OCB Deputy General Director

CONTEXT

MSF Operational Centre of Brussels (OCB) currently manages over 100 projects in 40 countries. The headquarters of the OCB are hosted in MSF Belgium with the main office in Brussels, but with many colleagues and units based in offices across the world, which has steadily increased over the past decade. The OCB group today is composed of nine MSF sections (Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Hong-Kong, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, South Africa, Sweden) and branch offices in Lebanon, Finland and Taiwan. OCB

The OCB General Directorate (GD) office is constituted of the General Director (GD), two deputy DGs and an Executive Management Support officer overseeing and leading the overall strategy and functioning of the OC, it’s medical-humanitarian operations, their resourcing and MSF positioning. The specific strategic roles are for the directors and their teams in the departments: Operations, Medical, Analysis, Communications, Logistics, Human Resources, Finances and Supply. They together with the DG-office are the OCB Management Team or the CoDir (Comité de Direction). 

The DG-team collaborates with the DG’s of the OCB group (The DG12) which meets fortnightly. The DG and the CoDir carry direct accountability to the OCB board for the strategic direction and functioning of the OC and the DG/deputy DG to the MSF Belgium board for the functioning in Belgium. The DG represents OCB in the core and the full ExCom (Executive Committee) 

The DG-office also directly oversees a number of key teams and functions such as: the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) unit; the Legal unit; Behaviour & Ethics, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Duty of Care, Anti-Racism & Discrimination, New Ways of working, Transformation & Organisational Change, Risk and Internal Audit, Internal Communication, International dossiers, Well-being, ‘Ways of Working’ (WoW) in the Brussels head office and work with the Workers Council in Brussels. 

The DG-office is also contributing to the Project Management Platform, the follow-up of the future Strategic Planning Accountability and Resource Cycle (SPARC) as well as collective dossiers such as Information, Knowledge Management, etc.

As Deputy General Director, you report directly to the OCB General Director and currently have nine direct reports.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supervise and support the Risk and Internal Audit team, the Climate, Environment and Health dossier as well as OCB’s work on Diversity and Anti Racism

• Supervise the OCB members of the International Legal Department, including advising and deciding on complex legal/risk related issues. Co-management with the Intersectional Legal Department Director

• Supervise the team managing responsible behaviour and ethical issues in OCB and drives the transition of this team into a safeguarding unit. In collaboration with the GD, Human Resources Director, the Directors of Operations and the OCB Board, is responsible for:

  • Driving internal reflection and initiatives related to prevention, detection and response on integrity issues

  • Duty of care and solidarity in the countries of operations

  • Ensuring relevant polices and strategies are in place   

• Ensure the oversight and management of assigned international dossiers, including support on internal and external positioning as directed by the General Director

• Share the representation and interaction in the movement and towards the OCB Group with the GD

• Participate in crisis management, security incidents or reputational issues 

• Act as a focal point for new institutional initiatives decided at OCB levels and liaises and engages closely with all the relevant stakeholders involved in this reflection (Operations, OCB connected sections and MSF International, etc.) 

• Support the ambitions of the MSF Lebanon office and is the line manager of the MSF Lebanon General Director 

• Chair multiple steering committees including: 

  • Safeguarding Transition

  • DG12 OCB sections biweekly meeting and DG office link with the OCB group

  • MSF Lebanon

  • OCB Climate, Environment and Health

• Participate in multiple steering committees including: the Stockholm Evaluation Unit, the Funding Unit, Duty of Care and Solidarity, Speaking Out & and the Anti-Racism project

REQUIREMENTS

Experience

• Minimum 5 years’ experience with MSF in a senior management role

• Experience and comprehensive understanding of operations and strategic MSF dossiers

• Experience in creating and leading strategic relations

• Proven experience in project management and organizational change processes

Competencies

• Capacity to develop a strategic vision on ways of working and on resource management

• Demonstrated interest in knowledge management and working in a transversal manner and across networks

• Strategic thinking and analysis, ability to identify strategic and operational priorities

• Excellent analytical, communication, negotiation and networking skills

• Knowledge of internal audit processes

• Deeper knowledge on the dossiers overseen by the position is an asset 

Languages

• Proficiency in English, both spoken and written is mandatory 

• Good knowledge of French and/or Dutch is an asset

CONDITIONS

• Expected starting date: May 2025

• Location**: Brussels* (Belgium) 

*Due to administrative constraints, given the duration of the contract, candidates may need to already have the right of permanent residence and/or a valid work permit

**Other location/s where there is an MSF entity could be discussed. The final outcome depends on the residency of the candidate, the local legal limitations (residency, work permit, etc.) and on agreement with the hosting MSF entity of these locations

• Contract type: Fixed-term contract – full time – maternity leave replacement

• Contract duration: 14 months

• Salary according to MSF-OCB HQ grid

• The contractual terms, conditions, and salary will be established according to the official residence of the selected candidates and in respect of MSF standard function and salary grids

• Meal Vouchers - Hospital Insurance (DKV) – Pension Plan – 100% reimbursement for public transportation costs

• Adhere to the MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment

• Adhere to the MSF Behavioral Commitments

Deadline for applications: 26th of March 2025

How to apply? 

➢ Submit your application via the 'Apply here' button on the vacancy page

➢ You will be directed to the online application form for this position 

➢ It should take 5-10 minutes to complete. Thank you in advance for having your CV and motivation letter ready to upload 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Position only open to candidates with previous MSF work experience

No MSF experience? Check out other job offers

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