Head of Mission (m/f/x)

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.

The Belgium mission is looking for a Head of Mission (m/f/x)

CONTEXT

MSF’s mission in Belgium aims to address, through a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach, the health needs and key social determinants of most vulnerable populations, including migrants and undocumented people, resulting from widespread conditions of social exclusion and exacerbated by restrictive policies, while proactively engaging and promoting institutional change. As part of its objectives, the Belgium mission also intends to respond to specific emergencies (COVID for example).

The Belgium mission is therefore focusing on populations that are:

• On a migration journey within Belgium and the EU (extra-territoriality).
• Invisible and outside the existing social system and hence extremely vulnerable.

Through:

• Ensuring provision of a holistic, multidisciplinary and multi-partners response.
• Addressing a fluid and changing environment and being able to respond quickly to emerging needs.
• Ensuring Documentation, analysis, communication and advocacy.

A core “Regional Support Team” (RST) is being developed in Brussels and will be the interlocutor of the operational teams in Belgium, Greece/Balkan and Italy. Along the year 2022, the Belgian operations will engage in the reform driven by OCB’s Field recentralization programme/FRC, which aims at reinforcing the autonomy of the project teams by strengthening their responsibility and skills and adapting the support at country, regional & global levels. This process will review which specific support to the projects is essential at the country level and propose a possible transformation of the current coordination team (with change of responsibilities, roles & titles) into country support teams (CST). The FRC also aims at increasing access to internal knowledge & expertise at global level (referents/advisors).

Key note: this Job Description is subject to change based on the reform that will be driven by the field recentralisation programme of OCB.

RESPONSABILITES

The Head of Mission (HoM) is responsible for overall MSF’s operational response in Belgium. In collaboration with the Regional Support & project teams, the Belgium mission HoM is defining the operational strategy at country level. S/he is supporting the project teams in MSF’s programs execution and ensures their consistencies. The HoM works closely with the PC(s) in representing MSF’s interests before third parties. S/he is ensuring the compliance to MSF’s charter, ethical standards and policies as well as international and national laws and regulations, in order to realize organizational objectives and reach quality targets for the mission.

S/he oversees the development of the necessary analysis and networks (political, humanitarian, medical, and civil society) to pass MSF overall messages on migration and relevant topics (communication) and influence Belgian authorities, policymakers and the wider public (advocacy). S/he supports operations’ positioning aiming at gaining influence on Belgium as an EU member state and as a host country to refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants; and further develops and implements the advocacy strategy in link with migrant’s policy, mental health, migration and COVID.

It means:

• Guide the development of the operational country strategy, which means to define, monitor and update the MSF’s policy, annual plan and budget in the country, translating the identified needs into an operational framework and project objectives, monitor developments in MSF’s strategy and adapt the annual plan of the mission accordingly. The activities will be carried out in conjunction with the Belgian governmental services and the other organizations, in accordance with MSF values, medical ethics and the quality of medical programs (relevance, effectiveness, safety, adequacy and accessibility of MSF’s medical missions, “best practices” in medical care of patients).
• Monitor and analyse the political, humanitarian and security situation in Belgium for targeted population, and provide the project(s) with timely analysis about, but not limited to, migration, mental health, asylum reception system in which MSF operates, or follow the epidemiological situation in-country (COVID for example).
• Monitor the emergence of acute crisis in country and participate in the “launch” (direct or support) of emergency responses (e.g. population influx) or exploratory missions while developing an MSF country emergency preparedness capacity.
• In collaboration with the RST, coordination team and field staff, actively participate in the development of field recentralisation/FRC process and accompany the implementation of the proposed modification of the organizational set-up.
• Produce all required planning and program performance reports in line with the HQ reporting cycle. Promote and provide adequate ad hoc reporting in line with in-country operational and advocacy strategy.
• Develop and maintain a network of relevant contacts for MSF operations with all the relevant actors and with regional and federal levels. It means to ensure regular contacts and collaboration with competent authorities and donors, MSF partners and all other actors (including academics or localized citizenship initiative) in relevant fields of intervention. This also includes to work closely with other MSF missions in the EU on the operational aspects (strategy, medical, etc.) of responses to migration in Europe, or any other relevant thematic.
• Develop and lead advocacy strategies in collaboration with the projects, including stakeholders and power mappings, data collection systems. Provide analysis and increase the knowledge of MSF on current policy issues in Belgium relevant for MSF.
• In close collaboration with the advocacy manager & project coordinator(s), develop and support an internal and external communication policy for the mission projects in-country. Represent MSF and defend MSF’s positions towards the Belgian authorities and general public based on operational realities, through attendance to relevant meetings, strategic interactions with officials, briefings of relevant contacts, high-level correspondence, as well as public/media intervention.
• Implement Human Resources policy and ensure that MSF acts as a responsible employer in terms of working conditions and reduction of security and health risks (duty of care).
• Directly support the project coordinators in the implementation of the activities, with the aim of ensuring high quality assistance to the population and achievement of the objectives of the mission.
• Facilitate communication, information exchange and active participation of all staff in the development of the mission, reaffirming MSF’s values and philosophy to improve team motivation and commitment.
• Fostering a multi-disciplinary transversal approach.
• In close collaboration with the HR FIN coordinator, support the definition of development HR policy, including adequate training opportunities, detachment, adequate regular briefings/debriefings.
• Responsible for proposing a realistic budget frame for the agreed operations and accountable for the budget follow up and adaptations together with the HR FIN coordinator.
• Ensure the associative character of MSF is reflected in the briefing of all MSF staff.

REQUIREMENTS

Education

• University degree. Field of international relations, medicine, public health or paramedical is a plus.

Experience

• At least two years in management positions in humanitarian aid
• Essential experience with MSF or other NGOs
• Essential experience in migration project and migratory context
• Experience in outbreak management is an asset
• Experience in coaching of teams is an asset
• Experience in change management is an asset
• Desirable experience in developing countries, and multi-cultural working environment

Languages

• Fluent in French and English
• Dutch is an asset

Competences

• Strategic vision
• Leadership
• Coaching
• Networking
• Management and development of staff
• Communication and advocacy

CONDITIONS

• Start date: as soon as possible
• Duration of contract: 1 year, 100%, extension possible
• Location:Brussels (HQ)
• Salary according to MSF-OCB HQ grid – Meal Vouchers – Hospital Insurance (DKV) – Pension Plan – 100% reimbursement for public transportation costs
• Adhere to the MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment
• Adhere to the MSF Behavioural Commitments

Deadline to apply: 13 June 2022