Head Of Human Resources Operations At Médecins Sans Frontières

Médecins Sans Frontières, founded in 1971, is an international medical humanitarian organization that provides emergency medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters or exclusion from health care. Our teams are made up of tens of thousands of medical professionals, logistics, administrative and various other professions, all guided by our medical ethics and our principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality.

MSF WaCA, created in 2019, is the first MSF headquarters in Africa, and responds to the desire to reinvent the MSF movement after 50 years of humanitarian actions in the world, for more access to care, more reactivity and proactivity for greater medical coverage of affected populations in the world.

Why join us?

You are preparing to become a member of the MSF family, with over 50 years of emergency medical action that earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.

We are an inclusive organization that considers social and professional well-being a right for all and provides an environment that takes into account the diversity of each member.

MSF WaCA claims an African anchorage that considers the local expertise with which it contributes in the implementation of its activities and makes each member, a key actor of the new dynamics of the humanitarian action in the world.

We Are Looking for: HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES OPERATIONS

Department: Human Resources

Direct Manager: HR Director

Superviser: HR Specialist, Emergency HR Referent, Operational Administrative Assistant

Working %: 100%

Position Based in: Abidjan

Mobility: All WaCA’s Interventions Zones

Type of Contract: Fixed-Term Renewable

Position to be filled: As Soon As Possible

Objectives

Head of HR operations (HROP) monitors national and international personnel on mission by supporting HR coordination and the Head of Mission and the Operations Department in the management of human resources in the field as a whole. He/she advises on the composition of teams, from the HR available on the missions for which he/she is responsible.

Main responsibilities

Operational

Participates with Operations Management in the development of mission strategy, objectives and budgets; plays an active role in annual planning.
Advises Operations Management on all HR matters required to implement the operational plan.
In close collaboration with the Head of Operational Finance, ensures that the HR budget is consistent with activities, and that it is monitored by the HR Co.
Is the technical HRM referent for the missions of the Operations Department, and the main referent for the HR Co.
Ensures the application of MSF WaCA’s HR management standards and framework (policies, procedures, tools) by the missions.
Pivot between the HR department and Operations, requests and coordinates the intervention of the HR Specialist, depending on the complexity of the project and the techniques to be implemented.
Relying on the HR specialist’s expertise, validates with Operations management the relevance and appropriateness of the proposed technical choices to the needs and context.
In coordination with the HR specialist, defines the HR objectives and priorities for the assignment. Oversees the development and progress of the resulting HR activities.
Analyzes feedback from assignments (monthly reports, e-mails, fundamentals, job descriptions, organization charts) and provides the necessary feedback.
In collaboration with the Emergencies HR Referent, facilitates a fast and efficient response to emergencies.

Technical Support and Expertise

Regular visits to missions to supervise and evaluate HR management and organization
May be required to travel to assignments to solve specific problems, or when HR activities requiring his/her expertise.
Maintains a critical eye on HR needs determined by the field, HR needs required by the various departments, and previously validated HR needs, in order to ensure that setups meet operational requirements while remaining manageable by the various field managers (lines of communication, decision-making lines, etc.).
Coordinates and advises on the definition of the mission organization chart with members of the Operations Department and the HR Co, and/or on any necessary adjustments.
Ensures that staffing levels are sufficient to meet operational ambitions.
Maintains a quantitative and qualitative balance between international mobile staff and national staff
Ensures and validates the adequacy of the HR set-up vs. operational needs
Ensures that WaCA HR policies are respected and reflected in the organization chart e.g. PM integration, empowerment of female staff in coordination positions, nationalization of positions, balance between coordination and field positions, mobility of national staff,
In case of a vacancy, proposes an adjustment to the set-up and/or the profiles sought.
In collaboration with HRCo and GPO, ensures that positions are filled to serve projects, optimizing the balance between operational needs and career management.
Supervises the drafting and validation of job descriptions from the field by the technical referents, ensuring that they are realistically formulated and kept up to date.
Facilitates the matching process and ensures that all the information required to guarantee the matching process is available to the Recruitment & Pool Management Unit (project documents, concept notes, welcome files, organization charts, job descriptions, etc.).
Working in conjunction with the HR department, and more specifically the HR specialist and HRM, ensures the implementation and application of the HR management framework compiled in the basic documents.
When technical support is required, makes available all field information and contextual elements facilitating the proposal of a technical solution by the technical referent.
Validates the technical solution proposed by the department and more specifically the HR specialist
Contributes to and participates in the development of HR management standards and frameworks
Oversees the integration of all new recruits on the assignment
Advises and ensures the implementation of the performance appraisal process
Ensures the identification and follow-up of key national personnel on the mission. Participates in the definition of appropriate par-cours management for key national personnel.
Participates in the identification of training needs and mechanisms to meet them with the HRCo.
Participates in the prevention of stress, conflict and inappropriate behavior, and supports the HR Co in the management of complicated cases.
Ensures adequate living and working conditions and validates rest, accommodation and welcome file policies for each mission, as well as ensuring their follow-up and application.
Carries out all HR briefings and debriefings for all international and national staff visiting headquarters or via teams
In charge of validating positions, opening contracts (in LIGO) and amending contracts.
Facilitates the editing of briefing/debriefing plans by the Administrative Assistant by sharing the information at her disposal.
Ensures that all wage/seniority claims are processed.
Is responsible for updating monthly HR data for his/her assignments in LIGO
May be asked to work on specific HR files at head office level.

Communication

Communicates regularly with HR Co, maintaining a flow of written and oral exchanges. Formalizes all decisions in writing.
Ensures regular assessment of the HR situation in the field, based on monthly HR reporting and using the fundamentals form (quarterly, to be conducted during a visit and as part of a passation).
For each field visit, a visit report is drawn up and sent to the field as soon as possible.
Shares and capitalizes on HR experiences in the field with the RHOP unit and the HR department.
Produces and participates in the analysis of statistics and indicators relating to its missions
Takes part in the weekly Operations Management meeting and weekly Teams to Teams meetings with the various missions.
Participates in Head of & CoDIR member discussion platforms
Actively participates in the Field HR intersection discussion/exchange platform
Participates in department and HR Department meetings

Job requirements

Education

Prerequisite: Master’s degree in HR management or equivalent diploma

Complementary training Operational and HR MSF

Competencies

Strategic vision
Leadership
Personnel management and development
Planning and organization
Teamwork and cooperation
Excellent interpersonal skills and active listening skills
Analytical and synthesizing skills
Negotiation skills
Knowledge of MSF operational contexts

Professional experience required

Essential: Field experience with MSF as a Human Resources Coordinator

Experience as a Project Coordinator is considered a plus

Languages Skills

Working proficiency in English and French

Computer Skills

MS Office suite (mainly MS Word, Excel and Powerpoint

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MSF offers equal recruitment and development opportunities without any form of discrimination based on gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, geographical origin, physical disability or any other discriminatory ground.

Female candidates who meet the requirements are strongly encouraged to apply.

N.B.: This job description provides a framework for the main responsibilities and primary activities of the position. It is not exhaustive. Therefore, the responsibilities and activities of the position may differ from those described in this job description due to organizational and operational needs.

Deadline: February 21st 2024 18:00 GMT
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted