Senior Program Officer, Global Health Agencies and Funds, Africa at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

What You'll Do
The selected candidate will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Implement strategies that will lead to health improvements in foundation engagement countries in Africa, under the leadership of the Deputy Director Health Delivery and Systems, Africa, and in partnership with GHAF, PSTs and the Global Policy and Advocacy Team.
• Work with other members of the foundation’s Africa health team, GHAF, and PSTs, to ensure full leverage of Global and Regional Health Institutions towards foundation priorities in Africa, in close collaboration with national Ministerial leaders.
• Design and implement complex, performance-based contracts/grants with partners and consultants. Monitor and evaluate the quality and progress of grants/contracts. Maintain high-quality interactions and oversight of grantees and consultants, providing course correction.
• Work closely with foundation colleagues in the Africa offices to make connections with GHIs on specific areas, such as HIV and TB, malaria and other infectious diseases, routine immunization, maternal, newborn and child health, family planning, gender, and other health priorities to the foundation, with the aim of finding connections points, integration opportunities and strategic alignment across vertical diseases areas to strengthen primary health care health systems on the continent.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with GHIs partners and governments, ensuring clear and consistent communication and representing the foundation as required. Shape and cultivate partnerships and coalitions to build strong technical capabilities for delivery of health impacts and resilient systems, including advocacy for sustainable financing and cost-effective planning and prioritization.
• Help to ensure coherence in the implementation of health programming across the African continent by leveraging GHIs. Provide advice to PSTs and regional teams on opportunities with GHIs that support the introduction of new tools and delivery approaches that can improve health programming and impact.
• Contribute to writing background documents, briefs, articles, and presentations, including relevant literature reviews, landscape analyses, and data analysis; organize and prepare for high-level foundation leadership trips.
• Represent the Deputy Director of Health Delivery and Systems in Africa and/or Deputy Directors in GHAF as needed in internal and external meetings. Engage with senior policy and planning partners, clearly communicating complex programming and nuanced strategic priorities of GHAF, the Africa team, and other PSTs.
• Lead internal processes and work on cross-foundation activities important to our health programming in Africa, including the design of new strategies, collaborations and implementation plans to ensure sustainability/impact.
• Other special projects as assigned.

Your Experience

• The ideal candidate will hold an advanced degree in medicine, public health, health economics, public policy/administration, or similar fields (e.g. MPH, MPA, MBA, MD, PhD).
• 10+ years’ experience predominantly with a GHI (e.g. Global Fund, WHO, UNICEF, World Bank, UNITAID, Gavi).
• Significant experience working closely with GHIs to achieve health goals, including collaborating with bilateral and multilateral donors; governments in Africa; implementing agencies; non-governmental organizations; think tanks; academic institutions.
• Professional experience managing or implementing large scale health programs in Africa, with a strong focus on health systems strengthening and/or product access and scale.
• Experience in handling complex delivery of health programs with multiple partners, including GHIs, building successful coalitions and partnerships, while navigating complex dynamics.
• Familiarity with steering and navigating decision making processes and tradeoffs in matrix teams and organizations, with a track record of thoughtful balance between efficient, timely action and ensuring partner voice and inclusion.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills and experience communicating with broad and diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated experience working in cross-team programs and proven track record to adapt to a fast-paced environment and the networking and coalition-building demands of a highly matrixed organization. Ability to influence without direct authority.
• Ability to build partnerships and work collaboratively with others to meet shared/joint objectives, both internally and externally. Ability to orchestrate effective decisions across a broad range of issues and partners, assess progress, analyze gaps, and make required changes.
• Ability to see ahead to future possibilities, understand and navigate political economy, and develop strategies, concrete theories of change and actions taking complex interests and accountabilities into consideration.
• Demonstrated ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, and diplomacy in a complex, fast-paced environment both in Africa and at headquarters.
• Excellent oral, facilitation and written communication skills in English, able to effectively synthesize information to reach diverse audiences and build consensus. Ability to communicate in French and other languages commonly used in Africa, will be an advantage.