Mobile Staff Support Officer – E Desk

The Emergency Support Department (ESD) is part of the Operations department and plays a fundamental role in responding to humanitarian emergencies. The ESD conducts exploratory and assessment missions, initiates and manages large scale emergency interventions, supports emergency interventions managed by regular desks, provides support to the organisation and existing country programmes in promoting and guarding emergency response capacity, and supports the management of operations in highly insecure environments. The ESD consists of a headquarters-based Emergency Desk (E Desk) with permanent staff and several associated advisors, and an Emergency Team for deployment in the country programs.  

With immediate effect, the ESD is looking for: 

Mobile Staff Support Officer – E Desk

Starting 6th November 2025, for a 10-week interim (cover)

Amsterdam office based / remote working may be considered

 Place within the organisation

As the Mobile Staff Support Officer for the E Deskyou report the Head of Emergency Support Department. You are part of the Mobile Staff Support Officer team, with a functional line to the team lead. 

 Main Characteristics

• Together with your E Desk MSSO colleague, you are the focal point for the support of international mobile staff deployments, including Emergency Team members; managing their travel pre and post country/emergency assignment

• Departure planning: provide country/project specific information, manage documents for personnel files, develop proposed departure plans, organise visa processes and support work permit related issues. Liaise with embassies and consulates on visa processes.

• Organise briefings/debriefings: organise logistics of staff departure, return and guide staff through (de) briefing days. 

• Travel and accommodation booking according to MSF Policies, balancing the most efficient, effective and economical option(s), considering environmental aspects, urgency of departure, transit, visa limitations and fair treatment of staff.

• Responsible for processing expenses as a budget holder, approving reimbursements and processing payments.

• Prepare departure package and brief international staff on departure-related issues.

• Ensure the MSR (Mission Specific Requirements), welcome emails and Brief-Chief mailing list are updated.

• Respond to emergency interventions/new emergency projects: including research, setting up and documenting visa procedures, travel routes and administrative processes for new and unfamiliar countries to enable deployments

• Coordinating the exchange of information among a large variety of stakeholders whilst contributing pro-actively to the improvement and the efficiency of the country placement process.

• Together with your E Desk MSSO colleague, you support in the administrative HR support and follow up of Emergency Team members

• Other general tasks such as briefing relevant stakeholders and providing support during onboarding. Supporting HR team in country programmes on staff movements and basic HR policies, IMS related issues and country specific questions. Reporting Medevac and acting as linking pin for international staff sick leave. Creating and distributing monthly IMS list.

• Demonstrate flexibility, willing to work long and irregular hours (including a weekends), during periods of high intensity during emergency responses period

Candidate Profile

• Energetic, positive, and motivated team player

• Able to work in a dynamic and sometimes stressful environment

• Flexible, able to multi-task, with a problem-solving attitude

• Able to work under high pressure, independently 

• Fluency in spoken and written English; proficiency in French and/or Arabic is desirable  

• MSF OCA experience is required

• Proven administrative, organisational and computer skills

• Competencies include: Flexible behaviour, Service orientation, Planning and organisation

We offer

Ten week employment contract in the country of residence, based on 40 hours per week. Your exact salary will depend on relevant work experience and the local office salary grid.  Other employment benefits will also depend on the contracting office.

Application