MSF-OCBA is looking for a HEAD OF OPERATIONAL CELL 4 – LATAM (POSITION BASED IN COLOMBIA) At Médecins Sans Frontières

GENERAL CONTEXT

Médecins Sans Frontières is an international independent medical-humanitarian organization, which offers assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict, without discrimination and irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation.

MSF is a civil society initiative that brings together individuals committed to the assistance of other human beings in crisis. As such MSF is by choice an association. Each individual working with MSF does it out of conviction and is ready to uphold the values and principles of MSF.

The MSF movement is built around six operational directorates. MSF OCBA is one of those directorates. The operations are implemented by field teams and the mission coordination teams; together with the organizational units based in Barcelona and decentralized in Nairobi, Dakar and Amman. The field operations are guided and supported by 5 Operational Cells, the Emergency Unit and other departments supporting operations.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE AND JOB ENVIROMENT

The Head of operational cell 4 – Latam[1] is responsible for the development and definition of the operational vision and global strategies of the Missions under his/her responsibility (currently Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico and Venezuela), oversees the different interventions in the missions in the field and ensures that quality standards are duly maintained and MSF’s humanitarian and deontological principles are articulated and respected in our humanitarian action in the interventions within his/her portfolio. S/he also ensures that the main lines of the Strategic Plan are reflected in a tangible manner in all of the interventions and our broader humanitarian action and presence. MSF OCBA works in operating environments characterized by violence and conflict and has a very strong emergency mind-set.

S/he is hierarchically UNDER the Operational Director.

The Cell managed by this position is composed of 2 other members (The Health Advisor – TESACO and the Resource Manager) each with advisory, support functions and all under the hierarchical line management of the Operations Manager LATAM.

MAIN RESPONSABILITIES AND TASKS

1. Participate in the organizational strategy

· Contribute to the reflection on positioning and the role of MSF OCBA regarding humanitarian crises and related dilemmas, protection issues and operational strategies within the portfolio and in a broader sense also. A significant part of this role is the promotion of quality analysis; provide sparring to produce well-grounded reflections on humanitarian issues and others that affect crises.

· Provide operational input to contribute to the definition of the strategies with the rest of the Departments and take into account their contributions where pertinent when defining Operational plans to strengthen transversal planning and boost integration.

· Identify and communicate situations in which the implementation of OCBA policies and procedures is not viable or may hinder the achievement of operational objectives, propose adaptations and exceptions to these in the appropriate forum, and apply the exceptions when necessary as long as they are justified.

· Adheres to the priorities articulated by the Direction of Operations and DG and ensures adequate adherence of these in the interventions and operational line he/she manages.

· Hold himself/herself accountable for the quality of interventions in his/ her portfolio and is transparent regarding his/her responsibilities at an operational and managerial level.

2. Contribute to the definition of the operational strategy

· Contributes to the definition of the OCBA operational vision by articulating the operational realities in his/her portfolio.

· Contributes to periodic reviews of the operational objectives as well as those framed in MSF OBCA’s Strategic Plan and operational annual orientations, based on evaluation of the implementation of the operational plan and the analysis of evolution of humanitarian challenges in the assigned portfolio.

· Contributes to the definition of security policies and ensures compliance to them.

3. Defines the strategic vision of missions within portfolio

· Leads the reflection on positioning and the role of MSF OCBA in relation to the OCBA Strategic Plan and the humanitarian crises in the missions within the portfolio.

· Ensures regular critical review and analysis of contexts and humanitarian situations in the portfolio in order to guarantee that operational response is adapted to meet population’s needs.

· Ensure that MSF role on humanitarian action and “témoignage” is effectively executed by identifying related medical-humanitarian dilemmas, defining lobbying, advocacy and communication strategies, and allocating extra resources accordingly, for missions within portfolio.

· Ensure that the results of relevance/impact project evaluations feed overall analyses, in order to maintain the relevance of the projects at all times.

· Ensure the analysis and evaluation of the implementation of lobbing, advocacy and communication strategies within portfolio.

4. Emergency Preparedness and Response

· Ensure the effective emergency preparedness and response of the missions.

· Impregnates the staff under his / her management with an emergency mind-set.

· Ensures top notch alert detection and deep built scenario work to ensure readiness.

· Critically reviews emergency responses for lessons learnt and ensures adequate dissemination of these lessons learnt in the rest of his/her portfolio.

5. Contributes to the planning and organisation of the Operations Department

· Contribute to the planning of the Department of Operations and to the achievement of the Dept. transversal objectives.

· Ensure coherence between OCBA annual planning, operational orientations and assigned portfolio’s annual plan.

6. Managerial Responsibilities

· First and foremost, must ensure that the people running the interventions in his/ her portfolio are being supported adequately by the support functions in the capital, cell and rest of the house.

· Ensure the implementation of the CPP and annual operational plan in the projects within portfolio, according to quality standards and to MSF’s humanitarian and deontological principles, with the primary objective to meet population’s needs.

· Ensure that missions comply with OCBA policies as agreed with the rest of Departments or raise the issue when not possible.

· Ensure adequate security management through supervision for portfolio’s missions, projects and interventions in line with the security policy, rules and guidelines of MSF OCBA.

· Is responsible for working with departmental functions to flag issues or problems that are impeding a good quality intervention that meets population needs.

· Is responsible for the overall satisfaction and well-being as well as retention of staff in his/ her portfolio, both national and international.

· Review and define the annual planning and budget of missions within portfolio and define strategic changes within the portfolio in coordination with the Ops direction.

· Lead, support, and coach the cell team and the HoMs in their functioning and decision-making process, to ensure that objectives be achieved.

· Ensure all behaviour Issues and conflict resolution are followed up (mission and HQ).

7. Specific to the Latam portfolio

· Lead the process of reflection and implementation of the decentralization of Operational Support in Latam aligned to the OCBA Operational Policy and Strategic Plan, ensuring the centrality of the operational needs in that process.

· Ensure an active participation and networking with key MSF partners in the region (MSF LAT, CAMINO, BRAMU, MSF USA, MSF Canada and other OCs) and external relevant partners with whom we collaborate.

· Ensure a proper follow up and capitalization of characteristic strategic dossiers of the Latam portfolio: OSV/Other Situations of Violence, Torture/Ill treatment and Migration.

· Contribute to operational discussions about MSF operations in Latam (i.e. OCBA role in Emergencies in Latam, Protracted conflict in Middle Income Countries, Engagement with Assertive Actors, Engagement with Armed – Criminal Groups, Protection and Patient Multimedia Engagement).

8. Promotes effective knowledge management and ensure optimal internal communication flow.

· Ensure adequate information and work flow between cell and services, other cells, and field, for issues that affect assigned portfolio.

· Is proactive and active in contributing to operational learning for up and coming staff, courses, inductions, briefings, debriefings, etc.

9. Represents MSF OCBA

· Represents MSF OCBA towards external actors (international organizations, NGOs, institutions, donor agencies, diaspora, civil society) and the media, for the missions of the assigned portfolio, on humanitarian crises, inter-agency operational coordination, and for fundraising.

· Represents MSF OCBA at MSF international level for the missions of the assigned portfolio (International desk platform).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Education and experience

· Degree from University or Higher Institute.

· Medical or paramedical background is considered an asset.

· Minimum of 3 years of operational experience with MSF or another humanitarian organization in contexts similar to those in portfolio.

· Academic and/or operational background on Other Situations of Violence is considered an asset.

· Knowledgeable of and interested in humanitarian action and its international dimensions.

· Proven capacity to articulate, manage and lead Operational and Reflection dossiers on Humanitarian Issues is an asset.

· Fluency in written and spoken Spanish and English is essential; fluency in written and spoken Portuguese or French is considered a plus.

· Advanced knowledge of Windows setting as a user (mainly Word and Excel).

Competencies

· Commitment to MSF’s Principles

· Cross-cultural Awareness

· Strategic Vision

· Results and Quality Orientation

· Capacity to Negotiate

· Teamwork and Cooperation

· Leadership

· People Management and Development

· Security Awareness and Management

· Networking and Building Relationships

Others

· Initiative and Innovation

CONDITIONS

· Position based in Colombia

· Full time job

· International travel: up to 30%

· Minimum of 3-years moral commitment

· Mandated position: 3 + 3 years

· Annual gross salary and secondary benefits based on MSF OCBA Reward Policy in Colombia

· Starting date: immediately

MSF is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, race, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We are committed to achieving a balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

MSF provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. MSF does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo reference checks.

Médecins Sans Frontieres, as a responsible employer, under article 38 of “Ley de Integración Social del Minusválido de 1982 (LISMI)” invite those persons with a recognized disability and with an interest in the humanitarian area to apply for the above-mentioned position.

[1] Latam” is used as an abbreviation for Latin America.