Careers at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)

Main Activities of the Job

Mission HR Responsibility – South Sudan, Kenya & Chad

• Hold direct responsibility for Cell-level HR management of South Sudan, Kenya, and Chad missions, working hands-on with each mission's HRCO.
• Conduct weekly one-on-one meetings with HRCOs across the three missions.
• Apply a directive-support approach: provide clear, practical, field-relevant HR guidance that adds direct value to mission operations rather than purely advisory input.
• Provide ongoing mentoring, guidance, and career development support to HRCOs and Deputy HRCOs in conjunction with the Cell HR Coordinator.
• Conduct regular check-ins with Deputy HRCOs and Administrative Managers in the field across the three missions.
• Support mission HR teams in developing and reviewing HR strategies, policies, and action plans tailored to each mission's operational context.

Strategic Partnership with the Cell HR Coordinator

• Act as a strategic partner – not solely an implementing role – to the Cell HR Coordinator, contributing directly to Cell-level HR strategy.
• Lead or co-lead strategic topics including duty of care and the implementation of gender and diversity initiatives across Cell 6 missions.
• Serve as a filter for strategic issues: identify emerging strategic HR concerns arising from day-to-day mission conversations and engagement, and flag these proactively to the Cell HR Coordinator.
• Collaborate closely with the Cell HR Coordinator to design and implement strategic interventions tailored to specific mission scenarios.
• Contribute to Cell-wide reflections on HR policy, workforce planning, and operational HR priorities.

Field Coverage & Continuity

• Sometimes, cover for HRCOs in the field at times of absence (leave, vacancy gaps) to ensure HR leadership continuity in missions with no coverage gaps.
• Act as designated backup to the Cell HR Coordinator during leaves, field visits, or other absences.
• Represent the Cell HR team in internal and external meetings when the Cell HR Coordinator is unavailable.

Learning & Development Leadership

• Take the lead on all elements relating to Learning & Development (L&D) across Cell 6 missions.
• Support and supervise L&D Managers and L&D Supervisors/Specialists embedded within missions.
• Ensure mission-level L&D strategies are coherent, well-resourced, and aligned with Cell-wide capacity-building priorities.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning, capacity building, and career development within mission HR teams.
• Drive implementation of the Performance Management (BILAN) process across missions.
• Ensure proper onboarding and staff orientation procedures are in place across the three missions.

Operational HR Management & Field Support

• Oversee day-to-day HR operations including recruitment, contracts, disciplinary processes, and separation procedures across South Sudan, Kenya, and Chad.
• Ensure consistent, hands-on HR support to field projects and mission HR teams.
• Ensure compliance with HR policies, procedures, and national labor laws within the Cell's mission perimeter.

International Mobile Staff (IMS) & Pool Management

• Oversee, in collaboration with pool managers, the matching of International Mobile Staff to field positions excluding Head of missions.
• Support the missions for placements of all international staff, including senior roles.
• Take lead in the implementation and maintenance of Human Resource Information’s related systems and processes.
• Lead onboarding and offboarding processes for IMS going to and returning from the field.
• Liaise with the Travel, Movement and Departure Unit and GRH/ Field Administration on IMS-related topics.
• Develop, review and update matching documentation on SharePoint to reflect realities and anticipate changes.

Knowledge Management & HR Systems

• Strengthen documentation and capitalization of HR practices across Cell 6 missions.
• Ensure effective use of SharePoint (HR pages), HRIS platforms (Ligo, Homere), and other HR information management tools.
• Guarantee data quality for HR reporting and decision-making.
• Ensure a smooth HR reporting system to steer and monitor team activity.

Internal Communication & Staff Engagement

• Contribute to the definition and implementation of internal communication strategies within the Cell HR team.
• Ensure consistent information flow across all staff categories in South Sudan, Kenya, and Chad missions.
• Promote transparency, inclusion, and meaningful staff dialogue.

Job profile

Experience:

• Significant experience (4 years minimum) as an HR Coordinator (HRCO), or a strong HR Deputy Coordinator, or Project Coordinator with HR/Admin background and experience, in MSF or a comparable international humanitarian organization.
• MSF field experience is an asset.
• Significant experience in HR project management; experience in an HR cell position is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in International Mobile Staff management and field HR operations.
• Experience supporting or implementing learning and development initiatives is an asset.

Languages:

• At least C1 (fluency) in French is required.
• At least B2 (intermediate) level in English is required.

Skills:

• Strong management and supervision skills.
• Negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Significant experience and knowledge in human resources management including HR information systems (Ligo, Homere).
• Project management and change management skills.
• A global vision of OCP and the MSF Association, with knowledge of humanitarian operations, including emergency response.
• Aptitudes:
• Leadership, vision, anticipation, and ability to identify strategic and operational priorities and find solutions.
• Strong dialogue, listening, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to analyze complex situations and produce clear summaries and recommendations.
• Ability to identify strategic signals within day-to-day operational conversations and escalate appropriately.
• Resilience and ability to work effectively in complex, multi-mission environments.
• Comfort operating in a support model, balancing hands-on guidance with respect for mission team autonomy.

Conditions

• Full-time position based in Nairobi with international travel to MSF field missions.
• Fixed term contract 2 years

go to method of application »

Main Purpose

• Lead an antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) program in a medical and surgical humanitarian hospital. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Doctors Without Borders has increased its focus on the problem of antibiotic resistance. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is growing rapidly in low and middle-income countries and MSF faces ongoing challenges managing antibiotic resistant infections in hospitalized patients particularly in patients with burns, trauma, hospital infections and in pediatric and neonatal care. AMR threatens patient outcomes, makes hospitals less safe and increases costs. MSF is committed to responding and one part of this response is to increase efforts to conserve the effectiveness of antibiotics through antibiotic stewardship.

Accountabilities

• Medical doctors tasks In addition to Antimicrobial Stewardship Focal Point tasks
• Leading, promoting and supporting antimicrobial stewardship efforts in the healthcare facility(s) across the spectrum of healthcare.
• Establish and participate in a multidisciplinary Antimicrobial Stewardship (AS)committee (that meets regularly with Terms of Reference).
• Identify antimicrobial stewardship priorities together with the AS committee and the mission.
• Monitor, collect and analyze the antimicrobial data reported to the multidisciplinary AS committee.
• Conduct regular audits relevant to stewardship priorities. This might include audits of antibiotic use, treatment of select conditions, indications for microbiology testing, and communication of results.
• Provide feedback to the project and the mission regarding results of audits and plan improvements.
• Co-ordinate and deliver education to other medical, nursing and pharmacy staff around stewardship.
• Support other clinical staff regarding antibiotic choices and regularly participate in clinical rounds.
• Liaise with the laboratory for timely communication of results (where relevant), interpretation of results and feedback to clinicians.
• Collaborate with lab + IPC to prospectively monitor pathogens of concern and respond to hospital outbreaks including outbreaks of multidrug resistant organisms/bacteria (MDRO).
• Identify opportunities to improve stewardship in the project (e.g., therapeutic drug monitoring, OPAT).
• Participate in relevant project level committees (e.g., IPC, Quality improvement, Morbidity + Mortality reviews).
• In collaboration with IPC and the clinical team, participate in detection, management and prevention of healthcare associated infections.

Requirements

Education:

• Essential: Medical Doctor degree registered with the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) with a valid practicing licence.
• Desirable: Completed on-line training in Antimicrobial stewardship [e.g. BSAC (British Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy) and/or WHO (World Health Organisation)]

Experience:

• Essential: At least 5 years’ experience in working as a medical doctor in inpatient settings.
• Desirable: Experience in reviewing medical records/reviewing appropriateness of antimicrobials

Languages:

• English Essential & Swahili Desirable

Knowledge:

• Essential: Have a working understanding of key pathogens, their usual antibiotic susceptibilities, typical clinical presentations, and empiric or targeted treatment.
• Have a working understanding of the modes of action of antimicrobials including their spectrum of activity.
• Have a working understanding of the key principles of infection prevention and control (IPC) and the relationship between IPC and AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance).
• Have a working understanding of the appropriate use of antimicrobials to prevent the emergence of resistance and avoidance of adverse effects.
• Have a working understanding of the use of diagnostic tests in the investigation and management of infectious diseases. How to use data for feedback and reporting.

Desirable: 

• Understanding of behaviour change principles.
• Able to provide face to face feedback to prescribers about antibiotic prescriptions.