MSF Access Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Advisor

Title of the function: SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH (SRH) ADVISOR

Contract: Full time (100%)

Duration: open-ended contract

Starting date: May 2026

Deadline to apply: April 13, 2026

Location: Dakar, Senegal; Nairobi, Kenya

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 finalized MSF Access Strategic Plan, although its main parameters (scope, area of expertise) should not be essentially altered. Until that key stage, the incumbent is expected to demonstrate a degree of flexibility in the performance of their work

I. BACKGROUND

 MSF INTERNATIONAL

 Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. 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 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.

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.

Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) is a central component of MSF’s medical response, given its profound impact on morbidity, mortality, and overall well‑being, particularly among women, adolescents, and crisis‑affected populations. Globally, preventable Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) conditions remain among the leading causes of death and disability for women of reproductive age, with complications from pregnancy and childbirth causing nearly 300,000 deaths per year, and an estimated 45% of all abortions occurring in unsafe conditions in low‑ and middle‑income countries. Persistent access barriers, including restrictive policies, supply shortages, market fragmentation, slow regulatory pathways, and limited availability of essential commodities such as contraceptives, maternal health medicines, safe abortion care tools, and point-of-care sexually transmitted infections diagnostic tools, directly undermine MSF’s ability to deliver effective care in the field. Strengthening Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) within the MSF Access agenda is therefore essential to ensuring that MSF can proactively influence product availability, guide market shaping, and support the introduction of innovative tools adapted to humanitarian and low‑resource settings. In 2024, addressing access challenges around Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) was identified as a key common priority for MSF, forming the foundation for the new MSF Access team to continue working on and integrating this priority into the strategic plan 2026–2031.

II. PLACE IN THE ORGANIZATION

The Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Advisor is part of the Analysis Department of MSF’s Access team, reporting to the Head of Analysis. S/he works in a multidisciplinary team of the Analysis Department consisting of experts on medical, pharmaceutical, legal and policy issues related to access to health products and technologies. S/he works closely with the regional hubs of the Access team on SRH issues.

The Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Advisor maintains a close working relationship with MSF technical working groups, medical referents, and other technical experts at MSF projects and headquarters. The position involves frequent international travel.

III. OBJECTIVES OF THE POSITION

• Lead and coordinate the development of strategy, plans and activities for Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) dossier of MSF’s Access team, addressing access barriers on priority tools, technologies and innovations.

• Lead research, analysis, and horizon scanning on the overall Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) priorities, pipelines, and trends.

• Provide technical and strategic advice on new issues that require research, analysis, and strategic development within the domain of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH).

• Support and provide input into the development and implementation of advocacy strategies in relation to priority Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) technologies and innovations.

III. MAIN ACTIVITIES

1. Lead research, analysis, and horizon scanning on the overall SRH dossier, priority objectives and domains

• Conduct and coordinate comprehensive analyses on barriers affecting the availability, affordability, appropriateness, and quality of priority Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) products and technologies.

• Monitor market dynamics, including pricing trends, supply chain vulnerabilities, patent landscapes, regulatory pathways, R&D pipelines, and manufacturer behaviour across essential Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) products.

• Produce high‑quality internal reports, policy briefs, market landscape analyses, technical guidance, and strategic notes to support decision‑making across MSF.

• Contribute to horizon scanning to identify emerging Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) innovations, evaluating their operational relevance, feasibility, and potential for integration into MSF programs.

2. Support and provide input into the development and implementation of advocacy strategies in relation to priority Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) commodities

•  Respond to requests on price and other access barriers for Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) products and technologies, analyse access barriers and support the development and implementation of targeted advocacy strategies.

• Work closely with pharmacist advisor, support MSF procurement analysis and needs, including price reduction negotiations for MSF field operations, and engage with manufacturers, product developers, and key funders to be abreast of the landscape and advocate for medicines, products, tools that are suited to low-resource contexts.

• Prepare and give presentations for internal and external meetings, including international conferences related to access to SRH issues.

• Maintain an external and internal network with relevant stakeholders, representing the access team at MSF’s technical working groups on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) access works.

Qualification and knowledge

• Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) expertise with qualification and expertise as a midwife, medical doctor, or nurse

• Advanced degree with a PhD or MSc is a strong asset.

• Additional qualification related to global health or public health is an asset.

• Strong technical background and experience in working on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), ideally in resource-limited settings, with a good understanding of the infrastructure related to the various healthcare levels.

• Strong knowledge of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) products market, technologies, R&D and relevant policy framework at global level, and good understanding of these landscapes and frameworks in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC).

• Solid understanding of global health policies, key actors and stakeholders related to SRH in the global health arena.

• Deep knowledge of access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) in resource-limited/humanitarian settings and the political or policy constraints in MSF contexts.

• Experience in sub-Saharan Africa, ideally West or Central Africa.

• Ability to travel (up to 40%)

Work experiences

• Minimum 5 years of experience directly relevant to the responsibilities of the position. 

• Strong skills in research and analysis, writing technical documents and/or scientific publications.

• Core competencies: project management, teamwork, problem solving, team management, strategic planning and priority setting.

• Demonstrable technical leadership in a diverse and highly changing environment of actors.

• Excellent communication and team working skills; and willingness to speak at public events when required on behalf of MSF.

• Capacity to develop and maintain good working relationships in a complex international, cross-cultural environment.

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

• Experience working in resource-limited settings, ideally with MSF at field and/or HQ levels is an asset.

• Appreciation of cultural and gender diversity, and strong commitment to equity and inclusion.

• Proficiency in oral and written English and French, other languages are an asset.

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.