Head of PMO (Project Management Office)

Context & Mission

Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent humanitarian organization providing medical aid to victims of man-made or natural disasters, epidemics and endemics. Its Operational Centre in Geneva is responsible for medical assistance programmes in 24 countries.

MSF manages numerous projects at several levels: intra-departmental, transversal, and inter-sectional. The PMO (Project Management Office) is the structure in place at MSF OCG to structure, monitor and plan the portfolios of projects. The PMO promotes strategic alignment of ongoing and future projects with the organization’s priorities and fosters the continuous use of best practices to ensure successful delivery and implementation of HQ projects.

In addition this position supports the General Direction in the steering and the management of OCG strategic cycle. The Head of PMO reports directly to the Deputy General Director for Internal Affairs. His/her main responsibility is to lead the Project management Office (PMO) and to support the General Direction steering and managing the OCG through the annual plan of action cycle, ensuring it is in line with strategic priorities and plans.

The Head of PMO also serves as TIC (Transformational Investment Capacities) focal point on behalf of OCG within the MSF movement and accompanies the General Direction in organizational changes. S/he proposes Project Management related services to internal teams and projects, such as support in Change Management. Finally, s/he may also be in charge of other cross-cutting issues and dossiers upon delegation by the General Direction.

Main Activities

• Lead the Project Management Office (PMO) in OCG and strengthen the range and level of services it provides. Manage directly a Change Manager, and potentially other staff in charge of additional services proposed by the PMO;
• Accompany the 6 years Strategic Plan process from its design to its closing. Responsible for regular follow up of its priorities and objectives monitoring the achievement the stablished goals and Key Objective Results;
• Support the General Direction in managing the Annual Plan of Action (PoA) cycle for the headquarter. Organize the planning, prepare and disseminate the templates; Ensure the link with the PoA for field missions and HQ Financial Controller for budgetary aspects; Prepare PoA documents for Senior management review (GD, ComDIR or KEOPS) in support of the Deputy General Director;
• Coordinate the OCG Portfolio Committee to authorize and prioritize all institutional projects run at OCG taking into account available resources among other criteria, and monitor their progress on a continuous basis;
• Foster good project management practices and provide support to Project Managers, Project Sponsors and other stakeholders, including through the development of a project management approach, the creation of tools to facilitate the work of the project managers;
• Ensures communication with the Change Manager to addres identified change needs in projects within the portfolio as well as project evolution and status. Follows-up change management initiatives on regular basis with the Change Manager.
• Provide visibility to the ComDir over the project portfolio, including the way these projects contribute to the strategic objectives and what changes they bring at an organisation level. At the level of the individual projects themselves, provide a clear overview of progresses made, resources used, as well as the involvement expected from the different departments;
• With the support of the Change Manger, organize and facilitate regular hybrid training and workshops for the HQ and field audiences, focused on project teams. Improve the level of project management skills in the organisation, disseminate project and portfolio management knowledge through the organisation;
• Coach and provide guidance to project managers in the definition and the management of their project. Participate in the recruitment of project and programme managers;
• Upon request, participate actively on Projects life cycle as a steering committee member in all strategic projects;
• As TIC focal point for OCG, liaise with TIC secretariat, negotiate at an intersectional level to unlock critical situations and participate to the management of OCG TIC projects;
• Represent the General Direction in the FOROP platform as a non-voting member;
• Take responsibility of various tasks in relation with transversal dossiers upon delegation by the Deputy General Directors and General Director (e.g. coordination of transversal working groups)

Your Profile

Education

• Master’s degree in management for non-profit organizations, or related field
• Education and/or expertise in project and portfolio management
• A Project Management certification (PMP or Prince 2 certification) is an important asset

Experience

• Significant experience and track record in project management
• Minimum five years of professional experience,
• Experience with an international humanitarian (or related) NGO is an important asset
• Previous experience in coordinating projects involving multiple stakeholders and cross-cutting issues is an asset

Languages

• Excellent writing skills in English and French
• Sound oral communication skills in English and French
• Communication skills in German is an asset

Personal Abilities

• Service oriented
• Strong interpersonal and listening skills
• Solution-oriented, flexible and open-minded person
• Ability to work autonomously
• Capacity to take the lead and facilitate
• Ability to coordinate among numerous stakeholders, including people under and not under one’s supervision
• Convincing personality, capable of earning trust from stakeholders

Skills/ Technical competencies

• Sound knowledge of project management methodologies and tools
• Strategic vision and influencing capacity
• Service, result and quality oriented
• Able to take initiatives
• Capacity to work with multiple stakeholders
• Planning and organisation

Terms of Employment

• Full-time position 100% (40h/week)
• Open-ended contract
• Working place : Geneva,
• Ideal start date: As Soon As Possible
• Gross annual salary: from CHF 107’413.- to CHF 122’533.- (salary commensurate with equivalent experience and internal salary grid)