Head of Operational Finance

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).

MSF-CH has a matrix organization to support operations. An
operational unit is responsible for providing the management and support
needed to implement the operational strategy. The operational unit is
the direct interface with the field and is made up of a
multidisciplinary team of 6: a program manager (RP) with his deputy
(ARP), and experts in the fields of medicine (RMP), logistics (RLO),
finance (FINOP) and human resources (HROP). Other profiles may be added
to this set-up in connection with the management of medical items
(pharmacists) and purchasing. Operational units are currently located in
Geneva (4), Dakar (1), Amman (1) and Mexico City (hybrid setup for the
latter).

The Financial Controller ("FINOP") works within this operational
unit. He is a member of the Operational Finance Unit (FINOP) and the
Finance Department. Financial controllers are responsible for financial
management on missions, under the dual supervision of their unit's
Program Manager and the head of the FINOP department. They play a
pivotal role between Finance and Operations, acting as the unit's point
of reference for financial management.

The FINOP Manager works in close collaboration with the other members
of the Finance Department. He/she defines the strategy of the FINOP
department and contributes to the definition of the department's
objectives. He/she ensures that the strategies, policies, and procedures
established by the Finance Department are implemented, both within the
units and in the field.

Responsibilities

He/she is responsible for managing the team of FINOP controllers.
He/she ensures that FINOP controllers fully assume their role vis-à-vis
both their cell and the Operational Finance department, and that
practices from one cell to another are harmonized. As a supervisor and
key contact for cell controllers, his or her extensive experience is an
asset for operations management.

Responsible for financial and management monitoring of missions,
he/she consolidates and monitors the OCG's overall operating budget
throughout the annual budget cycle. He/she makes proposals to ensure the
best possible support for Operations.

He/she produces budget reports for the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors and the International Office.

As a member of the Operational Forum (FOROP). He/she actively
contributes to the cross-functional strategic issues for which the FOROP
is responsible.

He/she represents the Swiss section in matters relating to
operational finance within the MSF movement. The head of operational
finance is required to travel for field visits (1-2 times a year)

Your Profile

Education

• Tertiary degree in management or equivalent, preferably with a management/finance/management focus

Experience

• At least 7 years' proven experience in management, finance, and cost analysis


• At least 5 years' proven experience in team management


• Minimum 2 to 3 years' successful experience in humanitarian aid NGOs, in administrative & financial coordinator positions


• 2 years' experience at the head office of a large NGO an asset

Skills/ Technical competencies

• Excellent knowledge of financial management, in particular budget processes


• Very good knowledge of financial ERP (D365 and Unifield an asset)
  and financial reporting systems (PowerBi and Qlikview an asset)


• Excellent knowledge of MS Office, mainly Excel (advanced)


• Knowledge of financing contracts management


• Project management knowledge/experience

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).

Personal Abilities/Qualities

• Excellent sense of organization and priorities, rigor.


• Logic, ability to analyse and provide synthesis.


• Availability, listening skills, open-mindedness, diplomacy.


• Capacity to generate proposals.


• Decision-making.


• Good stress management, prioritization, flexibility.


• Autonomy.


• Ability to manage and motivate a team.

Terms of Employment

• Full-time position 100% (40h/week)


• Open-ended contract


• Working place: Geneva, Switzerland


• Ideal start date: 01.10.2024


• Gross annual salary (for 100%): from CHF 118’776.- to CHF 133’272.-
  (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 submit their application following the requirements: CV 2
p. max. – letter of motivation 1p. max. – in French or English.

The job will remain published until a suitable candidate has been identified

We reserve the right to close the position
early if we consider the number and quality of applications received to
be sufficient.

The applications will be treated confidentially.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Only applications submitted on our recruitment platforms will be considered.

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

At MSF, we are committed to an inclusive culture that encourages
and supports 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 for
the social mission of MSF to create better outcomes for our patients and
the communities we work with.

We welcome 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, therefore, undergo reference checks.