Position description
Join MSF OCG as a Philanthropy Advisor – Individual Major Donors - German-speaking Switzerland and Liechtenstein!
We are looking for passionate candidates ready to contribute to our humanitarian mission.
Below, you will find the job details and the qualifications we are looking for.
Inclusivity and Diversity at MSF
Do your qualifications and experience not exactly match all requirements of the job?
At MSF OCG, we are committed to an inclusive culture that supports and amplifies the diverse voices of our staff members. We strive to create workplaces where teams of people with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, perspectives, ideas and experiences work together to advance MSF's social mission and create better outcomes for our patients and the communities we work with.
We understand that some people may hesitate to apply for employment if they don't meet all listed job requirements. Research shows that this is especially true for women. If you believe your profile is a good match for this position, we invite you to apply even if you don’t fulfil every listed qualification.
We encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, ethnicities, background, religions, beliefs, ability status, and all other diversity characteristics.
MSF does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment. All selected candidates will undergo reference checks.
Context & mission
Médecins Sans Frontières is an independent, international medical and humanitarian organization that provides care to people in need, people affected by natural or man-made disasters, and victims of armed conflict, without discrimination and without regard to race, religion, creed or political affiliation (MSF Charter).
MSF Switzerland was created in 1981 and it is headquartered in Geneva. The Philanthropy Unit is one of the eight units at the Communications and Fundraising Department. It is composed of 17 people and it raises around CHF 60m/year from our generous donors. To ensure a good geographical coverage of the Swiss fundraising market, the Unit is divided into two offices: Geneva and Zurich. The Unit’s mission is to strengthen MSF’s relationship with its private major supporters, including wealthy individuals, companies, foundations, and other philanthropic organisations. It also manages grants and donations from Swiss cantons and communes.
The position holder will become part of the world-wide community of fundraising and philanthropy specialists of the MSF movement, share experience and learnings with colleagues from across the world and work together with us to bringing good quality medical aid to millions of people affected by crises.
The Philanthropy Advisor is personally responsible for managing relationships with the major donors assigned to him/her in the view of upholding and increasing their support to MSF’s social mission. He/she is responsible for bringing the donors closer to MSF’s social mission, including through organizing bilateral meetings with MSF staff, providing information on MSF projects and priorities and organizing webinars and events for donors and asking them for financial support. He/she contributes actively to ensure that the Team uses the Customer Relationship Database effectively and makes best use of prospect research.
Tasks & Responsibilities
Qualification, cultivation and stewardship
- Manages a portfolio of Major donors
- Is accountable to deliver the best possible experience to MSF key donors in in order to increase their engagement.
- Qualify each Major Donor and Major Donor prospect, in close cooperation with the Prospect Researcher
- In coordination with the Team Coordinator, closely liaise with the Middle Donor manager to identify and update potential Major Donors
- Prepare and facilitate one to one meetings, calls, presentations and other meaningful interactions with major donors or representatives (lawyers, wealth managers, etc.)
- Establish relations with new potential major donors, including high-potential middle givers and other prospects, including ultra-high-net-worth individuals, to secure significant future support for MSF’s work
- Interact and collaborate with key spokespersons within MSF (President, General Director, Director of Operations, other management team members), as well as field staff, with the aim of bringing donors closer to the organisation in an attempt to show them our live saving mission and work in the projects.
- Define, propose and organise visits to MSF offices and projects, in line with MSF criteria and guidance
- Ensure that the nature / identity of donors is in line with MSF gifts acceptance policy.
- Ensure that the moves management runs smoothly, and donors are thanked and steward properly.
- Keep the database up-to-date
- Liaise with Writing Officers for the preparation, including proof reading and editing, of project briefings, reports, proposals, slideshows, infographics and any other creative way of presenting MSF and its mission to private major donors
- Liaise with the Direct Marketing team to adequately leverage marketing appeals and to coordinate touch-points
Solicitation
- Present and defend MSF’s cases for support to individual major donors in German speaking Switzerland and Lichtenstein.
- Ensure that the major donors journey strategy is followed and that major donors are solicited according to their motivations in a personalised way.
Information and data management
- Closely work with the System Support Team to ensure most efficient use of Customer Relationship Management Database
- Support the Team Coordinator in income forecasting and quarterly analysis of results
Others
- Participate in the Community of Practice for Individual Major Donors of MSF
- Work proactively on projects as needed in the Unit, upon request by her/his supervisor.
Qualifications
Education
- Tertiary degree in Business Management, Marketing, Communications, Political Science, Law, International Relations or equivalent
Experience
- Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in similar functions or in the fields of high-level relational skills, like public relations, wealth management or sales/marketing/communications, high-level advocacy or humanitarian project work
- Experience in using Microsoft Dynamics or other Customer Relationship Manager System: a plus
- Experience and knowledge of humanitarian aid: a plus
Languages
- (Swiss) German (native or equivalent),
- English
- French : a plus
- Italian: a plus
Skills/ Technical competencies
- Proven writing skills
- Excellent in oral public presentations
- Use of data base a plus
Personal Abilities/Qualities
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Rigorous and good organizational skills
- Empathic, enthusiastic, optimistic
- Result orientation
- Team spirit
- Strong commitment to MSF’s social mission and values.
Terms of employment
- Full-time position 100% (40h/week)
- Open-ended contract
- Working place: Zurich, Switzerland
- Ideal start date: February 16th, 2026
- Gross annual salary (for 100%): from CHF 87’372.- to CHF 100’608.- (salary commensurate with equivalent experience and internal salary grid)
- Paid vacation: 25 days per year, prorate temporis, plus any Swiss public holidays falling within the contract period.
- Pension plan: pension contribution covered 3/4 by MSF, 1/4 by staff member.
- Relocation package if moving from a different country to Switzerland.
Application instructions
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