MSF Access Regional Advisor Eastern and Southern Africa

Position Title: MSF Access - Regional Advisor Eastern and Southern Africa

Contract: Full time (100%)

Duration: Permanent

Starting Date: September 2026

Location: Nairobi Hub, Kenya

Deadline to apply: July 27, 2026

Reports to: Head of Eastern and Southern Africa region 

Compensation and benefits: MSF practice is to offer the C&B package current in the MSF entity establishing the contract.

This job description may evolve according to the implementation of the MSF Access strategic plan although its main parameters (scope, area of expertise) should not be essentially altered. The incumbent is expected to demonstrate a degree of flexibility in the performance of their work.

I. 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 assists people based only on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.
MSF International is the legal entity that binds MSF’s 24 sections, 27 associations and 18 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.

II. BACKGROUND
MSF Access 

Médecins Sans Frontières works tirelessly to improve the accessibility, availability, affordability, appropriateness and quality of products for health care for the populations it assists and their communities. While this is a collective effort across the organisation, the MSF Access team plays a central role as it identifies and implements a priority selection of access projects, offers expert support for access activities elsewhere in MSF, and brings together information and analysis relevant to MSF’s access work. The MSF Access team, overseen by an Executive Board, is based in the following five regional hubs:

•          Dakar, Senegal: covering West and Central Africa

•          Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: covering the Americas

•          Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: covering Asia and Oceania

•          Nairobi, Kenya: covering Eastern and Southern Africa

•          Brussels, Belgium: covering Europe, the Middle East, and Northern Africa

The work of MSF Access is rooted in MSF’s medical humanitarian work and aims to improve access to medicines and healthcare products for people in the greatest need by bringing down barriers that keep people from getting the treatment they need to stay alive and healthy.  

To do this, we advocate for the most effective medicines and health products to be available, affordable, and equitably accessible for the people we care for, and beyond.  

The MSF Access team has the following responsibilities:

• Gather input for MSF’s Common Priorities on access to products of healthcare (Access).

• Design and implement Access Analysis & Advocacy activities to respond to the agreed Common Priorities.

• Provide, facilitate, support on Access files outside the Common Priorities to MSF entities that request it.

• Maintain an overview of Access initiatives across MSF and report on them annually.

• Research, and stay informed of, the Access landscape globally and regionally to inform the MSF Movement of opportunities and threats.

The seven Common Priorities currently agreed upon by the MSF Movement include:

i. Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

ii. Vaccinations

iii. Tuberculosis

iv. Diabetes

v. Diagnostic Tools

vi. Sexual Reproductive Health and

vii. Cancer

They are based on the Medical-Operational priorities witnessed by the Movement and are subject to possible changes on medium-term.

III. PURPOSE

Reporting to the Head of the region and in close cooperation with the MSF Access Head of Policy and Head of Analysis, the Regional Advisor contributes to furthering the regional context understanding, maintaining and expanding key networks and engagement with relevant stakeholders; in order to support the design and implementation of effective advocacy strategies towards governments, non-governmental stakeholders, pharmaceutical companies, and the research community in Africa in support of the MSF Access strategic objectives in the region and globally.

IV.    MAIN ACTIVITIES

The Nairobi based Regional Advisor works closely with the Head of the Hub and other members of the Nairobi Hub. Responsibilities will be shared between different team members and as such the position holder will assume a leading role for some activities versus a supporting role for others.

At this moment the regional advisor will take the lead in the topic on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), diagnostics and tuberculosis (TB) while collaborating and supporting on other topics. This division of topics will be reviewed over time depending on shifting priorities and capacities in the Nairobi Hub team.

The main responsibilities include:

• Develop systems to continuously monitor and analyze policies and stakeholders on issues relevant to the MSF Access strategic objectives and regional access priorities

• Analyze trends and opportunities at regional level (both regional institutions and key countries) and provide strategic advice on new opportunities and threats.

• Based on this analysis, work with the MSF Access colleagues, MSF offices and missions in the region to design and implement advocacy strategies relevant to the Access Strategic Plan objectives (global, regional or country specific).

• Contribute to the development of specific regional analysis and advocacy strategies by contextualizing relevant global MSF Access strategic objectives and vice versa (using regional perspectives to feed into global Access strategic objectives and advocacy plans).

• Develop and strengthen the engagement with key stakeholders in the region relevant to the MSF Access regional and Global strategic objectives and support civil society partnerships if and where relevant

• Represent MSF Access in relevant country, regional and global health actors platforms

• Act as one of the spokespeople for the MSF Access Nairobi hub

• Support MSF Operations in their understanding of medical-political issues affecting access in the field and support them to define and implement relevant advocacy plans and strategies to overcome concrete access problems.

• When requested and relevant, support MSF Access initiatives of MSF sections in the region.

• Manage any short-term researcher/consultant on special projects related to the position.

• Genuine interest in and commitment to the humanitarian principles of MSF

• Minimum 3 years directly related professional experience,

• Relevant master’s degree in global health is desirable

• Demonstrated advocacy experience in the area of Global Health in the African continent

• Knowledge and work experience in the Southern African Region is desirable

• Demonstrated analytical, advocacy and representation skills.

• Ability to work independently, move projects from conceptual stages to launch, and handle multiple and often competing deadlines.

• Excellent verbal and written communications skills including ability to adapt style to suit a wide range of audiences

• Proficiency in spoken and written English

• Ability to speak and read a language of the region is an asset

• Availability for frequent international travel

  Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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. MSF expects all staff to share this commitment and promote an environment where abuse and misconduct is not tolerated.

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.

Note: All offers of employment will be subject to reference checks, including Human Resources, and to appropriate screening checks. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her/their understanding of these selection procedures.