Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The COVID-19 Response team was formed to organize and execute an investment strategy for the foundation’s comprehensive $100M response towards containment and mitigation of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. This effort is comprised of several workstreams from across Global Health, Global Development, and Global Policy & Advocacy and includes resources from multiple PSTs within each division. As part of the foundation’s commitment to respond to this rapidly growing epidemic, we are seeking Program Officer support across several workstreams that are responsible for coordination of efforts across three major areas of focus: accelerating detection & containment, protecting the most vulnerable populations, and developing products for a sustained response.
Specifically, the team is seeking two (2) Program Officers to support the core working group, global response efforts in Africa and SE Asia, product development (vaccines, therapeutics), and short-medium term advocacy efforts. Candidates will be considered based on specific experience and interest in one or more of these core areas, and could make investments aligned to multiple divisions as needed.
This job posting is for an LTE position, with an end date no later than December 20, 2020.
Position Summary & Core Responsibilities
As a key member of the COVID-19 Response team, the Program Officer (PO), is accountable for executing and managing a portfolio of grants and contracts in support Global Response, Product Development, and/or Advocacy issues, both for immediate response efforts, as well as longer term epidemic preparedness. You will provide essential project management, grant management, and communication plan on for their workstream. You will also partner closely with the various foundation Program Strategy Teams (PSTs), functional teams, subject matter experts and the China Country Office to contribute to the continued development of the foundation’s COVID-19 response, including participating in the setting of the overall strategy and goals for the workstreams you support.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Negotiate, implement, and manage a portfolio of grants or performance-based contracts; including alignment of internal and external stakeholders, review of letters of inquiry and grant proposals as well as providing clear, concise and insightful written analyses and recommendations for funding
- Partner closely with COVID-19 team leadership, including the Incident Manager, Workstream lead and PMO team
- Manage information related to the workstream grant portfolio, such as documenting key activities and decisions; inputting into key business processes and performance measurement tools; preparing materials for communication with foundation leadership
- Consult, provide thought partnership, and support to grantees and other partners to maximize the impact of the foundation’s efforts related to COVID-19
- Partner with the Strategy, Planning and Management team to provide overall program management support for the workstream to ensure strategic and financial objectives are met: establish and execute work plans, facilitate and monitor progress against milestones and decision points; manage stakeholder interactions; assess needs and implement improvements in processes and projects that increase the impact of the program
- Represent the foundation and program to the external world as relates to position responsibilities
- This role will require the ability to travel up to 30% domestically and internationally
Leadership and Culture
We believe that energized people, working well together, fueled by great leadership in an inclusive environment in which they thrive, will do phenomenal things.
Core Knowledge & Skills
We are looking for people who enjoy the opportunity of working on complex projects and collaboratively creating solutions that have the potential for transformational change. We seek a self-starter who can integrate a diverse set of perspectives to build consensus, structure and drive forward progress on complex topics, and provide both technical and operational capacity to the COVID-19 response team.
We are looking for individuals with:
- Background with technical content in one or more of the following areas: clinical research & development, vaccine development, infectious diseases and/or immunology
- Demonstrated ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, and enthusiasm in a fast-paced and complex internal and external environment
- Proven program and stakeholder management skills: ability to coordinate inputs from many people; to track progress against targets and identify barriers to progress; to plan agendas and facilitate meetings; and to organize, evaluate, and communicate information
- Strong judgment with a demonstrated ability to handle complex issues, multiple tasks, confidential information, and competing priorities with skill, discretion, a strong attention to detail, flexibility and diplomacy.
- Tolerance for ambiguity and ability to apply structure to simplify complex problems
- Intellectual quickness, curiosity, discipline, resourcefulness and resilience.
- Exceptional listening, verbal, and written communication skills, able to effectively calibrate input and synthesize information to connect with diverse audiences
- Excellent interpersonal and diplomatic skills. You must possess excellent relationship management skills to develop trusting and productive relationships with a wide range of colleagues, dignitaries, leaders, grantees, consultants and other partners.
- A sense of humor.
- Demonstrated passion for the Foundation’s values with a commitment to deliver results against our mission.
Education and Experience
- Demonstrated experience in scientific writing and data analysis, written and oral communication skills, and experience advocating and communicating with a broad and diverse audience.
- Experience with business and technical due diligence assessments of potential investments.
- Ability to synthesize technical and commercial information toward strategic decision making.
- Advanced degree with a background in global health and/or development issues highly preferred.
- Consultants with advanced scientific degrees are also encouraged to apply.
As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
JOB ID: B014421