MSF Executive Committee Officer

Location: Any MSF office (*) within -/+ 2 hours CET

Contract: permanent at 100%

Start: As soon as possible

Deadline to apply:8 December 2024 at 23:59 CET

Compensation and benefits: MSF practice is to offer the C&B package current in the MSF entity establishing the contract.

*By default, the successful candidate will be offered a contract in the MSF office of their country of residence at the time of application.

I. MSF INTERNATIONAL

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion and natural disasters. MSF offers assistance to people based only on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.

MSF International is the legal entity that binds MSF’s 24 sections, 28 associations and other offices together. Registered in Switzerland, MSF International provides coordination, information and support to the MSF Movement, as well as implements international projects and initiatives as requested.

II. POSITION BACKGROUND

The Secretary General (SG) plays a key role in defining, with the Executive Committee (ExCom) and under the direction of the International Board (IB), the movement’s ambitions and priorities and ensuring their implementation.

The position of Executive Committee (ExCom) Officer supports the Secretary General and the ExCom platform in the full accomplishment of the mandate entrusted by the MSF Movement.

III. PLACE IN THE ORGANISATION

The ExCom Officer reports hierarchically and functionally to the Secretary General and liaises with the Deputy SG on ExCom related matters. The ExCom Officer supervises the Administrative Assistant.

IV. OBJECTIVE OF THE POSITION

The ExCom Officer will support the SG in the running of the ExCom platform, and in the development, execution and follow-up of key executive dossiers. They will play a crucial role in building a collaborative work environment within the ExCom platform. The position is key in ensuring proactive organization and timely management of relevant information and fluid interaction between the SG, the ExCom and towards other international platforms and bodies and the wider MSF Movement.

V. MAIN RESPONSABILITIES

1. Strategic support to the Executive Committee

The ExCom Officer is responsible for content preparation and follow-up of ExCom platform meetings. This includes the preparation and dissemination of elaborated agendas and background documents, rapidly completing high-quality suitably contextualised outcomes, reporting on and communicating discussions at meetings, and assistance to ensure implementation of related tasks to achieve outcomes and action points.

In detail, the ExCom officer carries out the following tasks:

1. Anticipates and plans ahead to ensure ExCom meetings are well prepared with the relevant information, knowledge and documents;
2. Develops agendas for ExCom meetings, in liaison with the Secretary General, platform coordinators and contributors; Keeps an updated inventory of topics to be discussed and a priority timeline to discuss these.
3. Rapidly produces high-quality and contextualised outcomes from ExCom meetings
4. Produces and prepares supporting documents as delegated by the SG;
5. Researches, prepares and presents findings in the form of briefing papers, reports and presentations;
6. Reviews and assesses information submitted to the SG ahead of ExCom meetings, followed by briefing and recommendations as needed; ensures information is complete, resolves inconsistencies and flags and addresses concerns as needed.
7. Tracks and follows up action items, deliverables and other commitments identified at ExCom meetings to ensure assigned tasks are completed;
8. Ensures linkage between ExCom and IB agenda topics as well as planning prioritisation;
9. Establishes a continuous and constructive dialogue with the SG and ExCom members as needed, in order to elicit new ideas or to test and consolidate opinions.
10. Proactively follows up on actionable outcomes from the ExCom and helps to design processes that ensures their timely completion.

2. ExCom information management and communication linkage

The ExCom Officer plays a proactive role in providing reciprocal informational linkage between the SG as Chair of the ExCom and ExCom members, and towards other international platforms, bodies and stakeholders. Thus s/he is the focal point to:

1. Proactively communicate decisions or any relevant information in support of the SG as Chair of the ExCom;
2. Ensure information & communication linkage between the ExCom and other MSF platforms
3. Produce overviews and summaries of content to support ExCom discussions and decision-making, including referring previous relevant decisions
4. Capture meetings outcomes and prepare minutes and follow up on approval; Ensure communication with concerned platforms and stakeholders, within established timelines;
5. Liaise with international platform coordinators and other key contributors ahead of ExCom meetings with regards to agenda setting and content.

3. ExCom-related administrative and logistic support

1. Ensures liaison with DG assistants at the hosting office on logistics in preparation of Face to Face Core ExCom meetings;
2. Oversees logistics arrangements for Full ExCom Face to Face meetings;
3. Maintains an updated repository of key documents, ensuring thorough archiving of documents related to the ExCom;
4. Supports the SG on ExCom priority management, including email and other communication management;
5. Can be requested to undertake other tasks by the SG as needed.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Political Science, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field (a master’s degree is preferred).

Experience

1. Minimum 4 years of experience in executive-level support roles, preferably in international or nonprofit organizations.
2. Knowledge and experience of MSF governance platforms a strong asset
3. Demonstrated experience working with senior leadership teams, governance bodies, or boards.
4. Experience managing complex projects and handling multifaceted responsibilities requiring coordination across departments or stakeholders.
5. Familiarity with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), particularly within the humanitarian or medical sector, is an asset.

Knowledge and skills

a. Organisational Skills

1. Strong ability to plan and organize meetings, prioritize tasks, and ensure timely follow-up on decisions and deliverables.
2. Excellent project management skills, including tracking and ensuring the completion of tasks.

b. Analytical and Problem-Solving Abilities

1. Capacity to analyse and synthesise complex information.
2. Strong research skills, with the ability to distil and communicate relevant findings.
3. Capacity to anticipate needs, think proactively, and strategize around leadership priorities.

c. Communication and Interpersonal Skills

1. Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; fluency in another MSF working language (e.g., French or Spanish) is a strong advantage.
2. Adept at producing high-quality written outputs, including briefing papers, minutes, and reports.
3. Strong interpersonal skills to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders across hierarchical levels.
4. Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion.

d. Technical and Administrative Proficiency

1. Proficient in using office tools such as Microsoft Office Suite and other collaborative tools (e.g., SharePoint, Teams, or similar platforms).
2. Ability to manage document repositories and maintain well-organized archives.

Personal Attributes

1. Demonstrated commitment to MSF values or similar mission-driven organizational ethos.
2. High degree of flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to handle multiple competing priorities under tight deadlines.
3. Detail-oriented while maintaining focus on broader objectives.
4. Independent, self-motivated, and capable of working with limited supervision.
5. Comfortable in a multicultural and fast-paced working environment.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

At MSF, we are committed to an inclusive culture that encourages and supports the diverse voices of our employees. We welcome applications from individuals of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, nationalities, races, religions, beliefs, ability status, and all other diversity characteristics.