the contract period.
• Pension plan: pension contribution covered 3/4 by MSF, 1/4 by staff member
• Relocation package if moving from a different country to Switzerland.