MSF Spain Head of the OCBA Displacement Unit / Medical Referent Job 2015 - 2015

Médecins Sans Frontières Spain – OCBA (Operational Centre Barcelona – Athens) is looking for a Head of the OCBA Displacement Unit / Medical Referent, to be based in Nairobi, Kenya

Starting date: October 2015

Duration: 2 years

Reporting to: Deputy Director of Operations

General Context: Médecins Sans Frontières is an international independent medical-humanitarian organization, which 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, creed or political affiliation.

The MSF movement is built around five operational directorates supported by 23 sections and offices worldwide. MSF OCBA is one of those directorates.

The operations are implemented by field teams and the mission coordination teams; together with the organizational units based in Barcelona, Athens and decentralised in Nairobi, Dakar and Amman.

The field operations are guided and supported by 4 Operational Cells, the Emergency Unit and other departments supporting operations, including the Displacement Unit.

Context and Framework: After more than three years of life and having gone through the takeoff and stabilization phases, the EAU has entered a period of expansion as clearly recommended in the November 2013 external evaluation and distinctly expressed in the OCBA strategic plan 2014-2017.

The directions for expansion were part of the recommendations of a medical consultancy finalized in February 2015.

Among the proposals for expanding the EAU support capacity, the creation within the EAU of a multi-sectorial center of expertise for displaced population’s assistance was given priority based on:

• The OCBA decentralized units specialization plan


• The available expertise and experience in the Nairobi humanitarian hub


• The current MSF practices and guidelines for the assistance to refugees and displaced are based on the ‘emergency’ camp paradigm that does not necessarily apply to the entire displacement settings spectrum.

The unit has first and foremost an operational intention which is to improve assistance in situations of population movement and to develop the most adapted packages or products for specific settings (e.g. refugees in countries with functioning health systems, camp settings in failed states, camp settings in middle income countries, “invisible” refugees in urban settings, etc…).

The unit aims to make a practical contribution, partnering with a range of international and local organizations but beyond and parallel to its refugee focus; it seeks to feed the MSF movement with innovative practices /products and in the debate on humanitarian innovation and MSF added value.

Logistics, ICT, medical and humanitarian affairs are the sectors to be integrated in the Displacement Unit. But this conception is tentatively to be revised in 2016 after analysis and lessons learnt during the 2015 performance of the unit.

Objectives of the Position

General objective: To lead the Displacement Unit with the authority delegated by the Deputy Director of Operations and be the Medical Referent of the unit.

Specific objectives

• To lead the Displacement Unit defining the unit’s strategic orientation, design, objectives, modus operandi, timeframe and deliverables i. e. a roadmap


• To mobilize and engage the Directors and Heads of Service in order to create ownership of the unit among OCBA departments so the unit is part of their planning.


• To steer the OCBA reflection and contributions on the assistance to forcibly displaced populations and exploit the synergies within the MSF OCs and other international external initiatives revolving around population on the move and innovation


• To mobilize resources internal and externally for the development of the unit


• To do external networking and identify potential local or international partners


• To deliver tangible outcomes according to the planned medical topics

Responsibilities and Tasks

Responsible of:

• Constant scanning of operational needs and challenges when providing humanitarian assistance to refugees and internally displaced population 2016-2017 Unit’s plan construction: Objectives, activities, partnerships, resources and budget


• Liaising and sparring with DDO, RECOs, TESACOs and TELOCOs as well as with HR, Logistic, Medical and Comms Directors and Heads of Service in order to adapt the Unit’s services and resources to the OCBA operational challenges in displacement settings.


• Regular contacts and feedback with the MSF OCs and partner sections.


• Link with the OCBA Amman and Dakar Units.


• Keep and expand the network of regional relevant actors involved in research, assistance, protection, advocacy and policy development and implementation related to internally displaced and refugees


• Design the internal and external visibility and commas strategy, plan and tactics


• Supervise, promote, steer and support the implementation in the field of the Unit’s innovative outputs


• Ensure support and supervision for the day to day management of the team (coordination, regular internal formal communication, coherence between objectives and resources, and timely decision- making) to ensure that objectives be achieved


• Deliver the planned medical outcomes and supervision of delivery of the logistic and IT ones

Education and Experience

• Degree from University or Higher Institute in a medical discipline


• Minimum of 5 years’ experience with MSF or another humanitarian organization in coordination positions


• Highly knowledgeable of and interested in the international humanitarian context and population displacement in particular Fluent in English, Spanish and French (at least two languages).


• IT knowledge as advanced user.

Competencies

• Commitment to MSF’s Principles


• Cross-cultural Awareness


• Strategic Vision


• Results and Quality Orientation


• Service Orientation


• Planning and Organising


• Initiative and Innovation


• Teamwork and Cooperation


• Leadership


• People Management and Development


• Security Awareness and Management