Recruitment Campaign for Heads of Mission (ALIMA) – M/F

We are ALIMA, an Alliance of doctors, local NGOs and researchers, based on co-construction. Our ambition is to transform humanitarian medicine by drawing on research and innovation to multiply the effectiveness of its actions and better protect populations from tomorrow’s health crises.

In 2025, we are expanding our activities by strengthening our presence in West and Central Africa, and pursuing our deployment in East Africa and Haiti. With this in mind, we are launching a call for applications for future Heads of Mission.

YOUR MISSION

The ALIMA Head of Mission is the NGO’s representative in the country of assignment. Reporting to a program manager based at headquarters in Dakar, you will be responsible for developing and implementing the operational strategy at country level.

You are the guarantor of the quality of your mission’s activities. You will launch initiatives, define objectives for each department, and provide the coordinators with the means to achieve them. Furthermore, you will plan, organize and coordinate all mission activities, finding solutions when necessary. In some countries, ALIMA works with local NGO partners. In these countries, you will also be responsible for helping to strengthen their operational and managerial capacities.

You will regularly analyse the humanitarian, political, economic and social context of the country in order to propose an operational strategy that is relevant and coherent with the context and needs, and adapted to ALIMA standards.

You will represent ALIMA in your country of mission and maintain close relations and regular exchanges with the administrative health authorities at national level. You will identify, develop and maintain a network of collaborations adapted to operational and security needs. You will organize and/or develop partnerships as part of ALIMA’s international strategy. You will be invited to participate in clusters to feed into and influence the definition of humanitarian/medical needs and operational priorities.

You will be on the front line in identifying new donors and funding opportunities, while maintaining links with existing donors. You will take final responsibility for writing responses to calls for projects and interim reports.

You will be primarily responsible for security on your assignment. You will continuously analyze the evolution of the political and security context. You will coordinate risk analysis and mitigation activities. You will propose, implement and adjust safety rules.

You will be responsible for a multidisciplinary team to whom, with the help of your medical coordinator, you will provide strategic and operational advice on a daily basis. You will define performance plans, provide career support and carry out an analysis of the skills present and needed to ensure quality operations.

You will be responsible for the mission’s financial and technical resources. You will ensure that they are used in accordance with strategic and operational guidelines. You will ensure compliance with ALIMA’s budgetary and accounting standards. You will ensure transparency in the use of resources.

You will be responsible for promoting ALIMA’s activities in your country of assignment. You will initiate all visibility and communication actions enabling the promotion of activities within the framework of ALIMA’s communication policy and the priorities defined by Headquarters. You will be responsible for ensuring the Mission’s responsiveness and availability to respond to requests as needed.

You will implement protective measures, in particular measures to prevent abuse of power and sexual and gender-based violence, in line with ALIMA’s policy. You will be responsible for creating a working environment in which everyone can flourish, while serving our beneficiaries first and foremost.

YOUR PROFILE

You have a Master’s degree or equivalent and at least 7 years’ experience in humanitarian action, including several significant experiences in ALIMA’s areas of intervention. You have at least 3 years’ experience in one or more project and team management positions. You adhere to the principles of the ALIMA charter and its abuse prevention policy. You are committed, willing and motivated to join us or pursue your career with us. You are diplomatic, a good negotiator, determined and patient, but also innovative and creative. If you know how to lead teams in a changing environment, this job is for you!

We expect you to be able to position yourself as a master of a maximum number of skills and knowledge in the following fields:

• Humanitarian framework and references
• Societal impact of humanitarian activities
• Agility and adaptability
• Stress management
• Accountability
• Planning and organization
• Interpersonal communication
• Security
• Collaborative tools
• Languages: French, English, Arabic
• Coordination and Project Management
• Management and leadership
• Management of financial and material resources
• Negotiation and diplomacy
• Ability to analyse and synthesize
• Creating and managing partnerships
• Strategic vision

CONDITIONS

Duration and type of contract: 12 months, renewable once

Start date: as required. In 2025, vacancies will occur between June and July 2025.

Salary: According to ALIMA salary scale + recognition of experience + Perdiem

ALIMA supports :

• Travel expenses between your country of origin and the place of assignment
• Your accommodation in the mission country
• Medical cover for you and your family from the first day of the contract to one month after the date of departure from the country of assignment. Evacuation and repatriation coverage
• A daily per diem
• A 10-day break every 3 months with full coverage of transportation costs to your usual place of residence