Head of Mission Advisor at Medecins Sans Frontieres

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters, and exclusion from healthcare. Médecins Sans Frontières provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict. They do so irrespective of race, religion, creed, or political convictions. 

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head of Mission Advisor

Location: Abuja (FCT) 
Employment Type: Full-time

Accountabilties

• Undertake country level actor mapping looking at national, state, and regional (as relevant) authorities and conflict dynamics and support HoM with context analysis.
• Develop and maintain a network of contacts to share information on the context, follow trends, identify new risks and threats.
• Gain an understanding of how MSF is perceived by health professionals, populations, and relevant actors (political, armed groups, religious authorities…).
• Produce context analysis briefings highlighting the latest social, economic, political and security trends with (potential) impact on the security and humanitarian contexts.
• Analyse impact of local dynamics on staff safety and security as well as impact on population at large.
• Review, propose updates and advise the HoM on implementing the Country Security Plan, risk analysis/risk reduction measures, in accordance with MSF Security Policy.
• Assist the HoM in dissemination of relevant context information to the coordination team, regularly inform them on key issues, update general information on the context for MSF internal documents, and advise on cultural appropriateness of organizational activities and individual behaviours.
• Support the HoM in official representation.
• Upon delegation, represent MSF in meetings.
• Participate actively in the negotiation of access and identify gaps that prevent MSF activities.
• Liaise with potential stakeholders and help the HoM to create, reinforce and maintain links with local leaders, tribes, authorities, armed forces.
• Advise on and be involved in the negotiations, finalization, and maintenance of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between MSF and the Government / any other institution involved.
• On request of the HoM, fill gaps and participate in the elaboration of mission strategic documents, contributing to the mission´s strategic planning and objectives.
• Raise security awareness among the staff through regular meetings on security context.
• Write reports on security incidents affecting MSF personnel and monitor consequences.
• Introduce actor-mapping methodology that can be independently maintained (regularly updated and improved) for each project.
• Support and coach Coordination Team and Project Coordinators on culturally sensitive manners of representation to local contacts, provide advice and support as needed evolution/challenges faced. Specific Accountabilities
• The HOM Advisor will play a key role in expanding and maintaining key networks to facilitate OCB operations at Abuja level.
• HOM Advisor will play a key role in follow up of registration, compliance etc for the OCB operations in the country.
• The HOM advisor will assist MSF projects PC's, as well as PC Supports, in maintaining a structured approach to networking to ensure that blind spots at project and coordination levels are addressed.
• The HoM Advisor will retain some level of mobility, with visits to projects, and have a good grasp of local dynamics.
• The HoM Support is expected to play a key role in emergency response and explos and be available for deployment for MSF response.

Minimum Required Skills and Qualifications

• Education: University Degree in Social Sciences, Management, Law, or other related disciplines
• Master’s in international development, Crisis Management or political Science will be an added advantage.

Experience:

• Essential experience working in the mission country.
• Demonstrated capacity for analysis, networking, and negotiation.
• At least 3 years' experience working with MSF in an operations role like PC Assistant, HoM Support or Advocacy roles.

Languages:

• Mission language and English.

Competencies:

• Strategic vision L2
• Leadership L2
• People Management and Development L3
• Service Orientation L3
• Teamwork and Cooperation L4.

Application Closing Date
2nd April, 2026.