Jobs at MSF Canada

Program Manager - Toronto

Title: Program Manager

Department: Executive Director’s Office

Reports to: Executive Director

Direct Reports: Medical Program Advisor and Program Officers working on special projects as identified

Position status (FT, PT, Contract): Full-time, Permanent, 37.5 hours per week

Location: Toronto

Annual Salary: $76,709

POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Program Manager’s primary objective will be to advance the link the between Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Canada and MSF’s operational needs regarding medical and humanitarian issues. The Program manager will be a management team member, and be responsible for the Program Unit development.  In the short term, the Program Manager will be responsible for supervising a Medical Program Advisor.  Eventually the Program manager will also oversee other Program officers, who will be hired on an as needed basis and will aid in implementing initiatives as they are identified, to further help in the main objective of the Program Unit.

This position will build upon MSF Canada’s engagement with other international humanitarian NGO’s, Governmental Institutions, and think tanks to raise awareness within Canadian society. The Program Manager will also be responsible for continuing to develop donor relations with specific institutional donors.

DUTIES AND REPONSIBILITIES

1.   Management Team:

• Participates in the MSF Canada management team and provides operational perspectives to decisions and strategic direction as set by the management team.
• Alongside other MT members participates in the development of MSF Canada according to the strategic planning, and annual planning.
• Develops annual plans for the Program unit and reports on annual goals on a trimesterly basis.

2.   Implementation of Operational Support Projects:

• Responsible for the development of the Program Unit and its activities.  This includes developing, articulating, and contributing to strategies and initiatives that will link MSF Canada to MSF’s international operational needs, based on the results of the Operational Support Assessment Consultation and subsequent decisions of the board and management team.
• Hires, directs, coaches and supports future staff in the Program Unit within MSF Canada, toward defining the scope, strategy, and activities of their initiatives.
• Supports the ED in the management of the Crisis Incident Response Team.
• Supports the ED in the development of Policy and Advocacy of MSF Canada

3.    MSF Canada offices and home society:

• Follows the geopolitical and humanitarian developments in the contexts of MSF Operations and shares the relevant information and reflections with the rest of MSF Canada, thus facilitating MSF Canada positioning of opinions on humanitarian issues.  This will include activities such as:
  • A “visitors series” for internal discussions around MSF, operations and humanitarianism
  • Set up and chair internal and external debates on a regular basis for MSF Canada offices.
  • Maintain regular contact with humanitarian, analysis and research units in all OCs and the international office on selected humanitarian issues as agreed within the ED office
  • Provide MSF Canada office staff with operational updates and information on a regular basis and as required on specific topics.
  • Represent MSF Canada at relevant external events, conferences, fora, and media, as required
  • Participate in debriefings of Canadian expats as required

4.     Advocacy:

• On an ad hoc basis, collaborate with operations desks within the movement, field missions and the MSFC MT to develop advocacy strategies in order to deliver appropriate responses within Canada for emerging crisis contexts
• Keep operations desks informed of relevant developments in Canada
• Represent MSF Canada at relevant external events, NGO networks, conferences, fora, and media in Ottawa
• Maintain an active role for MSF Canada through regular liaison with CIDA representatives, and assist with representation and/or advocacy statements directed at the Canadian government

5.     Institutional Program Funding:

• Keep abreast of possible Government of Canada CIDA funding sources, priorities and interests, in order to increase the likelihood of funding of MSF proposals.
• Provide all MSF operational sections and relevant field missions with funding guidelines and assist field missions and/or operational desks in the preparation of MSF proposals and reporting as required
• Secure CIDA funds in the total amount set by the MSF Canada Annual Plan, ensure that CIDA contracts are signed and forwarded to the national office
• Submit all required narrative and financial reports as stipulated in CIDA contracts in collaboration with MSF missions and operational desks

6.     Private funding disbursement:

• Participates in the project disbursement committee (PDC) with the following goals:
  • Select a list of potential MSF missions/projects for review and approval by the PDC, within the AP agreed upon sections according to agreed amounts.
  • Ensure that MSF Canada receives all the necessary information to approve private funding requests from MSF operational centres
  • In collaboration with the MSFC financial department, ensure that all yearly allocations are fully disbursed and contacted completed.

7.   Thought Leadership:

• In collaboration with the Executive Director, develop partnerships with North American academic bodies, humanitarian training centres and think tanks for collaborative training of humanitarian aid workers.
• Represent MSF on academic platforms/forums.
• Contribute to humanitarian thought leadership by representing MSF at relevant forums as agreed with the Executive Director and in line with the AP.

8.     Field Evaluations & Visits:

• Periodically conduct evaluations in field missions heavily funded by MSF Canada to ensure high quality of HR and fiscal management.
• Be available for gap-fills or emergency response as needed to support field operations.

CONTACTS

MSF contacts:

• MSFC management team
• MSFC communications department for media interviews or launching debates within the staff
• MSFC Fundraising department to provide relevant operational information for private donor reporting and proposals.
• MSFC Finance department for collaboration on CIDA funding and other matters related to institutional funding.
• MSF movement staff related to operational and humanitarian issues.

External:

• Conference or other speaking engagement organizers
• Media journalists to provide information on humanitarian issues
• Canadian NGOs and academic institutions
• Canadian government representatives

QUALIFICATIONS/JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Commitment to MSF humanitarian principles and knowledge of MSF history
• Extensive field experience, having worked with MSF as project coordinator, medical coordinator or Head of Mission
• University Degree in humanitarian management, international relations, or equivalent professional work experience in leadership positions within int’l organizations
• Strong Knowledge and good understanding of humanitarian issues, world affairs and current events
• Ability to analyze and synthesize complex medical aid and advocacy issues and humanitarian crisis situations
• Strategic Vision and People Management Skills
• Strong interpersonal communication, public speaking, and negotiation skills are required
• Strong written and spoken communication skills in English and French with Spanish and/or Arabic an asset
• Experience in advocacy and humanitarian training an asset
• Team player who displays initiative
• Self-directed, well-organized and able to develop new concepts
• Computer literacy
• Availability to travel across Canada and overseas

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Sitting long hours in front of a computer screen
• Domestic and international travel and jetlag

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

• Occasional travel to other MSF offices
• Domestic travel for speaking engagements
• Field visit/work at least once per year

INFORMATION AND APPLICATION

Interested candidates should submit a letter of motivation and CV, including 3 professional references, to hr-rh@msf.ca.

Only electronic applications will be accepted.

The deadline for applications is Thursday February 9^th 2012 at 5pm.

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Executive Director – Toronto

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is a leading independent international medical relief organization, working in more than 60 countries worldwide and with operational centres and national offices in 19 countries. For more than 40 years, MSF has been providing medical help to people caught in many kinds of catastrophes, including armed conflicts, natural disasters, epidemics and nutrition crises. In carrying out humanitarian assistance, we act as witnesses and will speak out, in private or in public, about the critical needs of the people we help. In doing so, we seek to alleviate human suffering, to protect life and health, and to restore and ensure respect for human beings and their dignity. MSF Canada formally joined the international MSF movement as a recognized section, and registered charity, in 1991.

MSF Canada is seeking an experienced Executive Director who will lead the organization as it undergoes significant growth.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading an organization of around 50 staff across two offices (Toronto and Montreal), with an annual budget of over $50 million.
• Fostering a dynamic, collegial and respectful work environment.
• Implementing the strategic orientations set out by the Board of Directors.
• Ensuring the effective, efficient and ethical management of MSF’s financial and human resources in Canada.
• Developing and upholding the credibility and reputation of MSF’s medical humanitarian work in Canada.
• Strengthening MSF’s medical humanitarian work internationally through the contributions of the Canadian office.
• Engaging actively with key operational and international partners.

Required qualifications include:

• Proven leadership and management skills, fostering a participative approach.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• At least 10 years experience in a large non-profit humanitarian organization.
• Masters’ degree, or equivalent education/experience, in health administration, public health, business administration, public administration or related area.
• Minimum two years experience in senior level humanitarian fieldwork (MSF Preferred)
• Fluency in English essential; Fluency in French, written and spoken, highly desirable.

Selected applicants will be invited for an interview and further assessment.  Necessary travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by MSF.

For further information including a detailed position profile and application instructions, please contact Kavya Kumar, at kavya.kumar@toronto.msf.org .

Closing date for applications will be: 15 January 2012, 5:00 P.M., EST.

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