Humanitarian Affairs Assistant

**MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES UK**

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) provides life-saving emergency relief and longer-term medical care to some of the most vulnerable and excluded communities around the world. As an independent medical humanitarian organisation, we deliver care based only on need, regardless of ethnic origin, gender, religion or political affiliation.

MSF relies on donations from private individuals and organisations for the majority of its income. This private funding gives MSF the freedom to respond where needs are greatest and to speak out publicly, free from any political interference.

MSF has around 63,000 local and international staff working in over 70 countries, in some of the most challenging places in the world. Our medical humanitarian projects are supported by offices in 44 countries, including the UK and Ireland. These teams recruit staff, organise fundraising, and raise awareness on the humanitarian crises our colleagues are witnessing, as well as running different and diverse support activities. MSF offices are spread across Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and Australasia.

At MSF UK/IE, we support MSF's operations by building relationships with our supporters, increasing awareness of our work, raising funds, providing specialist medical expertise, ensuring MSF staff have access to relevant higher education programmes, catalysing change on medical humanitarian issues, and recruiting field staff. MSF UK/IE personnel are dynamic, hard-working, enthusiastic and committed to MSF's values and aims. In addition MSF continues to build upon its presence in Ireland to become a widely recognised, accepted and respected humanitarian organisation among Irish audiences, and within the Irish humanitarian and political sector.

**Position**:
The HAARP (Humanitarian Advocacy Analysis Representation and Policy) - Unit UK facilitates access to and understanding of, the UK environment, its actors, policies, practices, and scope of influence as it relates to issues relevant to MSF’s medical-humanitarian operations, analysis, and advocacy.

Working closely with the Humanitarian Representative of MSF-UK and the rest of the HAARP.

the postholder will support MSF UK with the day-to-day advocacy and representation work in the HAARP including maintaining and building close working relationships with LEAP, HR Field and the supporting OC department, as part of the individual training plan.

**Requirements**:
This position is a development opportunity designed to support the postholder, through working in the UK office to obtain the necessary training and experience required for a higher-level field placement position related to higher level humanitarian affairs including advocacy, representative roles and also facilitation for potential validation for the future roles (e.g., as a Human Affairs Officer) if available.

Working closely with the Director of HAARP/Humanitarian Representative of MSF-UK and HAARP Unit.

the postholder will support MSF UK with the day-to-day advocacy and representation work in the HAARP including maintaining and building close working relationships with LEAP, HR Field, and the supporting OC department, as part of the individual training plan.

One of the major components of this role is through exposure to MSF, humanitarian affairs, advocacy, and representation, as well as to have a six-week placement within an OCA mission. The postholder will spend 6 weeks in a field mission on a placement arranged with the supporting Operational Centre and will be provided with a tailor-made training plan made in collaboration with the supporting OC, UK HR, and HAARP.

Outside of the training post, this role provides support to the HAARP unit within the MSF UK office, through regular parliamentary scoping, sharing of relevant information for the team.
- A degree in a (Law, Humanitarian affairs, Political Sciences, Public Health/ Health Sciences or related university degree) or relevant profession qualification
- Previous or current work experience working with MSF; within a field project or coordination) and/or in a regional hub context at IRFFG range Level 5 and Level 7
- Good understanding of current humanitarian issues
- Demonstrable organisational and communication skills
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively.
- Excellent drafting, written communication and editing skills and ability to show ability to critical analysis.
- A high level of accuracy and the ability to pay attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently; capacity to take initiatives and seize opportunities.
- Ability to prioritise, work under pressure to tight deadlines and demonstrated good ability to multi-task.
- Commitment to the aims and values of MSF
- Willingness to work for MSF in field locations.
- Fluent English written and verbal. Computer literate (Word, Excel, Internet)

**Other information**:
**COMPETENCIES**

**Leadership Values**

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