Médecins Sans Frontières mentoring and coaching hub, Norway mentoring programme

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), referred to in English as Doctors Without Borders, is an international humanitarian medical non-governmental organisation. Staff work in extraordinary circumstances within varying contexts, performing functions within roles, which often stretch them personally and professionally. The environment can be physically and psychologically demanding due to different institutional structures, economic and political instability, ethnic, and religious rivalries, political complexities, insecurity, and high-risk situations.

In 2010, MSF Operational Centre Brussels (OCB) took the strategic decision to move towards a Human Resource Development (HRD) approach based on competencies. The main objective was to develop the competencies of individual positions within the Operations Centres. This strategy was partly in response to one of MSF’s major challenges of finding, selecting, and developing future Project Coordinators and Heads of Mission. This challenge prompted the need for developing new HR tools and programmes to support these growing needs.

OCB requested a review in late 2010, early 2011. From this review, it was determined that mentoring in the first six months of a new management position is associated with greater career success and progression within the organisation in question.

As a part of the HR Development Strategy, the mentoring pilot was initiated in mid-2011. This pilot phase continued until 2013. Initially, support was focused on two roles: first-time Field Coordinators and Heads of Mission.

This chapter outlines the mentoring programme framework, programme impact and participant experience, lessons learned and future intentions.