Rewards and Organisation Design Specialist

Medecins Sans Frontieres South Africa; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A humanitarian organization is hiring a Rewards & Organization Design Specialist in Johannesburg to develop and implement compensation frameworks, advise on HR policies, and support workforce planning. Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in Compensation & Benefits or Organizational Design. The role offers a competitive salary, work-life balance options, and opportunities for career development.

Benefits

10% additional pension allowance

Transport allowance

Cell phone allowance

Medical insurance cover

Annual leave and other types of leave

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years relevant experience in Compensation & Benefits or Organizational Design.
• Experience in organizational change management and workforce planning.
• Demonstrable knowledge in implementing equitable reward systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement compensation and benefits frameworks.
• Advise on reward policies and local market benchmarking.
• Work with department heads to align staffing and operational priorities.

Skills

Analytical abilities

Problem-solving

Effective communication

Stakeholder management

HR analytics proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR, Organizational Development or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint)

Job description

About Us

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is a vital part of a global network of compassionate professionals dedicated to medical humanitarian work. Guided by medical ethics and a shared commitment to humanity, our teams—both small and large—deliver critical healthcare to people affected by conflict, disasters, epidemics, and exclusion from medical services. Operating in over 70 countries, MSF’s doctors, nurses, logisticians, and specialists not only provide care but also bear witness to the challenges faced by communities, raising awareness and advocating for change to address crises and healthcare inequities.

Purpose

The Rewards & Organization Design Specialist is responsible for ensuring that reward systems, job structures, and workforce planning support operational effectiveness, talent attraction, retention, and organizational performance.

Reports to:

MSF Ubuntu Rewards and Organization Design Lead

Key Responsibilities

1. Total Rewards Strategy Implementation & Advisory

• Develop and implement competitive and equitable compensation and benefits frameworks, including salary structures, allowances, benefits, work life balance and recognition programs.
• Advise leadership and HR teams on reward policies, local market benchmarking, and employment conditions.
• Support missions in implementing salary grids, benefits packages, and contractual frameworks in compliance with MSF principles.
• Conduct data-driven analyses to inform reward decisions, including workforce cost modeling, internal equity, and labor market trends.
• Design and deliver communication and training sessions on reward policies to HR teams and managers.

2. Organizational Design & Job Architecture

• Develop, maintain, and implement organizational structures, role groups, and grading structures aligned with strategic objectives.
• Design and update job descriptions, role profiles, and grading for all staff levels, including senior leadership roles.
• Conduct organizational diagnostics to identify workforce gaps, operational inefficiencies, and opportunities for optimization.
• Advise and support leadership on operating model redesign, workforce planning, and change management initiatives.
• Link organizational design with talent acquisition, talent management and learning strategies.

3. Workforce Planning & Analytics

• Work with department heads and unit leads to ensure alignment between organizational structures, staffing requirements, and operational priorities.
• Conduct workforce analysis and scenario modeling to anticipate talent needs and inform strategic workforce decisions.
• Maintain and optimize workforce and position data to support decision-making and reporting.
• Monitor the effectiveness of reward programs, recommending improvements as needed.

4. Stakeholder Engagement and Change Management

• Support change initiatives related to organizational design, reward system updates, or workforce restructuring, minimizing operational disruption and ensuring effective adoption.
• Facilitate stakeholder engagement, coaching managers and HR teams on rewards, job design, and organizational design best practices.
• Represent MSF Ubuntu in international HR forums and rewards platforms.

5. Reporting & Knowledge Management

• Produce analytical reports, dashboards, and insights on workforce structure, reward trends, and organizational health & effectiveness, supporting evidence-based decision-making.
• Maintain knowledge of reward frameworks, job architecture, and organizational design standards.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of HR practices, frameworks, and policies across MSF Ubuntu.

Knowledge & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience in Compensation & Benefits, Rewards, Organizational Design, Job Architecture, or Workforce Planning, preferably in an international or multi-country context.
• Experience in organizational change management, operating model redesign, and workforce optimization.
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience in job evaluation, job design, and implementation of equitable reward systems.
• Experience working in humanitarian, non-profit, or multinational organizations is an added advantage.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with experience translating complex HR data into actionable recommendations.
• Excellent advisory, communication, and stakeholder management skills; able to influence senior leadership.
• Proficiency in HR analytics tools, Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint), and workforce planning software.
• Ability to work across diverse cultural, regulatory, and operational contexts.
• Flexible, resilient, and able to adapt to fast-changing environments.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and MSF principles.

Languages

• Fluency in English required; French or Spanish is an asset.

Conditions

• Location: Nairobi (Kenya), or Johannesburg (South Africa)
• Contract Type: Open-ended contract.
• Salary: R48209,76 in line with MSF Reward policy.
• 10% additional pension allowance.
• Transport allowance.
• Cell phone allowance.
• Start date: ASAP.
• The closing date for applications is 13 January 2025.

Other Benefits include:

• Work-life balance: Daily flexi-hours and 2 days working from home.
• Diverse team composition: Collaborate with a global network of talented professionals, bringing diverse perspectives and expertise from around the world.
• Career Development: MSF provides many learning resources (online learning resources, regular trainings – including language, Peer to peer learning).
• Mobility: You will have opportunities to travel abroad for work, meetings, trainings and workshops; giving you a chance to experience different cultures and broaden your professional network.
• Medical insurance cover included.
• Annual leave and other types of leave according to the policy of the office where you are based.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

By applying, the applicant acknowledges that he/she has read, understood and accepts this document.

The protection of your personal data is important to MSF. By submitting your application, you consent to MSF using your personal data only for the recruitment process to have all the information and documents necessary to proceed with the recruitment, validation of your application and selection of the most suitable candidate. Your personal data will be treated confidentially. MSF will not use your personal data in any other way not foreseen for purposes of recruitment.

MSF values diversity and is committed to create an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, color or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation and all other diversity characteristics. We also encourage women to apply.

Lately MSF is a civil society initiative that brings together individuals committed to the assistance of other human beings in crisis. As such MSF is by choice an association. Each individual applying for MSF roles does it out of conviction and is ready to uphold the values and principles of MSF.