Head of Operational Finance At Médecins Sans Frontières en Suisse

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).

MSF-CH has a matrix organization to support operations. An operational unit is responsible for providing the management and support needed to implement the operational strategy. The operational unit is the direct interface with the field and is made up of a multidisciplinary team of 6: a program manager (RP) with his deputy (ARP), and experts in the fields of medicine (RMP), logistics (RLO), finance (FINOP) and human resources (HROP). Other profiles may be added to this set-up in connection with the management of medical items (pharmacists) and purchasing. Operational units are currently located in Geneva (4), Dakar (1), Amman (1) and Mexico City (hybrid setup for the latter).

The Financial Controller (“FINOP”) works within this operational unit. He is a member of the Operational Finance Unit (FINOP) and the Finance Department. Financial controllers are responsible for financial management on missions, under the dual supervision of their unit’s Program Manager and the head of the FINOP department. They play a pivotal role between Finance and Operations, acting as the unit’s point of reference for financial management.

The FINOP Manager works in close collaboration with the other members of the Finance Department. He/she defines the strategy of the FINOP department and contributes to the definition of the department’s objectives. He/she ensures that the strategies, policies, and procedures established by the Finance Department are implemented, both within the units and in the field.

Responsibilities

He/she is responsible for managing the team of FINOP controllers. He/she ensures that FINOP controllers fully assume their role vis-à-vis both their cell and the Operational Finance department, and that practices from one cell to another are harmonized. As a supervisor and key contact for cell controllers, his or her extensive experience is an asset for operations management.

Responsible for financial and management monitoring of missions, he/she consolidates and monitors the OCG’s overall operating budget throughout the annual budget cycle. He/she makes proposals to ensure the best possible support for Operations.

He/she produces budget reports for the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors and the International Office.

As a member of the Operational Forum (FOROP). He/she actively contributes to the cross-functional strategic issues for which the FOROP is responsible.

He/she represents the Swiss section in matters relating to operational finance within the MSF movement. The head of operational finance is required to travel for field visits (1-2 times a year)

Your Profile

Education

• Tertiary degree in management or equivalent, preferably with a management/finance/management focus

Experience

• At least 7 years’ proven experience in management, finance, and cost analysis
• At least 5 years’ proven experience in team management
• Minimum 2 to 3 years’ successful experience in humanitarian aid NGOs, in administrative & financial coordinator positions
• 2 years’ experience at the head office of a large NGO an asset

Skills/ Technical competencies

• Excellent knowledge of financial management, in particular budget processes
• Very good knowledge of financial ERP (D365 and Unifield an asset) and financial reporting systems (PowerBi and Qlikview an asset)
• Excellent knowledge of MS Office, mainly Excel (advanced)
• Knowledge of financing contracts management
• Project management knowledge/experience

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of MSF Switzerland. Fluency in both English and French is required for this position (oral and written).

Personal Abilities/Qualities

• Excellent sense of organization and priorities, rigor.
• Logic, ability to analyse and provide synthesis.
• Availability, listening skills, open-mindedness, diplomacy.
• Capacity to generate proposals.
• Decision-making.
• Good stress management, prioritization, flexibility.
• Ability to manage and motivate a team.

Terms of Employment

• Full-time position 100% (40h/week)
• Open-ended contract
• Working place: Geneva, Switzerland
• Ideal start date: 01.10.2024
• Gross annual salary (for 100%): from CHF 118’776.- to CHF 133’272.- (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.