Staff Health Unit Manager 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.

MSF WaCA promotes a work environment free from any form of abuse and harassment for all staff, patients, beneficiaries, and partners. Safeguarding and inclusion are therefore paramount.

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: STAFF HEALTH UNIT MANAGER

Department: Administration
Direct Manager: HR Director

Functional Manager: Deputy Medical Director

Working %: 100%

Position Based in: Abidjan with up to 30% international travel, sometimes in unstable contexts.

Mobility: All WaCA’s Interventions Zones

Type of Contract: Fixed-Term Renewable

Position to be filled: As soon as possible

Objectives

The Staff health Unit Manager is a new position, and the successful candidate will work under the HR Director, together with the other HR teams, and closely to Medico- Operations Department (Med Ops), mainly the Deputy Medical Director at HQ and Field level, catering for the physical and mental health of all people working with MSF WaCA.

S/he will:

• review the current organization and dynamics of WaCA’s Staff health and Psychosocial support reinforcing both preventive and supportive initiatives.
• oversee all activities of the teams which objective is to support the physical and mental health of people working with MSF WaCA regardless of the position and location.
• manage the team (Medical Doctor and Psychologist) and support collaboration and development of all members.
• liaise with all key actors to guarantee that the Unit’s strategies and activities are implemented throughout WaCA’s portfolio, both in the field and in headquarter.

Main responsibilities

• Together with the HR Director and with the people working in the area, designs and implements the new set-up for the unit taking care of people well-being and health in WaCA.
• Responsible to develop, communicate and adapt MSF WaCA strategies as far as staff wellbeing and health are concerned.
• Responsible to oversee strategies and actions aimed at identifying, preventing and mitigating labor-related risks for MSF staff in support of Staff Health colleagues
• Guarantee coherence between Psycho-Social and Health Staff Doctor vision, strategies and activities. Specifically, guarantees a strong information flow while maintaining the correct boundaries of confidentiality.
• Manages the unit’s staff. This includes recruiting, orienting, accompanying, guiding and training unit’s members; develops personal growth opportunities together with units’ staff
• Under the supervision of the HR Director, establishes a course of action, defines objectives and budget as well as evaluates outcomes with regards to the unit’s overall mission
• Reviews and adapts WaCA staff health policies and – with the support of the team and in coordination with the other key actors – recommends key investments and strategies for the unit on an annual and multiannual basis. Specifically, develops frames taking into account the global workforce approach and under the assumptions of the WaCA Strategic Orientations
• Maintains quality service by enforcing standards; analyzes and resolve service problems, recommends system improvements by means of a holistic approach
• Liaises with all key interlocutors in order to guarantee that staff health and wellbeing is at the center of the MSF WaCA’s concern
• Ensures coherence of staff health policy within missions, as defined by Medical Coordinators.
• Coordinates with HR Director and Deputy Medical Director to guarantee alignment and communication flow as far as Field Missions are concerned for what pertains implementations or revisions of global policies related with staff health.
• Represents WaCA in intersectional platform meetings and pursues intersectional collaboration and mutualization, etc.…
• Represents MSF WaCA with external relevant authorities (both national and international).

Job requirements

Education

• Medical Doctor or Paramedical.

Competencies

• Full adherence and commitment to the principles and goals of MSF
• Strong leadership and decision-making capacity
• Strong people-management skills
• Strategic vision and analytical thinking
• Orientation to service and results
• Strong communication and negotiation skills

Professional experience required

• Field experience is with MSF in Medical Coordination position is essential.
• Direct experience in team management is highly desired.

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.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.