General Director MSF Luxembourg At Médecins Sans Frontières

CONTEXT

The Luxembourg section of MSF was created in 1986. Today, more than 30 employees are working within MSF Luxemburg to raise awareness among the Luxembourgish population on humanitarian issues, collect the necessary funds to finance interventions, oversee MSF volunteers during their field assignment.

Since 2009, MSF Luxembourg has been using his expertise for the development of medical research in direct link with MSF operations to keep improving them through Operational Research unit in Luxembourg, called LuxOR. It also gathers a hundred associate members, fifty volunteers, 9 Board members and about 23,500 active donors who allow MSF to continue our mission.

The MSF Luxembourg office vision is established as follows:

The mission of MSF-Luxembourg is to contribute, through operational research and other specialized services and projects, towards innovation and change for the MSF social mission.
This will be achieved through critical reflection, humanitarian medical action and advocacy in order to have a positive impact on beneficiaries. The general focus will be on vulnerable groups and populations in danger as embedded within the MSF mandate.

In Luxembourg, MSF will also reinforce its efforts to raise awareness about MSF activities and humanitarian crisis and to collect the funds needed of the deployment of the operations which the section contributes

JOB PURPOSE

The main role of the General Director is to steer the healthy development of MSF Luxembourg both within Luxembourgish society and within the MSF Movement, reporting to the Board of MSF Luxembourg. S/he is responsible for driving, developing and implementing the strategic plan for the section for 2020-2023 (and future four years periods) and will ensure that the strategic plan is integrated, coherent and optimal for the office. In order to achieve this, the General Director is responsible for the smooth overall and daily functioning of the office and external and internal representation. S/he is leading the Management Team and is a member of the DG10, the General Directors Forum of MSF’s Operational Centre Brussels (OCB), as well as the Full ExCom, the General Directors Forum of the Movement MSF.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy/Planning

• Ensure that MSF-Luxembourg adheres to MSF’s core values and principles as indicated in its charter;
• Ensure that the activities, priorities and development of MSF-Luxembourg remain within agreed frameworks (e.g.: OCB, MSF International);
• Develop and implement approved (by the Board) multiyear (2020-2023) strategic vision and objectives for MSF-Luxembourg’s activities, guiding the different departments as well as monitoring the activities to ensure the objectives are achieved;
• Contribute pro-actively to the decision-making process on the international platforms of OCB and the Movement, attending international meetings when required.
• Ensure that MSF-Luxembourg is in compliance with the law and the organization’s statute, auditing procedures to verify compliance and, when necessary, making adjustments to ensure they are in line with what is proposed by the Movement and the law.
• Work in close and good collaboration with the Board, Management Team and Association of MSF-Luxembourg. This includes regular reporting to the Board during board meetings and/or under specific requests.

Representation and Communication

• Represent MSF-Luxembourg in meetings and act as a spokesperson on various platforms vis à vis the Government, other Humanitarian and International NGOs, community groups, medical communities, academia and institutions, companies, major donors and also during associative events in order to ensure MSF’s message is coherently transmitted, has a language uniformity and care for the image of MSF and its professionals
• Actively advocate for MSF positions and interests on issues related to the humanitarian and medical needs of specific vulnerable groups; promote MSF to broad and specific audiences through information and awareness raising events, widening the supporter base and that these efforts influence, or effect change in policy and practice.
• Build working relationships and collaboration with other MSF sections both inside and outside the OCB group and consolidate the specific identity and recognition of MSF-Lux with the MSF Movement. Contribute pro-actively to the debates in the Movement.
• Ensure that MSF-Luxembourg is accountable (through its activities) to donors and the International Movement through transparency and uniformity in all processes and procedures, promoting credibility and quality.

Implication within OCB groups and International projects

• Encourage and support the Management Team members to actively participate at OCB and/or International projects and platforms;
• Be the Core+ of the International Insurance Steering Committee and supervise the implementation of MSF Captive of Reinsurance in Luxembourg;
• Be the Core+ of the VAT and Tax Working Group;
• Take active part in specific compliance projects and platforms for the Movement (e.g. Data protection).

Fundraising & Human Resources work areas

• Oversee the short, mid and long-term strategic ambitions and delivery of fundraising activities in Luxembourg, ensuring the highest level of income growth, return and efficiency;
• Ensure the integration of communication and fundraising activities;
• Oversee the short, mid and long-term strategic ambitions and delivery of recruitment and HR activities in Luxembourg, responsible for developing and implementing the recruitment strategy to meet operational ambitions and needs.

General Management

• Ensure adherence to MSF values and ethical standards; taking action in cases of breach;
• Coordinate activities and establish responsibilities and procedures for attaining the objectives of the annual action plans and budget in close collaboration with the Management Team members.
• Monitor and respects the yearly budget;
• Ensure synergies and collaboration between all departments including LuxOR and non-operational activities;
• Work in close collaboration with the Medical Director of OCB to ensure an effective and efficient co-management of LuxOR;
• Provide effective leadership and management of the office and team in line with established organizational policies in MSF and Luxembourg, including annual performance reviews, supervision, staff development and support;
• Effectively manage, lead and evaluate the Management Team’s members in line with their effective contribution towards achieving objectives;
• Ensure high-level financial accountability and transparency;
• Ensure that the office meets its legal and fiscal obligations and define the best legal and administrative frame to support the development of its activities;
• Responsible for MSF-Luxembourg overall income, expenditure, budget planning and control, any institutional grants and risk management;
• Coordinate general office management

PROFILE OF THE CANDIDATE

The General Director will be thoroughly committed to the aims and values of Médecins Sans Frontières. All candidates should have proven leadership and management experience, in addition to the following:

Essential:

• Share and support the MSF vision and values
• Adhere to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment
• Adhere to the MSF Behavioral Commitments
• Strong Commitment to humanitarian ideas and principles
• Significant experience in managerial position
• Experience of long-term planning processes, with capacity to lead discussions and consultations
• Good organizational and planning skills (including financial) combined with a proven ability to create a vision to motivate and direct efforts
• Responsible, strategically structured and organized with the ability to steer and manage a project in all its phases
• Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to create and maintain networks of key contacts within and outside the humanitarian sector
• Commitment to the promotion of MSF’s core activities of fundraising, communication, recruitment and representation
• Excellent leadership with the ability to inspire and influence in an effective and compelling manner
• Proven analytical and political skills, including ability to negotiate and advocate to diverse audiences both internally (MSF) and externally
• Excellent prioritization skills to handle a variety of tasks simultaneously
• Proven management experience including change management, team development and an ability to motivate staff
• Creative, innovative and analytical with an ability to think laterally in order to identify and respond quickly to new opportunities or changing contexts
• Solution orientated and decisive, including the ability to deal with complex issues
• A proactive ‘can do’ attitude including a high level of flexibility – willingness to work irregular hours, including weekends, as well as travel frequently to other MSF offices and projects, and more frequently to the MSF OCB office in Brussels
• Good presentation and communication skills – willingness and ability to deal with the media
• Willingness and ability to do ongoing administration
• Fluency in written and spoken French and English, other language is an asset

Desirable:

• MSF or humanitarian organisation experiences
• Good knowledge and understanding of the Luxembourg context
• Senior leadership and managerial experience: minimum of 5 years – 4 of them in an INGO
• International and headquarters experience
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of international and humanitarian issues and of the development of MSF as an organisation and association
• Good understanding of MSF’s medical activities and challenges
• Capacity to drive advocacy with high level stakeholders
• Capable to produce documents of high quality
• Stress resistant and able to cope with frustrations
• Regular user of Office 365

STATUS

• Full time, Open-ended contract, Based in Luxembourg with frequent travels abroad
• Starting date: May/June 2022

SALARY CONDITIONS

• 66,7 K€ starting annual gross salary over 12 months. 29 annual paid leaves. Medical insurance (including hospitalization) covered by MSF. Lunch vouchers with a face value of 8,40 € (2/3 covered by MSF). Public transport allowance