Career Specialist

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is a private, international, independent medical humanitarian organization. We are a non-profit, self-governed member-based movement of more than 67,000 people with operations in more than 70 countries in 2024.

MSF provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict. We do so irrespective of race, religion, creed or political convictions. MSF observes neutrality and impartiality in the name of universal medical ethics and the right to humanitarian assistance and claims full and unhindered freedom in the exercise of its functions.  In 1999, MSF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as recognition for its medical work in several continents.

 People are our priority. Our teams include thousands of professionals—doctors, nurses, logisticians, administrators, communicators and legal experts—all united by the MSF Charter and dedicated to serving those in greatest need. We foster an inclusive culture that embraces diverse voices and backgrounds, and we strongly encourage applications from individuals of all gender identities, ages, sexual orientations, nationalities, races, religions, beliefs, abilities and experiences.  

We are currently looking for a:

Career Specialist (32/40 hrs)

Amsterdam/all countries with MSF offices

Objective

The Career Specialist, formerly known as Career Manager, serves as the primary contact for international mobile staff for our country programmes, you help them transitioning from Recruitment to the Career Specialists' staff pool. Your role is to support and plan employees' professional development and growth within the organization, and find suitable assignments within MSF’s country programmes. 

We are seeking a Career Specialist with excellent talent management and development skills, cross-cultural sensitivity, and a commitment to high service delivery, to join a team of career specialists and recruiters. You manage a diverse pool of staff, with different professional and cultural backgrounds. You liaise with a number of different stakeholders within our organization, to ensure proper placement and follow up in the development and performance of our staff. 

Key Responsibilities

Talent Pool & Career Management

• Act as hiring and line manager for international staff in the pool, ensuring the pool is strong in both quality and quantity.
• Maintain an overview of staff capabilities, ambitions, and availability, supporting effective workforce planning.
• Match available staff with program opportunities, advising program leadership on suitability and availability.
• Support recruiters in identifying and onboarding new staff into the pool.

Staff Support & Development

• Build and maintain strong relationships with pool members, offering regular contact, coaching, and career advice.
• Provide support during onboarding, briefing, debriefing, and re-entry after missions.
• Guide staff in their career development, counselling them on assignments and identifying opportunities for growth.
• Address performance issues through coaching and constructive feedback, fostering a culture of learning and accountability.

Process & Systems

• Ensure compliance with labour policies, contracts, and HR processes.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date staff records in the database.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of talent management practices.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree (BSc) or equivalent.
• Experience:
  • Minimum 3 years in HR generalist or talent management roles.
  • At least 2 years of experience in project management.
  • MSF Country Programmes experience is a strong asset.
• Knowledge & Skills:
  • Solid knowledge of HR fundamentals and labour law.
  • Strong project management skills and ability to prioritize in a dynamic environment.
  • Proven ability in stakeholder management, relationship-building, and influence.
  • Excellent communication skills in English (oral and written).
  • Cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity to diverse working environments.
  • Skilled in coaching, counselling, and performance management.
  • Proficiency with HR databases and digital tools.

Competencies We Want to See

• Service orientation
• Communication
• Planning & organizing
• Cross-cultural awareness
• Building relationships & trust

What We Value

We are looking for someone who is:

• Passionate about the development of people and motivated to see others succeed.
• Comfortable having honest and sometimes difficult conversations with staff.
• Collaborative, yet confident in providing advice and making decisions.
• Driven by MSF’s mission and inspired by working in an international, multicultural environment.

We offer

A one-year employment contract, based on 40 hours per week.

If you would work in the office in Amsterdam, a Dutch contract, the gross monthly salary will be between €3.743 and €5.153 a month depending on relevant work experience, based on a full-time appointment.

Other benefits include:

·30 days off (based on a full-time employment)

·A premium free pension where MSF covers 100% of the monthly pension contribution

·8% holiday allowance, paid out with the salary in May

·Commuting allowance (terms and conditions apply) & work from home allowance

·L&D will support you with a variety of learning and development opportunities with internal and external trainings and courses

·An environment that fosters diversity, with colleagues from around the world representing various cultures and background

If you work in a different location, different salary and benefits will apply

Application

Do you recognise yourself in this profile, we welcome you to apply directly via our website and upload a letter of motivation + Curriculum Vitae (in English) as one combined document.

The closing date for applications is 25 October 2025. Selection will be by means of one or two interview rounds.

Please note the application deadline specified above may be subject to change at MSF-Netherland’s discretion.

Information

For more information about the recruitment procedure, please contactAuke Walburg (Recruitment Team) at auke.walburg@amsterdam.msf.org.

For more information about the position, please contact Francien Boumans (RCM Coordinator) at francien.boumans@amsterdam.msf.org.