Head of Human Resources, Operations Job 2026 – MSF Southern Africa (Salary: R61,848 per Month)
Organisation: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Southern Africa
Position: Head of Human Resources, Operations (HROps)
Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Salary: R61,848.75 per month + Excellent Benefits
Contract Type: Open-ended (Permanent)
Application Deadline: 20 July 2026
Start Date: As Soon As Possible (ASAP)
Are you a senior Human Resources professional with extensive leadership experience and a passion for humanitarian work? Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Southern Africa, also known as Doctors Without Borders, is seeking an experienced Head of Human Resources, Operations (HROps) to lead its operational HR function during an exciting period of organisational transformation.
This senior leadership opportunity offers the chance to shape workforce strategy, talent management, employee wellbeing, and HR excellence across one of the world’s most respected humanitarian organisations while supporting life-saving programmes across Africa.
Whether you have experience in humanitarian organisations, international NGOs, or complex multinational environments, this role provides an outstanding opportunity to influence people strategy while contributing to humanitarian action that saves lives.
About Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), widely known as Doctors Without Borders, is an international humanitarian organisation providing emergency medical assistance to people affected by armed conflict, disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and humanitarian crises.
MSF Southern Africa is currently implementing significant organisational changes, including the rollout of the Ubuntu Operational Directorate in partnership with MSF East Africa, MSF UK, and MSF Spain. These strategic initiatives are designed to strengthen humanitarian impact, improve operational efficiency, and enhance support for communities facing some of the world’s most challenging emergencies.
About the Head of Human Resources, Operations Role
The Head of Human Resources, Operations (HROps) is responsible for providing strategic leadership across the Operational HR function for MSF Southern Africa and the Ubuntu Operational Directorate.
The successful candidate will ensure the organisation has the right people, systems, and workforce strategies to support current and future humanitarian operations. This includes leading workforce planning, recruitment, organisational development, employee wellbeing, HR governance, and talent management while working closely with senior leadership and operational teams.
This is an executive-level HR position suited to experienced professionals capable of managing complex workforce challenges across multiple countries and humanitarian programmes.
Key Responsibilities
The successful candidate will lead several strategic HR functions.
Strategic Human Resources Leadership
Responsibilities include:
- Developing and implementing Operational HR strategy
- Aligning workforce planning with organisational priorities
- Advising senior leadership on HR risks and workforce trends
- Strengthening HR governance and policy implementation
- Leading continuous improvement across HR operations
Workforce Planning and Talent Management
The role will involve:
- Building long-term workforce strategies
- Developing recruitment pipelines
- Leading succession planning initiatives
- Improving employee engagement and retention
- Monitoring workforce analytics and performance indicators
Recruitment and Deployment
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading recruitment strategies for humanitarian programmes
- Managing end-to-end recruitment processes
- Strengthening relationships with universities and professional bodies
- Supporting deployment of qualified field staff
- Promoting MSF Southern Africa as an employer of choice
Employee Wellbeing and Duty of Care
The Head of HR Operations will:
- Lead employee wellness programmes
- Strengthen psychosocial support systems
- Oversee staff welfare during emergencies
- Coordinate duty-of-care initiatives
- Improve employee experience throughout the employment lifecycle
HR Systems and Analytics
Additional responsibilities include:
- Enhancing HR information systems
- Improving HR reporting and dashboards
- Managing workforce data
- Supporting evidence-based decision-making
- Ensuring compliance with organisational standards
Stakeholder Engagement
The role also requires close collaboration with:
- Operational Centres
- Operational Directorates
- Human Resources teams across the MSF movement
- External academic institutions
- Professional organisations
- International humanitarian partners
Required Qualifications
Applicants should possess:
- An NQF Level 7 qualification in:
- Human Resource Management
- Industrial Psychology
- Business Management
- Or a related discipline
A postgraduate qualification in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organisational Development, or a related field will be an added advantage.
Required Experience
MSF is looking for candidates with:
- At least 8 years of progressive Human Resources experience
- Significant experience in senior HR leadership roles
- At least 5 years leading multidisciplinary HR teams
- Workforce planning and talent management experience
- Recruitment and employee relations expertise
- Organisational change management experience
- Experience supporting humanitarian or international field operations
- Experience working across multiple countries and cultures
Previous MSF field coordination experience or equivalent humanitarian field experience will be highly advantageous.
Essential Skills and Competencies
Successful applicants should demonstrate:
- Strategic leadership
- Business acumen
- Workforce planning expertise
- Stakeholder management
- Strong communication skills
- Leadership and coaching ability
- Organisational development knowledge
- HR analytics experience
- Decision-making and sound judgement
- Adaptability and resilience
- Commitment to MSF humanitarian values
Salary and Benefits
MSF Southern Africa offers an attractive remuneration package that includes:
- Monthly salary: R61,848.75
- Permanent open-ended contract
- 13th cheque payable in November
- Additional 10% pension contribution
- 100% employer-paid medical aid contribution
- Transport allowance
- Cell phone allowance
- Professional development opportunities
- Opportunity to work with one of the world’s leading humanitarian organisations
Why Join MSF Southern Africa?
Working for MSF means becoming part of a global humanitarian movement dedicated to providing emergency healthcare to vulnerable populations.
As the Head of Human Resources, Operations, you will help shape the organisation’s future by ensuring humanitarian programmes have access to talented, supported, and highly motivated staff capable of delivering life-saving interventions across Africa and beyond.
This role offers the opportunity to influence organisational strategy, strengthen workforce capability, and contribute directly to humanitarian impact on an international scale.
How to Apply
Interested applicants should submit:
- A comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV) in English using the prescribed format.
Applications close on 20 July 2026.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
APPLY ON THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE
MSF welcomes applications from qualified professionals of all backgrounds and strongly encourages applications from people living with disabilities. Successful candidates will undergo safeguarding and background verification in line with MSF recruitment policies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where is the job located?
The position is based in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
What is the salary?
The successful candidate will receive a monthly salary of R61,848.75, together with several additional benefits.
Is this a permanent position?
Yes. The role is offered on an open-ended (permanent) contract.
What experience is required?
Applicants should have at least 8 years of Human Resources experience, including extensive leadership experience and preferably experience within humanitarian or international non-profit organisations.
When is the application deadline?
Applications close on 20 July 2026.
Head of Human Resources / Head of Human Resources / Head of Human Resources / Head of Human Resources
