Médecins sans frontières (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders, is an international humanitarian-aid non-governmental organization (NGO) and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, best known for its projects in war-torn regions and developing countries facing endemic diseases.

Rationale/Objective for Position

The Nursing Care Advisor provides strategic, technical, and implementation support to ensure the delivery of high-quality clinical and nursing care across MSF Ubuntu programs. The role aligns with MSF International medical standards and MSF Ubuntu’s strategic approaches, with a strong emphasis on people-centered care, community participation, local partnerships, and sustainable solutions.

The position promotes clinical and nursing care that is respectful, ethical, safe, effective, and person-centered, embedded consistently across all MSF Ubuntu projects and country programs.

This position will be hierarchically and functionally accountable to the Head of Health Programs Unit or relevant unit head.

Responsibilities or duties

Strategic and Technical leadership

• Develop, implement, and monitor MSF Ubuntu clinical nursing care strategies that promote people-centered care and high standards of practice across country programs.
• Lead initiatives to improve the quality of clinical and nursing care in close collaboration with relevant technical advisors.
• Identify, develop, and implement essential tools, guidelines, and documents related to nursing care, including patient management and supportive care across levels of care.
• Provide guidance and technical support to projects and country programs, identify challenges and recommend evidence-based solutions using standardized tools and approaches.
• Ensure high standards of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) are applied at all levels, in close collaboration with IPC advisor/implementer.
• Ensure the medical master supply lists and catalogues remain updated and appropriate for program activities, promoting safe, rational, and efficient use of medical materials and equipment in close collaboration with section pharmacist/pharmacy team.
• Actively contribute to MSF Ubuntu’s medical operational vision, strategies, and programming as a member of the Health Department.

Nursing Care Management and Service Organization (in close collaboration with MSF Ubuntu advisors and other OC advisors supporting MSF Ubuntu programs)

• Identify, validate, and/or develop key tools and documents related to nursing care management, including clinical supervision, nursing standards, human resources organization, and resource management.

Program Support

• Provide expert technical advice to program teams and advisors on patient care, nursing practices, implementation of MSF nursing recommendations, and use of medical devices.
• Support field teams in maintaining quality of care through structured quality improvement processes, using tools such as SIPCA, Nursing Quality Indicators (NQIs), and the AMS Nursing Checklist.
• Support accurate collection, analysis, and use of nursing and IPC-related data to promote learning and continuous improvement.
• Promote hand hygiene awareness and support its implementation across programs.
• In collaboration with the Head of Health Programs Unit, support Med-Ops Cell managers (med)/health advisors in defining nursing care strategies during project design, reviews, and planning.
• Conduct briefings and debriefings with country program and relevant HQ staff on nursing care standards and activities.
• Undertake country program visits on a periodic basis or upon request, in agreement with relevant medical leadership (Country MedCo, Dep Med-Ops cell manager (Med), Head of Health Programs Unit).

Nursing Competency Development (In close collaboration with other advisors and MSF stakeholders such as L&D and MSF Academy)

• Identify priority nursing competencies and capacity development needs.
• Map training needs and contributes to the design of training strategies and learning activities.
• Support implementation of training, mentoring, and supervision activities at project level.
• Participate as a facilitator in MSF Ubuntu and international MSF training courses related to clinical and nursing care, when requested.

Representation and Coordination

• Represent MSF Ubuntu within intersectional nursing platform, community of practice (CoP), and relevant technical working groups.
• Lead or contribute to specific thematic initiatives and projects in line with agreed workplans, including participation in workshops and conferences.
• Build and strengthen networks with local institutions and organizations to promote collaboration, exchange best practices, and advance nursing care approaches.

Capacity Building and People Management

• Support recruitment, validation, mentoring, and development of nursing staff and talent pools, as required.
• Collaborate with L&D and nursing platforms to promote knowledge sharing and mentoring, including the development of nursing care training materials.
• Facilitate learning through workshops, webinars, and community of practice platforms for programs and headquarters staff.
• Build the capacity of programs teams on nursing care standards, systems, and tools.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Education

• A qualified Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Nursing (BSc or MSc) is essential.
• Postgraduate qualifications in Pediatrics and/or Neonatology is essential.
• Postgraduate qualification or certification in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is an asset.
• Fluency in spoken and written English is essential; knowledge of French is an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in cross-cultural communication and collaboration.

Experience needed

• Minimum of five (5) years’ relevant professional experience in clinical nursing care with MSF or international medical-humanitarian organizations (essential).
• Proven experience in nursing supervision, mentoring, and training, with strong pedagogical skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to multicultural collaboration, equity, diversity, inclusion, and continuous learning.

• Develop, implement, and monitor MSF Ubuntu clinical nursing care strategies that promote people-centered care and high standards of practice across country programs.
• Lead initiatives to improve the quality of clinical and nursing care in close collaboration with relevant technical advisors.
• Identify, develop, and implement essential tools, guidelines, and documents related to nursing care, including patient management and supportive care across levels of care.
• Provide guidance and technical support to projects and country programs, identify challenges and recommend evidence-based solutions using standardized tools and approaches.
• Ensure high standards of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) are applied at all levels, in close collaboration with IPC advisor/implementer.
• Ensure the medical master supply lists and catalogues remain updated and appropriate for program activities, promoting safe, rational, and efficient use of medical materials and equipment in close collaboration with section pharmacist/pharmacy team.
• Actively contribute to MSF Ubuntu’s medical operational vision, strategies, and programming as a member of the Health Department.
• Identify, validate, and/or develop key tools and documents related to nursing care management, including clinical supervision, nursing standards, human resources organization, and resource management.
• Provide expert technical advice to program teams and advisors on patient care, nursing practices, implementation of MSF nursing recommendations, and use of medical devices.
• Support field teams in maintaining quality of care through structured quality improvement processes, using tools such as SIPCA, Nursing Quality Indicators (NQIs), and the AMS Nursing Checklist.
• Support accurate collection, analysis, and use of nursing and IPC-related data to promote learning and continuous improvement.
• Promote hand hygiene awareness and support its implementation across programs.
• In collaboration with the Head of Health Programs Unit, support Med-Ops Cell managers (med)/health advisors in defining nursing care strategies during project design, reviews, and planning.
• Conduct briefings and debriefings with country program and relevant HQ staff on nursing care standards and activities.
• Undertake country program visits on a periodic basis or upon request, in agreement with relevant medical leadership (Country MedCo, Dep Med-Ops cell manager (Med), Head of Health Programs Unit).
• Identify priority nursing competencies and capacity development needs.
• Map training needs and contributes to the design of training strategies and learning activities.
• Support implementation of training, mentoring, and supervision activities at project level.
• Participate as a facilitator in MSF Ubuntu and international MSF training courses related to clinical and nursing care, when requested.
• Represent MSF Ubuntu within intersectional nursing platform, community of practice (CoP), and relevant technical working groups.
• Lead or contribute to specific thematic initiatives and projects in line with agreed workplans, including participation in workshops and conferences.
• Build and strengthen networks with local institutions and organizations to promote collaboration, exchange best practices, and advance nursing care approaches.
• Support recruitment, validation, mentoring, and development of nursing staff and talent pools, as required.
• Collaborate with L&D and nursing platforms to promote knowledge sharing and mentoring, including the development of nursing care training materials.
• Facilitate learning through workshops, webinars, and community of practice platforms for programs and headquarters staff.
• Build the capacity of programs teams on nursing care standards, systems, and tools.

• Cross-cultural communication
• Collaboration
• Nursing supervision
• Mentoring
• Training
• Pedagogical skills
• Multicultural collaboration
• Equity
• Diversity
• Inclusion
• Continuous learning

• A qualified Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Nursing (BSc or MSc) is essential.
• Postgraduate qualifications in Pediatrics and/or Neonatology is essential.
• Postgraduate qualification or certification in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is an asset.
• Fluency in spoken and written English is essential; knowledge of French is an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in cross-cultural communication and collaboration.
• Minimum of five (5) years’ relevant professional experience in clinical nursing care with MSF or international medical-humanitarian organizations (essential).
• Proven experience in nursing supervision, mentoring, and training, with strong pedagogical skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to multicultural collaboration, equity, diversity, inclusion, and continuous learning.