Field Communication Learning Coordinator (Maternity Cover) – Kenya 4 views

MSF Eastern Africa is looking for a Field Communication Learning Coordinator (Maternity Cover)

Do your skills and experience not precisely match the requirements? At MSF EA, 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 Medium Risk and will be monitored with this in regard.

Introduction

Médecins 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 Eastern Africa

MSF Eastern Africa is the regional institutional office of MSF. It focuses on representation and networking, recruiting and supporting staff from the region, communications and fundraising, as well as working on other dossiers of importance to MSF such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Data Protection, mutualization, training, medical operational support and environmental health.

Purpose of the Role

The Field Communication Learning Unit, created in 2012 in cooperation with the OCG Operational Communications Unit, is the focal point and catalyst for learning, development and mentoring for MSF field communications. The unit is training and supporting communications staff across MSF missions with the aim to strengthen public communication in the places of intervention and contributing to its decentralization.

The unit offers a variety of trainings and other learning solutions to MSF communications and non-communications staff in countries of operations; the demand for support activities has been continually on the rise over the past years.

In 2023 a partnership was started with the MSF communications team in Nairobi, focusing on learning opportunities in the Eastern Africa region. The strategic aim of the unit is to further grow a network of comms experts across the regions to allow for an increased and decentralized offer of learning solution for field communications, aiming at communications and operational MSF field staff.

This role directly contributes to strengthen the offer of training in the region, which was previously being provided by MSF EA communications colleagues, and other communicators in the region, using materials and techniques developed by the Field Communication Learning Unit.

The Field Communication Learning Unit runs its activities in an intersectional spirit, therefore good cooperation and regular exchange at all levels is necessary.

Reports to the Head of Field Communication Learning Unit for hierarchical matters and has a functional link with the MSF EA L&D unit and the MSF EA communications team.

PLACE IN THE ORGANISATION

The Field Communications Training Coordinator East Africa reports to the Head of the Field Communication Leaning Unit for hierarchical matters, and to the Director of Communications and Fundraising MSF EA in functional matters.

OBJECTIVES OF THE POSITION

Over the past years, the demand for support of field communications through trainings and other learning initiatives has seen a steady increase. The Field Communication Learning Unit is today the recognized focal point for the development of field communications and operational staff within MSF, offering a variety of learning opportunities and tailored support. The aim is to harness communication skills of MSF teams in countries of operations, increasing their awareness on how to use communications strategically and preparing them to interact with stakeholders including patients, authorities and the media. With the development of MSF Eastern Africa, the section communications team has increasingly been providing communications training across the region. This position will strengthen this offer, at the same time as reducing the impact on the team in managing trainings.

The jobholder is contributing to the development and implementation of capacity building strategies and tools for MSF field communications, such as the communications trainings for operational and communication staff in the field, the Field Communications Toolbox and new learning and onboarding tools.

S/he is actively building networks to plan, design and implement tailor made learning solutions for communications and operations positions in countries of operations, not exclusively for but with a focus on the East Africa region.

Tasks & Responsibilities:

In close collaboration with colleagues in the Field Communication Learning Unit, the Operational Directorates and other communications experts across MSF, the Field Communications Learning Coordinator – East Africa will assume the following responsibilities:

1. Drive the conception, development and implementation of trainings for communications and operational staff in countries of operations, including identifying needs across the East African region.

• Identify training needs across the region and coordinate the offer of communications training in the region – create a network across the region and maintain regular contacts to coordinate communications training for Eastern Africa, acting as the technical referent for communications training in the region.
• Develop, steer and organize Communications Trainings onsite or in virtual classroom:
  • Organize trainings: Conduct needs assessments with the target groups; invite participants and liaise with them; identify, brief and coordinate facilitators; coordinate training preparations; brief field and L&D administrators on their tasks and support them, if needed; review and adapt content of training modules with facilitators.
  • Develop and adapt trainings: Contribute to the evaluation of needs and identification of objectives; identify and adapt content together with facilitators; identify and develop appropriate methodologies, when needed with input from L&D experts; review existing training modules and adapt them to new contexts and new developments; adapt existing training modules to a virtual classroom format.
  • Implement trainings: Liaise with field administrator and venue (if on site); choose platform and ensure participants have access (for virtual classroom); monitor timing and progress; decide upon ad hoc adaptations when necessary; facilitate some of the modules, if needed; take note of key points during discussions; provide logistical services for participants, referents, and facilitators; ensure participants evaluate the training.
  • Evaluate trainings and other learning solutions: Analyse evaluations and write final training report with input from facilitators; capitalise learnings; produce annual learning report for field communications.

2. Contribute to the management and revision of the Communications Toolbox

• Assume co-responsibility for the toolbox and its updates.
• Contribute to a redesign of the toolbox, when necessary.
• Adapt existing content of the toolbox according to new development and changes in cooperation with subject matter experts from across the MSF communications network.
• Promote toolbox to key target groups.
• Ensure the toolbox SharePoint site is functioning and malfunctions are fixed in a timely manner.

3. Oversee and drive the e-briefing course for MSF field communications staff

• Promote the briefing tool at OD and countries of operations levels, especially among new communications staff.
• In the EA region, act as focal point for e-briefing users and assure their follow up during the course.
• Liaise with hosting of platform Tembo and users when necessary.
• Evaluate e-briefing use by target group on a regular basis.
• Propose, drive and oversee changes and adaptations to the e-briefing.

4. Drive and animate the Field Comms Community of Practice

• Promote the Community of Practice among the target group.
• Design and organize webinars and other online learning events with subject matter experts for the Field Comms Community.
• Facilitate debates on the Field Comms Forum on Teams.
• Identify topics of interest for the target group and promote them in an adequate manner.

5. Enhance the field communications learning and development path

• Propose new communications, capacity building tools and produce them with support from within the communications network.

6. Close collaboration, exchange and support with communications colleagues

• Regularly liaise with Operational comms and MSF EA communications team, including during the planning process’ and strategic discussions, sharing opportunities and learnings where relevant.
• Provide cover for communications colleagues in the region, as requested and according to availability.

Qualifications:

Education/ Knowledge:

• Mandatory: Bachelor degree in communications or related field.
• Desired: Master in communications or related field.
• Desired: certification in people learning and development.

Experience:

• Three to five years of experience in communications, including in humanitarian and complex contexts. Experience with MSF, including time spent in operational communications and in countries of operations is an asset.
• Proven experience in L&D, with experience in training senior staff and developing learning solutions, in the tasks as described above.
• Availability to travel to host face-to-face trainings, mainly in the EA region, up to 30% of the time, with a flexible approach to working hours.
• Experience working in East Africa is an asset.

Language Skills:

• Mandatory: Fluent English with exceptional writing and oral skills.
• Desired: French and/or Arabic is an asset.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong organizational skills and attention to details, with the ability to plan, manage and execute projects in a timely manner, and collaborate with a variety of stakeholders across the organization.
• Flexibility and ability to bring solutions.
• Strong skills to communicate with people in multidisciplinary and multicultural contexts and to negotiate with senior stakeholders.
• Sense of humor.
• Strong commitment to MSF values and principles.

What We Offer:

• Job Location: MSF Eastern Africa office in Nairobi, Kenya.

• Contract: Eight (8) months, Full-Time Fixed term contract (maternity cover).

• Start date: 02 May 2026 (until 31 December 2026).

• Annual Salary and other benefits: In line with MSF reward policy, Subjected to local conditions.

  1. Salary: An annual salary of EUR 27,145 at HQ Grade 8 (Prorated) based on a full-time appointment with an annual increment of 2% every year up to a maximum of 10 years.
  2. Work-life balance financial benefit; ranging between EUR 620 to 1,159/month based on individual & administrative status. This amount may be used to cover accommodation and utilities, transportation, etc.
  3. Other benefits include;
  • Annual Leave: 25 days of annual leave per year.
  • Other Holidays: sick leave, circumstantial leave, maternity leave (21 weeks), paternity leave (4 weeks), own affairs days off, etc.
  • Employer Pension contribution: 10% of basic salary:
  • International insurance for both medical and disability**.**
  • Relocation support for non-Kenyan residents; based on MSF EA terms/conditions.
  • Work-life balance: Daily flexi-hours and 2 days working from home possible.
  • School fees benefits: for eligible dependents, based on individual & administrative status.
  • Diverse team composition; Collaborate with a global network of talented professionals, bringing diverse perspectives and expertise from around the world.
  • Career Development: MSF provides many learning resources (online learning resources, regular trainings – including language, Peer to peer learning.
  • Mobility: You will have opportunities to travel abroad for work, meetings, trainings and workshops; giving you a chance to experience different cultures and broaden your professional network.
  • Annual home leave ticket: To be taken once every year for both staff and eligible dependents back to their home country for vacation. Only applicable to non-Kenyans and based on individual & administrative status.