Regional Director, Programmes

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent medical humanitarian organization established in 1971, to provide medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters and exclusion from healthcare. Today this global movement operates in over 70 countries worldwide.

MSF Hong Kong (the Section), established in 1994, is a partner section within the global movement that has evolved into a regional 'family network' that consists of two additional branch offices (Beijing and Taiwan). The section serves the international movement through:

• Recruiting and retaining skilled medical and non-medical staff deployed in MSF projects worldwide – particularly from the East and Southeast Asia region
• Public communications and engagement in societies in the region with the objective of raising awareness on medical humanitarian concerns, supporting advocacy and stakeholder engagement efforts
• Fundraising among societies in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the region to directly support MSF's medical humanitarian activities
• Providing a range of support services to operations in the region and beyond

The section works across 4 locations (Hong Kong, Taipei, Mainland China and Singapore). It partners with MSF Australia, Japan, and Korea in the APAC project that aims at accelerating MSF institutional development in SEA.

Regional Director, Programmes (Based in Taiwan)

Job Purpose

The Regional Director, Programmes will provide leadership and operational oversight to drive the Section's elective contributions to MSF global movement. This role is pivotal in implementing the programmatic objectives of the Section's strategic plan related to climate and environmental health, regional humanitarian response capacity, and operational governance. As a member of the management team, the Regional Director, Programmes, contributes to steering the performance of the section and is jointly accountable for the delivery of the section's strategic objectives.

This position requires strong decision-making capabilities, an ability to navigate complex environments, and a commitment to MSF's social mission. It will be accountable for the progress of assigned objectives and will ensure alignment with MSF's global priorities and principles.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership of Operational Support Priorities

• Drive the execution of the Section's strategic plan for the initiatives in scope:
• Develop and oversee action plans to achieve objectives, ensuring alignment with MSF's global priorities and regional context.
• Develop and nurture intra and extra MSF relationships in relation to those objectives. Negotiate partnerships with relevant internal parties including OCs/Missions, Sections, platforms, and external stakeholders such as research institutions, NGO/IO and think-tanks.
• Represent MSF HK in relevant forums, meetings and events, support resource mobilization efforts in those areas.
• Build and develop teams to ensure their capacity, technical expertise and reach are commensurate with objectives.
• The objectives of the three initiatives in scope are as follows:
• Climate and Environmental Health Preparedness:
• Enhance MSF's capacity' to adapt humanitarian responses and protocols to evolving climate conditions and support missions facing climate-related crises (e.g., heatwaves, floods, mental health impacts)
• Collaborate with experts to advance climate knowledge and enhance support to vulnerable populations affected by climate change.
• Support medico-operational research on subjects related to the impact of climate on vulnerable populations and close the knowledge gaps in MSF and the sector.
• Humanitarian Response Capacity:
• Strengthen partnership practices to increase access to medical humanitarian care for marginalized and conflict-affected populations.
• Develop and promote a partnership-based operational framework to enhance local responder capacity in contexts where direct MSF implementation is not feasible.
• Pilot and evaluate partnership-driven projects.
• Operation support in SEA – through APAC:
• In collaboration with colleagues based around the region co-define scope, ambitions and modalities of the support APAC partnership provides to operations in South-East Asia.
• Act as a liaison for regional missions, facilitating cross-learning, knowledge management, operational synergies and other opportunities for collaboration.

Strategic Leadership in Operational management

• Define pathways to increase operationality of the section and lead on their realization
• Identify and realize partnership opportunities with OCs, APAC and other relevant stakeholders in the realm of operations management.
• Lead scoping, design and planning work, and intra-MSF engagement related to the development of operational capability in Asia.
• Ensure section' s preparedness to enable Operations on its territory.

Regional Management Team Contribution:

• Actively participate in the management team, contributing to the overall strategic direction and decision-making processes.
• Jointly accountable of the delivery of the objectives of the strategic plan.
• As a member of the senior leadership of the Section, promote an organizational culture that fosters resilience, encourage collaboration and innovation, and support sustained staff engagement.
• Contribute to initiatives that connect employees to MSF's social mission, reinforcing their alignment with organizational values.
• Support the development and implementation of initiatives aimed at enhancing organizational agility and resilience.

The Ideal Candidate

• Advanced degree in Public Health, International Relations, Humanitarian Affairs, or a related field
• Minimum 10 years in a senior leadership role in humanitarian operations or international development, of which at least 5 years in MSF and 5 years in the field
• Proven experience in managing multi-stakeholder partnerships and operational frameworks
• Demonstrated ability to integrate climate and environmental health considerations into operational planning
• Work experience in Asia and strong network within the humanitarian community in the region
• Strong leadership, strategic, communication, and negotiation skills
• Stress and conflict management ability
• Highly aware and sensitive to diverse cultures and customs
• Project management skills of international HR projects are preferrable
• Fluent in English language both spoken and written essential
• Language from the region an added value
• Ability to travel including to MSF field projects
• Commitment to the aims and values of Médecins Sans Frontières