Head of Business Operations

We provide medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. We are a non-profit, self-governed, member-based organisation. MSF was founded in 1971 in Paris by a group of journalists and doctors. Today, we are a worldwide movement of more than 63,000 people.  

MSF coordinates operations through collaborations between global offices. The ‘MSF Operational Centre Amsterdam’ (OCA) is a partnership that is composed of the partners MSF-Canada, MSF-Germany, MSF-SARA, MSF-Sweden, MSF-Netherlands and MSF-United Kingdom. MSF-OCA has a team of more than 11,000 staff working in 115 emergency projects in about 31 countries.  

The office of MSF-Netherlands located in Amsterdam hosts more than 400 employees, offering direct support to MSF-OCA operations. Around 50 staff focus on recruitment, communication and fundraising in The Netherlands (MSF-Netherlands) and 350 staff are focused on supporting MSF-OCA operations. 

People are our priority. At Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)/ ArtsenzonderGrenzen, we are committed to an inclusive culture that encourages and supports the diverse voices of our employees.   We encourage diverse applicants including individuals of all gender identities, ages, sexual orientations, nationalities, races, religions, beliefs, social and marital status, people with different abilities and all other diversity characteristics and how they work together

With immediate effect, our Business Operations department is looking for a:

Head of Business Operations (40 h/w)

Based in Amsterdam

The Business Operations Team drives operational excellence at MSF OCA by aligning strategic priorities with execution to maximize humanitarian impact. We lead annual planning and performance cycles, oversee high-priority project delivery through our Project Management Office, and drive continuous improvement using Lean methodologies and human-centered design. Our team contributes to organizational and departmental level monitoring and reporting while fostering innovation through process optimization. 

By design, we work collaboratively with departments and country programs across MSF OCA, including strong connections with ICT and Finance, to ensure strategic alignment and support frameworks that enable the efficient delivery of medical humanitarian aid. We seek collaborative professionals passionate about applying business excellence to humanitarian work with expertise in project management, organizational reporting, and systems thinking.

Why This Role Matters

As the Head of Business Operations, you’ll lead a new department that ensures our strategic ambitions translate into real-world results. You will work closely together with our Director of Finance & Business Operations, Financial Controller, Head of ICT, and many other stakeholders across our organization.

You’ll bring together three core pillars:

• Project Management Office (PMO): A well-established internal function, with a large team and strong project management methodologies. You’ll lead and evolve this team to deliver high-priority projects across MSF OCA.

• Organizational Reporting: Right now, reporting is fragmented. You’ll centralize and elevate it, building processes and reporting that give our leadership and external audiences clear insights into performance and impact.

• Strategic Planning & Performance: You'll establish and facilitate MSF OCA's annual planning and performance cycles, building the systems and rhythms that connect strategic priorities to operational delivery across departments, HQ, and Country Programs.

What you’ll do

• Lead and develop a new department with a mandate to drive excellence.

• Integrate strategic planning with execution, working closely with departments and country programs across OCA, and as a focal point for collaboration with other MSF entities.

• Develop and implement frameworks for performance reporting, impact measurement, and continuous improvement.

• Advise the Program Committee and directly support project sponsors, steering committees, and project managers in the delivery of OCA’s project portfolio.

• Foster a culture of accountability, learning, and innovation.

• Represent Business Operations at the leadership level, reporting to the Director of Finance & Business Operations.

Who You Are

You’re a builder. A connector. A strategist who’s not afraid to roll up your sleeves. You bring:

• Proven experience in project management and organizational change.

• A track record of leading teams through transformation.

• Strong communication skills and stakeholder engagement.

• An entrepreneurial mindset—creative, curious, driven, influential

• A structured approach to planning and execution.

• The ability to see the big picture and act on the details.

Requirements

• Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g. MBA) 

• Minimum of 8 years of leadership experience in Business Operations or a similar role

• Certification in project management or other management methodologies is an asset 
  (e.g. PMP, Prince II, Agile/Scrum, Lean Six Sigma, CBAP, OKR Leader, ITIL, or equivalent)

• Fluency in English required, other language skills are an asset

Why Join Us

Business Operations is a new concept at MSF OCA. That means you won’t just lead it, you’ll define it. We welcome outside experience and fresh perspectives.

What we offer

• A fixed-term, 3 years contract with renewal option for another 3 years. This position is mandated,to 6 years maximum. 

• Gross monthly salary between € 5,922 – € 8,153 depending on experience.

• 30 days annual leave (full-time) plus 8% holiday allowance.

• 100% employer-paid pension contributions.

• Commuting allowance.

• Personal development budget and access to internal/external training.

• An inclusive workplace with colleagues from around the globe.

Information & Application

For more information about the role, contact Francien Boumans at francien.boumans@amsterdam.msf.org. To apply uploada letter of motivation and CV in English as one combined document through the link below. The deadline for application is 30 November 2025.