Medical Advisor in the Emergency Preparedness and Support Unit

Job Offer
(strictly no recruitment agencies)

Join MSF OCG as a Medical Advisor in the Emergency Preparedness and Support Unit!

We are looking for passionate candidates ready to contribute to our humanitarian mission.

Below, you will find the job details and the qualifications we are looking for.

Inclusivity and Diversity at MSF

Do your qualifications and experience not exactly match all requirements of the job?

At MSF OCG, we are committed to an inclusive culture that supports and amplifies the diverse voices of our staff members. We strive to create workplaces where teams of people with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, perspectives, ideas and experiences work together to advance MSF's social mission and create better outcomes for our patients and the communities we work with.

We understand that some people may hesitate to apply for employment if they don't meet all listed job requirements. Research shows that this is especially true for women. If you believe your profile is a good match for this position, we invite you to apply even if you don’t fulfil every listed qualification.

We encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, ethnicities, background, religions, beliefs, ability status, and all other diversity characteristics.

MSF does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment. All selected candidates will undergo reference checks.

Context & mission

Médecins Sans Frontières is an independent, international medical and humanitarian organization that provides care to people in need, people affected by natural or man-made disasters, and victims of armed conflict, without discrimination and without regard to race, religion, creed or political affiliation (MSF Charter).

The Medical Advisor is a key position within the Emergency Preparedness and Support Unit (EPU), directly contributing to MSF OCG’s ability to anticipate, prepare, and respond to complex humanitarian emergencies.

The Medical Advisor is responsible for steering the medical components of the four workstreams critical to emergency management, including surveillance and scanning, emergency preparedness, emergency response, and strategic learning and adpatation. 

In synergy with the other members of the Emergency Prepardness and Support Unit, the Medical Advisor will actively foster collaboration within the Operation and Medical Departments, while also ensuring effective coordination across other departments.

The Emergency Preparedness and Support Unit builds on the various mechanisms established by OCG since 2017 to enhance its capacity for emergency response, a critical pillar of the OCG Strategic Plan. The Unit takes a transversal and multidisciplinary approach aiming to stengthen emergency prepardness and response and foster the integration of emergency management into the planning of all departments and teams at every level of the organization.

The Emergency Preparedness and Support Unit is part of the Operation department, which includes six operational cells (with the emergency cell), several entities managing OCG operations in Greece, Camino (Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala), Kiribati and North Korea, as well as other dedicated teams within the Security, Legal, Advocacy and Negotiation Units.

MSF OCG operates from three headquarters located in Geneva, Amman, and Dakar, alongside a support mission in Uganda. In 2024, MSF OCG managed more than 100 projects in 35 different countries.

Tasks & Responsibilities

Under the Head of Emergency Preparedness and Support Unit, the Medical Advisor is responsible for supporting the effective delivery of emergency response within OCG.

The Medical Advisor contributes to:

• Integrating emergency management into medico-operational policies, strategies and frameworks.

• Providing direct support to strengthen emergency preparedness and response, including accountability mechanisms.

• Mobilizing and coordinating the medico-operational support to address challenges and opportunities in emergency preparedness and response.

• Strengthening OCG surge capacity by supporting the development of a health workforce that has the requisite competencies to prepare and respond to emergency.

• Developing and adapting medico-operational resources, guidance and tools to enhance emergency management at all levels.

• Advancing knowledge management and strategic adaptation on emergency management by capitalizing on experience and collective learning.

The roles and responsibilities hereafter are structured around OCG four workstreams of emergency management. The Medical Advisor is also responsible for broader transversal actions that contribute to and ensure alignment with OCG medico-operational policy and strategic plan.

1. Scanning and surveillance

• Ensure continuous scanning, surveillance and management of public health and humanitarian alerts.

• Analyze and report on emerging humanitarian and global health trends.

• Develop and implement anticipatory and preparedness actions based on priority public health, outbreak and malnutrition risks identified.

• In collaboration with the epidemiology advisor, strengthen the surveillance system for OCG and ensure that its implementation is reinforced at mission and field levels.

2. Emergency preparedness

• Strengthen the global OCG EPREP medico-operational strategy and implementation, including the development or update of medical resources and tools required for all emergency scenarios.

• Provide direct support to develop, review, update and implement the EPREP strategy and workplan at mission level.

• Review, update, and adapt the OCG EPREP medical supply strategy, in close collaboration with the medical supply officer in the unit.

• With the HR advisor and department, contribute to the development of health workforce equipped for emergency response.

3. Emergency Response

• Provide guidance and support to cells and missions during emergency deployments.

• Develop timely mechanisms and tools to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation during emergency responses, including an efficient data management system fit for emergency purpose.

• Promote the mobilization and collaboration with the medical department to ensure earlier alignment, transversal ownership, and prioritization for the response.

• Contribute to develop a duty of care framework to ensure staff wellbeing and safety during emergency responses.

4. Strategic Adaptation & Learning

• Promote the implementation and contribute to after-action reviews and other evaluation, including in real-time, to capitalize on experiences and ensure that recommendations and best practices are integrated into emergency management.

• Reinforce knowledge management to promote access and sharing of relevant resources and best practices related to emergency preparedness and response.

• Identify opportunities for innovation and operational research and support their implementation.

• Collaborate with other MSF operational centers or entities to develop synergies in emergency preparedness and response.

• Foster strong partnerships with health stakeholders in the humanitarian and global health system and with partners that develop expertise and innovative solutions to address emerging needs.

5. Transversal

• Contribute to the periodic review of the emergency management framework and workplan and provide recommendation for adaptation and improvement.

• Play a key role in internal communication and disseminating crucial information related to emergency preparedness and support within OCG.

• Actively participate to the emergency forum and other ad hoc platforms where emergency management is discussed.

• Contribute to the implementation of OCG medico-operational policy and strategic plan priorities.

• Is flexible to provide support to the operational cells and to go to field deployments in the context of emergency response.

Your profile

Education

• Essential: university-level diploma in a medical or paramedical discipline.

• An asset: training in emergency, disaster and outbreak management.

Experience

• Essential MSF medico-operational experiences, including in emergency, high-pressure and complex environment, at field and coordination levels.

• Experience in developing emergency preparedness strategy and planning.

• Experience in staff development and capacity building.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of MSF Switzerland. Fluency in both English and French is required for this position (oral and written).

Skills/ Technical competencies

• Strategic planning and management of emergency health projects in humanitarian settings and complex crises.

• Advanced technical skills in surveillance and preparedness to outbreaks, natural, and man-made disasters.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Personal Abilities/Qualities

• Commitment to MSF values and culture

• Team player and collaboration across teams

• Critical thinking and problem solving

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills

• Adaptability and resilience

• Proactive, solution-oriented and open minded

Other Key Commitments

• This position requires regular travel to the MSF countries of intervention, both planned, and at short notice.

• All candidates must commit and adhere to the MSF Behavioral Commitments, Recruitment Principles and to the MSF Policy on Abortion.

Terms of employment

• Full-time position 100% (40h/week)

• Open-ended contract

• Working place: Geneva, Switzerland

• Ideal start date: 1st April 2025

• Gross annual salary (for 100%): from CHF 110’652.- to CHF 126’228.- (salary commensurate with equivalent experience and internal salary grid)

• Paid vacation: 25 days per year, prorate temporis, plus any Swiss public holidays falling within the contract period.

• Pension plan: pension contribution covered 3/4 by MSF, 1/4 by staff member.

• Relocation package if moving from a different country to Switzerland.

How to apply

Candidates are invited to submit their application exclusively through our recruitment platform, following these guidelines:

• CV (maximum 2 pages)

• Cover letter (maximum 1 page)

• Documents must be submitted in either English or French.

The application deadline is March 23rd 2025

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier if we receive a sufficient number of quality applications.

APPLY

All applications will be treated confidentially (https://www.msf.ch/travailler-avec-nous/declaration-confidentialite-candidates-msf-suisse).

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Please note that we do not wish to use the services of recruitment or placement agencies.