Pharmacy Advisor

Job Offer
(strictly no recruitment agencies)

Join MSF OCG as a Pharmacy Advisor!

We are looking for passionate candidates ready to contribute to our humanitarian mission.

Below, you will find the job details and the qualifications we are looking for.

Inclusivity and Diversity at MSF

Do your qualifications and experience not exactly match all requirements of the job?

At MSF OCG, we are committed to an inclusive culture that supports and amplifies the diverse voices of our staff members. We strive to create workplaces where teams of people with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, perspectives, ideas and experiences work together to advance MSF’s social mission and create better outcomes for our patients and the communities we work with.

We understand that some people may hesitate to apply for employment if they don’t meet all listed job requirements. Research shows that this is especially true for women. If you believe your profile is a good match for this position, we invite you to apply even if you don’t fulfill every listed qualification.

We encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, ethnicity, background, religions, beliefs, ability status, and all other diversity characteristics.

MSF does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment. All selected candidates will undergo reference checks.

Context & mission

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent humanitarian organization providing medical aid to victims of man-made or natural disasters, epidemics and endemic diseases. In the MSF Operational Centre of Geneva (OCG), the steering and implementation of field programs is under the responsibility of an Operations Department, which includes direct medical support to field implementation ensuring fundamentals are reached in all projects. The development of technical and/or strategic solutions adapted to complex medical challenges faced in the field, or to fulfill chosen medical ambitions, is under the responsibility of a Medical Department. Collaborative work between the two departments is considered a cornerstone for the organization to improve the general quality of its projects and the level of care for patients.

The Medical Department’s role is key in the following key areas:

• Being at the vanguard of evolving trends, new challenges and technologies in the field of medical practice and science and linked with external clinical, academic and research institutions.
• Providing technical capacities to fulfill the medical ambitions of the 2020-2025 OCG Strategic Plan, in particular those in relation to the Operational Policy, innovation and research.
• Addressing the field support needs in their response to medical and public health challenges, with the required flexibility and adaptation of priorities when facing emergencies or difficult conflict situations.
• Creating a better integrated work between Operations and the Medical department through collaborative work platforms, focusing on precise medical operational challenges, selection of standards and improvement of practices.

The role of the Medical Department also includes, in relation with other involved Departments, a critical role on knowledge transmission to field medical staff through adapted trainings and fast access to key reference documents/tools, as well as recruitment strategies.

Tasks & Responsibilities

The Medical Advisor is responsible and accountable for achievements of the objectives for their domain of expertise and to this aim:

1. Support to the medical responsible of cells (RMPs) with regards to complex technical issues linked to their domain, and with strategic and programmatic advice.

• Answers questions and provides feedback on proposals, reports and relevant documents needing specific technical input (PoA e.g.)
• Involvement in project definition regarding technical medical issues
• Participation in assessments and surveys whenever the Medical Advisor technical input is needed.
• Development of proposals for medico-operational strategies on critical challenges.
• Follows up on data and reports on their thematic activities provided by the field and the cell.
• Technical field visits.

2. Respond to complex and technical issues requiring expertise or/and development:

• Support the field by answering direct clinical questions, if identified as the best medical expert in the provided list of technical expertise.
• Adapt or develop solutions (e.g. protocols, simplified algorithms, syndrome approach, training modules, minimum standards, innovative tools, guidelines checklists and kits as appropriate) that are timely, relevant, contextual, concerted, consolidated and consistent.
• Translate medical operational requests in projects: provide analysis and advice to improve the requirements, term of references, objectives, deliverables, planning, implementation phases, contributors (HQ, regional, partnerships), definition, project committee and risks definition.
• Lead or animate thematic forums/collaborative platforms and medical seminars and contribute to transversal projects and fundraising initiatives.
• Whenever developing tools field-proof them to be more consistent to OCG field reality
• Write medical report on all achievements for their projects and domain of expertise.

3. Strengthen the skills and competencies of MSF staff through capacity building in their domain:

• On-line access for the field to all fundamental documents (knowledge management)
• Contribution to definition, design, validation, implementation and/or evaluation of specific training(s) in collaboration with the Learning&Development Unit.
• Support to the definition of job profiles and competencies.
• Briefing and debriefing if appropriate

4. Develop the expertise related to their medical area and integrate external knowledge into MSF practices:

• Develop good synergies and collaborations through the coordination and animation of partnerships, the maintenance of networks, internal (Working Groups, etc.) or external to MSF; including experts, medical societies, research and scientific institutes and universities.
• Identify new cutting-edge topics in the medical humanitarian context to update OCG’s health and medical ambitions.
• Overview and analyze their own domain through capitalization of the medical experiences.
• Selection, compilation, and classification of relevant documentation as part of the OCG Knowledge Management.
• Ensure technical surveillance and adapt external knowledge to MSF contexts.
• Enable and contribute to high level advocacy in order to enhance the chosen agendas.

5. Support the implementation of innovation and operational research projects:

• Properly identify MSF added value compared with existing resources and expertise in their medical domain, to initiate development and research projects.
• Participate to the project’s objectives and protocols. Define, analyze, capitalize, document, develop the internal appropriation, publish, and disseminate OCG medical experience.
• Promote medical policies and the different strategies related to it:
• Exchange, provide and receive technical support and advice to and by the different departments or field experts to complement their area of domain.
• Participate in design, writing, review of publications submitted by field teams.

Your profile

Education

• Diploma in pharmacy is mandatory.
• Specialization/experience in the related medical area.
• Public/International/Epidemiological/Tropical Medicine health degree is an asset.

Experience

• Field and/or HQ experience with MSF or medical organization.
• Knowledge of recent developments in the field of humanitarian relief and, international public health
• Experience with field research in resource poor settings is an asset.
• Proven affinity with advocacy

Languages

• Fluent in English (oral and written);
• Very good working knowledge of French
• Other languages are a plus (e.g., Spanish, Arabic)

Skills/ Technical competencies

• Understanding of medical humanitarian work with regards to the medical-technical and the political dimensions.
• Ability to analyze medical and structural issues.
• Excellent writing skills.

Personal Abilities/Qualities

• Good analytical and synthesis skills
• Results, innovation, and quality oriented
• Problem solving and service oriented.
• Strong interpersonal skills, team spirit, networking, and communication skills
• Able to travel 3-4 times per year for project visits

Terms of employment

• Full-time position 100% (40h/week)
• Open-ended contract
• Working place: Geneva, Switzerland
• Ideal start date: April 1st, 2025
• Gross annual salary (for 100%): from CHF 102’180.- to CHF 116’484.- (salary commensurate with equivalent experience and internal salary grid).
• Paid vacation: 25 days per year, prorate temporis, plus any Swiss public holidays falling within the contract period.
• Pension plan: pension contribution covered 3/4 by MSF, 1/4 by staff member.
• Relocation package if moving from a different country to Switzerland.