Our variety of roles

MSF runs several projects in the same country where our local and international MSF staff work in direct contact with local populations. Project teams are often composed of hundreds of local staff with a wide range and variety of functions and expertise.

Although each project may have different types of activities, it operates according to the same structure: Medical and Paramedical, HR and Finance, Logistics and Supply teams supported by a project coordinator who is responsible for managing the project’s activities.

Usually based in the capital of the countries where MSF intervenes, the coordination team supervises and supports our activities in the various projects. Several technical coordinators in Medical, HR, Finance, Logistics and Supply domains work together with a country responsible. These positions are mostly held by people with extensive experience within MSF.

Depending on the size and type of MSF activities in the country, they are assisted by international and local staff in several functions of assistants, officers or advisors within these specific technical domains of expertise or specialized in other domains such as communication, analysis, legal,,…

We are evolving towards a 'Multi-Centered and Networked Operational Directorate' with several centres spread all over the world, providing support and expertise.

Based in different regions worldwide or in Brussels, several cells or regional teams, as well as the Emergency Unit, monitor and support ongoing operations or emergency responses in the countries under their responsibility. These teams are composed by managerial operational and technical operational functions in medical, HR, Finance, Logistic and supply domains.

In partnership with the Operations department, a multitude of professionals join their extremely wide variety of expertise to support MSF Operations and activities. They work in several departments and units in Analysis, Communication and Fundraising, Finance, ICT, Human Resources, Legal, Logistics, Medical, Supply chain and more.

Experienced humanitarian workers with diverse expertise provide in-depth analysis of the environments in which MSF operates. This analysis ensures humanitarian access, helps navigate obstacles, and advocates for change.

Humanitarian affairs officers or coordinators, as well as humanitarian specialists and advisors with diverse expertise in humanitarian access, networking, conflict, humanitarianism, health politics or forced migration support operations at all levels with humanitarian analysis, networking, advocacy strategies, capacity building, and direct operational support.

Communication is an integral part of MSF’s operations to raise awareness, create leverage, and to contribute to efficient fundraising to safeguard our independence. A wide network of communication professionals ensures that our voice reaches global and national audiences and stakeholders.

Focusing on operational communications worldwide, officers, managers, advisors or coordinators with expertise in communication, multimedia, audio-visual and digital deliver high-level communication support to MSF’s operations.

For communication and fundraising in Belgium. fundraising and acquisition & engagement teams, made up of fundraising specialists, press officers, editors, copywriters, social media, campaign and event managers, raise awareness about MSF actions and engages with the Belgian society.

Finance experts in MSF aim at promoting and supporting the ongoing running and sustainability of our organization. In compliance with regulations and local requirements, they provide, in a timely manner, transparent and quality information and produce reliable forecasts and multi-year financial projections.

Their positions range for example from cashier, accountant, finance assistant, officer, manager or coordinator to specialists in accounting, funding, operational finance, resources risk and internal control, financial planning, finance applications support, finance capacity building,…

Human resources specialists act as strategic partner in fulfilling MSF's social mission. Committed to provide a safe working environment with equitable access to knowledge and opportunities, they do it through a global, mobile, and diverse workforce approach where people and organizational needs, values and culture, development and sense of belonging are core. They also ensure an administrative and managerial framework that guarantees that MSF is a responsible employer.

With various backgrounds and expertise, they work as receptionist, secretary, administration assistants, HR managers, HR coordinators, HR officers, Learning and development officers, mobile implementation officers, advisors or referents, Development and career Advisors, Recruitment specialists, Pool and staffing managers, Administration and payroll specialists, Compensation and benefits specialists, International Mobility Officers, HR HQ specialists, Medical and Mental health Staff Health specialists or HR information systems specialists.

Our ICT specialists are committed to digitally empowering MSF to improve our humanitarian and medical impact. We achieve this by providing and supporting the different MSF teams with a fit-for-purpose, reliable and secure digital ecosystem that is responsive to MSF operational and organisational needs.

Within the diverse ICT domains, our experts take on various critical roles, such as Project Managers; ICT Partners; Devops Engineers; ICT Specialists, Mobile implementation officers or supervisors; Data Strategists; Data Analysts; Data Engineers; Cybersecurity Officer; System Administrators; Cloud Architects; Service Desk Officers, etc

Intersectional MSF legal experts and advisors give legal support to all MSF entities. Their objectives are to secure MSF's humanitarian and medical space by ensuring the respect of International Humanitarian Law; and to reduce the legal/financial/institutional risks by securing an effective administrative and legal framework for the deployment of our operations.​​​​​​​

Many health professionals with extremely diverse expertise and roles work together to deliver or support high impact and quality health interventions.

Our medical and paramedical staff work in many functions, mentioning just a few as assistants, supervisors, referents or mobile implementers in medicine, emergency and critical care, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, neonatology, pediatric care, gynecology, surgery, orthopedics, anesthesia, nursing care, infection prevention & control, sexual and reproductive health, vaccination, health promotion, mental health, pharmacy, laboratory, microbiology, medical equipment, nutrition, antibiotic resistance, epidemiology, environmental health, hospital management, operational research, quality of care, public health,...

MSF Academy for Healthcare’s clinical mentors, tutors, pedagogical and curriculum design specialists, technical experts and project managers focus on strengthening the skills and competencies of healthcare workers in MSF projects, with the will to have a long-term impact on the quality of care in the countries where MSF intervenes.

To respond to medical needs in settings with excess morbidity, mortality and acute suffering, MSF humanitarian interventions are designed, supported and/or coordinated by several operational managerial and technical roles.

With experience in coordinating activities in humanitarian projects, our main operational managerial roles are: range from Operational or Emergency directors or coordinators, Country responsibles, project coordinators or assistants.

Technical Operations or Emergency functions such as assistants, officers, regional responsibles, emergency mobile officers or coordinators with specific Medical, Human resources, Finances, Logistics or Supply chain humanitarian experience participate in their specific area of expertise in the design, support and coordination of these interventions.

Our supply chain staff sthrive to ensure timely and cost-effective provision of quality goods and services to all MSF interventions in complex environments, as well as to supporting offices, in order to achieve our medical operational ambitions, while guaranteeing accountability to our operations, our patients, and our donors.

Working with a wide diversity of nature of the goods (for example drugs and specific non-medical items that require specific conditions,) and supply sources (local, regional or international), supply chain agents, assistants, managers, team leaders, officers, referents, advisors or coordinators are in charge of supply chain management, purchasing, procurement, order processing, transport, demand planning, strategic planning, inventory management, supply chain design, customs, warehouse, storekeeping, supply information systems, and/or customer relationship management.

MSF Supply one of the three humanitarian supply centres of Médecins Sans Frontières, as for mission to provide high quality products and services that are tailored to the needs of humanitarian medical organizations. Employees are specialized in order management, transport and delivery, packaging, quality control and quality assurance, products, storage and inventory management, international or regional purchases, kits management and emergency procurement.

Logistics staff design, set up, oversee, manage, support and/or deliver a wide range of Logistics intervention in many technical disciplines: Construction and shelter, Energy infrastructure, Heating Ventilation and Air conditioning systems (HVAC), Water and sanitation, Health Facility management, Biomedical engineering, Motorized Fleet management Geographical Information systems (GIS) and Telecommunications.

Our logisticians are professionals with experience and knowledge in technical domains to support our activities through a pragmatic and solution-oriented approach. They ensure in this way the appropriate running of our operations.

Their positions varies from agents or technicians (drivers, watchmen, maintenance, radio, mechanic,...) to Logistic generalists or specialists assistants, supervisors, managers, team leaders, responsibles, specialists, coordinators, advisors or referents.

We count on many assistants or support officers as well as having interns and volunteers to assist our teams and departments.

Diverse experts support MSF transversally in various domains such as Information & knowledge management, Programme and change management, Diversity and Anti-Racism, Ethics and Behavior, Climate environment & health, Management and Monitoring, Project Evaluations, Data protection, Risk Management, Internal audit, and more.