L&D Unit Intern

Ärzte ohne Grenzen Schweiz / Médecins Sans Frontières Suisse; Genf; On-site; CHF 20,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

Ärzte ohne Grenzen Schweiz / Médecins Sans Frontières Suisse is seeking a Learning & Development Intern based in Geneva, Switzerland. The role focuses on administrative and organisational support, plus contribution to internal communications and learning initiatives.

You will work under the Head of L&D for 40 hours/week, part of a tripartite internship agreement, for 6 to 9 months starting January 2027. The position offers a gross monthly remuneration of 2,000 CHF.

Qualifications

• Degree in Communication, humanitarian or development studies, social studies, organisational management, or another relevant field.
• No previous work experience required; volunteering or humanitarian background is a plus.
• Fluency in English and French, both written and spoken.

Responsibilities

• Assist with organisational and administrative tasks for the L&D unit.
• Support internal and external unit communications and learning activities.
• Contribute to knowledge management and learning project work.

Skills

Analytical skills

Planning & organisation

Attention to detail

Time management

Teamwork

Education

Degree in Communications/Development

Tools

Microsoft Office

Canva

MS Teams

Zoom

Job description

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).

The MSF movement is built around 5 operational centers supported by 24 sections and offices worldwide. MSF Operational Center Geneva (MSF OCG) is one of these centres.

The L&D Unit Intern provides organizational, administrative, and communication support to the unit. The Intern will learn from and support the team in organizing and delivering learning activities. In addition to recurring tasks, the Intern will take the lead on specific assignments or projects, particularly those related to communication, during the internship. A tripartite agreement is required, as the internship must be part of an academic programme (curricular or extracurricular) or a federal professional integration programme.

Tasks & Responsibilities

The intern’s responsibilities are divided as follows: 30% of their time is dedicated to communication and L&D project support, 60% to organisational and administrative support, and 10% to their own learning and development.

Under the supervision of the Head of L&D, the intern supports the unit in the following areas:

1. Organisational & Administrative Support (60%)

The intern will gain practical experience in administrative processes by supporting the unit’s administration team with the tasks outlined below. They will also have the opportunity to contribute to improving administrative practices and ways of working within a dynamic, internationally dispersed unit of approximately 40 people.

• Support the organisation of unit meetings (e.g. weekly meetings and specific pillar meetings), including preparing agendas, taking minutes, archiving meeting documentation and ensuring follow-up.
• Assist in preparing documents and presentations for internal and external use.
• Support the team in editing and following up on contracts (for team members and service providers), forms (IT, recruitment, etc.) and partnership agreements.
• Assist with the organisation of recruitment processes and administrative HR follow-up.
• Maintain and update the international staff tracking table (HR Update) in the HR database (D635).
• Organise briefings, debriefings and onboarding activities.
• Follow up on other specific HR procedures as needed.
• Learn to support teams in organising and delivering learning activities, including virtual classes, face-to-face training sessions and e-learning.
• Assist with ordering materials and supplies, including specific training materials, pedagogical resources and general office supplies (e.g. stationery).

2. Internal & External Unit Communication and L&D Project Support (30%)

• Support the unit in managing information, act as the focal point for online knowledge management platforms such as Kompas and SharePoint, and manage key organisational tools used by the unit.
• Learn to support, maintain and develop the unit’s online communication tools and channels (e.g. learning offers, activity reports and newsletters).
• Update and maintain tags and search bar functionalities to improve learners’ access to the various training opportunities.
• Edit and update specific communication tools.
• Propose and implement targeted communication initiatives.

3. Intern’s Learning (10%)

As the internship forms part of a university programme, 10% of the intern’s time will be dedicated to their own learning and development. This time will allow them to complete any university assignments.

Your profile

Education

• Degree in Communication, Humanitarian or Development Studies, Social Studies, Organisational Management, or another relevant field.

Experience

• No specific work experience is required; however, previous employment experience is considered an advantage.
• Demonstrated commitment to humanitarian or development work, charity work or volunteering is an advantage.

Languages

• Fluency in English and French, both written and spoken.

Skills/ Technical competencies

• Analytical and synthesis skills.
• Planning and organisational skills.
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (PowerPoint, Excel and Word).
• Knowledge of graphic editing tools (Canva).
• Knowledge of digital communication tools (MS Teams, Zoom).

Personal Abilities/Qualities

• Team player with the ability to coordinate with multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to work autonomously.
• Proactive and solution‑oriented.
• Flexibility and ability to adapt quickly.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and information simultaneously.
• Attention to detail and rigorous approach to work.
• Strong time management skills.

Terms of employment

• A tripartite internship agreement is mandatory.
• 6 to 9 months, according to internship agreement.
• Full time (40h/week).
• Based in Geneva, Switzerland
• Start date : end of January 2027
• Gross monthly remuneration 2’000.- CHF