Regional Health Promotion Focal Point for East and Southern Africa

CONTEXT  

The medical department of MSF Belgium (OCB - Operational Center Brussels) plays a strategic role in defining how MSF’s medical strategy is implemented, ensuring both coherence and quality. Strategic support is provided throughout the project cycle. It has a normative role and a technical support function regarding implementation and follow-up of projects. The department also ensures knowledge transfer to the medical workforce and stimulates research and innovation by challenging current medical practices and scanning of new approaches. Composed of multiple specialists based across a network of units worldwide (Belgium, Brazil, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Luxembourg, and South Africa), the medical department works in close collaboration with operations, other OCB departments and the MSF movement. We also support MSF WACA (West and Central Africa) projects. 

The current Health Promotion (HP) support base setup comprises of one referent in Brussels and four regional focal points, who respond to the demand for technical support for all Health Promotion and Community Engagement (HPCE) implementations in West Africa, Central Africa, the Middle East, North Africa and Latin America. Integrating health promotion within projects has proven to be a vital part of supporting MSF’s medical interventions, employing strategies that engage the community throughout the humanitarian designed created to assist them.  

Requests to the HP support team can range from helping to revise HP strategies and providing or developing specific tools, to conducting project visits and actively supporting new approaches such as Digital HP or organizing context-adapted HP training. The support team also briefs and debriefs new HP staff, as well as PMRs, project coordinators and other colleagues. Furthermore, good HP practices and lessons learned are capitalized on and disseminated, while guidance and tools to support the development of a minimum HP standard are continuously developed. 

 
This new Regional HP support position is foreseen for South and Eastern Africa and will provide support to the projects in its portfolio: Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Example topics that the Regional HP may be responsible for as a first-line support for HP activities within projects may include Integrated Child Case Management (ICCM), blood donation, malnutrition, malaria, Sexual Violence, HIV, Tuberculosis and chronic disease, and health of excluded and vulnerable key populations, adolescents, and migrants.   

The Regional HP objective is to provide quality and context-adapted Health Promotion and Community Engagement support to HP and project teams (with HP-CE-Anthropology being seen as transversal and Patient Support Education and Counselling being integrated into HP). They are also responsible for mentoring and coaching junior HP supervisors or managers and Health Promotion/Patient Support Education and Counselling (HP/PSEC) staff, but they do not supervise anyone. 

As Regional HP focal point you report to the OCB HP referent in Brussels and works in close collaboration with the SAMU referents on the fields of HIV/Tuberculosis/Non-Communicable Diseases care.  

RESPONSIBILITIES 

Professional Objective 1: Provide project-based HP/CE support to projects in the East Africa region: 

• Support to junior HP supervisors / managers in the countries of intervention 

• Develop rapid qualitative assessments and surveys (anthropological, Health Seeking Behaviors, perceptions, population needs, satisfaction with MSF services…) 

• Provide HPCE/PSEC strategic orientations  

• Implement of HPCE/PSEC strategy and recommendations 

• Organise HP-related training 

• Implement of technical HPCE/PSEC tools (health education tools, assessment tools, monitoring tools…) 

Professional Objective 2: Remote HP/CE support to projects in the region (office based) 

• Act as First line responder for technical questions from the projects. Regularly updating / linking with the HP-CE- Anthropology referent to ensure coherence with the HP Framework 

• Provide sensitization on the position and role of HP-CE-Anthropology to support operations 

• Provide input on the CE/HP strategies and implementation plans. Promote PSEC integration where relevant 

• Give technical feedback and input on tool creation and Digital Health Promotion (DHP) campaigns 

• Facilitate collaboration among HPs and other relevant MSF colleagues to share knowledge and co-create material 

• Brief and debrief the HP supervisor, HP activity manager, Project Medical Referent, Medical Coordinator, Project Coordinator and other technical team roles 

• Monitor the HP programs by maintaining regular contact and reviewing monthly/quarterly reports 

• Establish a mentoring or coaching relationship with junior HP supervisors / managers, depending on the needs 

Professional Objective 3: Contribute to the development of the general HP framework, supporting the development and functioning of the regional HP community: 

• Increase the capitalization of experience from the projects and actively contribute to the HP knowledge database and Community of Practice (COP) 

• Support engagement about HP in the region and across the movement within the COP through webinars, workshops, knowledge sharing and the co-creation of material in collaboration with relevant colleagues 

• Collaborate with other referents/focal points/departments regarding support for specific topics e.g SRH, Nutrition, Key Populations, Adolescents, Pediatrics, etc, as needed 

• Collaborate closely with the DHP team, as part of the HP  

• Support the organization of the annual international HP training 

• Support the HP Referent with specific technical files, linked to the region and/or a specific expertise (e.g. PSEC) from the region or globally 

• Participate in the HP support – core group monthly meetings, HP-related forums and circles, and other meetings 

• Participate in HP Reflection Days once a year (Referent + regional HP support focal points) 

• Provide backup support to the regional HP focal points as required 

Professional Objective 4: Continue to work on the further development of PSEC and its integration into HP as a specific approach 

• Capacitate HP colleagues on PSEC interventions, strategies and approaches (technical and programmatic aspects for Chronic Care patients and affected communities) via training and mentoring 

• Support the integration of PSEC into the HP framework and toolbox and contribute to training sessions, workshops, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Knowledge Base (KB) etc.  

• Participate in developing a comprehensive, patient-centered strategic approach to chronic care 

• Participate in, facilitate and actively contribute to PSEC intersection contact group meetings and forums, international training sessions, update of PSEC guidelines and tools 

• Monitor the effectiveness of PSEC integration into HP  

REQUIREMENTS 

Education & Experience 

• Master’s in social science (including sociology or anthropology), Public Health, with focus on health promotion, community health and engagement 

• Minimum 2 years of working experience in managing HP programs, of which at least 1 year with MSF as HP activity manager 

• A solid experience in qualitative methodology is required 

• Experience in patient support, education and counseling (HIV/TB/NCD and key population) is a strong asset 

• Experience in multiple contexts and experience with multiple health topics common to the region is an asset 

Competencies 

• Competencies related to mentoring: active listening skills, rapport building skills, ability to give / receive feedback, championing mentees, confidentiality 

• Able to work independently and in teams with multiple stakeholders 

• Reporting skills, able to write guidance documents 

• Excellent management skills 

• Proven training, coaching and mentoring skills 

• Capacity to analyze and synthesize multiple inputs 

• Rigorous, organized, able to prioritize and work within agreed timeline 

• Adaptation to changing circumstances and contexts 

• Strong cross-cultural awareness and adaptability 

Languages 

• Proficiency in English is mandatory 

• Knowledge of French and/or Arabic is a strong asset 

CONDITIONS 

• Expected starting date: asap 

• Location: Nairobi, Kenya 

• Mobility: 70% travel to the projects  

Able to travel to all destinations (currently: Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, South Africa)  

• The contractual terms, conditions and salary will be established according to the official residence of the selected candidate and in compliance with the standard MSF East Africa Section function and salary grids 

• Contract type: fixed term contract – full time 

• Contract duration: 12 months (extendable) 

• Adhere to the MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment 

• Adhere to the MSF Behavioral Commitments 

Deadline for applications: 12th of August, 2025

How to apply? 

➢ Submit your application via the 'Apply here' button     
➢ You will be directed to the online application form for this position     
➢ It should take 5-10 minutes to complete. Thank you in advance for having your CV and motivation letter in English or French ready to upload (preferably in PDF format)   

Position only open to candidates with previous MSF experience! No MSF experience? Check out other job offers on our website.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.  

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