Manager, Risk

Group Company: GAVI

Designation: Manager, Risk

Office Location: Geneva

Position description:

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership committed to saving children’s lives and protecting people’s health by increasing equitable use of vaccines in lower-income countries. The Vaccine Alliance brings together implementing country and donor governments, the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other private sector partners. Gavi uses innovative finance mechanisms, including co-financing by recipient countries, to secure sustainable funding and adequate supply of quality vaccines. Since 2000, Gavi has contributed to the immunisation of more than 1 billion children and the prevention of more than 17.3 million future deaths. 

THE ROLE

Please note this is a temporary, 1 year contract.

Gavi pursues an ambitious mission in poor and fragile countries, operates in a dynamic and often uncertain context, and is set up as an Alliance of partners with a lean Secretariat without in-country presence. It is therefore naturally exposed to many risks that could potentially affect its ability to achieve its mission and strategic objectives. It also needs to consciously take calculated risks to achieve impact. Robust risk management is vital for Gavi to confidently take the risks required to achieve its mission, safeguard investments and secure sustainable impact. By systematically understanding, acknowledging, and anticipating what might happen (before it does happen) and proactively monitoring and managing Gavi’s exposures to potential future events, risk management helps Gavi to optimise its impact and appropriately balance risk and reward. 

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

The Manager, Risk position is a full-time time limited role (one year) based in Geneva, Switzerland. It leads and enables Senior Management’s strategic thinking on the identification of strategic risks, risks that could undermine Gavi’s ability to deliver on its strategic objectives, and to work across all key areas of Gavi’s strategy and operations – and contribute to saving millions of children’s’ lives each year. Working closely with the Chief Ethics, Risk and Compliance Officer, the Senior Manager, Risk as well as our Strategy and Governance teams, the Manager, Risk is part of a team within a dynamic organisation, and the role will be key in shaping the future direction of Gavi’s evolving strategic risk management approach, helping Gavi to identify and proactively manage its key risks.

Main duties and responsibilities include:

•Advise and support key projects, e.g., Evolve and FED on risk management and oversight matters, assisting in discharging responsibilities and accountabilities to manage risks and ensuring an effective implementation of Gavi’s risk management strategy and policy and strengthening the risk culture;

•Lead implementation of the operational risk management process, including ensuring risk management considerations are integrated into decision making, planning, resource allocation, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and contingency activities across the Secretariat and Alliance;

•Contribute to decision making processes by providing risk perspectives and objective risk-based analysis and information, especially on high risk and key priority areas;

•Promote collaboration between different functions within the Secretariat to ensure cross-cutting risks and issues are addressed effectively; help review adequacy of the systems, structures, procedures and capacities in high-risk areas; 

•Represent the risk function in relevant internal and external task forces / meetings on risk management, integrity and oversight matters; prepare / review and input to management reports to stakeholders; interact with counterparts in the UN/IO, CSO and the broader health community;

•Build the capacity of teams and partners by raising awareness of and skills in risk management, with the aim of strengthening the culture of integrity and accountability; provide advice and support to all personnel on matters related to risk management. 

Note: The essential functions listed in this section are not exhaustive of the job responsibilities; other duties may be assigned consistently with the department needs.

QUALIFICATIONS

ACADEMIC

•University degree in business or public administration, science or engineering, global health or development, or related fields;

•Further qualifications in enterprise, operational or financial risk management are an asset.

WORK EXPERIENCE

•Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the (enterprise-level) risk management field;

•Experience in strategy or risk consulting and international development is an asset.

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES

•Excellent analytical and systems thinking and demonstrated problem-solving skills;

•Proven track record in change management in Alliance work, Public Health or International Organizations;

•Experience in implementation of risk management standards and frameworks (e.g., ISO 31000, COSO, etc.) in humanitarian or public-private health organizations;

•Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills;

•Intercultural proficiency;

•Precision, attention to detail, and ability to work effectively with large quantities of information;

•Interdisciplinary mindset with a broad interest in various fields and eagerness to learn;

•Pragmatic hands-on management style and the ability to reduce complexity and deliver results;

•Ability to work autonomously, under pressure, demonstrating initiative and flexibility;

•Team player able to establish working relationships with many teams in a multicultural environment;

•Excellent writing skills and attention for detail;

•Competence with digital tools and ability to work quickly and accurately with them; 

•Willingness to work in a fast-paced, ambiguous and constantly changing environment.

LANGUAGES

•Written and spoken fluency in English;

•French and other languages are an asset.

CONTACTS

•Collaboration with all teams in Gavi Secretariat;

•Frequent interactions with Chief Risk Officer;

•Regular exposure to Senior Management, including CEO and CRO;

•As required interactions with Alliance partners and Gavi Board constituencies.

If you wish to apply, please provide a cover letter and resume by clicking on Apply. Deadline for applications is 12th February 2024.  

Become part of our community and join us on Facebook and Twitter for updates about our mission to save children’s lives! You can also follow our hashtag #vaccineswork 

In support of Gavi’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion, we hire globally and welcome applications regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, national origin, family status, sex, gender identity or expression, physical characteristics, race, religion, spirituality or sexual orientation. Gavi has zero tolerance towards sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse as well as any form of discrimination or harassment. Everyone at Gavi is expected to conduct themselves with integrity and respect towards each other. Gavi is committed to creating a work environment that is safe and professional, therefore all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference checks. Read more here.

Gavi brings together the public and private sectors to save lives and protect people’s health by increasing equitable and sustainable use of vaccines against 18 infectious diseases. You will be joining an organisation at the centre of the international COVID-19 response, at the most critical time in global health in a lifetime. You will work in a culturally diverse environment with over 70 nationalities. You will collaborate with partners such as WHO, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank – and from business, civil society and government. And you will work in the first global health organisation to receive equal gender salary certification. Your unique experience, skills and talents can help us achieve our vision of leaving no one behind without the life-saving power of vaccines.