You are responsible for the design, set-up and overall management of key emergency responses and operations. You are responsible in part for contributing towards safeguarding and enhancement of OCA’s organisational emergency response capacity.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent medical humanitarian organisation with the purpose to preserve life and alleviate suffering, while protecting human dignity and seeking to restore the ability of people to make their own decisions. MSF provides assistance to people worldwide, regardless of their background, religion or political convictions. Above all, we aim to save lives and to offer medical care to victims of wars, disasters and epidemics. MSF’s staff give direct support to the population and commit to act as witnesses to events surrounding populations in danger. MSF also appeals to those in power, including governments and international organisations, and speaks out about the abuses we encounter in the course of our work. The underlying basis for realising MSF’s objectives is respect for medical ethics, humanitarian principles, human rights and international humanitarian law.
MSF Operational Centre Amsterdam (OCA) currently operates medical humanitarian interventions in 25 countries. On a yearly basis MSF-OCA deploys over 800 internationally mobile staff and employs approximately 12000 locally recruited staff. At headquarters in Amsterdam, approximately 350 employees offer their support to the projects.
The Emergency Support Department (ESD) is part of operations and plays a key role in responding to (new) humanitarian crises and emergencies. The ESD conducts exploratory assessments; initiates and manages large scale or complex interventions to support people in precarious situations. The ESD also provides support to existing projects and activities in promoting and guarding emergency response capacity, enabling continued functioning of existing projects in long-term emergency and/or highly insecure settings. It coordinates with departments throughout the organisation to ensure and safeguard our emergency response capacity and focus.
The ESD consists of a headquarter based Emergency Desk (Edesk) of currently six people, the Head of the Department, four Emergency Managers (two non-medical and two medical) and an Operations Officer, as well as several dedicated advisors and officers. The ESD works in close collaboration with other functional and thematic support departments. Managed directly by the Edesk is the OCA Emergency Team for rapid deployment in the field (approx. 23 positions, mixed medical and non-medical profiles).
As per mid/late August, MSF-OCA Emergency Desk is looking for an:
Emergency Manager (Interim)
6-month cover based in Amsterdam (NL)
Position in the organisation
Reports hierarchically to the Head of the ESD
Works in close cooperation with the ESD (Medical) Emergency Managers and ESD Operational Support Team
Hierarchically manages the Head of Missions and Emergency Coordinators in relevant countries
Is an active member of the Operations Department and works closely with other key members of the Department (eg, Operational Managers, Operations Advisors, Security Advisor, Director of Operations), as well as co-operating with various other OCA departments
Objectives of the position
You are responsible for the design, set-up and overall management of key emergency responses and operations. You are responsible in part for contributing towards safeguarding and enhancement of OCA’s organisational emergency response capacity.
Main duties
You monitor and identify potential emergency interventions through scanning and monitoring of the world, with focus on conflict, outbreaks, displacement, political unrest, natural disasters, etc
You have the responsibility to manage and lead specific emergency response programmes either within an existing country program or as a standalone intervention. You define intervention strategies, set priorities, guide activities, oversee implementation and make decisions on key aspects of the response.
You ensure that emergency response programmes address core humanitarian and medical needs, in line with the OCA strategic plan.
You contribute to maintaining and building capacity in the organisation to execute timely and effective emergency responses in different settings.
You provide strategic guidance and support to the country operations leadership. You safeguard MSF’s values, principles and policies.
You ensure that security management is adapted to the situation in emergency response, effectively balancing risk and impact. You ensure that security incidents are well managed, and you may initiate the response to and advise on critical incidents. You may lead the response after consultation with the (dep) Operations & Advocacy Director.
You contribute to sharing and improving coherence across OC’s (including country program) with regard to execution and compliance with values, principles and policies.
You support in the management and development of the Emergency Team members.
You contribute to the development of emergency capacity with OCA through facilitation of trainings, contribution to policies and guidelines for OCA.
You must be willing to work long and irregular hours and available to travel at very short notice, either to new emergency contexts or countries of operations. You may spend up to 40% of your time in the countries of operation.
Specific tasks
Design and develop relevant, effective medical-humanitarian strategy and programming
Set priorities, guide activities, oversee implementation and make decisions on key aspects of the response
Chairs the operational support team (OST) for the interventions that s/he manages, and ensures adequate performance of staff in these OST’s
Facilitates and contributes towards internal trainings (eg, PPD, PMC, LMC, PSP)
Provide regular (internal and external) updates and reports on Emergency Desk managed interventions
Represents MSF-OCA (emergency operations) in various internal and external forums including public media
Works on specific files/dossiers with the ESD as defined and delegated, e.g., Estock management, ESD Sharepoint content development and management, review of emergency tools/guidelines, working groups, development of new initiatives, etc.
Quality of emergency response including support in defining medical operations strategy, advocacy and communication strategies, policies, and including compliance with values, principles and policies
Your profile
Required
BSc/ MSc in (an area related to) operations, logistics, business administration.
At least 6+ years' experience working in humanitarian operations, with 2 years' experience working for MSF in the position of Head of Mission, Emergency Coordinator or Medical Coordinator for MSF.
Willingness to travel to unstable and conflict settings and ability to provide direct emergency support to field programs for several weeks at a time, at short notice (ie, 48hrs). Up to 40% of time may be in the field. Willing to work irregular and long hours in the spirit of MSF.
Experience with emergency aid in complex political and humanitarian contexts.
Proven communication skills (verbal and written) are necessary to act as a proper intermediary between the field and the office.
Being a team player will be crucial, as the operations team will have to complement and support each other. You should be a result-oriented manager
Proven ability to provide strong leadership, strategy and vision in program management
Excellent communication and negotiation skills (oral and written)
Capable of coaching and managing people and programs at a distance (ie, phone, email)
Proven ability to analyse complex situations
Experience of initiating, organising and managing various types of emergency operations
Experience in managing humanitarian operations in complex security settings
Experience in initiating, design and implementation of advocacy strategies including public communication
Good knowledge of the MSF organisation (preferably both headquarters as well as field) and of MSF policy and procedures
Representative skills; proven experience in negotiation
Positive personality able to motivate others in extreme challenging situations; flexible & attitude and stress-resistant
Based in Amsterdam, working from the office. Remote working for occasional days possible
Desirable
Good level of French (and/or Arabic and/or Spanish)
Medical background or strong affinity with emergency public health; good understanding of structures and actors in the humanitarian field
We offer
A temporary 6-month contract
Salary grade 18 with a gross monthly salary between €5,251 and €7,229. The exact salary will depend on relevant work experience
Other benefits include:
30 paid vacation days annually pro-rata
A premium free pension where MSF covers 100% of the monthly pension contribution
8% holiday allowance, paid out with the salary once a year in May pro-rata
Commuting allowance (terms and conditions apply) & work from home allowance
L&D will support you with a variety of learning and development opportunities with internal and external trainings and courses
Discounted daily lunch at the office
An environment that fosters diversity, with colleagues from around the world representing various cultures and background
Application
If you recognise yourself in this profile, we encourage you to apply directly via our website and upload a letter of motivation + Curriculum Vitae (in English) as one combined document.
The application deadline is July 14 2024 at 23:59 CET.
Information
If you are interested in this post and would like additional information, please contact the current Head of ESD, Will Turner will.turner@amsterdam.msf.org.
If you would like additional information about the recruitment procedure, the terms and conditions or the organisation, please contact Ali Hamdan (Recruitment Specialist) ali.hamdan@amsterdam.msf.org