Humanitarian Affairs Advisor (Civil-Military)

About the role

The Humanitarian Affairs Advisor (civ‑mil) monitors U.S. defense strategy, doctrine and policy, assessing implications for MSF patients, staff and facilities. The role builds and maintains relationships across the U.S. defense sector to raise operational concerns and ensure Washington engagement reflects field experiences.

Key responsibilities

• Lead MSF humanitarian notifications to the U.S. military, coordinating submission, receipt confirmation and follow‑up.
• Monitor humanitarian notification and deconfliction mechanisms, documenting and escalating any failures.
• Track U.S. military doctrine, policy and operational concepts, reporting on impacts to civilian protection and medical access.
• Analyze military and geopolitical developments, providing timely assessments for MSF.
• Facilitate two‑way communication between Washington and MSF operational teams.
• Support dialogue with the Department of Defense and combatant commands on IHL compliance and protection of medical care.
• Identify opportunities to embed humanitarian principles into military training, planning and lessons‑learned processes.
• Develop and maintain a network of contacts across the U.S. defense sector.
• Deliver briefings and training to military schools, exercises and pre‑deployment audiences.

Required profile

• Minimum ten years of professional experience at operational or strategic level within the U.S. military or related government department.
• Military background or substantial civil‑military experience through humanitarian work.
• Practical knowledge of the Department of Defense structure, especially the Office of the Secretary, Joint Staff and combatant commands.
• Operational humanitarian experience; MSF experience is a plus.
• Ability to analyze military doctrine, policy and global developments for relevance to MSF.
• Working knowledge of international humanitarian law and human rights law with practical application experience.
• Strong analytical, drafting and verbal communication abilities.
• Proven capacity to build and maintain professional relationships within large institutions.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Required skills

• Analytical assessment of defense policies and doctrines.
• Drafting of briefing materials and reports.
• Effective verbal communication with senior military and civilian stakeholders.

What we offer

• Salary range $124,000 – $139,000 USD per year, aligned with MSF USA compensation framework.
• Hybrid work arrangement: in‑office Tuesdays and Wednesdays, remote other days.