PROGRAM RESPONSIBLE E-CELL

Médecins Sans Frontières, founded in 1971, is an international medical humanitarian organization that provides emergency medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters or exclusion from health care. Our teams are made up of tens of thousands of medical professionals, logistics, administrative and various other professions, all guided by our medical ethics and our principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality.

MSF WaCA, created in 2019, is the first MSF headquarters in Africa, and responds to the desire to reinvent the MSF movement after 50 years of humanitarian actions in the world, for more access to care, more reactivity and proactivity for greater medical coverage of affected populations in the world.

Why join us?

You are preparing to become a member of the MSF family, with over 50 years of emergency medical action that earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.

We are an inclusive organization that considers social and professional well-being a right for all and provides an environment that considers the diversity of each member.

MSF WaCA claims an African anchorage that considers the local expertise with which it contributes to the implementation of its activities and makes each member, a key actor of the new dynamics of the humanitarian action in the world.

Diversity, Inclusion & Safe Recruitment

MSF offers equal recruitment and development opportunities without any form of discrimination based on gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, geographical origin, physical disability or any other discriminatory ground.

Female candidates who meet the requirements are strongly encouraged to apply.

MSF is committed to applying Safe Recruitment principles, ensuring transparent, fair, and respectful recruitment processes that protect candidates, the organization, and its beneficiaries.

We Are Looking for: PROGRAM RESPONSIBLE E-CELL

Department: Operations

Direct Manager: Director of operations

Functional Manager: Director of operations

Working %: 100%

Position Based in: Abidjan, HQ

Mobility: 70% Head quarter and 30% field

Type of Contract: Fixed-Term Contract under Ivorian law; Renewable

Position to be filled: As Soon As Possible

Context

The WaCA emergency desk is going through a transition and maturation period both having managed responses and crisis and yet having a horizon in line with operational vision and strategic orientations. The portfolio is interesting, young and dynamic with limited resources. currently WaCA addresses some emergencies both within west/central Africa and outside the African region. The OD is in the making; the needs are overwhelming and HR capacity not exhaustive. The emergency desk manager will work under the supervision of director of operations to support the E cell team, the emergency coordinators, to ensure WaCA’s response to epidemics.

Objectives

The EPM is involved in the strategic orientations of the WaCA Emergency Response. Coordinator of the HQ support team & Field mobile team he/she is accountable of the global context monitoring and analysis and holds a pivotal role in the preparedness plan and response to emergencies.

He/She will represent MSF WaCA in the relevant internal and external for a related to Emergency.

Main responsibilities

He/she will be in charge of the following responsibilities:

• In accordance with the Pluriannual Strategic Orientation 2026-2031 of MSF WaCA and the subsequent operational road map ensures the overall relevance, timeliness and quality of the Emergency programs.

• Monitor contexts in Africa and the rest of the world to anticipate emergency responses.

• Supervises, advises, supports and evaluates the E.Team (HQ Support and Mobile Teams) in the fulfilment of their responsibilities. In this perspective, delivers them all useful information, visits the programs and ensures an individual capacity building plan.

• Is responsible to steer the program’s cycle, ensuring the compliance with MSF WaCA policies and procedures and that human and financial resources are adequately mobilized.

• Makes sure the key operational medical and/or humanitarian indicators are set-up and followed during the response, allowing a proper monitoring & evaluation mechanism

• Review on an annual basis of the pluriannual E.Cell strategic plan according to MSF WaCA orientations, integrating operational innovation. Is accountable to the E.Cell budget consumption and forecast. Develop and maintain a network of relevant political, humanitarian, medical, academic partners involved in emergency response (UN, African Union Organizations, International/National NGOs, etc…). Ensure the participation of MSF WaCA E.Cell into the movement Emergency Interdesk: participate to the relevant platforms in a collaborative and information sharing spirit.

• Monitors the level of exposure to risk affecting teams in the field and validates the security frame proposed by the FC/EmCo for each project; in collaboration with regular HoM when relevant.

• Support the regular missions according to their needs in terms of capacity building and the development of emergency response strategies in Defining E.prep plan and Implementing emergency response

• Aims at constantly improve MSF’s medical assistance by – directly or through delegation – evaluating and capitalizing on results achieved, participating to thematic working groups on intervention strategies, supporting operational research projects.

-Organize the Copro (comité de projet) following explo and concept note to be validated with the DO

-Ensure proposer community engagement during emergency responses

• Systematically integrate protection, safeguarding, and the “Do No Harm” principle into the design, implementation, and monitoring of emergency responses, while ensuring safe feedback and complaint mechanisms

Competencies

•          Autonomy, professional rigor and ability to set priorities 

•          Representation, diplomatic skills

•          Excellent communication and negotiation skills

•          Analytical thinking and synthesis ability

•          Ability to translate information into program

•          Ability to research, analyze and write reports

•          Ability to lead a team and participative management style

•          Strong organizational skills

•          Commitment to the MSF’s social mandate

•          Flexibility and cultural awareness

•          Proactive and solution oriented

•          Ability to think out of the box and to be creative

Professional experience required

•          Medical, paramedical or non-medical (with an interest in medicine).

•          At least four years of field experience in coordination positions

•          Successful experience in the field of humanitarian aid as an MSF Head of Mission, Medical coordinator, or Emergency coordinator

•          Experience in managing projects in insecure environments is required.

•          Experience at the international level

•          Similar Experience with MSF at HQ position or in the humanitarian sector will be an asset.

Languages Skills

·       Working proficiency in English and French (Required)

Computer Skills

·       MS Office suite (mainly MS Word, Excel and Powerpoint)

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N.B.: This job description provides a framework for the main responsibilities and primary activities of the position. It is not exhaustive. Therefore, the responsibilities and activities of the position may differ from those described in this job description due to organizational and operational needs.

Deadline: 10th September 2026 18:00 GMT
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.