Chief Operating Officer

Ärzte ohne Grenzen • New York, NY

9d • $224,423 - $347,856 • Hybrid

About The Position

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent international organization that provides medical care to the people who need it most. The organization cares for people affected by conflict, disease outbreaks, disasters, and social exclusion in more than 70 countries. MSF offers medical humanitarian assistance solely based on need, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or politics. Our international project teams include medical, logistical, and administrative staff, most of them hired locally and working with their own communities. Our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of independence, impartiality, and neutrality. We also bear witness and speak out about the experiences of our colleagues and patients. MSF USA is one of 24 sections supporting the global movement, primarily through staff recruitment, fundraising, advocacy, and communications. We welcome candidates who bring a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences to join us in working toward MSF's social mission. Role Overview The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a core member of MSF USA's executive leadership team. The COO provides enterprise-level leadership across all operational functions, ensuring that MSF USA's systems, processes, and infrastructure support its mission, scale, and future sustainability. This role is responsible for MSF USA's day-to-day operations, providing oversight of the full suite of internal operational functions, including, but not limited to, finance, procurement, technology, systems, and facilities. The COO leads through complexity, champions cross-functional coordination, and ensures that MSF USA delivers with integrity, efficiency, and equity. The COO also partners closely with the Board of Directors and the Association, advising on risk, governance, and performance, and serves as a visible and influential voice in institutional planning and organizational stewardship. Department Accountabilities Leadership and Direction Inspire and guide others, communicating actions needed and how they relate to broader organizational mission and strategy. Ensures alignment across departments and is a member of the organization's leadership team. Stakeholder Management Identify and engage with key internal and/or external stakeholders to create positive working relationships that enable the initiation, delivery, and implementation of a program or project. Advance Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Support and advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (D, E, and I) by providing an example, advice and guidance on D, E, and I, to internal and external stakeholders to enable them to adopt these principles in ways that will also enhance innovation and other performance measures. Represent the organization to external stakeholders on D, E, and I issues. Operations Management Execute and manage internal operations using predetermined protocols and procedures to achieve specified operational performance standards. Organizational Capability Building Take action to develop capabilities at an organizational level to ensure that these are relevant to current and future organizational requirements and to enable the organization at large to achieve MSF-USA goals and fulfill the potential of its people. Board Relationship Develop relationships with Board members; identify priorities, issues and strategic challenges for Board discussion. Roles Specific Outcomes Lead and oversee MSF USA's daily operations, ensuring functional excellence and alignment across internal systems. Ensure that core operating areas; including HR, legal, finance, procurement, technology, risk, and facilitiesfunction in a coordinated and scalable way. Serve as a key thought partner to the core MT, contributing to strategic planning, institutional transformation, and governance engagement. Partner with the Board of Directors, presenting updates on internal operational performance, institutional risk, and strategic alignment. Provide executive oversight for enterprise-level initiatives such as systems modernization, operational risk mitigation, and organizational readiness. Support internal accountability frameworks, cross-departmental coordination, and internal crisis response infrastructure. Supervise the senior leadership of the internal operations functions Strengthen equity-centered operational practices, integrating ADEI&B into MSF USA's systems, processes, and decision-making. These core accountabilities should not be construed to contain every function/responsibility that may be required to be performed by an incumbent in this job. Incumbents are required to perform other functions as assigned. Complexity and Problem-Solving Skills The COO serves as the internal operational anchor of MSF USA, translating the organization's long-term vision into systems, structures, and execution across a fast-moving, highly visible nonprofit. The role requires sophisticated decision-making, systems thinking, and high emotional intelligence, balancing institutional risk with mission delivery and driving performance without compromising equity or staff wellbeing. As a senior executive officer, the COO must lead through complexity and maintain high internal accountability standards. This includes making daily operational decisions, responding to internal crises, and providing Board-facing leadership on compliance, controls, and organizational resilience issues, as well as demonstrating expert problem-solving and systems thinking capabilities at the global MSF movement level. Behavioral Competencies THOUGHT: How MSF USA staff understand the organization, manage complexity, and contribute by creating the new and different. People Focus Champions a people-centered operational culture that prioritizes service, equity, and impact. Builds strong relationships across departments, anticipates the needs of diverse internal stakeholders, and ensures that systems and processes serve the people who rely on them. Holds self and leadership teams accountable for delivering on service expectations and elevating the employee experience. Manages Complexity Makes sense of multidimensional challenges across systems, teams, and priorities to drive aligned decisions. Global Perspective Understands the unique operational needs of an international, field-based humanitarian movement. Cultivates Innovation Champions a culture of operational innovation by encouraging new approaches to systems, structures, and service delivery. Creates space for experimentation and iterative problem-solving within high-stakes environments. Strategic Mindset Sees ahead to future possibilities and translates them into breakthrough strategies and sustainable operating models. RESULTS: MSF USA staff achieve results by cultivating a forward-thinking environment that produces solutions for changing stakeholder needs. Drives Results Delivers strong outcomes across operational areas while maintaining strategic alignment with organizational goals. Ensures Accountability Holds self and others responsible for achieving high standards in operations, financial stewardship, and risk mitigation. PEOPLE: MSF USA staff understand their impact on others through collaboration and inclusion of different perspectives to achieve common goals. Collaborates Fosters trust-based partnerships across departments, levels, and governance structures to strengthen collective outcomes. Communicates Effectively Translates complex strategies and systems into actionable communication for a variety of audiences. Values Differences Operationalizes equity by designing systems and practices that promote access, inclusion, and trust. Builds Effective Teams Leads and mentors strong, high-performing operational teams with clarity, vision, and accountability. Manages Conflict Facilitates resolution of cross-functional tensions or misalignment with maturity and diplomacy. Builds Networks Maintains a strong internal and external network to share learning, stay current on operational trends, and strengthen MSF USA's institutional partnerships. Drives Vision and Purpose Champions MSF USA's mission and connects daily operations to long-term purpose and sustainability. SELF: MSF USA staff demonstrate self-awareness by having an open mindset and by continuously seeking opportunities to learn, grow, and improve. Instills Trust Models transparency, consistency, and integrity in all executive-level communication and decision-making. Manages Ambiguity Leads with clarity and steadiness in the face of uncertainty, shifting priorities, and complex organizational challenges. Guides teams through change by framing ambiguity as an opportunity, not disruption. Situational Adaptability Adjusts leadership approach and decision-making style to meet the evolving needs of people, systems, and context. Navigates diverse personalities, crises, and shifting operational landscapes with composure and agility. Being Resilient Sustains energy, clarity, and focus through pressure, setbacks, and sustained complexity. Leads others with steadiness during operational disruptions or moments of institutional challenge. Technical Competencies Plans and Aligns Leads long-range and annual operational planning cycles that align with MSF USA's strategic priorities. Financial Acumen Oversees fiscal strategy, internal controls, and budget alignment across multiple departments and funding sources. Tech Savvy Champions the effective use of digital tools, systems modernization, and data platforms to strengthen decision-making. Data Collection and Analysis Uses both quantitative and qualitative data to inform organizational readiness, performance tracking, and scenario planning. Enterprise Risk and Governance Ensures appropriate internal controls, enterprise risk frameworks, and operational governance are in place to support transparency, accountability, and Board oversight. Presentation and Written Communication Skills Presents operational strategy, financial data, and risk information clearly to executive leadership, staff, and the Board. Organizational Insight Brings deep understanding of MSF USA's governance, culture, values, and operational history to inform decisions and change strategies. Supervisory Responsibility The COO directly supervises multiple senior leadership roles in the internal operations space and may oversee additional operational leadership roles as the organization evolves. Location New York, NY (Hybrid) This role is based in our New York office, where most of the team and operational infrastructure are located. Due to current staffing and budget constraints, we're unable to support this position in our DC or California offices.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required, graduate degree in management, public administration, finance, systems, or related field preferred.
• Minimum 10 years in senior internal operational leadership roles within a complex nonprofit, global organization, or hybrid environment.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing finance, systems, procurement, and digital operations at an enterprise level.
• Strong change leadership experience, particularly across systems transformation, risk management, and organizational design.
• Proven success partnering with Boards of Directors and executive leaders on governance, risk, and strategy.
• Experience managing and mentoring senior-level operational leaders.
• Deep commitment to ADEI&B and embedding equity principles into operational strategy and design.
• Familiarity with international humanitarian organizations or mission-driven global systems.
• The COO must be willing to travel domestically and internationally to support MSF USA's mandate, attend board meetings, engage with partners, and participate in strategic retreats.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee MSF USA's daily operations, ensuring functional excellence and alignment across internal systems.
• Ensure that core operating areas; including HR, legal, finance, procurement, technology, risk, and facilitiesfunction in a coordinated and scalable way.
• Serve as a key thought partner to the core MT, contributing to strategic planning, institutional transformation, and governance engagement.
• Partner with the Board of Directors, presenting updates on internal operational performance, institutional risk, and strategic alignment.
• Provide executive oversight for enterprise-level initiatives such as systems modernization, operational risk mitigation, and organizational readiness.
• Support internal accountability frameworks, cross-departmental coordination, and internal crisis response infrastructure.
• Supervise the senior leadership of the internal operations functions
• Strengthen equity-centered operational practices, integrating ADEI&B into MSF USA's systems, processes, and decision-making.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive