Regional Supply Team Leader (m/f/x) – MSF Belgium – Johannesburg 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.

Regional Supply Team Leader (m/f/x) – MSF Belgium – Johannesburg

CONTEXT

Mid-2019, MSF OCB (Operational Center Brussels) launched a reform aiming at providing more autonomy to the projects: the Field Recentralization programme/FrC. Following a first phase in Southern Africa, Central Africa (CA), then MSF operations in Europe and now South America located operations were selected to develop a regional and innovative and transformational support approach to operations that was implemented since 2019.

Amongst other changes a core Regional Support Team (RST) animates the network in the region by ensuring the optimal autonomy of the projects and the strategic support to the projects according to the principles of subsidiarity. Cell 5 who had overseen operations in the region, has gradually handed over the operations starting from the creation of a core Regional team, and reinforcing the project management teams to be more autonomous. The transformation can be considered completed for the projects in Southern Africa having completed a full strategic cycle in recentralized configuration.

The Field Recentralization program therefore impacts the role of teams at the project, country and regional level. At each level, the roles and responsibilities will be adapted and different from those currently played by the projects, the unit and the coordination teams.

A core “Regional Support Team – South Africa” (RST 7) is based in Johannesburg and it is the interlocutor of the projects and of the country support team (formerly called the coordination teams), in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and any future contexts in the region in collaboration with the MSF Southern Africa section (MSF-ZA) who hosts the team and support it in some domains.

This RST is made up of senior Ops, Med, HR, Log, Fin and Supply profiles. For some of these last positions a hybrid function was designed sharing responsibilities with roles at the country or section level. For example, the Supply position in the RST has had a double profile for the last couple of years: On one hand as the designer of the supply chain for every field of operation within the scope of the RST and providing technical support to the projects and on the other hand, developing Regional Supply Chain and procurement knowledge and networking capacity in order to strengthen the support to the global OCB operations and the MSF movement, leading to the development of the SASSU entity (Southern Africa Supply Support Unit).

With the increasing ambitions to develop the Regional Supply capacities and networking it is time to split the position in two: the current incumbent will keep the development of SASSU to make it grow and settle it in the global MSF Supply Chain Footprint. Therefore, we are looking for a candidate to cover the Support to the operations.

To obtain greater autonomy for projects, a strengthening of responsibility and skills at the project level is essential. This strengthening has been accompanied by a transformation of the responsibilities of the previous coordination teams (now referred to as Country Support Teams) with a change of responsibility and titles at Country Support team and increased responsibility at project level.

At the same time, autonomy includes the duty for the project to consult the teams at the country and regional level and the technical referents/experts concerned. Each operational team must have access to the expertise and internal knowledge of MSF (e.g. referents at the regional / global / headquarters level).

Finally, Field Recentralization promotes a participatory managerial approach by including project staff in strategic decisions, while keeping a clear decisional line.

OCB in Southern Africa:

• OCB is currently covering South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique in the region.
• Mozambique is the biggest operation in the region with a planned handover from E-Pool (Emergency Pool) to the RST in 2023.
• The region faces different levels of bureaucratic systems and importation constraints, as well as different levels of developments.
• The fact that two ‘lingua franca’ (English and Portuguese) are used, is adding a degree of complexity.

MAIN OBJECTIVES

The Regional Supply Team Leader – RST7 is the designer of the supply chain for every field of operation within the scope of the RST, defining and guaranteeing the implementation of an effective and efficient regional supply chain and defining standards and strategies according to MSF protocols where applicable. With a focus on process optimization, information system alignment and correct application of the various regulatory guidelines and laws concerning importation/exportation, purchase, storage and distribution of medical and non-medical goods, adapting standards, procedures and policies to the new regional flow, to enable the development of the projects and optimize the impact of the medical projects.

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

Direct support to Operations

• Design the Supply Chain of every field of operation and be accountable for its proper functioning.
• Assist the projects in the region in defining and revising the supply strategies of the projects according to the countries context and the operational needs, in close collaboration with the Supply, the Medical and Logistics operations and in line with MSF’s protocols, policies and guidelines.
• In Collaboration with the regional procurement manager, ensure that the demand plans are translated into accurate forecasts and leveraging volumes for negotiations and orders.
• Ensure the stability of supply activities within regular and emergency intervention of the concerned projects (National and Regional) by validating sources, communicating forecasts and seasonal trends with regional and international suppliers/distributors.
• At regional level, evaluate the HR set-up related to supply (team sizes, JDs, organigrams, division of tasks and responsibilities). Follow-up (training-coaching) and evaluation of the staff under your supervision (SupplyCos, Country Supply Support and Project Supply Managers).
• Offer first line technical support (Customs & Transport, Warehousing, Stock Management, Procurement, Supply Information Systems) to the supply teams in the region as well as to all other departments and liaise with the Supply Department for higher level of support.
• Manage national and regional field visits on regular basis to offer a permanent support when needed.
• Validate the use of the supply related third parties (suppliers, transport companies, freight forwarders, etc.) proposed by the procurement officer and customs officer when applicable.
• Ensure that the supply network stays up to date regarding its capacity to enable all medical programs. Anticipate the needs for networking and communicate appropriately.
• Analyze constantly the gaps in the supply chain and ensure durable solutions in each domain with proper utilization of the local, regional and global resources.
• Work closely with the other Front Officers as a team to foster best practices and share experiences. Report functionally to the Front Office Coordinator.
• Maintain a close relation with SASSU with fluid exchange of information and collaboration in common regional files.

REQUIREMENTS

Education & Experience

• Minimum Degree or Diploma in Supply chain Management or procurement Management, Business management, international logistics, and/or equivalent experience
• Minimum of 5 years of humanitarian experience
• Minimum 2 years of MSF experience in Supply at Coordinator level as this role will support other Supply Coordinators (Mozambique); Previous MSF experience at project level is a strong asset
• Work experience in the region is an asset

Competencies

• Strategic vision
• Leadership
• Management and development of staff
• Service orientation
• Teamwork and cooperation
• Coaching & mirror attitude with the teams

Langues

• English proficiency
• Proficiency in Portuguese is an asset

CONDITIONS

• Expected starting date: As soon as possible
• Location: Johannesburg (South Africa)
• 30% of mobility in the region
• Contract type: Open-ended contract – Full time
• South African local Contract* – Salary according to MSF South Africa grid and conditions
• Adhere to the MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment
• Adhere to the MSF Behavioral Commitments

*Due to the location legislation, all appointments for more than 6 months must have a local contract, meaning that all taxes are deducted and paid in South Africa

Deadline for applications: 9 March 2023