Switzerland: MSF OCG : Medical Director

Context

Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent humanitarian organization providing medical aid to victims of man-made or natural disasters, epidemics and endemics. In its Operational Centre of Geneva (OCG), the steering and implementation of field programmes is under the responsibility of an Operations Department, which includes direct medical support capacities to ensure fundamentals are reached in all projects. The development of technical and/or strategic solutions adapted to complex medical challenges met in the field, or to fulfill chosen medical ambitions, is under the responsibility of a Medical Department. Collaborative work between the two departments is considered a cornerstone for the organisation to improve the general quality of its projects and level of care for patients.

The Medical Department's role in the following key areas is :

• Being in the vanguard of evolving trends, new challenges, technologies in the field of medical practice and science, in link with external clinical, academic and research institutions
• Providing technical capacities to fulfill the medical ambitions of the 2012-2015 OCG Strategic Plan and in particular those in relation with the Operational Policy, innovation and research;
• Addressing the field support needs in their response to medical and public health challenges, with the required flexibility and adaptation of priorities when facing emergencies or difficult conflict situations;
• Creating a better integrated work between Operations and Medical departments, through collaborative work platforms focusing on precise medical operational challenges, selection of standards, and improvement of practices.

The role of the Medical Department also includes, in relation with other involved Departments, a critical role on knowledge transmission to field medical staff through adapted trainings and fast access to key reference documents/tools, as well as recruitment strategies.

Mission

The Medical Director reports to the General Director. He/she is a member of OCG's Management Team (Comité de direction), in charge of the Medical Department. He/she participates to the MSF movement-wide Medical Directors platform and MEDOP platforms. As a member of the Management Team, he/she also actively participates to all meetings with the Board and the association's General Assembly.

The Director interacts with other members of the Management Team with regards to critical issues, shared institutional objectives and specific transversal dossiers he/she is responsible for.

He/she supervises a Deputy Medical Director, a departmental assistant and 3 to 4 managers of transversal projects (HIS, Improvement of healthcare, etc.).

He/she delegates to the Deputy Medical Director the management of the 5 medical leaders and the direct link with Operations.

Scope of responsibilities

By delegation from the General Director, the Medical Director is responsible and accountable for:

• The contribution of his/her department to the strategic framework of OCG (Multiyear Plan, Operational Policy); for the elaboration of the medical policy; and, as a member of the Management Team, for implementing the organization’s strategic choices within his/her area of responsibility
• The development of medical ambitions and their translation into a practical workplan (protocols, innovative tools, strategic guidance, guidelines if needed...), in alignment with the operational plan of action
• Timely, consistent and adapted to context answers to field questions necessitating expertise, external knowledge and research
• Mobilization and adaptation of his/her department to support operations, notably in the case of humanitarian emergencies, by developing solutions needing specific investment, partnerships, research, and when relevant health advocacy (in collaboration with Operations)
• The improvement of field medical practices, by strengthening training strategy and content, by adapting policy recommendations, by enhancing appropriation and respect for consensus-based medical norms and ethics, by contributing in collective forums with Operations to the organization's choice of standards, and finally by leading the process on serious adverse events prevention and management
• Capitalization of experience, participation to assessments and research surveys when needed, and support to implementation of operational research activities in the field
• The active building and maintenance of collaborations and partnerships with external institutions to facilitate technical surveillance and to adapt external knowledge to contexts of MSF operations; with competent units MSF in other MSF entities in order to make full use of potential synergies within the MSF movement
• The management of his/her department members, their work organization and the quality of the deliverables; the positive contribution of his/her department to the transversal projects and forums, and the good collaboration with the other departments, in particular with the Operations Department
• The representation of OCG in MSF international executive platforms, towards the Campaign for Access to Essential medicine (CAME), DNDI or with external global health actors, notably on health advocacy initiatives that are not linked to a specific project or mission but have a worldwide impact

Your Profile

Education

• Medical Doctor
• Specialisation in tropical medicine, epidemiology, public health is an asset.

Experience

• Field and/or HQ experience with MSF. This should preferably include a solid field experience, including in a country coordination position, preferably as Head of Mission or Medical Coordinator.
• Transversal project management
• Knowledge of recent developments in the field of humanitarian relief, international public health and tropical medicine.
• Proven affinity with advocacy, field documentation and research in resource poor settings.

Technical Competencies

• Precise understanding of medical humanitarian work with regards to the technical, public health, and political dimensions.
• Proven expertise in strategic and conceptual thinking, policy development, planning and monitoring of results, financial and human resource management.
• Ability to lead change through people i.e. ability to communicate vision and rationale for change and facilitate collaborative work (project management).
• Strong leadership capacity and proven capacity to coordinate managers, animate working groups, stimulate, lead internal debates and to give external presentations.

Personal Qualities

• Ability to carry a collective project
• Good analytical and communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, team spirit.
• Excellent narrative and synthesis skills.
• Ability to solve complex organizational issues.
• Flexibility and open-mindedness. Open to improve his/her skills (coaching).
• Mobility

Languages

• Fluent in English (oral and written)
• French is an important asset.

Terms of Employment

• Permanent contract, full-time position (100%)
• Based in Geneva, with mobility required for intersectional meetings and field visits
• Ideal starting date: November 2019
• Gross annual salary : from CHF 153'100.- to 162'80.- (salary commensurate with experience and internal salary grid)

How to apply

Candidates submit their application following the requirements:- CV 2 p. max. - letter of motivation 1p. max.- in English, in French. Closing date for application is 7^th July 2019.

APPLY HERE

The applications will be treated confidentially.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

For more details on the job offer or MSF, please visit our website: http://www.msf.ch/travailler-avec-nous/