Humanitarian Affairs Officer; HAO
Job in
Toronto, Ontario, M5A, Canada
Listing for:
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Full Time
position
Listed on 2026-02-23
Job specializations:
-
Non-Profit & Social Impact
Public Health, Community Health
Job Description & How to Apply Below
Position: Humanitarian Affairs Officer (HAO)
Responsibilities
As a humanitarian affairs officer with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), you will help MSF expose and advocate about the impact conflict and neglect have on the communities we work with and people we assist. You will likely be based in the capital city with frequent travel to MSF projects and be responsible for gathering information from various stakeholders, including communities, patients and staff.
You will provide strategic advice on how MSF can best communicate our voice and our principles to deliver critical humanitarian medical care. You will also advise on how MSF operates and communicates in situations where access to provide medical assistance to communities in need is threatened.
Your primary role will be to use the ‘witnessing’ component of MSF’s mandate to advocate with and for people MSF works with and assists. You will do this by gathering testimonies and stories, using them to document the human impact of disasters and conflicts. The information you gather will be collated, analyzed and used to draw up unbiased reports on a wide variety of issues.
These may include: the efficacy of the response of humanitarian actors to a crisis, speaking out about war crimes committed against civilians by armed actors or collecting testimonies from women who have experienced sexual violence due to poor security in displacement camps.
From carefully building a sensitive advocacy strategy to writing reports on the exclusion of certain communities from medical care, the role of a humanitarian affairs officer is incredibly varied.
Requirements
Academic background to master’s level in one of the following fields: anthropology, social or political science, law, gender studiesRelevant work experience with data collection, qualitative research, human rights monitoringMinimum one year experience in humanitarian advocacy based in a context similar to where MSF works (armed conflicts, disasters, public health emergencies or situations of healthcare exclusion)Good understanding of current humanitarian debates and of the dilemma-compromise nature of modern humanitarian interventionsFirst-rate writing skills and excellent research and analytical skillsExperience in managing staff in a multicultural team (supervision and training)Fluency in English and French (Intermediate+, minimum level B2 in both). Refer to thisAssets
Previous experience with international nongovernmental organizations, UN agencies, human rights organizations or protectionMSF Core Competencies
Behaviour flexibility: Level 2 Adapts behaviour to the needs of the situationTeamwork and cooperation: Level 2 Shares information and coordinates with team and othersResult and quality orientation: Level 2 Works towards objectives, preserving established standardsCommitment to MSF principles: Level 1 Demonstrates knowledge of and accepts MSF’s principlesPeople management: Level 2 Gives feedback and sets limitsCross-cultural awareness: Level 3 Demonstrates an integrating attitudeStress management: Level 2 Manages own stressUnderstanding of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI): Level 1 Familiarity with EDI concepts and their application in a humanitarian contextFamiliarity with EDI concepts and their application in a humanitarian context
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