Intern Fundraising in Philanthropy

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Internship

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Switzerland is looking for a

Intern Fundraising in Philanthropy

for the office in Zurich

Job Description

As an intern, you will significantly support the Philanthropy Unit in all aspects of fundraising. You will be supervised by the head of the major donors team in Zurich, work closely with all members of the Philanthropy Unit, and be in contact with colleagues from the Communication & Fundraising department in Geneva.

The Organization

Doctors Without Borders is an independent, international humanitarian aid organization. It provides medical emergency aid to people affected by armed conflicts, epidemics, and natural disasters or who have no access to healthcare. The teams of Doctors Without Borders consist of medical professionals, logisticians, and administrative staff guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, independence, and neutrality.

The non-profit organization was founded in 1971 by doctors and journalists in Paris. Today, MSF is a worldwide movement of more than 42,000 employees at headquarters and in project countries. MSF Switzerland, headquartered in Geneva, was founded in 1981.

The Philanthropy Unit is one of seven teams in the Communication & Fundraising department. We consist of 16 people and raised CHF 72 million in donations in 2021. To geographically cover the Swiss market, we are split between an office at the Geneva headquarters and an office in Zurich. Our main task is to strengthen relationships with major donors. These include individuals, companies, foundations/trusts, as well as cantons and municipalities. In addition, our unit is responsible for handling inheritances and legacies.

Your Tasks and Responsibilities

• Editorial tasks: writing, editing, and translating fundraising documents such as thank-you letters, newsletters, event invitations, donation requests, or PowerPoint presentations

• Participation in donor meetings and maintenance of donor relationships

• Administrative support: organizing mass mailings, writing minutes, database maintenance, etc.

• Ad-hoc support for specific projects: co-planning and organizing events, webinars, background research, etc.

• Creative collaboration in supporting MSF major donors

• Assistance in analyzing fundraising results (data analysis)

• Management of social media channels for the Philanthropy department

• Participation in organizing and preparing the training program of the Philanthropy department

• Responsibility for coordinating volunteers in the Zurich office

• Deputizing for the receptionist in the Zurich office during their absence

  Your Profile

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant field

• Excellent written communication and editorial skills (German)

• Very careful and precise working style

• Proactive, flexible, and organized

• Willingness to collaborate with different team members on time in a multicultural work environment

• Experience with MS Office 365 and CRM is an advantage

• Interest in fundraising and humanitarian aid

Your Language Skills

• German (native language)

• English (fluent written and spoken)

• French (advantage)

Our Employment Conditions

• 100% workload, limited to 9 months (minimum 6 months)

• Valid Swiss work permit

• Non-negotiable gross monthly salary CHF 2,000.-

• Availability: September 15, 2025, or by agreement

Application

We look forward to receiving your application by September 14, 2025

• Motivation letter (German, max. 1 page)

• Resume (English, max. 2 pages)

Applications will be treated strictly confidentially. 

ONLY CANDIDATES INVITED TO AN INTERVIEW WILL BE CONTACTED.