Médecins Sans Frontières Head of Emergency Team Jobs in South Africa
Médecins Sans Frontières Head of Emergency Team Jobs in South Africa; The Head of Emergency team (E‑team) is responsible for the set up, strategic leadership, coordination, and oversight of MSF Ubuntu’s emergency prevention, preparedness, and response activities.
The role ensures timely, effective, community‑involved humanitarian medical responses to crises, in line with MSF Ubuntu principles, medical standards, and operational priorities.
This position plays a key role in shaping emergency strategy of the Operational Directorate, strengthening readiness, supporting country program teams, and ensuring quality, accountability, and learning across emergency interventions.
This position will be hierarchically and functionally accountable to the Director of Operations (DirOps).
Tasks & Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Emergency Preparedness
Define and lead MSF Ubuntu’s emergency preparedness and response strategy in alignment with MSF Ubuntu principles and operational priorities.
Ensure community involvement and climate adaptation in all stages of emergency response.
Establish emergency preparedness and response policies, systems, and tools (surveillance, anticipatory action, contingency planning, surge capacity).
Define emergency scenario stocks and supplies in collaboration with medical and logistics departments.
Build strong capacity in specific areas (nutrition, vaccination, community WASH).
Contribute to MSF Ubuntu’s strategic planning through reflection and learning.
Set up the E‑team unit, hire staff, and develop Ubuntu‑specific capacities.
Promote interdepartmental collaboration including Safeguarding and DEI.
Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response Management
Lead exploratory assignments and support program openings/closings.
Monitor contexts and identify potential emergency interventions.
Lead and coordinate responses to emergencies, epidemics, conflicts, and crises.
Provide strategic and technical guidance to emergency and country teams.
Support decision‑making on activation, scale‑up, adaptation, or exit of interventions.
Develop a “vulnerability” approach to reduce communities’ exposure to chronic crises.
Quality, Standards, and Medical‑Operational Oversight
Ensure responses meet MSF medical, operational, ethical, and safeguarding standards.
Integrate medical, logistical, HR, and security considerations into preparedness and responses.
Promote learning culture via After Action Reviews and evaluations.
Team Leadership and Capacity Building
Line‑manage and support Emergency team members.
Foster collaboration, accountability, and learning.
Identify training needs related to emergency response.
Contribute to emergency pool and surge mechanisms emphasizing
local/regional capacities.
Build community‑centered emergency approaches.
Coordination and Representation
Coordinate with MSF entities, operational centres, and departments.
Represent MSF Ubuntu in internal and external humanitarian forums.
Support alignment with medical, operational, and support departments.
Learning, Evaluation, and Innovation
Promote systematic learning from responses, including after‑action reviews.
Support evaluations, documentation, and dissemination of lessons learned.
Encourage innovation and adaptation to improve effectiveness.
Organisational Positioning
Sits within the Ops Department, reporting directly to the DirOp.
Ad hoc meetings with MedOps Strategic Baraza, MT, or Council may be requested.
Qualifications
Education
Master’s degree in social/political sciences, public health, logistics, business administration, or similar field desirable.
Fluency in English; knowledge of French, Swahili, or Arabic is an advantage.
Strong knowledge in policy formulation, security management, HR/financial management, and multicultural collaboration.
Experience
At least 8+ years of field/program experience in medical humanitarian aid and senior management.
MSF experience as Emergency Coordinator/Emergency Manager desirable.
Commitment to advancing multicultural collaboration, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Competencies
Technical Competencies
Excellent skills in Office Suite (advanced Excel).
Knowledge of MSF tools (HR, budgeting) is an asset.
Strong written and presentation skills across diverse audiences.
Behavioral/General Competencies
Commitment to MSF’s Principles.
Cross‑cultural awareness.
Strategic vision.
Results and quality orientation.
Service orientation.
Planning and organizing.
Initiative and innovation.
Teamwork and cooperation.
People management and development.
Networking and relationship building.
Security awareness and management.
Willingness to be mobile (50%+ travel annually).
How to Apply
For more information and job application details, see; Médecins Sans Frontières Head of Emergency Team Jobs in South Africa
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