Job advertisement
Practicum
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Switzerland is looking for a:
Intern in Fundraising in Philanthropy
for the office in Zurich
Inclusion and diversity at MSF
Do your qualifications and experience not exactly match all the requirements of the position?
At MSF OCG, we are committed to an inclusive culture that supports and amplifies the diverse voices of our employees. We strive to create workplaces where teams of people with different backgrounds, characteristics, perspectives, ideas, and experiences work together to advance MSF’s social mission and achieve better outcomes for our patients and the communities we work with.
We understand that some people may hesitate to apply if they don’t meet all the listed requirements. Research shows that this is especially true for women. If you believe your profile is a good fit for this position, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the stated qualifications.
We encourage applications from people of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, ethnic origins, backgrounds, religions, beliefs, with different skills and all other diversity characteristics.
MSF does not tolerate sexual exploitation or abuse, discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment. All selected candidates undergo a reference check.
Job description
As an intern, you will provide significant support to the Philanthropy Unit in all aspects of fundraising. You will be supervised by the head of the private donor team in Zurich, work closely with all members of the Philanthropy Unit, and be in contact with colleagues in the Communications & Fundraising department in Geneva.
The organization
Doctors Without Borders is an independent, international humanitarian aid organization. It provides emergency medical assistance to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, and natural disasters, or who lack access to healthcare. Doctors Without Borders teams consist of medical professionals, logisticians, and administrative staff who are guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, independence, and neutrality.
The non-profit organization was founded in Paris in 1971 by doctors and journalists. Today, MSF is a global movement with more than 42,000 employees at its headquarters and in project countries. MSF Switzerland, headquartered in Geneva, was founded in 1981.
The Philanthropy Unit is one of seven teams within the Communications & Fundraising department. We consist of 16 people and raised CHF 72 million in donations in 2021. To ensure geographical coverage of the Swiss market, we are divided between an office at our headquarters in Geneva and an office in Zurich. Our primary task is to strengthen relationships with our major donors. These include individuals, companies, foundations/trusts, as well as cantons and municipalities. Our unit is also responsible for processing bequests 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.
- Administrative support: organizing mass mailings, writing minutes, database maintenance, etc.
- Ad-hoc support for specific projects: co-planning and organization of events, webinars, background research, etc.
- Creative collaboration in managing MSF major donors
- Assistance with the analysis of fundraising results (data analysis)
- Responsibility for coordinating volunteers in the Zurich office
- Deputy receptionist in the Zurich office during her absenceYour profile
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant field
- Excellent written communication and editorial skills (German)
- Very careful and precise working methods
- Proactive, flexible and organized
- Willingness to collaborate with diverse team members in a multicultural work environment and meet deadlines.
- 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 terms of employment
- 100% workload, limited to 9 months (minimum 6 months)
- Valid Swiss work permit
- Non-negotiable gross monthly salary CHF 2,000.-
- Availability: June 15, 2026 or by arrangement
How to apply
We look forward to receiving your application by May 25, 2026.
- Letter of motivation (German, max. 1 page)
- CV (in English, max. 2 pages)
The application deadline is May 25, 2026.
We reserve the right to close this position earlier if we receive a sufficient number of high-quality applications.
All applications will be treated confidentially.
Only candidates invited for an interview will be contacted.