Operational Communications Coordinator

Artsen zonder Grenzen / Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent, medical, emergency relief organization that provides assistance to people worldwide, regardless of their background, religion or political convictions. Above all, we aim to save lives and to offer medical care to victims of disasters, wars and epidemics. MSF Operational Centre Amsterdam (OCA) currently operates medical humanitarian interventions in 25 countries. On a yearly basis MSF-Holland deploys approximately 900 international staff and employs 7000 national staff. At headquarters in Amsterdam, around 220 employees offer their support to the projects.

For our, department Advocacy and Communications, we are looking for a:

Operational Communications Coordinator (100%) (Based in Amsterdam)

The Department: The Advocacy & Operational Communications department comprises advisors with a range of background and expertise, from humanitarian affairs to journalism, communications and campaigning. Together with colleagues in Amsterdam, London, and Berlin, the department supports the organization in identifying and acting upon opportunities for advocacy and communication on specific humanitarian and medical issues related to MSF operations. Beyond promoting MSF visibility or acceptance locally, operational communications are also critical means to increase leverage and influence policy and practice of key stakeholders in countries in which MSF operates.

The core responsibilities of the Advocacy and Communications department are:

• Ensure MSF advocacy and communications support strategic operational objectives, remaining timely and impactful. • Lead the planning and implementation of advocacy & communications initiatives • Enhance the visibility, acceptance and leverage of MSF • Provide sound analysis on humanitarian affairs to inform operations and advocacy • Training of MSF field staff in humanitarian affairs and operational communications

All of the department’s activities are aimed at supporting MSF OCA's ability to identify and respond to violence, abuse, deliberate neglect and medical crises that affect its patients around the world.

The Challenge: As Operational Communications Coordinator you will lead a team of 4 Communication Advisors (CAs). Besides a strong vision on developing strategic communications, you will also need sound leadership skills to guide the operational communications team in identifying opportunities and taking them forward into completion.

You will report to the Head of Advocacy and Communications, with whom you will need to work closely to integrate MSF advocacy and communications efforts to support agreed operational objectives. Key to your success will be your ability to work collaboratively with a multiplicity of counterparts, including the Humanitarian Affairs Advisers, Operational Managers at HQ, Country Managers in project countries, and communications colleagues throughout the MSF movement (over 20 partner offices worldwide).

Outstanding interpersonal skills are required. Strong negotiation and diplomatic skills are a must, along with sound judgement and the ability to work in a high pressured environment. This position will require you to travel internationally field projects and partner offices, sometimes at short notice, and for periods of up to 3 weeks. The total amount of travel expected is 30-40% of your time.

Your responsibilities: • Coordinate the daily activities of the members of the Operational Communications (Ops Comms) team, and provide them with the necessary support to ensure the achievement of identified priorities in the department’s Annual Plan. • Work with the Head of Department to ensure coordination within the team of Humanitarian Affairs Advisors to plan, develop and implement joint Advocacy and Communications initiatives / projects. • Negotiate priorities and objectives in operational communications activities with operations, and liaise and interact regularly with other MSF sections worldwide in order to contribute to joint communications initiatives and strategies. • Represent OCA in the Communications Coordinator group, consisting of the Operational Communications Coordinators of the 5 MSF Operational Centres. You will join weekly communications coordination teleconferences aimed at discussing content, priorities and obstacles. • Ensure the coherence, relevance and technical quality of communications activities developed by the Communications Advisors in line with intersectional MSF guidelines and/or policies. • Backup CAs in their absence to ensure constant coverage of the country/thematic issues they are responsible for. • Lead and advise other departments on communications strategies in the event of crises involving MSF or its staff members. • Manage and support each Ops Comms team member’s professional development (including recruitment, appraisal/evaluation and career development). • Manage the roll out of communications training courses for MSF staff at headquarters and field level and participate in the roll-out if and when required. • Manage a variety of internal processes in the department (e.g., internal information sharing portal, public report protocol, etc) • Manage the annual budget that covers the expenses of the Operational Communications Unit within the department. • Implement and manage an outside office hours on-call scheme. • Actively coordinate the Operational Communications input during the department’s Annual Plan process and report according to the requirements of the MSF OCA control cycle.

Your profile: • Communications/advocacy expert with at least 5 years of professional experience in guiding communication projects. • Ability to articulate a vision and the persuasion to carry ideas through in cooperation with others. • Excellent strategic communication and advisory skills, in a journalistic or public communication environment. • Proven strategic and analytical thinking. • Proven management skills and expertise in policy development and HR tasks. • Knowledge of, and affinity with, the work of MSF, especially of its principles and ethics, and solid understanding of humanitarian action and the international media scene. • Experience with an MSF field setting is highly preferred. • Creative team player. Initiative and a ‘can do’ attitude. Organisational awareness. • Excellent command of the English language is essential; working knowledge of French is needed. Other languages are a plus.

PLEASE DO NOT APPLY UNLESS YOU MEET THE REQUIREMENTS ABOVE. APPLICATIONS WHICH DO NOT MEET THEM WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

We offer • a contract for one year with a renewal option; • a gross salary in scale 7 with a minimum of € 3,018,-- and a maximum of € 4,312,--per month, depending upon relevant professional experience and based upon a 40-hour working week; • a premium free pension, 30 annual leave a year • a stimulating, professional environment in an international organisation.

For more information about this position, please contact the Head of Advocacy and Communications onHernan.del.valle@amsterdam.msf.org

How to apply:

Application If you are interested in this position and you fit the profile, submit your letter of application and curriculum vitae in English to: officejobs@amsterdam.msf.org, attention of Miriam Heman, HR Advisor HQ. Please mention “Vacancy Operational Communications Coordinator” in the subject line and where you came across the vacancy. A personality questionnaire can be part of the selection procedure. The application deadline is 31 August 2013.

Interviews are foreseen in the week of 16 September 2013

Acquisition as a result of this vacancy is not appreciated.