MSF Access Regional Advisor – Middle East & Northern Africa (MENA)

Title of the function: Regional Advisor – Middle East & Northern Africa (MENA)

Reports to: MSF Access Head of Europe & MENA Hub

Location: An MSF office (capital city) in Middle East region (specific location still to be specified)

Contract: Permanent contract at 100%

Starting date: April 01, 2026

Deadline to apply: February 17, 2026

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

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.

Most of the team’s staff are based in its five regional hubs:

• Dakar, Senegal: covering West and Central Africa

• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: covering the Americas

• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: covering Asia and Pacific

• Nairobi, Kenya: covering Eastern and Southern Africa

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

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 Regional Access Coordinator for Europe & MENA, and in close cooperation with the MSF Access Head of Advocacy & Communication 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 MENA region in support of the MSF Access strategic objectives in the region and globally.
While MSF teams currently work in following countries in MENA region, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Türkiye, Iran, Yemen and the occupied Palestine territories, the position holder will also engage with various other partners located in the other countries in the region, such as Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where regional opportunities exist.
The regional 2026-2031 strategic plan has defined following fields where a sustained focus & involvement is required:

• Access to non-communicable diseases (NCD) medicines and monitoring tool, such as for diabetes and hypertension in priority. Both these diseases are highly prevalent in MENA region and represent a high societal burden within and beyond MSF programmes.

• Anti-microbial resistance (AMR) at primary (OPD) level, secondary and tertiary level care. AMR is a growing global threat, being the leading cause of death worldwide, and is exacerbated by the conflicts seen in the region and by the irrational use of antibiotics. At a regional level, MSF Access also follows with interest the regional engagement supporting the Independent Panel on Evidence about AMR (IPEA).

• The increasing prevalence of tuberculosis, in some settings, where access to the latest anti-tuberculosis medicines may be impeded, and access to vaccines & sexual & reproductive Health products may also be investigated, according to the local and regional needs and demands.

• MSF Access is eager to explore the use of supranational access pathways such as regional pooled procurement, fast-tracking and other flexibilities for humanitarian settings, while providing access-oriented advice around local production, transparent pricing and medical innovations which may offer adapted solutions.

Priorities will be reviewed periodically according to MSF Access’ global and regional agenda and the priorities chosen by the MSF programmes in each country. It is therefore possible that in the future new files be added or replace some present dossiers in terms of priority, as opportunities and events should be scrutinized and reacted proactively upon with flexibility, and according to the demands of the movement.

While this position focuses solely on the Access to Treatment & Diagnostics, it is crucial that all activities here below remain fully embedded in MSF’s programmatic priorities and are coordinated with MSF’s Country representatives and the MSF’s Regional Humanitarian Representation Team (HRT) in charge of the high-level representation towards regional authorities. MSF speaks with one voice and internal cohesion in MSF’s representation is crucial for our persuasiveness and leverage.

IV. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

The Amman-based Regional Advisor works closely with the regional coordinator and be MSF Access’ first line of contact for programme teams, once a specific file has been opened. The position holder will represent MSF Access in many internal and external meetings, after discussion with the MSF Access Head of Europe & MENA hub.

The Regional Advisor-MENA is responsible to provide timely follow up and support on the above-mentioned strategic priority files AND engage with priority in operationalizing concrete advocacy actions to address the challenges observed by MSF programmes in accessing medical products for their patients and beyond.
The main responsibilities include:

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

• Analyse 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 programmes 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 countries, regional and global health actors’ platforms. Act as one of the spokespeople of MSF Access in and in issues related to MENA region.

• Support MSF programmes 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.

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 applying, the job applicant confirms his/her/their understanding of these selection procedures.