Senegal: Operational Advisor Cell 2 (Sahel)

GENERAL OBJECTIVE AND JOB ENVIRONMENT

The OCBA Operational Cell 2 (Sahel) current portfolio includes the missions in Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Guinea Bissau.

The Dakar Unit is a decentralized structure within OCBA whose role and purpose is to support operations in the Sahel and beyond. The Dakar Unit includes positions that will provide technical support, HR support, training, representation and advocacy support to the field missions.

MSF OCBA operations in the Sahel present a series of unique challenges. Humanitarian needs in the region remain massive with different degree of “visibility” by donors and international institutions compounded by an extremely fragile context with active threats from many different formal and informal actors (non-state armed actors, criminal networks, Jihadists transnational movements etc). In the last years OCBA operations in the region have grown while we face difficulties of access due to insecurity and we need to adapt our responses to different set of challenges in each country through adapted packages of decentralized care, displacement/refugees support and support to hospitals as well as increasing our emergency responses in the region. At the same time, and due to the specific security constraints, the presence/ support to the regular projects as well as in case of emergency response or assessments/explos in new areas is limited (conditioned to specific nationalities) and there is lack of proper oversight, which is combined with new MSF teams at project level and capital and HR gaps. In the meantime the African French speaking pool grows and gets consolidated need more closer support from the cell to coach and boost operations.

Finally we also need to improve our engagement with local and regional actors and leverage our presence in the area to influence the international actors through communication and advocacy.

Bearing in mind these needs, linked with the context in which our operations are developed, and in order to enhance the support the cell gives to the current and future missions/projects/teams and to increase visibility and oversight of operations at cell level, it has been decided to incorporate an operational support function with high mobility and no movement limitations in terms of profile.

The RECO Support will play a key role in responding to the challenges described above. He/She will be in charge of the follow up of the implementation of the missions and project plans, fostering timely and quality implementation and promoting a critical analysis of the results, helping the country coordination teams to propose new activities, strategies or approaches to respond to the needs of the populations that we serve. He /she is expected to provide a strong input in the definition of operational and advocacy strategies.

In addition, she/he will induct and coach new managers at country level as well as covering critical gaps in regular and emergency responses and leading explos.

As well he/she will contribute to improve the local and regional networking to improve access and will support the teams in the definition and follow up of the security guidelines.

Finally, taking profit of his/her position in Dakar together with the Head of Dakar Unit will contribute to build and maintain a network among humanitarian, donor, UN and regional institutions, academics and think tanks present in Dakar to increase OCBA’s analytic capacity concerning the different countries, actors or developments happening in the region, with tactical advocacy/representation for OCBA on relevant issues linked to operational needs/concerns.

This position will be based in Dakar maximum 40% of his/her time with a field presence (capital and projects) of 60%. S/he is hierarchically and functionally under the RECO; the RECO provides him/her with support, guidance, supervision and development of professional competences.

S/he is part of the Cell 2. The Operational Cell is made up of a person in charge of the Cell (Desk or RECO), a health advisor (TESACO), a logistics advisor (TELOCO), a financial advisor (FINOCO), a human resources advisor (REHUCO), a Comms Advisor and a cell assistant.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

1.Provides an in-depth critical analysis of the mission and project activities with the goal of giving the mission insights to improve our operations

• He/She contributes to the analysis of the project activities through the regular visits to the projects and analysis of the project outcomes, challenges, indicators and medical statistics. Based on this, he/she will discuss with the HoMs the definition of actions and new strategies to improve our operations, to be discussed and validated at cell level.
• S/he will make proactive proposals to the cell when potential opportunities for development are identified.
• Provides regular scanning of the humanitarian and medical needs in the region and report findings to the RECO

2.Provides induction/coaching to new management members at mission level as well as covers relevant gaps temporarily.

• S/he will support the new management members in field and capital positions, ensuring proper induction and/or coaching when agreed by RECO.
• As well s/he will cover temporarily gaps in relevant positions as critical FC position or HoMs in the portfolio

3.Ensures explo support and appropriate Emerg response

• He/she will lead explos in the region under the management of the HoMs
• S/he will provide the support necessary in the different emergency responses, providing an additional perspective and support.

4.Contributes to the local/regional networking to improve access and security management.

• Contributes to strengthen the local/regional networking through contacts with relevant actors to improve access and OCBA’s response
• Supports the mission with the development of actors mapping and regular context analysis
• Supports the mission in the development and implementation of security guidelines, highlightening the main challenges and proposing way forward.

Contributes from Dakar to the analytical capacity of OCBA portfolio and to the tactical operational advocacy of OCBA

• From his/her position in Dakar, together with the Head of Dakar Unit, will contribute to build and maintain a network among humanitarian, donor, UN and regional institutions, academics and think tanks present in Dakar to increase OCBA’s analytic capacity concerning the different countries, actors or developments happening in the region.
• S/he will contribute to the regional tactical advocacy for OCBA on relevant humanitarian and medical issues linked to operational needs/concerns agreed with RECO and HoMs.

6. Leads operational dossiers at RECO request

• She/He is fully involved in the Cell strategic decisions and actively challenges the RECO and the rest of the Cell members on the Regional and mission operational strategies
• Other dossiers according to needs and availability, eg Telemedicine dossier, evaluations etc

7. Leads follow-up and support of implementation of missions’ annual plans and project proposals

• He/She reviews the chronograms of the annual plans and project proposals, follows up, centralize feedback from Cell members and review with HoMs.
• Defines, together with the HoMs, the chronogram for delivery of reporting documents, and follows it up.
• Feedback to mission reporting documents. He/she is responsible for the Cell’s feedback to the sitreps and project reports.
• Supports the development of project proposals.

8. Leads the preparation and review of cell and mission key documents

• He/She guarantees that key mission and cell documents are prepared with the expected quality and validated on time by the RECO.
  • In collaboration with the HoMs, he/she prepares and follows up the schedule of preparation and revision of key documents.
  • He/she is the counterpart of the HoMs in the preparation of the documents and she/he manages the whole process and information flow between the mission coordination teams and the Cell.
  • The documents are:
  • Missions Annual Plans and revisions
  • Project proposals for regular and emergency intervention, including COPROs preparation
  • Country Policy Papers
  • Security guideline
  • Epreps
  • Explo ToRs and report

9.Ensure security back up and mission support during RECO absence.

SELECTION CRITERIA

• Degree from University or Higher Institute (in medicine, nursing, bio-medical sciences, social sciences, political sciences, economy, judicial sciences…).
• Minimum of 4 years’ experience with MSF in positions of coordination.
• Experience as MSF HoM compulsory.
• Highly knowledgeable of the Sahel context will be an asset.
• High interest in the international humanitarian context.
• Fluent in French and English.
• Advanced knowledge of Windows setting as a user (mainly Word and Excel).
• Strong experience and extensive knowledge in security management

Competencies

• Commitment to MSF’s Principles
• Cross-cultural Awareness
• Strategic Vision
• Results and Quality Orientation
• Service Orientation
• Initiative and Innovation
• Teamwork and Cooperation
• People Management and Development
• Security Awareness and Management

Others

• Availability and capacity to travel frequently and on short notice to all portfolio
• Flexibility with working hours.

CONDITIONS

• Temporal position based in Dakar at the Médecins Sans Frontières-Spain regional office with permanence at projects/capital at least 60% of the time.

• Annual gross salary: 42,960.00 € (divided in 12 monthly payments) + secondary benefits based on MSF OCBA Reward Policy

  • Housing Allowance and School Fees according to Dakar Unit Remuneration policy

• Commitment: 1 year

• Starting date: ASAP

• To apply, all applicants should please send their CV and cover motivation letter under the reference “OPERATIONAL ADVISOR CELL 2**” to** recruitment-bcn@barcelona.msf.org
• Please submit your CV and cover letter in ONE file and name the file with your LAST NAME.
• Closing date: March 18^th 2018
• Replies will only be sent to short-listed candidates.
• Médecins Sans Frontieres, as a responsible employer, under article 38 of “Ley de Integración Social del Minusválido de 1982 (LISMI)” invite those persons with a recognized disability and with an interest in the humanitarian area to apply for the above mentioned position.