Medical Director

Job Offer
(strictly no recruitment agencies)

Join MSF OCG as a Medical Director!

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 MSF movement is built around 5 operational centers supported by 24 sections and offices worldwide. MSF Operational Center Geneva (MSF OCG) is one of these centres. OCG’s Medical Directors works closely with Medical Directors across other MSF sections, Operational Cells, and global medical platforms. He/she leads and oversees the Medical Department’s alignment with MSF’s operational and strategic vision and represents OCG in international MSF medical forums (Medical Directors’ platform, MEDOP platform, MSF Access (APH), DNDi, and global health advocacy bodies).

Tasks & Responsibilities

The Medical Director is responsible for strategic leadership, technical oversight, and global representation of MSF-OCG’s Medical Department. The role ensures the development and implementation of medical policies, innovation, and field support mechanisms, while strengthening interdepartmental collaboration, operational effectiveness, and external advocacy to advance MSF’s medical ambitions.

• As a member of the OCG Management Team, the Medical Director share the responsibility for the overall management and leadership of the organization.

• Lead the Medical Department’s strategy and vision, ensuring alignment with MSF-OCG’s Strategic plan and operational priorities (like People and Populations as Partners or Planetary Health in current strategy).

• Supervise and support the Deputy Medical Director and Medical Leaders, ensuring strategic coherence and operational efficiency and innovation.

• Oversee the development and implementation of medical policies, protocols, and innovations, ensuring evidence-based practices across MSF operations.

• Ensure high-level engagement with the Operations Department, strengthening medical field support, technical guidance, and emergency preparedness.

• Drive external OCG’s representation at the Executive Board (SEB) of the new MSF Access entity.

• Lead advocacy efforts, engaging with global health actors, and research institutions to influence humanitarian medical policies.

• Ensure MSF’s response to evolving medical challenges, positioning the organization at the forefront of global health trends, emerging diseases, and scientific advancements.

• Manage departmental resources and budget, ensuring operational sustainability and effective medical service delivery.

• Contribute to knowledge management, field research, and capacity building, ensuring continuous learning and improvement in MSF’s medical interventions.

Your profile

Education

• Medical Doctor

• Specialization in Tropical Medicine, Epidemiology, or Public Health is desired.

Experience

• Extensive field and/or HQ experience with MSF or another medical humanitarian organization, including country coordination position, preferably as HoM or Medical Coordinator.

• Proven expertise in medical leadership, advocacy efforts, field documentation and policy development.

• Experience in strategic planning, interdepartmental coordination, and transversal project management.

• Experience in operational research in low resources settings, and engagement with external research institutions is desired.

• Languages

• Fluent in English

• Proficiency in French and knowledge of Spanish or Arabic is a plus.

Skills/ Technical competencies

• Strong understanding of humanitarian medicine, medico-operational frameworks, and MSF policies.

• Expertise in healthcare leadership, innovation, and organizational change management.

• Experience in medical research, evidence-based policy-making, and cross-sectional collaboration.

• Familiarity with international public health policies, epidemic response strategies, and neglected tropical disease programs is desired.

Personal Abilities/Qualities

• Strategic vision and decision-making capacity to drive MSF’s medical agenda.

• Collaborative team management style, active listener, capable of overseeing & motivating complex medical teams.

• Strong negotiation, representation, and advocacy skills to engage with global health partners.

• Capacity to drive institutional change, fostering collaboration between medical, operational, and advocacy units.

Terms of employment

• Full-time position 100% (40h/week)

• Fixed-term contract, 3 years renewable

• Working place: Geneva, Switzerland

• Ideal start date: 30th June 2025

• Gross annual salary (for 100%): from CHF 159’672.- to CHF 169’092.- (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 20th April 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.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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