Head of Business Operations

Artsen zonder Grenzen Nederland; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 66,089 - 90,987; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

A fixed-term, 3 years contract with renewal option

Gross monthly salary between €5,922 – €8,153

30 days annual leave plus 8% holiday allowance

100% employer-paid pension contributions

Commuting allowance

Personal development budget

Job summary

A humanitarian organization in Amsterdam is seeking a Head of Business Operations to establish and lead a new department, aligning strategic planning with operations to enhance humanitarian impact. The role requires substantial project management experience, a Master's degree, and strong leadership skills. This position offers competitive salary and extensive benefits, including a three-year contract with renewal options.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g. MBA).
• Minimum of 8 years of leadership experience in Business Operations or a similar role.
• Certification in project management or other management methodologies is an asset.
• Fluency in English required, other language skills are an asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a new department with a mandate to drive excellence.
• Integrate strategic planning with execution across OCA.
• Develop and implement frameworks for performance reporting and impact measurement.
• Advise project sponsors and support in the delivery of the project's portfolio.
• Foster a culture of accountability, learning, and innovation.

Skills

Project management

Organizational change

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Strategic planning

Education

Master's degree in a relevant field

Tools

Project Management methodologies (e.g. PMP, Agile)

Job description

Join to apply for the Head of Business Operations role at Artsen zonder Grenzen Nederland

MSF OCA is launching a new Business Operations department—and we’re hiring its Head. This is a rare chance to build on something new at HQ. To lead a seasoned project management team, centralize and elevate organizational-level reporting, and connect strategic planning to execution at the highest level. If you’re a structured thinker with entrepreneurial energy, ready to shape how MSF delivers humanitarian impact, we want to hear from you.

MSF is seeking a Head of Business Operations to build and lead this new department at our Amsterdam headquarters. This is a unique opportunity to shape how business operations support our humanitarian work from the ground up.

We are looking for a visionary leader to launch and lead our new Business Operations department. You’ll collaborate with colleagues in Finance IT, and every part of the organization, bridging strategy and execution to support MSF’s work around the world.

With immediate effect, our Business Operations department is looking for a:

Head of Business Operations (40 h/w)

Based in Amsterdam

The Business Operations Team drives operational excellence at MSF OCA by aligning strategic priorities with execution to maximize humanitarian impact. We lead annual planning and performance cycles, oversee high-priority project delivery through our Project Management Office, and drive continuous improvement using Lean methodologies and human-centered design. Our team contributes to organizational and departmental level monitoring and reporting while fostering innovation through process optimization.

By design, we work collaboratively with departments and country programs across MSF OCA, including strong connections with ICT and Finance, to ensure strategic alignment and support frameworks that enable the efficient delivery of medical humanitarian aid. We seek collaborative professionals passionate about applying business excellence to humanitarian work with expertise in project management, organizational reporting, and systems thinking.

Why This Role Matters

As the Head of Business Operations, you’ll lead a new department that ensures our strategic ambitions translate into real-world results. You will work closely together with our Director of Finance & Business Operations, Financial Controller, Head of ICT, and many other stakeholders across our organization.

You’ll bring together three core pillars:

• Project Management Office (PMO): A well-established internal function, with a large team and strong project management methodologies. You’ll lead and evolve this team to deliver high-priority projects across MSF OCA.
• Organizational Reporting: Right now, reporting is fragmented. You’ll centralize and elevate it, building processes and reporting that give our leadership and external audiences clear insights into performance and impact.
• Strategic Planning & Performance: You'll establish and facilitate MSF OCA's annual planning and performance cycles, building the systems and rhythms that connect strategic priorities to operational delivery across departments, HQ, and Country Programs.

What you’ll do

• Lead and develop a new department with a mandate to drive excellence.
• Integrate strategic planning with execution, working closely with departments and country programs across OCA, and as a focal point for collaboration with other MSF entities.
• Develop and implement frameworks for performance reporting, impact measurement, and continuous improvement.
• Advise the Program Committee and directly support project sponsors, steering committees, and project managers in the delivery of OCA’s project portfolio.
• Foster a culture of accountability, learning, and innovation.
• Represent Business Operations at the leadership level, reporting to the Director of Finance & Business Operations.

Who You Are

You’re a builder. A connector. A strategist who’s not afraid to roll up your sleeves. You bring:

• Proven experience in project management and organizational change.
• A track record of leading teams through transformation.
• Strong communication skills and stakeholder engagement.
• A structured approach to planning and execution.
• The ability to see the big picture and act on the details.

Requirements

• Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g. MBA)
• Minimum of 8 years of leadership experience in Business Operations or a similar role
• Certification in project management or other management methodologies is an asset
• (e.g. PMP, Prince II, Agile/Scrum, Lean Six Sigma, CBAP, OKR Leader, ITIL, or equivalent)
• Fluency in English required, other language skills are an asset

Why Join Us

Business Operations is a new concept at MSF OCA. That means you won’t just lead it, you’ll define it. We welcome outside experience and fresh perspectives.

What we offer

• A fixed-term, 3 years contract with renewal option for another 3 years. This position is mandated, to 6 years maximum.
• Gross monthly salary between € 5,922 – € 8,153 depending on experience.
• 30 days annual leave (full-time) plus 8% holiday allowance.
• 100% employer-paid pension contributions.
• Commuting allowance.
• Personal development budget and access to internal/external training.
• An inclusive workplace with colleagues from around the globe.

Information & Application

For more information about the role, contact Francien Boumans at [e-mail]. To apply upload a letter of motivation and CV in English as one combined document through the link below. The deadline for application is 30 November 2025.