Humanitarian Affairs Officer
RESPONSIBILITIES
As a humanitarian affairs officer, you will ensure maintained access to our patients. From carefully building a sensitive advocacy strategy to writing reports on the exclusion of certain communities from medical care, the role of an HAO is incredibly varied.
HAOs with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), help MSF expose and advocate about the impact conflict and neglect have on the communities we work with and people we assist. You will likely be based in the capital city with frequent travel to MSF projects and be responsible for gathering information from various stakeholders, including communities, patients and staff. You will provide strategic advice on how MSF can best communicate our voice and our principles to deliver critical humanitarian medical care. You will also advise on how MSF operates and communicates in situations where access to provide medical assistance to communities in need is threatened.
Your primary role will be to use the ‘witnessing’ component of MSF’s mandate to advocate with and for people MSF works with and assists. You will do this by gathering testimonies and stories, using them to document the human impact of disasters and conflicts. The information you gather will be collated, analyzed and used to draw up unbiased reports on a wide variety of issues. These may include: the efficacy of the response of humanitarian actors to a crisis, speaking out about war crimes committed against civilians by armed actors or collecting testimonies from women who have experienced sexual violence due to poor security in displacement camps.
From carefully building a sensitive advocacy strategy to writing reports on the exclusion of certain communities from medical care, the role of a humanitarian affairs officer is incredibly varied.
REQUIREMENTS
Academic background to master’s level in one of the following fields: anthropology, social or political science, law, gender studies
Relevant work experience with data collection, qualitative research, human rights monitoring
Minimum one year experience in humanitarian advocacy based in a context similar to where MSF works (armed conflicts, disasters, public health emergencies or situations of healthcare exclusion)
Good understanding of current humanitarian debates and of the dilemma-compromise nature of modern humanitarian interventions
First-rate writing skills and excellent research and analytical skills
Experience in managing staff in a multicultural team (supervision and training)
Fluency in English and French (Intermediate+, minimum level B2 in both). Refer to this evaluation grid . Other languages such as Spanish, Arabic, and Portuguese are valued, but not required.
Available to work nine to 12 months
ASSETS
Previous experience with international nongovernmental organizations, UN agencies, human rights organizations or protection
MSF CORE COMPETENCIES
Behavioural flexibility: Level 2, Adapts behaviour to the needs of the situation
Teamwork and cooperation: Level 2, Shares information and coordinates with team and others
Result and quality orientation: Level 2, Works towards objectives, preserving established standards
Commitment to MSF principles: Level 1, Demonstrates knowledge of and accepts MSF’s principles
People management: Level 2, Gives feedback and sets limits
Cross-cultural awareness: Level 3, Demonstrates an integrating attitude
Stress management: Level 2, Manages own stress
Understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI): Level 1, Familiarity with EDI concepts and their application in a humanitarian context.
To find out more about MSF core competencies, please look here.
You can find a comprehensive view of MSF career paths here.