MSF recruits 01 Operations Department Executive Assistant

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides assistance in more than 60 countries to populations in distress, to victims of natural or manmade disasters and to victims of armed conflicts, without discrimination and irrespective of origin, religion, creed or political affiliation.

CONTEXT

The Operations Department (Ops Department) manages and supervises the operations within the MSF Operational Centre Brussels (OCB). The Department is currently composed of operational cells, Regional support team and support Units (Risk Management, Duty of Care, Information & Knowledge Management)

While the executive team is responsible for the overall continuity and the definition of operational strategies in the OCB, the Executive Assistant is responsible to ensure the department HR, administration, and finance are smoothly running. S/he is also responsible for the practical organisation of main ops events and the document registration of missions.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Ops Department executive assistant acts as a liaison between the executive team (Directors of Operations/Support Management Ops) and the other OCB HQ departments for HQ administrative, Human Resources and Finance management matters. 

• S/he provides high-quality administrative, HR and finance support to the executive team:
• S/he ensures the administrative/HR and finance HQ processes are followed-up and respected.
• S/he plays a central role in ensuring the Brussels-based people are onboarded and properly administered.
• S/he provides an organisational and practical support of ops-related events and Missions registrations/legalization
• S/he independently complete a variety of administrative/HR and finance tasks and proactively identify, solve or delegate more complex topics. More concretely:
• S/he is under the management of the Support Management Ops

MAIN ACTIVITIES

1. Administrative and HR Management support: is the focal point for any administrative and HR-related questions at Department’s level

• Ensures administrative processes are respected for the Department’s Human Resources:
• Prior to the opening: Ensure the JD matches the desired profile, the administrative status is correctly chosen,
• Manage job openings for Brussels-based people, centralize the applications, follow-up the applications, and liaise with candidates until the person is hired
• Setup/schedule interviews and job assessments
• Send negative response letters to not selected & shortlisted candidates after the final interview.
• Organize newcomer’s engagement, complete and have a candidate’s engagement decision signed by the director; communicate it together with supportive document to the headquarters administration. Ensure the link with the headquarters administration when the newcomer is a non-Belgian candidate (work permit, “inpat package” …)
• Ensure induction organization: preparation of necessary equipment (workspace, computer access, email, magnetic card, diary …), briefs newcomers on administrative and information management; Welcome & ensure physical receipt of the new employee
• Manage leave follow-up and encoding of information (unpaid leave, sickness, minor unemployment, etc.) in the computer-system (HR.net) every month in order to transmit the information to the HQ HR-department.
• In collaboration with the units/cells and the headquarters administration, participate in the recruitment process and follow-up of interns and consultants
• Ensures guidance is developed, updated, and disseminated for non-Brussels based people, consultancies, volunteer, internship.
• Follow-up of department’s determined contract & Mobile implementation officers’ contract (start / end dates, contract modification), and liaise with the HQ administration department.
• Update the department organigram and ensure dissemination / access
• Ensure availability of stock of office equipment, photocopiers, etc …
• Organize upon request teleconferences and videoconferences
• Dispatch incoming and outgoing mail from the department
• Monitor / optimize GSM-expenses.

2. Financial management support

• Is the focal point for finance at Department’s level
• Launch the budgeting exercise of the Department, liaise with the different Units/cells, encode the whole department Budget, present it during the Budget arbitrage
• Prepare the quarterly budget revision in collaboration with the different Units/Cells, analyze the discrepancies, challenge the different budget-holders and liaise with the Finance Department.
• Based on HR-movements (departure/gaps, etc.), follow-up the Department’s CDD-envelope and the Mobile Implementation Officer’s contract.
• Follow-up the Department accountability: provide info, verify budget encoding, ensure invoices follow-up.

3. Practical organisation of Ops events 

• In collaboration with the Support Management Ops, ensure all practical aspects of the major events of the department and ensure the organization of the premises in the Ixelles office (Ops / Meds week, Annual / Multiyear Review of Operations, Bilan & Objectives and other workshops). The tasks involve (non-exhaustive): booking in Zoom / Teams, booking hotels for a large group (80 people), ordering & catering management, booking plane tickets and travel, booking rooms, monitoring technical and logistics questions, dissemination of information related to the event, management of the event budget, support on visa issues, catering service
• Organize and announce the Info Matin and other OPS events (debriefing, lunch & learn, …)
• Organize the team building of the department
• Participate in the organization of non-ops events for staff
• Archive final documents; If necessary, take the minutes of the various meetings

4. Document registrations and legalizations for missions

• In collaboration with the HROs of each cell and the HRCOs of the missions, collect all the documents related to registrations and legalizations in the mission countries, collect the necessary signatures, ensure information related to legal steps to be carried out is available;
• Coordinate the necessary steps (ordering legal documents, notary, sworn translations, legalization, request for couriers, archiving, sending).
• Follow up the translations and legalizations of documents for the Ops department from request to the reception in the field.

5. Others 

• Participate in assistants’ meetings to ensure the proper administrative functioning of the HQ: internal procedures, preparation of collective events
• Ensure, on a rotation basis, back-up of other department’s assistants
• Maintain the organization of Executive Assistant’s files;
• Assist Directors of Operations (DOs) in the organization of certain tasks: make hotel and travel reservations on request, ensure that meetings are well prepared (setting appointments with participants, organizing their accommodation, booking rooms, by tele- or videoconference, prepare the agenda and distribute the preparatory documents).

Expériences / Formation

REQUIREMENTS

• Higher education diploma, Master’s degree in the field of HR and/or Finance is a strong asset
• 2 years of professional experience in administrative and financial management required
• Experience working in an NGO is an asset
• Relevant experience in project and change management and in the use of tools and software packages
• Proficient in MS Office
• Excellent oral and written skills in English and French, with editing skills in both languages; Dutch is an asset

Competencies

• Demonstrated leadership in developing a team-oriented approach, collaborative environment
• Initiative and innovation
• Excellent communication, problem solving and analytical skills
• Organized and methodical.
• Proven managerial skills are an asset.
• Ability to elicit cooperation from senior management and other departments
• Service-oriented
• Ability to adapt quickly and respond to changing priorities
• Good synthesis skills
• Strong ability to multitask, and prioritise tasks.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Ability to respect confidentiality
• Highly flexible and autonomous,
• Very good interpersonal skills
• Sense of rigor

Salaire

CONDITIONS

• Expected starting date: 10/01/2022
• Contract type: Open ended contract – Full time
• Location: based in based in Brussels (Ixelles)
• Salary according to MSF-OCB HQ grid – 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: 02/01/2022

Comment postuler

How to apply?

Please, send your CV and cover letter to Recruit-HQ-Operations@brussels.msf.org until 02/01/2022 and mention “Operations Department Executive Assistant” in the subject of your email.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

MSF values diversity and is committed to create an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, color or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

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