Belgium Director of Operations (m/f)

Background The present organisational structure of the Operations Department is made of a team of three Directors of Operations (DOs) responsible for the management and supervision of operations within the Operational Centre Brussels (OCB).

They respond to a series of decisional, conceptual, productive, coaching, and representation responsibilities, both towards the operational cells as within the Operations Department, the OCB group, the MSF movement, and the external world. They report to the OCB General Director, and collaborate and assure coherence with the directors of the other departments.

The DOs are responsible for specific teams, the overall coherence and strategic policy of operations in the OCB, and the management of the department. Dossiers related to internal OCB issues, MSF movement and external organisations are divided between the three directors.

Role  Ensure coherence in operational portfolio of the OCB.  Define, elaborate and follow up operational strategies assisted by the other departments.  Decision making with regard to operational strategies, project implementation, adaptation, etc.  Select, support, and coach the cells, the Heads of Missions (HoMs), and co-ordination teams in general.  Support and follow up of specific dossiers as agreed in the DO team.  Ensure coherence of operational ambitions with OCB resource policies.  Represent OCB at external and internal meetings, at MSF international platforms, and towards the media.

Job profile  Lead discussions on the operational prospects of MSF and of the entire movement and formulate the overall operational policy of MSF in the countries and regions he/she is responsible for (vision).  Lead and steer the preparation of the annual exercise of the MSF operations in the countries and regions under direct responsibility and endorse them.  Help design projects, prepare them, and exploit acquired experience on-site, while defining themes specific to the development of the missions concerned.  Decide on exploratory missions, on starting, reorienting, and ending projects through the decision making platforms (project committees and annual review of operations).  Stimulate and assume responsibility for "Speaking Out" on the regions of concern (restitution, information, evidence, and the taking of positions emanating from missions).  Develop and implement the operational policy and the budget for operations as approved by the Board of Directors.  Ensure (with cells) the adequate elaboration and close follow-up of the operations’ budget (incl. improvement of management tools).  Support, coach, and manage the cell teams in their functioning and decision making process (incl. organisation, evaluation, feedback, being available for advice etc.). Ensure an inter-cellular coherence and a motivating departmental identity.  Develop and exercise a representative function vis-à-vis sections in the movement, governments, international bodies and sponsors along a strategic framework (this is in complement and pertinence to initiatives in this sphere taken by HoMs and COs).  Decide on the allocation of funding to projects via the project committees, in coherence with the annual operations budget.  Decide on the final selection of Heads of Missions (HoM) and delegate the evaluations to the COs.  Ascertain and guide the creation of an operations database and collective memory.  Contribute to the formal decision making platforms.  Work on certain internal dossiers to enhance the operational debate.  Facilitate operational modules during internal trainings

Person’s profile  Minimum 5 years' experience with Médecins Sans Frontières, with a solid MSF field experience as a HoM or Medical Coordinator;  Strategic vision;  Ability to manage teams, budgets and processes;  Sense of initiative and human relations;  A medical background is an asset;  Ability to be an active team leader and player;  Excellent communication skills required;  Dynamic and proactive;  English is essential (working language); fluency in other languages is an asset (French in particular as many missions are in French-speaking countries);  Willingness & availability to travel frequently, mobility between headquarters and field projects is vital.

Conditions  Based in Brussels  Moral commitment: 3 years  Indefinite period contract, but the mandate is limited to six years  Full-time position  Availability: should be available to start November 2011

CV and application letter to be sent before October 11th, 2011 to Emilie Delcroix, General Direction Assistant, Rue Dupré 94 - 1090 Brussels. Mail: emilie.delcroix @brussels.msf.org www.msf.be