Solution Deployment Manager – Single Data Entry (SDE) Program Full Time

MSF Eastern Africa is looking for a Solution Deployment Manager – Single Data Entry (SDE) Program

Do your skills and experience not precisely match the requirements? MSF is an organization committed to promoting diversity and equity by providing equal access to professional opportunities. We understand that women, people of color, indigenous individuals, members of the LGTB+ community, and other underrepresented groups often hesitate to apply for employment if they don’t meet all the requirements. At MSF EA, we strive to create a diverse, inclusive, and genuine workplace. Therefore, 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.

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.

Rationale/Objective for Position

Context:

The Single Data Entry (SDE) project is a transformational initiative led by MSF to significantly improve the quality and efficiency of supply chain data entry in stock management processes (cargo reception, order preparation, stock count) across all OCs. The solution uses QR codes and OCR technologies to automate data capture and integrate with MSF’s existing supply chain tools. With planned deployment across over 70 countries, the SDE project is a complex, multi-OC endeavour requiring a dedicated Deployment Manager to lead and coordinate its successful field implementation.

Mission :

The Deployment Manager is responsible for ensuring the effective planning, coordination, execution, and monitoring of the SDE solution’s deployment in missions across all OCs. Acting as a central operational anchor, they will manage deployment teams, coordinate stakeholder engagement, ensure readiness and training, monitor performance, and continuously improve deployment processes based on field experience and feedback.

The Deployment Manager, based in Nairobi, will coordinate deployments in priority MSF missions across Africa and Asia. The role requires frequent travel to field locations (approximately 40–50% of the time). In addition to deployment coordination, the Deployment Manager plays a key role in supporting User Acceptance Testing (UAT), acting as a bridge between the field and the SDE product team to ensure that deployments are grounded in tested, validated solutions adapted to mission realities. This role also demands strong political acumen to navigate the diverse cultures, organizational dynamics, and power structures across multiple OCs.

This position will be hierarchically and functionally accountable to the SDE Program Manager.

Tasks & Responsibilities

1. Deployment Strategy & Planning

• Develop and manage the SDE deployment roadmap in collaboration with the SDE core team , OCs, ESCs, and field stakeholders.
• Design and continuously improve the deployment methodology, tools, and frameworks (based on Agile principles and field adaptability).
• Lead risk analysis and mitigation strategies related to deployment (logistics, change management, training, technical readiness).
• Ensure deployment strategies and tools are adapted to local mission contexts, infrastructure, and user profiles (e.g. connectivity, literacy, language).

2. Deployment Execution

• Coordinate deployment operations, including scheduling, resource mobilization, and travel of deployment officers.
• Ensure proper pre-deployment assessment, configuration, data migration, and local tool integration (middleware readiness, scanning devices).
• Supervise and support on-site deployment activities, including user onboarding, Go-Live support, and immediate troubleshooting.
• Support or coordinate User Acceptance Testing (UAT) activities in collaboration with mission teams and technical leads. Ensure proper test planning, user selection, data preparation, and collection of structured feedback.

3. Team Leadership & Support

• Directly manage the Deployment Officers and ensure technical and methodological alignment.
• Ensure coaching, training, and skills development of the deployment team and field focal points.
• Act as the first-line escalation point for field deployment issues and support needs.

4. Field Readiness & Stakeholder Engagement

• Ensure missions are deployment-ready by coordinating with field leadership, IT, and supply teams.
• Facilitate local change management and engage stakeholders to ensure user buy-in.
• Monitor user adoption and address resistance or blockers.
• Support capacity transfer to field teams to enable autonomous post-deployment use and troubleshooting; progressively reduce dependency on central support.

5. Monitoring, Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

• Track deployment KPIs (time-to-deploy, adoption rate, error reduction, user satisfaction).
• Capture lessons learned from UATs and field pilots to inform tool refinement, user guidance, and deployment methodology updates.
• Collect lessons learned and contribute to continuous improvement of tools, processes, and user guidance.
• Produce regular reports for the governance platforms and contribute to the global M&E framework.

Qualifications

Education

• Advanced degree in Supply Chain, Project Management, IT Systems or related field.
• Relevant certifications (Agile/SCRUM, PMP/Prince2, Change Management) are assets.

Experience

• At least 5–7 years of experience in project deployment, ideally within ERP or digital systems in complex field environments.
• Strong MSF field and HQ experience in supply chain or logistics (minimum 2 years highly preferred).
• Proven experience in managing multi-site roll-outs and change management in humanitarian settings.

Competencies

• Technical Competencies
  • Strong understanding of supply chain workflows, particularly stock management.
  • Solid knowledge of data systems integration, mobile deployment, and middleware architecture is an advantage.
  • Familiarity with UniField, Isystock, or other MSF-relevant tools preferred.
  • Strong leadership and coordination skills, including managing remote and mobile teams.
• Behavioral/General Competencies
  • Strong influencing and negotiation skills in matrixed and non-hierarchical environments.
  • High communication and interpersonal skills with ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
  • Ability to navigate ambiguity, adapt to changing contexts, and maintain performance under pressure.
  • Cross-cultural sensitivity and fluency in navigating multi-OC environments.
• Languages: Fluent in English (written and spoken); French is essential. Spanish or Arabic an asset.

What We Offer:

• Contract: An 18 to 24 months, full-time employment contract through MSF East Africa Section Office in Nairobi, Kenya.
• Salary: An annual salary of EUR 31,216 at HQ Grade 9 based on a full-time appointment with an annual increment of 2% every year up to a maximum of 10 years.
• Work-life balance financial benefit; ranging between EUR 620 to 1,159 per month based on individual and administrative status. This amount can be used to pay for accommodation and utilities, transportation, etc.
• Other benefits include;
  • 25 days of annual leave. 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. Only applicable if the contract is more than 1 year.
  • Work-life balance: Daily flexi-hours and 2 days working from home possible.
  • School fees benefits: for eligible dependents.
  • 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.

Tagged as: Kenya, Médecins Sans Frontières