Associate philanthropy advisor

Job Offer
(strictly no recruitment agencies)

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.

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.

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 seven units at the Communications and Fundraising Department. To ensure a good geographical coverage of the Swiss fundraising market, the Unit is divided into three offices: Geneva, Zurich and Lugano. The Unit’s mission is to strengthen MSF’s relationship with its private major supporters, including wealthy individuals, companies, foundations, and other philanthropic organizations. It also manages grants and donations from Swiss cantons and communes.

In order to develop the activities of fundraising, Médecins Sans Frontières is looking for an associate philanthropy advisor for Swiss Romandie. His/her main missions would be:

• Stewardship and upgrading of smaller foundations and of corporates (1toFew approach)

• Qualification of prospects identified by the prospect researcher.

Stewardship and upgrading of smaller foundations and of corporates (1toFew approach)

Qualification of prospects identified by the prospect researcher.

With the Team Coordinator, associate philanthropy advisor is responsible for raising funds by implementing and improving a newly developed one-to-few strategy for foundations and corporates, offering donors an interesting variety of interaction opportunities that drive engagement and growth. This is a position to allow for the team to further grow income for MSF’s social mission from French and English-speaking organizations based in Romandie.

The associate philanthropy advisor will also participate actively to the qualification of prospects identified by the prospect researcher. He/she will contact first the qualified prospects and will work closely with the philanthropy advisors to start building a relationship with them. He/she is in charge of a pool of more than 90 donors, representing CHF 650’000 approximately.

Strategy and action plan

• Together with the Team coordinator: support, implement and develop the One-to-Few strategy and plan of action to maintain a good relationship with foundations, corporates and cantons/communes and upgrade their annual donations.

• In accordance with the Team coordinator: support the overall strategy for corporate fundraising in Switzerland, including the Due Diligence processes and Gift Acceptance Policy;

• Support the development and implementation of the prospection and the acquisition strategy for Romandie.

• In accordance with the unit's action plans and budget, plan and monitor the income of the allocated donor portfolio.

• Contribute to the strategic mapping and general annual plan of action of the Communications and Fundraising Department.

Together with the Team coordinator: support, implement and develop the One-to-Few strategy and plan of action to maintain a good relationship with foundations, corporates and cantons/communes and upgrade their annual donations.

In accordance with the Team coordinator: support the overall strategy for corporate fundraising in Switzerland, including the Due Diligence processes and Gift Acceptance Policy;

Support the development and implementation of the prospection and the acquisition strategy for Romandie.

In accordance with the unit's action plans and budget, plan and monitor the income of the allocated donor portfolio.

Contribute to the strategic mapping and general annual plan of action of the Communications and Fundraising Department.

One-to-Few approach:

• Cultivate and steward foundations, cantons/communes and corporates that require a 1tofew approach.

• Target to upgrading relationships with potential from 1tofew to 1to1.

• Liaise with the marketing team to coordinate the sending of mailing.

• Solicitate the support of these supporter based on their wish and their agenda.

• Coordinate with Associate Philanthropy Advisor in charge of 1tofew in German part of Switzerland.

• Draft communication pieces for 1ToFew donors and obtain validation as required

Cultivate and steward foundations, cantons/communes and corporates that require a 1tofew approach.

Target to upgrading relationships with potential from 1tofew to 1to1.

Liaise with the marketing team to coordinate the sending of mailing.

Solicitate the support of these supporter based on their wish and their agenda.

Coordinate with Associate Philanthropy Advisor in charge of 1tofew in German part of Switzerland.

Draft communication pieces for 1ToFew donors and obtain validation as required

Prospection, acquisition and qualification:

• Under the guidance of the team coordinator, identify corporate needs and support the team in shaping tangible and efficient standard offers to foster acquisition

• Together with the other team members, identify potential major donors in the existing database and in the Swiss landscape

• Qualify prospects, mainly corporates and foundations, identified by the prospect researcher and establish their giving potential and interest in 1to1 relations

• Establish the first contact with the new potential partner to confirm their interest to MSF and organize introductory meetings to be conducted together with a Philanthropy Advisor

• Build-up new long terms relationships with corporates and corporates foundations that require a 1toFew approach and those with a high potential of upgrading.

Under the guidance of the team coordinator, identify corporate needs and support the team in shaping tangible and efficient standard offers to foster acquisition

Together with the other team members, identify potential major donors in the existing database and in the Swiss landscape

Qualify prospects, mainly corporates and foundations, identified by the prospect researcher and establish their giving potential and interest in 1to1 relations

Establish the first contact with the new potential partner to confirm their interest to MSF and organize introductory meetings to be conducted together with a Philanthropy Advisor

Build-up new long terms relationships with corporates and corporates foundations that require a 1toFew approach and those with a high potential of upgrading.

Others

• Ad hoc support to any administrative task related to the above

• Work proactively on transversal projects as needed in the Unit, upon request by her/his supervisor.

• Organize events and webinars for donors

Ad hoc support to any administrative task related to the above

Work proactively on transversal projects as needed in the Unit, upon request by her/his supervisor.

Organize events and webinars for donors

Education

• University degree in Business Management, Marketing, Communications, Political Science, Law, International Relations or equivalent

University degree in Business Management, Marketing, Communications, Political Science, Law, International Relations or equivalent

Experience

• Minimum a first professional experience in similar functions or in the fields of marketing/sales/communication/journalism or high-level relational skills, like public relations or wealth management

• Humanitarian experience: a plus

Minimum a first professional experience in similar functions or in the fields of marketing/sales/communication/journalism or high-level relational skills, like public relations or wealth management

Humanitarian experience: a plus

Languages

• Full proficiency in French, Good knowledge of English (oral and written), German is an advantage

Full proficiency in French, Good knowledge of English (oral and written), German is an advantage

Skills/ Technical competencies

• Excellent knowledge of the Microsoft 365 environment (Word, Excel, Power Point)

• Knowledge of prospection tools adapted to the Swiss market

• Good knowledge of the Swiss economic and social landscape

• Good knowledge of fundraising database

• Proven writing skills (drafting and editing)

Excellent knowledge of the Microsoft 365 environment (Word, Excel, Power Point)

Knowledge of prospection tools adapted to the Swiss market

Good knowledge of the Swiss economic and social landscape

Good knowledge of fundraising database

Proven writing skills (drafting and editing)

Personal Abilities/Qualities

• Excellent interpersonal skills

• Donor service oriented attitude

• Strong analytical skills

• High curiosity

• Very high team spirit

• Dynamic, proactive and autonomous

• Rigorous and good organizational skills

• Strong ability to stay focused on priorities

• Empathic, enthusiastic, optimistic

Excellent interpersonal skills

Donor service oriented attitude

Strong analytical skills

High curiosity

Very high team spirit

Dynamic, proactive and autonomous

Rigorous and good organizational skills

Strong ability to stay focused on priorities

Empathic, enthusiastic, optimistic

• Part-time position de 50% à 70% (20h à 28h/week)

• Open-ended contract

• Working place: Geneva, Switzerland

• Ideal start date: July 2025

• Gross annual salary (for 100%): from CHF 80’856.- to CHF 97’224.- (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.

Part-time position de 50% à 70% (20h à 28h/week)

Open-ended contract

Working place: Geneva, Switzerland

Ideal start date: July 2025

Gross annual salary (for 100%): from CHF 80’856.- to CHF 97’224.- (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.

Candidates are invited to submit their application exclusively through our recruitment platform, following these guidelines:

• CV (maximum 2 pages)

• Cover letter (maximum 1 page)

• Documents must be submitted in either English or French.

CV (maximum 2 pages)

Cover letter (maximum 1 page)

Documents must be submitted in either English or French.

The application deadline is 27th April, 2024.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier if we receive a sufficient number of quality applications.

All applications will be treated confidentially.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Please note that we do not wish to use the services of recruitment or placement agencies.