Head of Community Engagement

MSF UBUNTU IS LOOKING FOR A HEAD OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTDo your skills and experience not precisely match the requirements? At MSF Ubuntu, we strive to create a safe, diverse and inclusive workplace, recognizing the need to increase access to professional opportunities for historically underrepresented groups. If you're interested in this position but your experience doesn't align perfectly with the selection criteria, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might be the ideal candidate for this or other positions.Firmly committed to Safeguarding patients, community members, staff and all those in contact with the organization from all forms of abuse including Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH), we will take all necessary steps to ensure that confirmed perpetrators of abuse will not join the organization, enabled through rigorous vetting processes.For this position, contact level with patients and children is categorized as High Risk and will be monitored with this in regard.INTRODUCTIONMédecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an international independent medical humanitarian organisation that provides assistance to people affected by conflicts, epidemics, and natural or human-made disasters and excluded from healthcare. We provide this assistance without discrimination, irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation.ABOUT MSF UBUNTUMSF Ubuntu is the newest Operational Directorate (OD) of Médecins Sans Frontières, grounded in the principles of Ubuntu – “I am because we are”. With a base blended between the offices of MSF Southern Africa and MSF Eastern Africa and a strong emphasis on interdependence, interoperability, and maximizing sustainable outcomes, MSF Ubuntu seeks to add a new approach to the delivery of medical humanitarian action to the movement by placing communities at the heart of decision-making.PURPOSE OF THE ROLEThe Head of Community Engagement reports to Director of Operations; member of Executive Management Team.Key role: Institutionalize CE strategically and operationally across all departments (Operations, Medical, Advocacy, Communications, HR); ensure people/community-centredness, protection, equity, empowerment, and AAP in all projects/decisions; lead development/implementation of CE Policy, Framework, and Operational Manual in collaboration with partners.This position will be hierarchically and functionally accountable to Director of Operations.TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES1. Strategic Leadership* Lead the development, implementation, and institutionalisation of the Ubuntu Community Engagement Framework, including related policies, standards, and operational tools. * Embed People-Centred and Protection principles across all operational departments (Medical, Logistics, HR, Advocacy, Communications). * Integrate Information, Education, Communication, and Health Promotion (IECHP) strategies into the CE framework to ensure communities receive timely, accurate, and culturally relevant health information. * Advise the Director of Operations and Management Team on CE strategy, alignment, and performance. * Ensure CE approaches reflect the 7 Cs and MSF’s operational values of interdependence, equity, and solidarity. * Promote interdepartmental collaboration and coherence across CE, AAP, Protection, Inclusion, Safeguarding, and IECHP workstreams.2. Context Analysis, Security Management, and Access Negotiations Support* Work in close coordination with the access and security teams to provide community-level analysis that informs security risk assessments and access strategies. * Develop community networks and provide insights on local tensions, power dynamics, and perceived threats to support acceptance-based security management. * Support the access and security teams in the development and implementation of nuanced security management and access approaches grounded in community acceptance. * Facilitate engagement and sustained community dialogue to build trust, relationships and assist access negotiations. * Analyse community perceptions and relationships with non-state actors to assist the access and security teams in enabling access to hard-to-reach and contested areas. * Support negotiated access processes to ensure programming proceeds safely and with informed community consent.3. Technical Guidance and Project Support* Provide expert support to programmes, countries and projects for the practical integration of CE into planning, assessments, project design, implementation, and evaluation. * Strengthen participatory mechanisms such as community committees, dialogue platforms, and patient charters to enable community leadership and shared decision-making. * Oversee the development and delivery of IECHP initiatives, including community awareness campaigns, educational sessions, and communication materials tailored to local needs. * Supervise the integration of social science, anthropology, and qualitative research into operational design to improve contextual understanding and local ownership. * Ensure all departments in the projects and in the OD embed community engagement as a transversal, cross cutting issue. * Ensure CE and IECHP learnings inform adaptive programming, protection strategies, advocacy, and health promotion interventions.4. Safeguarding, and Inclusion* Apply established safeguarding and protection frameworks within community engagement activities, in close coordination with Safeguarding, DEI, and Medical teams. * Ensure community engagement approaches are ethical, culturally appropriate, and protection-sensitive, in line with organisational DEI and safeguarding standards. * Support project teams to engage meaningfully with diverse and historically marginalised community groups, based on guidance and priorities defined by the EDI function. * Act as a technical resource to programme teams on inclusive and safe community engagement practices, without assuming policy or compliance ownership. * Build partnerships with external experts, IECHP specialists, and humanitarian protection networks to strengthen Ubuntu’s community outreach and health promotion competencies.5. Knowledge Management and Capacity Building* Develop and implement a Community Engagement Learning and Knowledge Management Strategy in collaboration with Operations and L&D teams. * Oversee CE and IECHP-related training materials, toolkits, and learning modules (including integration in Tembo and MSF CE Communities of Practice). * Mentor CE focal points, IECHP teams, and programme leaders (HoPs, MedCos, Project Coordinators) to build a strong leadership pipeline in both CE and health promotion. * Coordinate documentation and dissemination of best practices, lessons learned, and operational innovations in CE and IECHP.6. Representation and Partnerships* Represent MSF Ubuntu in MSF international platforms on CE Technical Working Groups. * Build and maintain strong partnerships with civil society organisations, CBOs, patient and survivor networks, local health systems, academic institutions, and IECHP networks. * Engage with regional advocacy coalitions, research forums, and humanitarian coordination bodies to advance Ubuntu’s CE and IECHP agenda, in close coordination with AARN department. * Promote knowledge sharing, advocacy, and cross-learning between MSF OCs, IECHP experts, and external partners**.**QUALIFICATIONSEducation:* Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Anthropology, Public Health, Development Studies, or International Relations or equivalent. Relevant professional experience would be considered in lieu of the above qualifications.Experience:* Minimum 7 years of professional experience of working with communities, preferably in humanitarian or public health operations, with at least 2 years in senior project leadership roles in Community Engagement. * Proven track record in developing and implementing CE or AAP frameworks within complex humanitarian contexts. * Demonstrated experience in capacity building, mentoring, and cross-departmental coordination. * Experience with MSF operations or similar international humanitarian organisations highly desirable. * Knowledge of international protection standards, accountability frameworks, and EDI principles.Languages:* Essential: Proficiency in English. * Desired: Swahili, Arabic, French or other MSF working languages.Competencies:* Commitment to MSF Principles * Strategic Vision * Leadership and People Management * Results and Quality Orientation * Behavioral Flexibility * Teamwork and Cooperation * Communication and influence. * Service orientation. * Cultural competency. * Initiative and innovation. * Conflict resolution and promoting dialogue.CONDITIONS AND BENEFITS:* Location: Johannesburg or Nairobi * Contract: Full-time. * Grade: Senior Management. * Starting Date: To be confirmed (aligned with Ubuntu operational roll out). * Travel: 20% to 50% a year (projects and inter-hub Programmes). * Salary and Benefits: Based on the compensation and benefits package in the MSF hosting entity (Eastern Africa / Southern Africa).HOW TO APPLY* This vacancy is open to Local and International Applicants. * By applying to this position, the applicant confirms they have read, understood and agreed to fully comply with MSF Charter and MSF Behavioral Commitments and Data Privacy Policy. * In line with MSF’s Safeguarding Principles, successful candidates undergo a rigorous vetting process that includes background checks and self-declaration. * If you recognize yourself in this profile, we welcome you to apply directly via the vacancy link https://msfsa.bamboohr.com/careers/410. The vacancy can be found on various MSF websites, digital channels, ReliefWeb and other job boards. * Applicants are required to upload a Letter of Motivation and Curriculum Vitae (in English) as per prescribed formats. Applications missing the motivation letter will not be considered. * If you have any questions regarding your application, please contact [email protected] before the vacancy closing date. Kindly use this email only for technical issues related to your application, for example, if you do not receive an automated response or encounter problems uploading documents. Applications sent directly to this email will not be considered.INFORMATIONThe protection of your personal data is important to MSF. By submitting your application, you consent to MSF using your personal data only for the recruitment process to have all the information and documents necessary to proceed with the recruitment, validation of your application and selection of the most suitable candidate. Your personal data will be treated confidentially. MSF will not use your personal data in any other way not foreseen for purposes of recruitment.MSF is an equal opportunity employer and does not charge any application/ recruitment fee.Lately, MSF is a civil society initiative that brings together individuals committed to the assistance of other human beings in crisis. As such MSF is by choice an association. Each individual applying for MSF roles does it out of conviction and is ready to uphold the values and principles of MSF.