Review of MSF Australia's HR operating model

Currently, MSF Australia and New Zealand runs two HR departments: Domestic HR (DHR) for staff based in Australia and New Zealand, and International HR (IHR) for internationally mobile staff. When DHR was created, the split was justified by the two groups' different priorities, processes and stakeholders. That rationale is now being challenged. 

HR's scope has widened to include wellbeing, duty of care, safeguarding and DEIB. Staff mobility is increasing, and SPARC's "One Global Workforce" agenda, mirrored in MSFA's 2026–2031 strategy, targets all staff groups at once. IHR's work has also grown more complex even where deployments have stagnated or even declined, through longer briefings, heavier duty of care and the need to operate on a variety of systems, much of which might be invisible to colleagues outside IHR.

Purpose of this evaluation
“… to review whether the current split structure of the MSFA HR function is the most effective in delivering a strategic and coherent response to MSFA’s strategic objectives. The review should focus on identifying where greater integration adds value, where specialization remains essential, and what leadership model will best support MSFA into the future. This includes ensuring the structure supports effective engagement with broader MSF movement priorities, while remaining practical and sustainable within the MSFA context.”

In order to guide a structured evaluation process, four sub-objectives were derived from this:

• Status quo: To assess the effectiveness and strategic fit of MSFA's split HR function in a changing internal/external environment and a new strategic plan.
• To provide an overview of different setup models among MSF sections.
• Future outlook: To support future People & Culture strategy and annual planning by enabling evidence-based discussion on how different setups support effective engagement with broader MSF movement priorities, while remaining practical and sustainable within the MSFA context.
• To understand the factors that may positively or negatively influence structural changes.

The report is intended to support evidence-based decisions that may lead to structural or process related changes. It aims to inform on different operational models and how they support strategic alignment, engagement with stakeholders, responsiveness to international and domestic HR needs, coordination and ownership, and how they empower team members to apply their specialist capabilities. The report is also intended to provide recommendations on both quick wins and longer-term goals, to improve the quality of collaboration and efficiency of the department(s).