HR Policies Officer

Join MSF OCG as a HR Policies Officer!

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 fulfil every listed qualification.

We encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, ethnicities, 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 is an independent, international medical and humanitarian organization that provides care to people in need, people affected by natural or man-made disasters, and victims of armed conflict, without discrimination and without regard to race, religion, creed or political affiliation (MSF Charter).

The Human Resources Policy Officer is responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring

human resources policies that align with MSF international standards (RR) and OCG HR objectives. This

role provides comprehensive technical support across the entire workforce, ensuring that HR policies

are effectively applied and adapted to local contexts, while also being consistent and compliant at a

global level. The officer will offer guidance, training, and legal advice to HR teams and staff at all

organizational levels, from HQ to field offices, ensuring that policies are understood and consistently

implemented across diverse cultural and operational settings.

As part of ongoing organizational development, the scope and responsibilities of this position may

evolve to align with emerging priorities and structural adjustments within the HR function, particularly

in the area of compensation and benefits.

Tasks & Responsibilities

Policy Development & Review:

• Develop, update, and ensure the alignment of HR policies with best practices, local regulations,

and financial environment. Regularly review and adapt policies for global consistency while

allowing flexibility for specific regional and local needs.

Global Technical & Legal Support:

• Provide technical and legal guidance to the entire workforce, advising on the implementation of

HR policies, compliance with local labor laws, and adherence to organizational standards.

• Assist HR teams across different locations in adapting policies to their specific legal and operational contexts, offering practical solutions to HR challenges like recruitment, contract management, labor law compliance, and conflict resolution.
• Support field offices, regional hubs, and headquarters in interpreting and applying HR policies and legal frameworks effectively, ensuring legal compliance across diverse settings, including remote or high-risk environments.

Capacity Building & Training:

• Design and deliver comprehensive training programs for HR staff globally, focusing on both policy application and the legal aspects of labor laws, employee rights, and budget constraints.
• Build HR teams’ capacity at all levels to manage HR policies and legal compliance independently, particularly in regions with challenging operational environments.

Compliance & Monitoring:

• Monitor the implementation of HR policies globally to ensure compliance with organizational standards, local labor laws, and donor requirements. Conduct regular audits and assessments to identify gaps or challenges.
• Ensure that HR practices across all offices comply with local, regional, and international labor laws and regulations, offering legal advice to mitigate risks and ensure compliance.
• Provide updates to HR teams on changes in policies ensuring that these are understood and applied across the global workforce.

Employee Relations & Welfare:

• Provide support and advice on HR matters related to employee relations, such as grievances, disputes, and staff welfare, ensuring that all actions taken are legally sound and protect the rights of employees and employer across diverse regions.
• Advise on global employee retention strategies, staff welfare programs, and best practices for managing HR crises in different cultural and operational settings.

Reporting & Legal Analysis:

• Collect and analyze HR trends across the global workforce (e.g., turnover, recruitment challenges, legal compliance) and provide feedback to HQ and regional managers, making recommendations for improvements.
• Produce reports on the status of HR policy implementation, highlighting successes, challenges, and legal considerations that may require attention.

Financial and Compensation Management:

• In collaboration with Comp and Ben specialists, support the development and management of salary structures, ensuring that pay scales are competitive, equitable, and aligned with both local market conditions and organizational budget constraints.
• Advise on adjustments to compensation in response to inflation, currency fluctuations, and

changes in living costs, ensuring that policies remain fair and sustainable across different regions.

• Collaborate with the finance team to ensure alignment between compensation and benefits packages, and manage the integration of benefits (healthcare, retirement, bonuses, etc.) with salary policies, taking into account both legal frameworks and organizational financial capacity.
• Monitor the financial impact of HR policies on organizational budgets, providing recommendations for cost effective solutions that ensure competitive compensation while adhering to financial constraints.

Your profile

Education

• Tertiary degree in Law, Legal HR, or Business Administration
• Certifications in testing and quality assurance such as ISTQB

Experience

• At least, more than 5 years of experience in HR policies and compensation & benefits environment,
• MSF Field experience in key-HR positions required.

Languages

• English and French, fully proficient.
• Spanish and / or Arabic an asset

Skills/ Technical competencies

• Solid understanding of local and international labor laws and experience in managing global HR legal frameworks.
• Understanding of global management of salary structures, benefits, and compensation strategies in a global context, with an understanding of how HR policies impact organizational finances.
• Knowledge of specific HR challenges and best practices for managing a global workforce, especially in remote or high-risk areas
• Software & Tools: Homere, Workday, Power BI, SAP, Microsoft Office, HRIS system.]

Personal Abilities/Qualities

• Strong ethical standards, with the ability to navigate sensitive HR and legal issues with discretion and professionalism.
• Adaptable, solution-oriented, and comfortable working under pressure in diverse and challenging environments.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and respond to issues quickly in a fast-paced, complex environment.
• Commitment to the organization’s mission and values and behavior commitment, with the ability to provide consistent and fair HR support across global offices.

Terms of employment

• Full-time position 100% (40h/week)
• Open-ended contract,
• Two positions to be filled
• Working place: Geneva, Switzerland
• Ideal start date: As Soon As Possible
• Gross annual salary (for 100%): from CHF 94’440.- to CHF 108’348.- (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.

How to apply

Candidates are invited to submit their application exclusively through our recruitment platform, following these guidelines:

• CV (maximum 2 pages)
• Cover letter (maximum 1 page)
• Documents must be submitted in either English or French.

The application deadline is Mai 25th, 2025.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier if we receive a sufficient number of quality applications.

APPLY

All applications will be treated confidentially.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Please note that we do not wish to use the services of recruitment or placement agencies.