MSF Academy Deputy Director

This post has only been published in English as it requires a very good knowledge of  English.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides assistance in more than 70 countries to populations in distress, to victims of natural or manmade disasters and to victims of armed conflicts, without discrimination and irrespective of origin, religion, creed or political affiliation. 

MSF Academy Deputy Director (m/f/x) – Brussels – MSF Academy for Healthcare

CONTEXT 

The MSF Academy for Healthcare is an intersectional training initiative that focuses on strengthening the skills and competencies of healthcare workers in MSF projects, with the will to have a long-term impact on the quality of care in the countries where MSF intervenes.  

The Academy field teams are present in Central African Republic, South Sudan, Mali, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Yemen, and soon in Burkina Faso. Emphasis is placed on MSF’s locally hired staff, especially in the countries with the largest gaps in human resources for health (HRH) capacity (e.g. nursing staff in MSF-supported hospitals). Beyond MSF projects, the Academy also liaises with health authorities for joint recognition of its learning programmes and support to governmental programmes. Currently the Academy is running multiple programs such as the “The Outpatient care initiative”, a “Post-Graduate Diploma in Infectious Diseases” (PG DIP ID), the “Post-Graduate Diploma in Medical Humanitarian Leadership”, or “Antimicrobial resistance” (AMR) 

The Academy has a growing portfolio of projects addressing specific learning objectives for different categories of healthcare staff in MSF. All these projects, chosen in line with overall MSF operational and medical priorities, are increasing in scope and complexity. The Academy has a growing “global team”, composed of the director, deputy director, resource manager and 3 project managers as well as a strong technical team comprising medical experts and learning science experts to support our projects, and a group of distance-learning clinical mentors. In the countries where a training program is implemented, strong country teams are present. The global team counts 26 staff, and the field-based teams have 70 staff. The budget of the MSF Academy amounts to about 5.7 M euro for 2024. 

Our objective is to maintain a uniform educational approach in all our projects: competency-based learning; on-the-job training with the presence of strong tutors or clinical mentors; while striving to achieve appropriate accreditations for all trainings, often in collaboration with partner teaching institutes. By the end of 2023, a total of 1417 learners had enrolled one of the MSF Academy’s courses and 608 had graduated. 

From 2024 onwards, the MSF Academy is recognised as a collective investment for the MSF movement and is funded through the IPPC (International Project and Portfolio Committee) mechanism. In parallel, the MSF Academy is in contact with fundraisers in MSF offices to present it as a potential earmarked project for major donors and foundations with the objective of having a significant proportion (over 50%) of the MSF Academy covered by earmarked funds.  

As MSF Academy Deputy Director you are part of a core-management team under the leadership of the Academy Director, with close collaboration to ensure coherence and reach the following results:  

• The Academy has a long term, strong, dynamic strategy connected to the movements needs and ambitions 
• Its programmes are pertinent, well-designed and implemented along relevant quality criteria 
• A functional team is in place 
• A smart monitoring and evaluation framework 
• A functional and positive interaction with all key stakeholders inside the MSF movement 
• The development of strategic partnerships with external partners in support of the programmes; 
• A sound resource and budget management, including the attraction of earmarked donor funds for over 50% of the budget and the internal interaction and networking in view of the position of a collective investment project for the movement 

As the MSF Academy Deputy Director, you serve as the acting Director in his absence, ensuring the continuity and alignment of the Academy's strategic direction and operations. 

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES 

The allocation of responsibilities between the Director and Deputy Director is dynamic, allowing for adaptability to changing needs and is in line with the respective profiles of both people in the position who are complementary by design: one medical with strong experience in leadership, one more managerial, with strong expertise in resource management.  

The line management of the individual team members is shared between director and deputy. 

Your main responsibilities are: 

• Financial Strategy:
• Craft the financial trajectory of the Academy and its strategic alignment within the MSF movement 
• Direct budgetary processes 
• Actively support fundraising efforts to bolster the Academy's programs; including good communication and reporting tools 
• Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL):
• Generate comprehensive annual reports and overseeing data management for all initiatives 
• Guide the development of Acadata, enhance training resources, and address issues management related to the system 
• Analyze data through PowerBI, ensure smooth integration with Acadata and Tembo 
• Coordinate the MEAL framework with the dedicated focal team 
• Organize and share findings from external evaluations, spearhead debriefs for organizational learning, and set performance metrics 
• Mentorship: provide guidance to project managers, nurturing their professional advancement 
• Innovation & E-Learning Strategy: stimulate innovation across the team members & orchestrate the creation of an e-learning strategy that facilitates scalability 
• Stakeholder Relations: cultivate and sustain partnerships with key MSF entities, especially focusing on the Dakar office 

Specific programme management and supervision activities: 

• Be directly in charge of the management of “The Nursing & Midwifery initiative” ensuring strategic coherence and field implementation 
• This direct project management responsibility can change over time as the management approach in the global team of the MSF Academy evolves 
• Remain available to guide or lead assessments in preparation of new initiatives and to lead the start of new activities and programmes 

Internal Networking management  

• Participate actively in several platforms, working groups or governance bodies that concern medical learning in MSF in view of improving the quality of learning in the organisation and positioning the MSF Academy 
• Ensure a functional link with operations departments throughout the movement to increase the quality of the implementation of medical learning in the field and to significantly contribute to a stronger learning culture in the organisation 

REQUIREMENTS 

Education and Experience 

• A Master's level degree 
• Minimum 4 years’ international experience with Médecins Sans Frontières in the countries of operations, including 2 years’ at coordination level  
• Experience in budget and resource management is mandatory  
• Proven Experience in training programmes is required 
• A degree in educational science or health is an asset 
• Experience in fund raising is an asset 

Competencies 

• Knowledge and strategic understanding of medical-humanitarian work, regarding the medical-technical and the political dimension 
• Knowledge and strategic understanding on adult learning 
• Proven ability to develop a strategic vision 
• A demonstrated record of achievement related to the management and coaching of staff 
• Leadership skills 
• Strong experience in programme and project management 
• Good team management skills 
• Very strong organisational skills 
• Proven negotiation skills and good communicator 
• Flexibility in working hours  
• Strong cross-cultural awareness and adaptability 

Languages  

• Proficient level in English and in French is mandatory (oral and written) 
• Other commonly used languages in MSF (Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese) are an asset 

CONDITIONS 

• Start of contract: 01/12/24 
• Location: Brussels (Belgium) 
• Mobility: 3 visits to the Countries of interventions and 3 – 4 in EU to other sections per year   
• Contract type: Open-ended contract (CDI) - Full time 
• Salary according to MSF-OCB HQ grid  
• Meal Vouchers - Hospital Insurance (DKV) - Pension plan - 100% reimbursement for public transportation costs  
• Homeworking: 40% of presence in the office per week is mandatory  
• Adherence to MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust, Empowerment.  
• Adherence to the MSF Behavioural Commitments  

Deadline for applications: 30th of September 2024 

How to apply? 

Online applications to be submitted by 30th of September 2024 latest via the following link. After clicking on this link, you will be directed to our online application tool.   

Position only open to candidates with previous MSF experience ("Médecins Sans Frontières")!   

No MSF experiences? Check out all our job offers on our website 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

MSF values diversity and is committed to create an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, color or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. 

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