Head of Mission Assistant at Medicines Sans Frontieres France

 Place of Work:   ABUJA

Working hours:  Mon – Fri 8am to 5.30pm

Salary: As per the MSF salary scale (national contract)

Position in the organization chart:
Hierarchically and functionally accountable to the Head of Mission (HoM)
He/she will work in close collaboration with Head of Mission and other Coordinating Departments.

Main Objective of the position:
Provide support to the mission by assisting the Head of Mission in the administrative part of coordination tasks, ensuring a smooth relation with local and national authorities, contributing to the context analysis and follow-up, providing translations and interpreting in order to facilitate coordination of tasks in the mission.

Specific Responsibilities and Duties:

• Assist the Head of Mission (HOM) in the context analysis, disseminate relevant context information to the coordination team, regularly inform them on key issues, update general information on the context for MSF internal documents, and advise on cultural appropriateness of organisational activities and individual behaviours
• Keep good knowledge of counterparts in different administrations and file field contacts (other NGO’s, UN agencies, local authorities…) verifying that they are easily accessible in order to facilitate contacts and meetings?
• At the request of the HOM, represents MSF in meetings (NGO, official bodies, administration…).
• Ensure the follow up of relevant administrative dossiers such as the MSF registration in a country, working permits, immigration policies, national protocols, etc.
• At the request of the HOM, prepare and conduct an information briefing focusing on the country context for International, Regional and Relocated Staff.
• Translate documents and act as an interpreter when needed
• Communicates pro-actively all important/relevant news/information regarding the context of the Country to the coordination team
• Facilitates contacts and organizes appointments with national authorities and local partners.
• Compiles press reviews at the request of HOM and shares them with HOM, MCT and field teams.
• Keeps all the documents, reports, files updated, properly filed, and easy to access for the HOM and any other internal user when needed.

Legal and administrative issues

• Ensure ongoing researches on national protocols, keeps MCT informed on any changes and spread information in the field
• Compiles and summarizes data and information on specific questions at the request of the Head of Mission.
• Ensures the close follow up of key administrative issues as registration of MSF in the country, work permits, immigration, procedures for importing medicines

Translation and interpretation

• Translates documents for the head of mission as well as documents that are of general interest for the Management Coordination Team.
• Goes with the head of mission to meetings and translates for the HOM when needed.

Requirements:
Education:   University level studies or similar
Languages:   English, Hausa Language
Experience:  Essential working experience of at least two years in relevant jobs
 Desirable experience with MSF or other NGOs
Knowledge: Essential computer literacy (Word, Excel and Internet)

General Requirements:
As a humanitarian organization involved in emergency programs all national and international MSF staff is expected to be flexible and available for emergency response activities. S/he should be willing to undertake other tasks as necessary and not specified in the job description, supporting the mission activities in the response to potential emergencies and cover HR gaps or needs at field level.

General skills:

• English spoken and written and Hausa
• Good computer skills (excel, word, outlook is an advantage).
• Capacity to work as a team, respectful and good working attitude.
• Organization and planning skills, initiative and proactive.
• Committed to humanitarian principles.
• Due to the nature of MSF operations, flexibility is indispensable and unavoidable.
• Sensitive and respectful of religious and cultural differences:
• Identification with Humanitarian, Cross Cultural Awareness, Self-Control, Quality and Results Orientation, Commitment, Stress Management