HEAD OF MISSION

Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator (in country) or HQ ADVOCACY, HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS ADVISOR OR REFLECTION UNIT

OPERATIONS

Supervises Humanitarian Affairs Officers and relevant staff responsible for humanitarian affairs and/or advocacy activities

The Humanitarian Affairs Manager is responsible for managing all humanitarian affairs advocacy activities in the country in line with MSF policies and values, following the Operational line and the Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator where relevant and linked with the HQ Humanitarian Affairs or Reflection Unit. (in absence of a Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator) The Humanitarian Affairs Manager is a member of the Country Management Team (CMT) and acts as a sparring-partner for all operational and medical teams.

CORE TASKS

• Defining, implementing and where relevant coordinating all MSF humanitarian affairs and advocacy activities for the country team, including identifying the humanitarian issues of concern to MSF, drafting advocacy strategies addressing the medical and humanitarian priorities, and ensuring that advocacy components are included in project and country operational strategies.
• Supervise the quality of field-level data collection (under MSF ethical guidelines) for humanitarian affairs and advocacy purpose.
• Analysing and reporting on key humanitarian issues and trends ; provide regular updates on humanitarian aid system dynamics (NGO/Donor planning, Red Cross movement activities and positioning) to increase the leverage and the impact of MSF advocacy in line with operational plans, regular activities and medical-humanitarian advocacy objectives.
• Draft ad hoc talking points and internal/external reports in relation to main medical-humanitarian concerns while strengthening the integration of humanitarian affairs (analysis, critical reflection, contextual understanding) and operational communications.
• Advises CMT and Head of Mission/Medical Coordinators on perception related to positioning and operational strategy and in collaboration with the FCM supports insurance of good acceptance for MSF projects/presence.
• Drafts regular situation reports for country team/HQ as well as reports for external use in line with country advocacy strategy.
• If relevant, manages, supervises and develops staff under his/ her direct responsibility.
• Supports in close coordination with the Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator/Operations staff and HR department, the associated processes (recruitment, training, performance management, development and internal communication), of the appropriate staff to ensure both the sizing and amount of necessary knowledge.

DATA COLLECTION - ANALYSIS

• Design and support the implementation of data collection systems with regards to the country context (focus on national level with potential regional/global repercussions, and local developments in project locations), and medical-humanitarian issues, in order to provide reliable information for operational and strategic decision-making.
• Provide data and discourse analysis in support of the Head of Mission to inform MSF positioning in-country (project-level and at national level), particularly in terms of political / operational environment (regulation frameworks, donor/aid agreements, trade and economic developments).
• Propose improvements in the methodologies and tools used, and provide trainings to in country teams as required
• Undertake actor mapping and stakeholders’ analysis on behalf of projects and, while providing guidance / support to PCs for the management of relations with local authorities, and strategic advice to Head of Mission / Medical Co for national-level organizational positioning

REPRESENTATION - COMMUNICATION

• Support networking needs by participating in representation duties in non-project locations (on delegation from the Head of Mission), including with domestic civil society, professional groups (doc-tors’/nurses’ associations), and local academics/universities.
• Link with other MSF sections in-country to share analysis, define common positions and develop inter-OC advocacy initiatives.
• On request/project basis, interact with the international MSF advocacy network (reflection centres, the HRT network, the MSF Access Campaign, etc.) to provide updated contextualized medical-humanitarian content and support on defining tailored advocacy strategies and messages.
• Lead discussions, trainings, briefings, etc. on the country’s medical-humanitarian context, MSF principles, international humanitarian law, medical ethics, and advocacy activities/strategies to raise awareness of MSF national and expatriate staff on these topics.

ON REQUEST

• Undertake in country assessments (in relation to data gathering/context analysis or exploratory assessments) and other work-related traveling as required.
• Draft Terms of Reference, supervise, and evaluate other humanitarian affairs staff deployed to the country (Humanitarian Affairs Officers).

• Essential degree (anthropology/social/political sciences, law, gender studies, protection) with first-rate writing skills and excellent research / analytical skills - Campaigning organizational experience an asset

• Essential previous working experience of at least three years in humanitarian affairs, research, analysis or advocacy.
• Essential experience with MSF or other NGOs.
• Essential working experience in developing countries.
• Good understanding of current humanitarian debates and of the dilemma/compromise nature of modern humanitarian interventions

| Country team working language mandatory. Local languages desirable. |

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• Essential computer literacy (database design/analysis, MS package, and internet-based research) |

• Commitment to MSF’s Principles L2 / L3
• Analytical Thinking L3
• Strategic Vision L3
• Planning and Organising L2
• Teamwork and Cooperation L2
• Leadership L2
• People Management and Development L2
• Networking and Building Relationships L2