The Foundation

We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we’re committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team

The Africa Team works to enable the foundation’s ambitious goals of scaling evidence-based interventions that target a range of diseases and socio-economic conditions that are endemic across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The team drives its responsibility through direct country engagement to deploy interventions and delivery models and building the partner architecture to replicate successful interventions and models across multiple countries.

The Role

Application deadline: 7/6/2024

As the Senior Program Officer, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) & Mortality Surveillance , you will support s urveillance for the Resilience through Azithromycin for Children (REACH) p rogram , within the Africa Team . REACH is a country-led, time-bound program that aims to save the lives of young children (1-59 months) through biennial mass drug administration of Azithromycin- an intervention, that has previously been demonstrated in peer-reviewed clinical trials to reduce child mortality by 14% in high mortality settings. You will be responsible for developing and handling a portfolio of investments (grants and contracts) that support the design and conduct of high-quality AMR & mortality surveillance in implementing geographies and provide evidence-based analyses to drive country-led decision-making. You will nurture the REACH Network across several countries in West & Central Africa.

Y ou will work from Africa in constant collaboration with Africa Team colleagues and various Program Strategy Teams ( PSTs ) across the foundation. You are an innovative, thoughtful, and curious thinker and implementer who identifies as a problem solver. We are looking for people who enjoy the challenge of working on complex and impactful programs and collaboratively crafting solutions that have the potential for ground-breaking change in the lives of people around the world. The applicant will have the ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, and diplomacy in a fast-paced, ambitious environment.

This position reports to the Deputy Director, Health Systems, Africa team and closely collaborateswith Epidemiology & Surveillance colleagues.

What You'll Do

• ​​ Develop, negotiate, execute, and manage a complex portfolio of grants or performance-based contracts to strengthen and deliver AMR & mortality surveillance in REACH geographies in close collaboration with the Africa Regional Office including Country Offices; the Neglected Tropical Diseases team ; Enterics , Diagnostics, Genomics, & Epidemiology team; Pneumonia and Pandemic Preparedness team; Institute for Disease Modelling ; and other teams to support better public health decision making focused on the mass drug administration of azithromycin.

• Review letters of inquiry and grant proposals and provide clear, concise, and insightful written analyses and recommendations for funding.

• Consult with grantees and other partners to increase project impact and ensure grants are meeting strategy goals. This may include site visits, providing operational guidance, and convening meetings of key partners.

• Develop, manage, resource, and implement a program that aligns with foundation strategy and is operationally integrated with other foundation programs. Contribute to the design of new strategies, collaborations, and implementation plans to ensure long-term sustainability and impact.

• Engage key local and global partners in AMR & mortality surveillance.

• Represent the foundation to key program-related external constituencies, as appropriate , on committees related to the area of expertise and responsibilities of the position.

• Support initiatives, participate in setting overall goals, develop strategy, and manage and implement investments.

• Contribute to managing partnerships in the ecosystem, including global collaborators, implementing organizations, and academic institutions.

• Build highly collaborative relationships with grantees, partners, governments, and other funders to support the delivery of REACH in core geographies.

Your Experience

• Medical Doctorate (MD) and/or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) with at least 10 years of experience in epidemiology or public health, or equivalent experience. Masters in public health (MPH) desirable.

• Proven understanding and technical experience in microbiology, infectious disease surveillance, mortality surveillance, and disease modeling, and proven track record in translating research findings into highly effective programs.

• Significant experience working in low- and middle-income countries ( LMICs ) with academic institutions , local governments, and NGO s.

• Experience brokering relationships with global partners, including academic, research, industry, government, other donors, and grantees, to build a common vision for effective solutions to complex problems.

• Ability to collaborate effectively in a matrixed environment - manage, coordinate, and prioritize multiple projects and meet deadlines within a fast-paced environment with multiple and ambitious demands.

• Experience in working on teams with diverse cultural and professional backgrounds.

• Excellence in scientific writing and data analysis, written and oral communication skills, and experience synthesizing technical information toward strategic decision-making.

Other Attributes

• This role will require the ability to travel up to 40% domestically and internationally.

• Nigeria is the preferred location for this role. However, Kenya is an option for consideration.

• Fluen cy in English is required , with strong proficiency in French highly preferred .

Hiring Requirements

As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Candidate Accommodations

If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here.

Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices.

All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (http://www.gatesfoundation.org/) works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of co-chairs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates and the board of trustees.