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November 20, 2008
Deputy Director - Global Health Financing & Policy Development: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Opportunity Description
Organization Overview: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation operates three primary programs: 1) the United States Program, 2) the Global Development Program, and 3) the Global Health Program. The Global Health Program focuses on the development of breakthrough science and technology to address the health challenges of the developing world and on ensuring that people have access to existing science and technology that do the same. (See http://www.gatesfoundation.org/GlobalHealth/.)
Within the Global Health Program, the Global Health Policy & Advocacy Group developssolutions to improving global health and then generates the financial and public, political, and governmental support necessary to get these solutions implemented.(See http://www.gatesfoundation.org/GlobalHealth/OtherInitiatives/Advocacy/.)
The Potential: The Foundation’s Global Health Program has the opportunity to play a seminal role in transforming hundreds of millions of lives in the developing world by freeing people from disease, and from the burden of caring for those who are ill, so that they might pursue their full potential.
Position Overview: Within the Policy & Advocacy Group, the Financing & Policy Development Team has responsibility for breakthrough leadership and entrepreneurship in:
- Developing international financial mechanisms and other innovations to increase funding for health solutions in the developing world.(See http://www.iff-immunisation.org for an example.)
- Creating incentives that stimulate more private sector investment in global health research and development.(See http://www.vaccineamc.org for an example.)
- Developing an evidence base to document what’s working in global health and to help inform and improve regulatory and policy decisions.
- Coordinating the Foundation’s relationships and investments with international financial mechanisms including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the GAVI Alliance, UNITAID, and other multilateral organizations to help increase their efficiency and impact.
Working Relationships and Scope: The Global Health Policy & Advocacy team has a two-part mandate: 1) support the success of the Global Health Program by applying its broad ranges of skills in policy, advocacy, communications and finance; and 2) addressing the broader challenges to achieving health equity, in recognition that the Foundation only supports a small portion of the total requirements – in discovery, development, delivery, etc.
The Group is led by an executive management team comprised of the Director of Global Health Policy & Advocacy, who reports to the President of the Global Health Program, and three Deputy Directors:
- the Deputy Director for Global Health Financing & Policy Development;
- the Deputy Director for External Relations; and
- the Deputy Director for Communications.
The Deputy Director for Global Health Financing & Policy Development leads a small team that is expected to grow significantly over the next two years. The team includes Senior Program Officers, Program Officers, Analysts, and support staff. The Financing & Policy Development team also manages a sizeable and diverse portfolio of grants and contracts to achieve its goals.
Qualifications: The most competitive candidates will offer the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
- Ability to create an environment of innovation where new ideas can be developed and incubated and, when ready, brought to other parts of the Policy & Advocacy team to ensure they get enacted and/or implemented.
- Ability to collaborate and provide strategic insight as part of the Global Health Policy & Advocacy management team on the best ways to allocate resources to achieve our mission of more and better resources for the Foundation’s global health priority areas.
- Boundless energy, passion, and creativity for the Global Health Program’s mission and the ability to inspire the same in others.
- Ability to serve as a key policy advisor to the Foundation’s Co-Chairs, CEO, President of the Global Health Program, and Director of Global Health Policy & Advocacy.
- Ability to proactively anticipate policy and finance opportunities in global health to improve the lives of those living in the developing world.
- Ability to provide leadership in building and managing a results-oriented team that can focus on achieving impact by collaborating with other parts of the Global Health and Global Development Programs and by coming up with and implementing solutions.
- Ability to develop methods and systems for generating and/or identifying innovation.
- Ability to hold and communicate a vision in a compelling manner.
- Ability to express complex concepts in a clear manner.
- Ability to manage multiple competing priorities effectively and graciously.
- Ability to manage the ambiguity and change inherent in a rapidly growing organization.
- Ability to take measured risks – and fail sometimes.
- Sense of humor.
- Previous work experience in a relevant combination of the private sector, the public/nonprofit sectors, and the developing world is highly desirable.
- Advanced degree in a relevant field (business, economics, law, political science, etc.).
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 30%.
- Seattle area residency or ability to relocate to the Seattle area.
Compensation, Benefits, & Relocation: The salary for this position is competitive with salaries in the U.S. foundation sector for positions with comparable levels of responsibility.
A general description of the Foundation’s employee benefits can be found online. Please note that the vacation allowance for the Deputy Director is four weeks.
This is an international recruitment. The position is eligible for the Foundation’s relocation benefits.
To Apply: Please e-mail your Microsoft Word resume to Donna Svei, Executive Search Consultant, at donnasvei@gmail.com. Please include your e-mail address on your resume and reference “Gates Foundation, Deputy Director for Global Health Financing & Policy Development” in the subject line of your e-mail.
Donna can be reached Monday through Friday at 208.622.4600 in the U.S. Mountain Time Zone between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. For more information about Donna, see http://www.linkedin.com/in/donnasvei.
