NEONATOLOGY COP FACILITATOR (BASED IN ANY MSF OFFICE)

POSITION BASED IN ANY MSF OFFICE SUBJECTED TO FEASIBILITIES

GENERAL CONTEXT

Several change management programs are currently planned or under way across MSF, with the aim to improve the way that staff work, interact and learn from each other. These include TEMBO. TEMBO (elephant in Swahili) is a learning approach and system that helps learners take control and manage their own learning by providing MSF staff with personal learning and development environments (PLDE).

Communities of Practice (CoP) are part of the TEMBO learning and support ecosystem where MSF staff can share ideas, experiences and knowledge and tackle issues together in a safe space. The overall objective of the communities of practice initiative is to facilitate the articulation, documentation and internalization of knowledge and experiences in MSF in a dynamic and participatory manner. They allow staff in dispersed locations to connect, share, collaborate and build knowledge together via a virtual platform. Opportunities for these types of exchanges and learnings are limited due to MSF staff distance from each other, rapid turnover of staff, challenges with access (limited internet and computer access to some projects) and limited opportunities to meet face-to-face (F2F) as a community.

By encouraging communities of practice (CoP), MSF can promote greater horizontal and vertical collaboration and learning among MSF staff which will contribute both to individual growth and development (knowledge and competencies). Through this process, MSF will contribute to the capitalization of field and HQ staff´s personal knowledge and experiences providing a space for the documentation, articulation and sharing of these among each other and real time knowledge transfer. CoPs will improve the organizational quality of interventions, thus improving patient and population outcomes and better responding to the needs of the teams on the ground thus ensuring both effectiveness and their impact. Moreover, through the exchange of real-life practice, the community will enhance the transfer of knowledge to their workplace.

GENERAL CONTEXT OF THE OCBA NEONATAL COP

The Neonatal Community of Practice is a new CoP within OCBA established in 2021. At present the CoP is externally moderated by a TEMBO facilitator and an OCBA Paediatric Referent Focal Point who both encourage dialogue discussion, debate, and creative exchange with the fields about key issues they may be experiencing.

The Paediatric Referent focal point is the first point of engagement with the field, stimulating discussion, debate and identifying topics of interest as well as engaging members to organize live events and challenges. S/he is also responsible for paediatric technical content supervision. The TEMBO facilitation function concentrates on coordination of the engagement sessions, live events and challenges, plus communication and reporting.

The long-term vision for the CoP is that it will become independent self-sustaining entity, where conversations will be started and driven by the field. An internal TEMBO Value assessment will take place in Sept 2022 to assess the value of the extra support provided by the CoP facilitator function and understand ongoing support needs. Following this in Dec 2022 a short risk assessment on CoP function, lessons learned and gaps will be undertaken to help decide on the appropriate CoP support structure.

The main objective for the Neonatology Community of Practice Facilitator is to be the main coordinator of the CoP, engaging with members enhancing and supporting the active participation among targeted MSF staff. A secondary objective will be to support the transition planning of the CoP from an externally moderated platform to a more independent structure.

The Neonatology Community of Practice Facilitator is hierarchically accountable to the TEMBO CoP Coordinator and functionally accountable to the Paediatric Referent Focal Point. Both positions will provide overall guidance on the role.

MAIN RESPONSABILITIES, FUNCTIONS AND TASKS

General responsibilities

• Promote broad participation in MSF Neonatology Communities of Practice by encouraging various contributions from all members perspectives and opinions on topics of importance within the community ensuring inclusivity.
• Provide coordination support to enable effective knowledge sharing and partnership building within the CoP including for events.
• Overseeing and managing day to day CoP activities, communication and engagement.
• Develop and oversee the transition plan for the CoP from a moderated platform to an independent, self-sustaining, field driven platform and identify the key needs, challenges and resources to do this including through supporting on a risk assessment process (Q4 2022).
• Build trust within the communities of practice by inviting risk taking, encouraging learning from mistakes, and fostering mutual trust. Support trust building by acknowledging members’ feelings and learning experiences, upholding norms of interaction within the group, and work collaboratively with Community owners and stakeholders in order to build a safe space for members to take risks, learn from mistakes and foster mutual trust.

Community-building activities

• Reach field staff to foster awareness about CoP and to increase engagement and participation.
• Stimulate the formation of a group of active participants both at field, HQ and intersectionally, through engagement of key stakeholders within MSF and connecting informally with members of CoP, crossing organizational boundaries (missions, departments, etc.) thus ensuring that the CoP initiative does not lose momentum and remains active for participants.
• Plan, facilitate and moderate CoP activities, discussions and communication (convening, drafting, and identifying explicit knowledge in results).
• In collaboration with content experts and learning referents, identify “core” issues to be addressed timely within the CoP and develop appropriate activities / discussions linked with these issues.
• Establish value feedback loops from the field to ensure that CoP content is relevant and utilized.
• Organize relevant activities, including but not limited to engagement sessions, webinars for experience sharing or workshop development and other outreach activities (challenges, conversations, news board).
• Navigate and manage functional hierarchies and internal protocols to help mainstream the CoP.

Internal contribution to TEMBO CoP Team

• Create communication related material.
• Support cross-team learning within the TEMBO team and other teams such as Knowledge Management Team, TM and Learning and Development to better integrate the CoP into other initiative such as flying facilitators.
• Support, design or facilitate internal TEMBO meetings or workshops as required.
• Support in preparing for the CoP evaluation process.
• Participate in other internal team activities related to coordination and support for the CoP initiative.

SELECTION CRITERIA

• Professional background as nurse, midwife, general doctor or paediatrician, with a recent MSF field experience in neonatology/paediatrics (last 5 years).
• Fluent written and spoken English and French. Desirable Spanish and/or Arabic.
• Prior experience in planning, implementing and evaluating complex projects is an asset.
• Experience in facilitation, stakeholder engagement, networking or developing virtual or in-person communities is an asset.
• Co-creation/co-design/collaboration skills are an asset.

CONDITIONS

• Position based in any MSF office. Final location will be subject to the employability of the preselected candidate (residency, work permit, etc.).
• Part-time position (25% FTE).
• Contract duration: 6 months.
• Annual Gross Salary: level HQ-2C (divided in 12 monthly payments) + secondary benefits based on MSF OCBA Reward Policy. Subjected to local conditions.
• Starting date: ASAP.