Treasurer/voorzitter Audit & Risk Committee Amsterdam • Colourful People

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Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent medical humanitarian organization. As a non-profit, self-governed movement of over 63,000 dedicated professionals, it provides life-saving medical assistance to people affected by armed conflict, natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and exclusion from healthcare. MSF work is guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, independence, and neutrality.

People are our priority. At Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)/ Artsen zonder Grenzen, we are committed to an inclusive culture that encourages and supports the diverse voices of our employees. We encourage diverse applicants including individuals of all gender identities, ages, sexual orientations, nationalities, ethnic background, religions, beliefs, social and marital status, people with different abilities and all other diversity characteristics and how they intersect together.

MSF-Netherlands (MSF-NL) is one of the 28 Associations of MSF. It is the legal entity of the Operational Centre Amsterdam (OCA), a partnership between six MSF sections, whose medical humanitarian operations are conducted through OCA. From its headquarters in Amsterdam, MSF-Netherlands coordinates aid projects in more than 30 countries.  It supports global projects through direct operational support, recruitment, fundraising, and advocacy on humanitarian issues.

The statutory MSF-NL Board holds full and final responsibility for the overall management of MSF-NL. Board members ensure that executive work is planned and implemented in line with the principles of the organisation. They do so by overseeing strategy development of the organisation, by approving the annual plan and budget, and by ensuring that policies are implemented by the executive management. Furthermore, the MSF-NL Board has delegated supervision of OCA operational activities to the OCA Council, a governance group consisting of the Council Chair, Medical Committee Chair, and delegated voting Board members of the partner sections: MSF Canada, MSF Germany, MSF Netherlands, MSF South Asia, MSF Sweden, and MSF United Kingdom.

The MSF-NL Treasurer is a member of the MSF-NL Board and of the OCA Council. It is a key role in ensuring the responsible and effective implementation of the MSF-NL Board's and OCA Council’s financial oversight. The Treasurer is specifically tasked with the following oversight activities:

• Oversees the annual accounts, and the budgeting and control cycle reports of MSF-Netherlands and the OCA, and therefore maintains relations with the external auditor and relevant MSF staff;
• Maintains high-level oversight of financial and risk management systems and procedures, and external accountability, which are kept in line with current Dutch and MSF standards;
• Represents the Board and Association by the signing of relevant legal documents, when acting with at least one out of the other three named Board members, namely the President, Vice President, and Secretary;
• Reviews and approves as and when needed transactions, payments and other contractual agreements in accordance with the relevant policies and statutes;
• Regularly liaises with the Director of Finance and Business Operations on matters relating to finance, risk, governance and compliance, ICT, procurement and (internal) accountability. The Treasurer is the normal point for the OCA Controller to directly access the MSF-NL Board;
• Responsible for presentation of the annual accounts to the MSF-NL General Assembly;
• Chairs, prepares, and oversees reviews for meetings for the following committees:
  • OCA Audit and Risk Committee (approximately six scheduled meetings per year);
  • MSF-NL Remuneration Committee (approximately four to six meetings per year).
• Participates in the following meetings:
  • MSF-NL General Assembly (one to two full-day scheduled event per year);
  • OCA Café (one to two full-day scheduled event per year);
  • MSF-NL Board meetings (approximately eight meetings per year);
  • OCA Council meetings (approximately five 2-day meetings per year); and
  • Optional: participation in the international Finance Audit and Steering Committee (FASC) (four meetings per year.

• As Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, ensures that the group fulfils its mandate as the technical financial and risk advisory group to the OCA Council and MSF-NL Board. The chair is responsible for executing the ‘main responsibilities’ as is mentioned in the Terms of Reference of the committee chair.
• Acts in a position of trust and fulfils individual and collective group responsibilities of the MSF-NL Board including but not limited to:
  • Determining policies, establishing financial guidelines, and holding the final responsibility for the overall raising, administering, and spending of funds through the annual review of the organisation’s audited books.
  • Ensuring the principled implementation of MSF-NL strategic and activity plans.
  • Supervising the quality standards and adherence of MSF-NL work in support of MSF’s medical humanitarian assistance.
  • Safeguarding the image and identity of the organisation.
  • Representing MSF-NL Association and work in governance platforms and activities within the wider movement and ensuring the executive engagement within relevant MSF platforms.
  • Ensuring the informed, vibrant and dynamic engagement of the Association in the governance of the organisation.
  • Guarantee the accountability of the executive.

• A substantial and proven track record in supervision of large, complex, and international organisations, with focus on finance and risk management.
• Experience as a senior executive in Finance or Business Operations, with in-depth knowledge of:
  • Financial and risk management, and the wider administrative organisation.
  • Dutch accounting practices, financial and risk management and internal control frameworks including but not limited to procurement, human resource management, and information technology.
  • Governance and compliance standards and challenges.
• Has no conflict of interest, e.g. working for any of the main four auditing firms that MSF-Netherlands uses, or part of any main institutional donor auditing network.
• Willing to spend between approximately eight to twelve hours per week.
• Willing and able to be present at the Amsterdam office at regular intervals.
• Fluent in Dutch and English.
• Holds current residency in the Netherlands.

• Experience with humanitarian aid and/or MSF's mission.
• A Registered Accountant or Registered Controller (or an equivalent foreign degree), who is familiar with the current Dutch standards and legislation on accountability and external reporting for non-profit organisations.
• Familiarity with current Dutch standards and legislation on accountability and external reporting for non-profit organisations, including current state of affairs on fraud and corruption regulations, knowledge of Dutch Accounting Standards RJ 650 and Cod of Good Governance for Charities.
• Familiarity with the nature of the organisation and governance of MSF.

The role of Treasurer is not remunerated, in accordance with MSF-NL Articles of Association and Dutch charity regulations. However, expenses incurred will be reimbursed.

You can apply for this position using the ‘Solliciteer’ button on upload your cover letter and resume or by mail to via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina.

Please respond to this upcoming vacancy before Friday 26th of September. Interviews at MSF (or online) are scheduled to take place on Wednesday 8th of October and Monday 13th of October.