Main purpose of the role

This senior position in the SRHR team will drive innovative financing across the SRHR team and focus on high-leverage opportunities to grow CIFF’s influence and the impact of our programmes.

The Director, SRHR Choices leads our product development and commercial partnerships portfolio, to scale SRHR innovations. The role also provides key strategic input into our strategy on SRHR market architecture and commodity security.

This role will lead the SRHR team’s work on delivering access to a mix of drugs and devices related to contraception and safe abortion care. This role will specifically lead investments on:

1. Managing SRHR choices through the pipeline from R&D and clinical trials to market entry
2. Negotiating and implementing sophisticated pricing and access deals with manufacturers (using mix of CapEx financing, subsidy, guarantees, and debt)
3. Supporting complex partnerships on new product development, introduction and scale, building co-funding relationships with key funders

This role will act as the main relationship owner for several critical CIFF partners, including manufacturing, biomedical researchers, and funders, developing their influence within the SRHR field. This will include acting as CIFF’s representative on advisory boards, funders tables and/or steering committees, and stepping in for the Exec Director as required.

Success for this role will be measured through a combination of specific metrics on SRH choices (notably self-injection and implant supply security; clinical trials for next-generation contraceptive methods; and higher quality standards for private sector products), alongside system-level changes that lead to greater commodity security and financing.

The role will line manage 1 Manager and potentially others subject to portfolio performance or growth– in both direct and matrix line-management relationships.

Role’s responsibilities

As a member of the SRHR Leadership Team

•  Have accountability for strategy, portfolio development and programme management of investments ensuring they are aligned to CIFF Strategy.
• Provide up-to-date, professional advice to the Executive Team and CIFF Board on related issues, to support the development of CIFF strategies, policies and initiatives.
• Provide compelling, consistent and united leadership which creates clarity for all staff in the team and builds a sense of shared accountability for its success and that of the organisation.
• Develop and maintain excellent external relationships within the sector specialism, acting at all times as a corporate ambassador for CIFF, to help build the organisation’s reputation and profile as a professional, visionary and collaborative philanthropy.
• Deputise for the Executive Director, as required.

Strategy and execution

• Lead the design of investment strategies, performance monitoring and executable plans for SRHR choices – working with and influencing other SRHR strategies.
• Oversee and direct a portfolio of product access and development partnerships plus development of an active pipeline to fast-track adoption and scale-up of high-impact SRHR tools.
• This will be focused on driving price reductions, ensuring diversified supply, increasing product quality, and accelerating time-to-market for innovations.

Sector knowledge and profile-building

• Serve as CIFF’s focal point on contraceptive and safe abortion choices, including go-to- organizational lead on SRHR product access, R&D, and commercialization
• Actively maintain and grow CIFF’s profile as a leader in contraceptive innovations for self-care and de-medicalisation, with a focus on building momentum for next-generation over-the-counter contraception, self-injection, and implants.
• Actively maintain and grow CIFF’s profile as a valued partner for product access partnerships and efforts to strengthen market management.
• Manage relationships with senior-level stakeholders at key institutions, up to ministerial level in government and C-suite level in manufacturers.
• Strengthen commercial acumen and skill across the portfolio and pipeline, inspiring and leading others to adopt best practices from the commercial/for-profit sector where appropriate (incentives, performance-based contracts, and innovative financing  solutions).

Leadership of the team

• Set and monitor achievement of performance and personal development objectives for all direct reports, so that a culture of continuous improvement and learning is embedded within the SRHR Choices team.
• Provide inspiring and motivational leadership that role models CIFF’s leadership  framework.

Requirements

Skills & Experience

• In depth experience in biopharmaceutical and/or consumer health product development, lifecycle management, and market access strategies.
• Understanding of pharmaceutical and biotech R&D processes.
• Diplomacy and advanced negotiation skills, with experience in successfully negotiating and structuring complex multi-party financing deals with industry partners.
• Experience leading deal teams for end-to-end formulation and execution of new investments, including forming investment thesis, performing impact and financial evaluation, and coordinating definite legal documentation.
• Track record in commercial launch planning and execution for global pharmaceutical products (preferably in low- and middle-income countries), including defining and meeting commercial targets to meet impact goals.
• Broad knowledge of global health issues, product development processes and regulatory requirements and procedures; at both global and national levels.
• Ability to recruit, guide, influence and/or advise management teams to effectively implement programmes.
• Experience developing and handling strong partnerships and relationships both inside and outside the organization, handling conflicts, and building consensus.
• Shown strength in structured problem solving and strategic business planning, with the ability to easily identify and communicate frameworks to analyze issues and synthesize disparate information.
• Adept at project management; including critical path thinking, detail orientation, setting priorities, and planning.
• English is CIFF’s business language – we expect all of our people to display outstanding verbal and written communication skills across all aspects of their role.
• Capacity to work in a range of cultural and socio-economic contexts, adapting style and approach appropriately and in a culturally sensitive manner to maximise effectiveness.
• IT proficiency (most specifically in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
• A proven self-starter, who works with pace and resilience.
• MBA and/or other advanced degree in Business, Life Sciences or equivalent preferred

Benefits

CIFF operates a hybrid work policy across all locations, which means employees work some of the time from home . We are happy to provide more information on this as part of the recruitment process.

Alongside a competitive salary, we offer a generous benefits package here at CIFF that includes, but is not limited to the following. All these will be prorated to the fixed term.

• Annual leave – 25 days per annum. Increasing by 1 day after each year of service to a maximum of 30 days.
• Bonus – CIFF currently operates a discretionary bonus scheme.
• Training allowance
• Wellbeing allowance
• Life insurance
• Medical insurance

Please submit your application on or before 15 May 2024. CIFF reserves the right to close the job advert early if we receive a high number of suitable applications.