Background
Medecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Operational Centre Geneva (OCG)operations in Ukraine include a MH clinic in Vinnytsia, that provides treatment of severe and complex PTSD to people affected by the conflict, MSF’s coordination office in Kyiv OCG also has an emergency response readiness capacity covering scenarios of mass displacement of people, winterization and abandonment of institutionalized care.
MSF values a diverse workforce including locally hired and international staff. In this context, effective and context-sensitive recruitment is critical to ensure continuity of operations, quality of care, and adherence to MSF’s humanitarian principles.
The organization seeks to strengthen its recruitment approach to ensure the timely availability of a qualified, diverse, and motivated workforce, aligned with operational requirements and strategic priorities in a volatile humanitarian context.
This recruitment assessment aims to provide factual analysis and practical, context-adapted recommendations to support the revision of the mission’s recruitment strategy, with a particular focus on hard-to-fill positions. The assessment should provide concrete recommendations for new, improved and creative ways of doing recruitment for MSF OCG in Ukraine such as use of professional associations, digital tools and social media space, recruitment agencies, head hunting, diaspora, internships, graduate schemes, partnerships, consultancies, etc.
Overall Objective
To analyze MSF OCG’s current recruitment system and the Ukrainian labor market context in order to develop actionable, realistic, and equitable recommendations to strengthen recruitment outcomes in the humanitarian and emergency context.
Specific Objectives
The study should aim to:
- Understand and describe the effectiveness and efficiency of HR sourcing processes in current MSF recruitment in Ukraine
- Identify internal and external factors affecting recruitment, including labor market dynamics, legal constraints, employer branding, and competition for talent.
- Identify and evaluate the range of sourcing practices and tools within comparable organizations (NGOs, the private sector, public institutions), with a focus on identifying effective, scalable solutions that are tailored to MSF’s context, using data that takes into account hard-to-fill roles and the emergency context.
- Propose strategic and operational recommendations for strengthening HR sourcing practices, tools and approaches, including creative and concrete solutions adapted to humanitarian constraints.
- Propose specific strategic and operational recommendations for emergency projects (according to emergency scenarios) For example: HR sourcing, recruitment, contracts. Propose solutions or recommendations how to build a talent pool (locally hired staff), to support preparedness and rapid response needs.
Scope of the Study
The consultant will work within the following scope:
- HR sourcing strategies and practices in Ukraine, focus at coordination and field level, including internal, external, alternative, sourcing approaches.
- Selected job families, with a specific focus on:
- Medical positions (e.g. medical doctors, medical specialists, psychiatrists, psychologists, physiotherapists, anaesthetists, social worker (health promoter), nurses, aid nurses).
- Logistic Positions: Drivers, logistic /supply supervisor.
- With a specific analysis of sourcing solutions and channels for each job family.
- Geographic focus: Kyivska, Vinnytska and Dnipropetrovska Oblasts.
Methodology
The proposed methodology should be mixed-methods, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The consultant is expected to refine the methodology in close consultation with MSF.
6.1 Desk Review and key informant interviews
Relevant MSF documentation already available and to use as reference, including but not limited to:
- MSF recruitment policies, SOPs, and guidelines.
- Job descriptions, competency frameworks, and the MSF International Reference Function Field Grid (IRFFG).
- HR parts from the Capitalization reports UA117, HR Annex from EPREP
- Last Benchamarking exercise in Ukraine
- Previous evaluations, audits, or reviews related to HR or recruitment.
- Diversity, equity and Inclusion policy and guidelines
6.2 HR Sourcing Analysis – internal (OCG) and external (Labour market)
- Mapping of MSF OCG’s current sourcing methods /channels used in Ukraine
- Interviews with relevant managers and staff
- Analysis of sourcing practices used for regular recruitment and for emergency response, including the talent pools by OCG and other organizations in Ukraine.
- Review of main external sourcing practices in Ukraine and similar contexts by NGOs, private sector, government
- Identification of feasible and context adapted HR sourcing solutions, including but not limited to partnerships (EG with hospitals, universities, professional associations, other NGOs, etc , targeted outreach (EG headhunting, professional peer groups, graduate programs, etc), proactive sourcing (EG 3rd party recruitment agencies, trade stands, etc), alternative pipelines (EG pools, diaspora, partner hospitals, etc), use of digital space tools and space (EG social media, online forums, Telegram peer groups, online advertising, etc)
- Include solutions integrating Diversity, Inclusion and Equity
- Analysis of the availability of key profiles in target labor markets.
Deliverables
The consultant(s) will be expected to deliver:
- Inception Report
- Refined methodology and detailed work plan.
- Data collection tools
- Final scope and validated timeline.
- Preliminary Findings Presentation
- Key emerging findings and trends.
- Validation workshop or feedback session (if required).
- Draft Recruitment Study Report
- Analysis aligned with objectives and key study questions.
- Evidence-based findings, supported by clear visuals.
- Final Recruitment Study Report
- Executive summary.
- Comprehensive list and description of recruitment methods and tools used by some employers (NGOs, Hospitals, private sector companies) in Ukraine
- Clear conclusions and prioritized, actionable recommendations (HR sourcing, vacancies, ).
An HR sourcing strategy, including:
- Priority HR sourcing channels/methods by job family
- Recommandations for talent pool development
- Emergency sourcing options aligned with Emergency Preparedness (EPREP) scenarios
- Proposed partnerships or networks to strengthen outreach
- List of tools/methods/channels available for use in Ukraine, their pros, cons and efficacy
- A practical sourcing matrix (profile × sourcing channel × feasibility) to support implementation.
- A presentation delivered to Operations and HR departments, at project, coordination and HQ.
- Additional Tools or Documents
- Any relevant tools developed during the study to be submitted with the final report.
Timeline
The consultancy is expected to last 8 weeks.
Management and Reporting
The consultant) will work under the supervision of the Human Resources Coordinator (HRCO), who will act as the main focal point for the study. Regular check ins will be organized throughout the assignment to validate the direction of the work, ensure alignment with operational realities, and mitigate the risk of misalignment with MSF priorities. These check ins will include a kick off meeting, weekly progress updates, and a final validation meeting prior to submission of the final deliverables.
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Profile and Technical Competencies Required
Mandatory Criteria
- Proven experience in recruitment, HR sourcing, or HR strategy assessments, preferably within humanitarian, international NGO, or complex operational contexts.
- Strong technical knowledge of end to end recruitment and HR sourcing processes, including hard to fill profiles.
- Demonstrated knowledge of the Ukrainian context and labor market, particularly as it relates to recruitment and sourcing
- Demonstrated ability to conduct mixed methods analysis (quantitative HR data and qualitative consultations).
- Capacity to deliver practical, actionable recommendations adapted to operational constraints.
- Fluency in English (written and spoken)
- Commitment to confidentiality, data protection, and ethical standards.
Asset Criteria
- Familiarity with recruitment in conflict affected or emergency settings.
- Ukrainian (spoken)
Duration & Modality
- Duration:8 weeks –40 hours/week
- Expected timeframe:
- The assessment is planned to take place between July and September 2026, with exact dates to be agreed with the selected consultant.
- If Free lancer with status of private entrepreneur registered
- MSF reserves the right to negotiate the final budget with the selected consultant.
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How to apply
Applicants are expected to submit, before 23:59 (Ukraine time) 26 June:
- A brief proposal (max 3 pages) including interpretation of the TOR, work plan / implementation schedule, relevant experience, budget
- CV
- Copy of your registration document proving your private entrepreneur (freelancer)
Applications are expected in English only.
“Proposals from individual consultants are welcome, provided they demonstrate the required experience and capacity to deliver the assignment within the proposed timeframe.”