HUMANITARIAN REPRESENTATIVE 332 views1 applications

Médecins Sans Frontières – OCBA (Operational Centre Barcelona – Athens) is looking for an
HUMANITARIAN REPRESENTATIVE (HRT) for East and Central Africa

(Based in Nairobi)

GENERAL CONTEXT

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international independent medical-humanitarian organization that offers assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict, without discrimination and irrespective of race, religion, or political affiliation.

The MSF movement is built around five operational directorates supported by 24 sections and offices worldwide. MSF OCBA (Operational Centre Barcelona Athens) is one of those directorates. Its operations are implemented by field teams and the mission coordination teams; together with the organizational units based in Barcelona, Athens, Buenos Aires, Nairobi and decentralised in Dakar and Amman.

Nairobi in particular and the East and Central African regions in general, are pivotal to MSF’s operations and social mission while at the same time providing substantial inputs that make us better. Nairobi is the second largest humanitarian hub in the world, replete with key political stakeholders from the region either based there or frequently passing through. In addition, the UN has placed its African headquarters in Nairobi and many other aid agencies’ decision making bodies are based there too. East and Central Africa are and will remain geographical areas of high operational volume for MSF. This is an opportunity for MSF to engage strategically in a regionally focused manner by dedicating resources to a more intensive and sustained approach.

MSF’s Nairobi Branch Office (NBO) was endorsed in 2017 with the objective of increasing strategic added value and support to the MSF movement, taking into account the vast potential that Kenya and East Africa have to offer. The NBO is under the management of OCBA but renders services to the MSF movement as a whole.

POSITION WITHIN MSF NBO AND THE BROADER MOVEMENT

The Humanitarian Representation Team (HRT) provides support to the MSF operations through linkages and actions to and from external networks (political, humanitarian, medical, and civil society). It is managed by the International Operations and Humanitarian Representation Coordinator. The HRT maintains active relations with its network and continually informs the MSF operations of the relevant analysed information. The HRT influences its network through specific actions for the benefit of the MSF programs and MSF operations’ goals. In carrying out its actions, the HRT responds to direct requests from the operational program managers (desks). Longer term positioning and actions are also co-ordinated within the HRT team are directed by the MSF operations at the HQ-level.

The HRT maintains active and effective internal links to co-ordinate its work. These include the reflection and advocacy centres of the operational sections, the Access campaign and partner sections (regarding their relations with their own host governments and regional networks – eg Canada, Germany, China, Australia, etc.), International President, Secretary General, International Medical Secretary & Medical Co-ordinator, medical working groups + others as necessary. The HRT interacts with the field missions of MSF (HoM-level) in order to improve the overall quality of the support to operations.

The position of Humanitarian Representative, East and Central Africa will:

• Be hierarchically accountable to the director of the NBO and functionally reports to the International Operations and Humanitarian Representation Coordinator (IOHRC); and
• Work in close collaboration with the other NBO Units/Members –(especially with the OCBA Medical Advocacy Advisor who represents the Access Campaign in the EA region)

JOB PURPOSE

As a member of both HRT and the NBO, and in coordination with other advocacy and representative persons in the region, the Humanitarian Representative for East and Central Africa:

• Implements and helps define the medical and humanitarian diplomacy strategy towards key (state and non-state) stakeholders of East African regional platform, in support of MSF movement-wide objectives.
• Improves and supports MSF’s understanding of the region and represents the region’s agenda within MSF.
• Takes the lead in knowledge management of networking and representation initiatives by all the members of the NBO

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

General:

• Contribute to the development of MSF representation and diplomacy objectives in support of MSF operations, utilising the regional viewpoint
• Develop and implement the strategies to deliver relevant messages to key interlocutors to the East African based entities and dialogue partners; over time, the expectation is the position will extend this support towards Central Africa.
• Provide MSF with information, analysis and advise on relevant regional issues
• Maintain effective linkages within the HRT team, with other MSF regional and international entities including with relevant working groups, and promote coherent messaging within the region
• Provide advice to Operational Centres, Section offices and International office on new opportunities and threats to MSF medical and humanitarian objectives arising in/from East and Central Africa as deemed relevant to the East African based platforms and partners.
• Accountable for delivering relevant strategic objectives on time and on budget.
• Exemplify, by his/her actions and conduct, the principles and mission of MSF.

Humanitarian Diplomacy:

• Introduce and promote selected MSF diplomacy objectives through attendance to relevant meetings and workshops, and through strategic interactions with the officials, diplomats and related institutions.
• Maintain mapping and analysis of regional policies and stakeholders related to issues relevant to MSF.
• Develop and maintain a network of relevant contacts with key actors and stakeholders
• Identify meetings and events in the EA region that are relevant to MSF or useful to raise MSF’s profile in the humanitarian community, and ensure appropriate MSF participation in them.
• Ensure that in-depth analyses of assigned contexts/themes are conducted, and maintain an overview of MSF’s involvement in these issues
• Stay abreast of the medical and humanitarian challenges faced by the populations in assigned contexts.
• Support the Operational Centres, in co-operation with other HRT members and other advocacy units, to develop coherent MSF messages on the salient humanitarian concerns encountered in the field, and develop the strategies needed to pursue these issues in EA platforms
• Produce and disseminate relevant written material for internal or external briefings to convey MSF position as and when required.
• Prepare, organize and facilitate meetings between MSF representatives and stakeholders within the East African region. Ensure that these are properly reported and shared in a timely manner.

As part of the NBO team;

• Take the lead in encouraging cross-departments collaboration for networking within MSF NBO and lead knowledge management on networking engagement by the NBO
• Contribute to building relations and networking with key stakeholders in Nairobi/EA to support MSF NBO institutional objectives.
• Contribute to the development of the Nairobi/EA community and stakeholders engagement plan together with colleagues in NBO with the key objective to effectively and efficiently raising the general awareness of / support for MSF
• Act as one of the links for NBO to international global movement messaging and advocacy.
• Contribute towards raising awareness of NBO staff on medical and humanitarian issues arising from MSF field operations.
• Short-term deployment to the field, if and when necessary, as part of emergency operations in the region, according to identified capacity needed.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Education and experience:

• Substantial operational field experience with MSF (or similar INGO) at senior-level in a broad range of contexts (5+ years)
• Solid knowledge of African society, culture, civil society, humanitarian and aid networks, and political systems
• Strong public communications skills and diplomatic character
• Masters Degree in related field or equivalent
• Excellent analytic capability and strong writing skills
• Fluency in English (oral and written)
• Ability to work independently; capacity to take initiatives and seize opportunities.
• Availability to travel to both other MSF offices and field projects
• Unwavering commitment to the aims and values of MSF
• Strong time management and general organisational skills

Desirable

• Knowledge of French (oral and written)

Required competencies:

• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Commitment to MSF’s Principles
• Cross-cultural Awareness
• Behavioral Flexibility
• Stress Management
• Analytical Thinking
• Results and Quality Orientation
• Service Orientation
• Planning and Organizing
• Teamwork and Cooperation

CONDITIONS

• Based in Nairobi, at the MSF Nairobi Branch office
• Full-time job.
• Annual gross Salary of KES 5,181,181. Benefits will be compensated in KES based on the Nairobi Branch Office secondary benefits package.