Humanitarian Policy Advisor

Organization: Doctors Without Borders | Médecins Sans Frontières

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international humanitarian organization that delivers impartial medical care to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from health care in over 70 countries.

We welcome candidates who bring a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences to join us in working toward MSF’s common mission.

Department

The Programs Department at MSF-USA consists of several units that work on both internal and external representation of MSF to this home society inclusive of units such as the Grants Unit (coordination of Programs Committee of MSF USA’s Board of Directors), the Humanitarian Representation Team (HRT) unit and the Global Health Advocacy and Policy (GHAP) unit, in addition to supporting projects related to the intersectional medical humanitarian space. There is a strategic focus on humanitarian operational representation, humanitarian diplomacy and global health advocacy and policy work as it relates to US based interlocutors and the medical humanitarian space. The Department also hosts many teams and individual roles from around the movement including from Epicentre, the Access Campaign, IO and others.

Project

MSF USA is seeking a Humanitarian Policy Advisor. The current central focus is on malnutrition and food security in our current operational contexts and at the multilateral level, but the thematic focus could change as per the medical operational humanitarian needs. The ideal candidate has aa minimum of seven years of experience working in medical humanitarian policy and advocacy in complex humanitarian settings. It is essential that this candidate has worked for the UN, the USG and for an international humanitarian aid organization, with a preference to having worked with MSF previously. The Humanitarian Policy Advisor provides analytical and strategic support to MSF USA and MSF’s International Operations. The Humanitarian Policy Advisor maintains ongoing familiarity with the evolving functions of relevant global bodies and UN agencies, the United States Government, the World Bank, and other international actors integral to humanitarian aid with a current focus on malnutrition, food security and climate policies.

The Humanitarian Policy Advisor works in the Program Department at MSF USA and works with both the Humanitarian Representation Team and the Global Health and Policy Team, all in service directly supporting our medical operational humanitarian mission.

Specific Tasks:

• Track and analyze policies and trends related to malnutrition and food security globally and with a specific focus on the US Government (and key US-based stakeholders, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) and other relevant governments and international institutions upon request
• Establish and maintain two-way communication with MSF’s medical technical and operations colleagues to ensure the needs of MSF’s patients are central to our representation and advocacy efforts and to inform internal understanding of factors that influence places where MSF works
• Develop briefing papers for both expert and non-expert audiences
• Review and support the development of internal policies as well as external advocacy materials
• Identify specific advocacy priorities for MSF with regard to malnutrition, food security and related topics including climate change
• Represent MSF as needed in related internal and external forums
• Key team member in Programs department in a representation support role to US home society, inclusive of USG and CSO representation in relevant dossiers
• Key MSF USA/Programs Department team member to work as a back stop to gap fill other Programs Department roles as it relates to advocacy, analysis and representation
• Support the team with other requests as needed

Qualifications

Required

• Advanced degree in International Relations, Public Health, or related field
• At least seven years of relevant professional experience working in humanitarian affairs and/or global health which must include at least one year of on-the-ground applied international experience
• Experience working in complex humanitarian settings including with displaced populations and populations affected by conflict, MSF operational experience is an asset
• Understanding of the core functions of the US Government and the United Nations relating to humanitarian health programming, familiarity with the World Bank is an asset
• Demonstrated knowledge of a diverse range of current humanitarian contexts and the intersection of politics and humanitarian response with regard to food assistance. Knowledge of humanitarian funding streams and donor dynamics
  • Current specific in-depth knowledge of the global food security and malnutrition landscape, including United Nations systems, major institutional donors, best practices, and policy challenges
  • In-depth knowledge of the US Government’s priorities, policies, and practices with regard to food security and malnutrition, experience navigating the multiple US Government entities that influence food security and nutrition programming
• Ability to efficiently research, analyze, and synthesize complex topics in order to write briefing notes, reports and high-level correspondence.
• Strong writing skills and comfortable with public speaking. Ability to clearly and effectively present information to internal and external audiences in both verbal and written form
• Strong understanding of the application of humanitarian principles in complex operating environments
• Ability to multitask and effectively prioritize numerous divergent demands
• Flexibility, curiosity, and a dedication to humanitarian values
• Fluency in English with strong writing skills is required; working proficiency in at least one of the following languages: Arabic, French, Spanish

This position will be based in New York or Washington DC and will require periodic travel between those two cities with occasional potential international travel.

Expected to work in a hybrid work environment with the ability to come into either the NYC office or regional hub (Washington, DC) a minimum of 2 times a week.

We offer a generous comprehensive benefits package inclusive of Wellness initiatives to support a healthy work life balance

No phone calls or emails please. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Application Deadline: Open Until Filled

Your Safety Matters: Vaccination and booster against COVID-19 is a requirement at MSF – USA

Equal Employment Opportunity and Non-Discrimination:

MSF-USA is committed to building a diverse, unbiased, and inclusive workforce. MSF-USA is an equal opportunity employer; we recruit, hire, train, promote, develop, and provide other conditions of employment without regard to a person’s gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other differences consistent with applicable laws. This includes providing reasonable accommodation for disabilities, or religious beliefs and practices. Members of communities historically underrepresented in the Humanitarian Aid sector are encouraged to apply.

If you have a disability of some kind and are interested in applying for employment and need special accommodations to use our website to apply for a position, please contact Human Resources by emailing us: [email protected]

Reasonable accommodation requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.