Job Description

MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES / DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS (MSF) UK

JOB DESCRIPTION

 

Job Title: Safeguarding Lead
Department: Executive Office
Hours: 40 hours per week
Reports to: Head of Executive Office (functional line to Medical Director on aspects of safeguarding in medical facilities)
Location: London
Duration: Permanent
Salary Grade: 5.1
Salary: £48,400.65 per annum

 

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply on our website by submitting a copy of your CV together with a letter of motivation (please upload as one document) by the closing date.

Application checklist
Please check that you have included the following in your application:

  • An up-to-date CV
  • Letter of Motivation, which is a supporting statement demonstrating how you meet the key requirements of the role

Recruitment timetable:

  • Closing date for applications:  8 March 2020 by 11.59pm
  • First stage interviews: 18 to 20 March 2020
  • Second stage interviews: week commencing 23 March 2020

 

MÉDECINS SANS FRONTIÈRES/DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS (MSF)

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) provides life-saving emergency relief and longer-term medical care to some of the most vulnerable and excluded communities around the world. As an independent medical humanitarian organisation, we deliver care based only on need, regardless of ethnic origin, gender, religion or political affiliation.

MSF relies on donations from private individuals and organisations for the majority of its income. This private funding gives MSF the freedom to respond where needs are greatest and to speak out publicly, free from any political interference.

MSF has around 40,000 local and international staff working in over 70 countries, in some of the most challenging places in the world. Our medical humanitarian projects are supported by teams in 32 countries, including the UK, spread across Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and Australasia.

At MSF UK, we support MSF’s operations by building relationships with our supporters, increasing awareness of our work, raising funds, providing specialist medical expertise, catalysing change on medical humanitarian issues, and recruiting Field staff. MSF UK personnel are dynamic, hard-working, enthusiastic and committed to MSF’s values and aims.

Office of the Executive Director

The Office of the Executive Director exists to ensure the proper and ethical governance of MSF-UK and Ireland (MSF-UK/IE), continuity and stability and a section and branch office that are fit for the challenges of the future. Collectively, it is responsible for the overall health of MSF UK/IE including: strategy and accountability, governance, regulatory compliance, risk management, ensuring effective leadership and management, change and innovation, relationships with the Operational Centre Amsterdam (MSF UK/IE’s primary operational partner) and wider MSF movement.

Operational Centre Amsterdam

MSF-Holland is an Association of (former) field and office employees, with a Board keeping oversight. MSF-Holland has a partnership with MSF offices in the UK and Germany. This partnership, known as ‘MSF Operational Centre Amsterdam’ (MSF-OCA), operates medical humanitarian interventions in about 25 countries. Annually, MSF-OCA deploys approximately 800 international staff and employs 10,000 national staff.

The office of MSF-Holland located in Amsterdam hosts more than 350 employees, offering direct support to MSF-OCA operations. MSF-OCA is working towards a robust integrity system that protects and supports the organisation and its employees

Public Health Department

The Public Health Department (PHD) supports the overall purpose of MSF, providing medical and public health leadership for the organisation. The department is responsible for providing strategic direction and integrated advice on medical and public health issues to the field and headquarters. The PHD plays a key role in developing and maintaining the medical humanitarian identity and image of MSF-OCA, and in continuing to develop and improve intervention strategies to be relevant and effective

Responsible Behaviour Unit

Since 2017 OCA has had a Responsible Behaviour Unit (RBU). Victims of and witnesses to intimidation, abuse or discrimination can report this to the team safely and in confidence both in missions and headquarters. The Unit follows up on all reports. The Unit is also authorised to carry out investigations on its own initiative and to recommend to management that an external investigation be carried out if it feels this is necessary.

 

JOB PURPOSE

MSF UK/IE is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for all staff and for everyone that comes into contact with the charity. The Safeguarding Lead will be the focal point for our efforts to this end.  As this is a new position, the successful candidate will be expected to establish and develop the role over time.

 

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

MSF UK and Ireland

  • The Safeguarding lead is responsible for ensuring a comprehensive safeguarding framework is in place at MSF UK/IE including staff training and support of staff to identify or raise safeguarding issues.
  • Management and follow-up of any safeguarding issues that arise.
  • Supports the Chair of the Safeguarding and Duty of Care Committee, a sub-committee of the MSF UK Board of Trustees, enabling the trustees to exercise oversight and steer MSF UK/IE’s efforts to create a safe and inclusive environment for all.
  • Responsible for keeping the MSF UK/IE Safeguarding Policy Suite up to date and in line with best practice and regulatory developments ensuring that MSF UK and its operational partners remain fully informed about the development of the Charity Commission’s Serious Incident Reporting regime.
  • Proactive identification of risks to the safeguarding/integrity system and appropriate solutions/mitigations.
  • Gather and maintain accurate, confidential and up-to-date records of serious incidents, their handling and trustee oversight and decisions in relation to such incidents.
  • Diversity and Inclusion strategy implementation lead; member of MSF UK and IE Diversity and Inclusion Working Group.

 

MSF Operational Centre Amsterdam

  • Advisor to the Public Health Department and Responsible Behaviour Unit to develop and implement high standards of practice in relation to promoting safe environments in MSF OCA medical facilities including the development of patient safeguarding policies, guidelines and standard operating procedures.
  • Liaison with OCA’s Responsible Behaviour Unit and active participation in the improvement of OCA’s responsible behaviour policies, procedures and integrity system.
  • Develop and agree with the Public Health Department and Responsible Behaviour Unit further priority work areas for the post to drive forward and promote safeguarding for children and adults in OCA operations.

 

International MSF movement

  • Liaison with wider MSF movement on safeguarding and duty of care issues, including through cooperation with the Intersectional Platform on Behaviour (IPOB).

 

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Knowledge, skills and expertise

Essential:

  • Commitment to aims and values of Médecins Sans Frontières
  • Relevant experience in protection/safeguarding from a health perspective, experience in managing safeguarding cases is desirable
  • Demonstrated experience in critical thinking and analytical skills enabling excellent decision-making abilities around the protection of vulnerable people
  • Motivated by desire to ensure MSF UK/IE is a safe, diverse and inclusive place to work, where people are heard and concerns addressed
  • Safeguarding-related background, e.g. dedicated safeguarding role, NHS, social work, HR investigations or NGO experience
  • Discreet and able to handle information sensitively
  • Willingness to undertake occasional travel to MSF field locations and some travel to other MSF offices
  • Diplomatic, with excellent communication skills and strong cross-cultural communication abilities.
  • Strong people skills with the ability to read and navigate complex political interactions
  • Excellent listening skills; approachable, enthusiastic and dynamic
  • Confident and engaging presenter
  • Strong attention to detail and ability to synthesise information from various sources – it is very important that our records about serious incidents are handled appropriately and meticulously recorded.
  • Strong organisation and time management skills

Desirable:

  • Field experience (e.g. with an international NGO) would help you understand the pressures and challenges of working in the field and across cultures when considering complaints from MSF projects overseas.
  • Experience at another large and complex NGO would be an advantage.
  • Experience of regulation and compliance, particularly with regards to conduct issues

 

Candidates must hold an appropriate passport or permit to work in the UK.

MSF UK is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to diversity and creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage applications from all sections of our diverse community.