Senior Program Officer, Global Health – Architecture and Collaboration

Senior Program Officer, Global Health – Architecture and Collaboration

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

London, United Kingdom

Your Role

The Senior Program Officer, Global Health – Architecture and Collaboration will be responsible for leading key components of the foundation’s work with key GHIs to identify and support opportunities for change that could deliver increased health impact. Your work on these issues will encompass both a focus on near-term improvements, as well as considering how the architecture should evolve over the long-term to adapt and respond to a changing context. Our focus on near-term opportunities includes considering the interplay between major GHIs – like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (Global Fund), Gavi and the Global Finance Facility (GFF), and with others like the World Bank and WHO – and identifying gaps, overlap and areas where improved collaboration could deliver greater results. Your work will include engagement with the Global Fund, Gavi and GFF in four key areas where they have established collaborative workstreams – malaria, in-country coordination, health systems strengthening and back-of-house functions.

Your work will also include a focus on the longer-term and entail future strategic planning and driving a body of work within the foundation on how the architecture for global health (i.e. policies, structures, funding modalities, programmatic focus) can be optimized to respond to future challenges. You will bring to this work an ability to collaborate across teams within the foundation and with diverse external stakeholders in the architecture for global health.

The postholder will be based at the foundation’s office in London and report to the Deputy Director, Health Funds & Architecture, GHAF.

What You’ll Do

The selected candidate will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Work with internal teams (geographic, programmatic and functional), donor and recipient country governments, and GHIs (particularly Global Fund, Gavi and the GFF) to determine strategy, theory of change, requirements and working processes to effectively support improvements and reform within the architecture for global health to increase its impact on the foundation’s health priorities.
• Support the implementation of our strategic approach through donor, secretariat and board level interactions as well, as with other influential stakeholder groups, including represent the foundation and our strategies and policy positions to external constituencies. This could include formal and informal presentations such as making speeches, attending conferences, committee/working group representation and other meetings.
• Analyze and track trends on previous and current global health and development architecture reform efforts.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with GHIs and governments, ensuring clear and consistent communication and representing the foundation as required.
• Draft background documents, briefs, policy and governance positions, and presentations, including preparing for team and foundation leadership engagement in discussions on the global health architecture.
• Manage processes, tools and templates to facilitate project planning, effectively monitor progress, support cross-workstream coordination, and drive alignment on priorities and resource allocation.
• Facilitate regular meetings and workshops internally, and as needed externally, to share progress updates and as needed, to review and analyze data, evaluate tradeoffs and define priorities.
• Design, execute, monitor, and assess complex, performance-based contracts/grants with consultants and grantees.
• Maintain high-quality interactions and oversight of grantees and consultants, providing course correction.
• Conceptualize and lead complex formal and informal partnerships and working groups.
• Participate and learn from the foundation’s efforts on Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
• Other special projects as assigned.

Your Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, development, international relations, public policy, or a related field and/or progressively senior level experience in the fields of global health.
• Deep understanding of: 1) players, governance arrangements, strategies, operating models, modalities and processes of GHIs (especially Global Fund, Gavi and GFF), including significant experience working with secretariats and governing bodies to achieve health impact. 2) bilateral and multilateral donors and agencies; governments in low- and middle-income countries (especially within Africa); implementing agencies; and non-governmental organizations engaged with and influential with global health institutions.
• Experience developing strategies and theories of change to influence the strategic, programmatic, policy and resource decision of GHIs. Ability to see ahead to future possibilities and understand political economy to inform strategic and tactical choices.
• Experience navigating complex relationships between multiple governmental, non-governmental and private sector partners with tact and diplomacy including through interaction with formal governing bodies and forums.
• Experience in project management such as managing a portfolio of grants, either as a grantee or as a grant manager, or management of complex initiatives and consultation processes.
• Demonstrated experience working in cross-matrix programs and proven track record to adapt to a fast-paced environment and the networking and coalition-building demands of a highly matrixed organization. Demonstrated ability to influence others in a constructive and optimistic manager while building and sustaining collaborative relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, and diplomacy in a complex, fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated initiative and ability to multi-task and resolve unstructured problems with little oversight, creativity, high energy, and a positive attitude.
• Excellent written, facilitation and oral communications skills to produce and share evidence-based materials and recommendations clearly and quickly.
• Ability to build bridges among and trust with many different partners, including internally and externally.

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