Collective Portfolio Manager

Location: Any MSF office*

Contract: Permanent contract at 100%

Starting date: 01st of February 2027

Deadline to apply: 03rd of December 2026 - We reserve the right to close this position once suitable candidates have been identified.

Compensation and Benefits: MSF practice is to offer the compensation and benefits package in line with the MSF entity offering the contract

*By default, the successful candidate will be offered a contract in the MSF office, able to issue a contract, of their country of residence at the time of application. If no MSF office exists in their country of residence, the successful candidate will be expected to relocate to a country where an MSF office can issue a contract, provided the local legislation allows for that.

At MSF, we are committed to an inclusive culture that encourages and supports the diverse voices of our employees. We welcome applications from individuals of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, nationalities, races, religions, beliefs, ability status, and all other diversity characteristics.

MSF is committed to preventing abuse, inappropriate behaviour, lack of integrity and financial misconduct in its work and care spaces. The successful candidate will be expected to comply with the organisation’s safeguarding policies and standards of professional behaviour.

We are committed to removing barriers for people with specific accessibility needs. If you need an adjustment to the recruitment process to be considered for the role, please let us know from the beginning of the selection process.

MSF International

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion and natural disasters. MSF offers assistance to people based only on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation. MSF International is the legal entity that binds MSF’s 26 sections, 28 associations and 16 branch offices together. Registered in Switzerland, MSF International provides coordination, information and support to the MSF Movement, as well as implements international projects and initiatives as requested.

Context

MSF International provides coordination, information and support to the MSF movement and implements international projects and initiatives as requested. In 2026, MSF began a new six-year strategic cycle — the Strategic Planning and Resource Cycle (SPARC) — which replaces the previous Resources-Sharing Agreement (RSA4). SPARC brings together movement-wide priorities, coordinated decision-making, shared accountability and collective investment stewardship across the MSF movement.

Within this framework, the Collective Portfolio is a core mechanism for translating SPARC ambitions into coherent, prioritised and monitorable movement-level investments. It brings together the Common Strategic Priorities Portfolio and other collective portfolio components, enabling the movement to assess strategic fit, sequencing, interdependencies, absorptive capacity, risk and value across a complex set of initiatives. The SPARC Interoperability priority in particular cuts across all other priorities and provides an enabling approach that shapes portfolio implementation and coherence.

The Collective Portfolio Manager is the senior role responsible for holding together the diverse components of the Collective Portfolio during SPARC implementation. The role enables collective ownership, strengthens evidence-based steering, and reinforces accountability for results, resource choices and delivery against SPARC Goals and Principles. It operates across MSF’s decentralised governance and executive environment, working closely with the International Office, Executive Committees, the SPARC Steering Committee, the Portfolio Committee, finance stakeholders, content owners and senior leaders across the movement.

As a member of the International Office management environment, the role also contributes to institutional coherence, organisational learning and SPARC-related change leadership.

Purpose of the job

The main purpose is to provide strategic leadership for SPARC’s Collective Portfolio to strengthen movement-wide accountability, prioritisation, effectiveness and alignment across collective investments.

The role ensures that the Collective Portfolio has robust decision-making and accountability mechanisms. This includes ensuring that portfolio composition, investment choices, delivery performance, risk monitoring and resource visibility are integrated into cross-cutting analysis and timely executive decision-making.

The role also leads management of the portfolio of work for the Common Strategic Priorities and advances portfolio, project and change management practice across the International Office and relevant executive platforms. This work involves paying particular attention to interoperability, absorption capacity, sequencing, implementation quality and organisational coherence.

Finally, this position also supports the functioning of the SPARC Steering Committee. It provides coordination, analysis and synthesis needed for the Committee to fulfil its oversight role on behalf of the Full ExCom. The role helps translate information emerging from the Collective Portfolio, SPARC Coordinating Mechanisms and related reporting processes into coherent cross-cutting insight on progress, risks, resource implications, interdependencies and emerging tensions.

Accountabilities

1. Manage the Collective Portfolio, enabling effective collective governance.

Expected result: The Portfolio Committee, relevant executive platforms and the Full ExCom have timely, relevant and decision-ready information on portfolio performance, integration, resourcing and risk.

• Integrate and coordinate across the components and content owners of the Collective Portfolio, in line with the SPARC MoU and related governance arrangements;

• Translate portfolio design into practical governance and decision-making processes that strengthen collective ownership and disciplined portfolio stewardship;

• Oversee and report on portfolio composition, results, dependencies, risks and strategic fit, preparing analysis for decision-making in the Portfolio Committee and/or further escalation;

• Oversee and report on portfolio health, planning, and resourcing in close collaboration with the IO finance team, the FinDir and portfolio content owners, ensuring integration with the movement’s annual resource planning and budget cycle;

• Ensure that strategic, operational, organisational and implementation risks across the Collective Portfolio are identified, monitored and escalated appropriately, and facilitate the development of mitigation strategies with relevant stakeholders;

• Convene, prepare and facilitate the work of the Portfolio Committee in line with its terms of reference, ensuring focused discussion, sound documentation, clear follow-up and accountability for agreed actions;

• Develop approaches to gather learning and insight from portfolio implementation and contribute to the ongoing refinement, adaptation, and maturation of the Collective Portfolio model throughout the SPARC cycle.

2. Lead management of the portfolio of work in the Common Strategic Priorities, strengthening investment steering.

Expected result: Initiatives and projects within the portfolio of work for the Common Strategic Priorities are strategically aligned, appropriately prioritised and collectively steered to optimise their contribution to SPARC goals and principles.

• Coordinate and align stakeholders in the Common Strategic Priorities, bringing coherence with approved Movement-level goals, principles, and agreed outcomes;

• Build and continuously improve the portfolio pipeline management process, ensuring transparency, consistency, usability and institutional learning;

• Drive analysis required for investment steering, including strategic relevance, interdependencies, timing, delivery feasibility, absorption capacity, opportunity costs, and portfolio balance;

• Cultivate reflection on emerging priorities, initiatives, or opportunities for better effectiveness or efficiency among Priorities;

• Broker shared understanding across stakeholders where priorities compete, perspectives diverge or conditions evolve, enabling collective choices in a decentralised environment without direct hierarchical authority;

• Promote equitable participation and enable the surfacing of diverse perspectives from across the movement in portfolio dialogue and prioritisation processes while maintaining focus on strategic coherence and delivery discipline;

• Track portfolio decisions, commitments and follow-up actions to strengthen visibility, continuity, and accountability.

3. Cultivate organisational learning, advancing portfolio-wide accountability for delivery results.

Expected result: Collective portfolio oversight decisions are supported by evidence, implementation follow-through is tangible, and the movement has stronger accountability for the results of collective investments.

• Shape and maintain fit-for-purpose portfolio monitoring, reporting and review mechanisms to support executive decision-making and accountability for results;

• Consolidate portfolio information into clear, decision-ready reporting for governance and executive stakeholders, including progress, bottlenecks, deviations, unintended outcomes, risks, resource implications and emerging strategic choices.

• Follow up on regular reporting and related steering decisions, translating learning into actionable change, in particular with regards to gaps, delays, unresolved dependencies or accountability concerns.

• Drive the development of relevant review processes, evaluation exercises and reflection on Portfolio effectiveness, organisational learning and value generation.

4. Lead project, change and interoperability management practices across the International Office and executive Platforms.

Expected result: The International Office and relevant executive platforms apply stronger portfolio, project and change management practices, enabling more coherent delivery, organisational learning and implementation effectiveness.

• Drive the improvement of portfolio, project and change management standards, practices and governance approaches across the International Office and relevant executive Platforms;

• Guide and promote disciplined approaches to planning, implementation, benefits realisation and organisational change;

• Advise stakeholders on ways to assess absorption capacity, implementation feasibility and unintended organisational effects when shaping or adjusting initiative processes, timelines, or scopes;

• Promote coordinated use of resources across projects, portfolios, and change initiatives, seeking efficiencies and facilitating cross-functional learning in the International Office and executive Platforms;

• Engage and align stakeholders around the SPARC Interoperability priority, facilitating shared accountability and progress against the Interoperability Ambitions to 2031 and related roadmap;

• Convene and facilitate relevant project and portfolio management communities or working groups in the Movement to strengthen knowledge-sharing, consistency, effectiveness and institutional learning;

5. Advise and support process design and facilitation for strategic initiatives or organisational transformation processes as requested by the ISG/DSG5. Support the SPARC Steering Committee in fulfilling its oversight, coordination and escalation role by providing timely portfolio analysis, cross-cutting insight, and decision-support across SPARC implementation

Expected result: the Steering Committee is equipped with clear, integrated and decision-ready information that strengthens its ability to monitor SPARC implementation, identify and address cross-cutting challenges, and provide well-grounded advice and recommendations to the Full ExCom.

• Consolidate relevant inputs from the Collective Portfolio, SPARC Coordinating Mechanisms, monitoring and evaluation processes, and other reporting streams;

• Surface risks, interdependencies, resource implications, tensions and emerging issues;

• Support the preparation of coherent recommendations and documentation for Steering Committee review and onward escalation to the Full ExCom.

Autonomy, complexity

Autonomy to deliver results

Operates with a high degree of autonomy within the mandate of the role. Determines portfolio management approaches, governance rhythms, prioritisation processes, analytical frameworks and facilitation strategies required to strengthen collective investment steering, accountability and executive decision-making. Exercises independent judgement on complex organisational, strategic and implementation issues with movement-wide implications, while escalating matters requiring broader executive or governance authority.

Complexity of the environment

The role operates in a highly complex and decentralised international environment involving multiple governance and executive bodies, operational directorates, sections, finance stakeholders and strategic initiatives with intersecting priorities, timelines and resource implications. The role requires navigating ambiguity, influencing without formal authority, balancing strategic and operational considerations, and enabling collective choices where perspectives, incentives and institutional interests may differ. The position must synthesise diverse streams of information into coherent portfolio insight while supporting implementation discipline across a dynamic and evolving strategic cycle.

SAFEGUARDING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ROLE

The incumbent commits to contribute to a safe, supportive, inclusive, equitable, diverse, respectful and healthy workplace, free from abuse and other misconduct. They will not engage in any form of abuse, including those detailed in the MSF Typologies of Abuse. When an employee suspects or observes abuse, they will report it, without investigating it, to protect others.

• Ensure respectful management and communication at all levels.

• Ensure that staff and consultants under their supervision understand their responsibilities regarding expected behaviour and reporting abuse while working for MSF.

• Welcome complainants, guide colleagues towards the appropriate channels without investigating, and promote a working environment that does not tolerate abuse or inappropriate behaviour.

• Ensure that staff know how to raise concerns and are kept informed of reporting mechanisms.

Education

• Master’s degree or equivalent professional competence in portfolio management, organisational strategy or public administration

• Advanced qualifications or certifications in portfolio, programme or change management are desirable.

Experience

• Significant MSF experience is mandatory.

• experience in complex international and multi-stakeholder environments;

• experience leading or coordinating strategic portfolios, organisational transformation initiatives or cross-functional governance processes;

• proven track record of designing and facilitating senior-level consultation, prioritisation and decision-making processes, including with executive committees or governance bodies;

• strong experience influencing senior stakeholders and driving alignment across decentralised structures without direct hierarchical authority.

Knowledge

• Understanding of portfolio, programme and change management approaches, governance models, organisational strategy and investment stewardship;

• understanding of complex organisational systems, prioritisation processes, accountability mechanisms and resource planning; familiarity with MSF’s movement dynamics, governance and executive environment, including the interaction between operational, strategic, financial and associative dimensions;

• demonstrated understanding of organisational interoperability, implementation risk, and cross-functional coordination in decentralised environments.

Languages

• Native or near-native English.

• French, Spanish or Arabic are assets.

Other

• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to MSF offices and operational contexts.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding and acceptance of these recruitment procedures.