Context & Mission
Médecins Sans Frontières is an independent, international medical and humanitarian organization that provides care to people in need, people affected by natural or man-made disasters, and victims of armed conflict, without discrimination and without regard to race, religion, creed or political affiliation (MSF Charter).
The Project Manager will be responsible for the successful execution of the Insights-2-Action (I2A) project, delivering it within the budget and timeframe, and explore the scalability for wider adoption across MSF Movement.
The total data generated in the world double every 2 years, and much of it is knowledge. The forecast for the future is not going to get less, but more. And MSF is no exception to this: every day we generate more data, more information, and more content. Much of it is building the knowledge base of our organization. In addition, MSF looks at transforming itself, through major initiatives, but is also looking at incremental improvements, by implementing recommendations made by its nework of subject matter experts. This takes place against a backdrop of fast-moving, highly demanding, at-scale, medico-operational core business. This results in a scattered focus, dilution of efforts, and the propensity to engage in activities that may not align with the organization’s long-term goals or immediate needs. The I2A project aims to improve the handling of recommendations and actions in the field, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in MSF’s operations.
To tackle the problem detailed above, the project has various objectives: first, it will be critical to understand the problem by mapping past initiatives, conducting root-cause analysis, and reviewing relevant literature. Then, for designing the right solution, it will involve leading a design thinking process by conducting workshops, interviews, and focus groups to co-create a user-centric process. Finally, implementing and testing solutions requires developing and testing mock-ups and user stories, ensuring alignment with MSF’s needs and culture.
This project, which could lead to a multi-year program, has a strong transformational dimension for the whole MSF movement and beyond. It will co-create with field leaders, develop prototypes, and identify areas where technologies could come to reinforce the institutional knowledge and insights. The project will also explore MSF’s absorption capacity; ie. how can improved methods, monitoring techniques and a tailored tool could be incorporated in the medico-operational core function.
Responsibilities
Main Programmatic activities:
- In charge of the overall Insights-2-Actions project, its 2 workstreams and the exploration for scalability:
Workstream 1 – Understand the Problem
- Map past initiatives and MSF processes in solving this problem e.g. Data infrastructure, information management, accountability, GURU TIC Project, and capitalisation on log frame and recommendations.
- Conduct a root-cause analysis for the 20% of categories that counts to 80% of entries (recommendations).
- Conduct a literature review of what exist out-there (from the industry and similar businesses) that could feed into MSF’s reality, keeping relevance of the work done and efficiency
- In the two selected countries; Conduct interviews/focus groups/observations with key stakeholders (Ops, Cells, Logs, Risks, etc.): mixed method using direct observations (simulated activity) and design thinking workshops.
- Specifically: having a more in-depth discussion around absorption capacity and/or challenges around absorption (and documenting clearly the outputs of the discussion).
- Define the process (one or many) and criteria specific to treating recommendations not covered by usual organizational processes (POA, HQ projects and alike) that should apply with greatest likelihood of compliance and adoption with MSF.
- Other defined processes in the selected Operational Centers (POA, HQ projects, etc.)
Workstream 2 – Find the Right Solution
- From the two selected countries: Table-top few methods and weight their users’ adoption based on population type (ex. those making recos, those dealing with them). Users here being defined as two distinct groups: the recommendations provider and the receivers (recommendations implementers – field, HQ and other).
- Build a preliminary list of needs requirements and user story script that could be used in future phase
- Mock-Up a technological solution with one or two Off-the-shelf (OOTB – out of the box) tool
- Test the mock-up and user story with a small sample of key users
- Define the key minimum attributes, with their respective definitions (to feed the data catalogue) that must be followed through the process. List the main categories, groups (drop-down options) for each attribute.
Main Project Management responsibilities
- Ensures the project’s objectives are achieved within the scope, budget and time agreed upon
- Ensures full coordination between project’s objectives and streams
- Orchestration and coordination of the various actors (countries contributing to workshops, Learning and development coaches/mentors, consulting companies, partners and external providers etc.)
- Establishes, presents, implements and monitors the budget (phase 1 = 250K Eur / phase 2 = large-scale project up to 3M Eur)
- Prototypes solutions as well as testing with colleagues
- Implements project management methods and tools
- Prepares all materials for and assists the Program Sponsor in reporting to the Steering Committee.
- Ensures full compliance with the Project Management Office (PMO) and IT department methodologies, tools and standards
- Ensures key deliverables are produced.
Your Profile
Education
- An advanced degree in Public Health, Healthcare Administration, Systems engineering, Logistics, or a related field.
Experience
- 5 years of work experience as a project or program manager.
- Demonstrated experience in leading user-centric design amongst multidisciplinary teams and implementing cross-sectional interdisciplinary projects.
- Experience with audit processes, compliance requirements, and implementing recommendations, with a focus on iterative problem-solving.
- Experience in a field location with MSF is a strong asset.
Skills/ Technical competencies
- Excellent understanding of Digital tools.
- Capacity to lead design thinking workshops.
- Capacity to prototype solutions with few highly motivated champions.
- Outstanding analysis and synthesis skills.
- Capacity to lead internal and external project teams.
Languages
- English and French are the working languages of MSF Switzerland. Fluency in both English and French is required for this position (oral and written).
Personal Abilities/Qualities
- Strong capacity to manage expectations
- Outstanding capacity to deliver
- Strong analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and excellent communication skills, with a knack for creative and user-focused solutions.
- Autonomous and very well organized
- Charismatic and capacity to convince
- Excellent team player/team leader
- Quality and results orientated
- Flexible
- Pro-active
- Committed to MSF Values
- Proven ability to work with diverse stakeholders, including field staff, auditors, and subject matter experts, using collaborative and inclusive methods.
Terms of Employment
- Full-time position 100% (40h/week)
- Fixed-term contract, 12 months
- Ideal start date: 02.12.2024
- Working place: Preference for the position to be based within one of these OCs (Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels or Paris). Other locations may be considered.
- Gross annual salary: according to the salary grid of the MSF Hosting office
- The outcome depends on local legal limitations (residency, work permit, etc.) and on the agreement with the MSF Hosting office
How to apply
Candidates submit their application following the requirements: CV 2 p. max. – letter of motivation 1p. max. – in French or English.
Deadline for application is October 27th, 2024.
We reserve the right to close the position early if we consider the number and quality of applications received to be sufficient.
The applications will be treated confidentially.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Only applications submitted on our recruitment platforms will be considered.
Please note that we do not wish to use the services of recruitment or placement agencies.
At MSF, we are committed to an inclusive culture that encourages and supports the diverse voices of our staff members. We strive to create workplaces where teams of people with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, perspectives, ideas and experiences work together for the social mission of MSF to create better outcomes for our patients and the communities we work with.
We welcome applications from individuals of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, ethnicities, background, religions, beliefs, ability status, and all other diversity characteristics.
MSF does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo reference checks.