Leading the foundation’s engagement in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan by advising foundation leadership, owning relationships with senior government leaders and other organizations, building and managing development partnerships, making grants for advocacy, research and delivery, and leading a distributed team of around 20 staff and consultants.
- Serving as lead advisor on Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and Afghanistan to co-chairs Bill Gates and Melinda Gates, including briefing and staffing them in all engagements related to the region
- Responsibility for the foundation’s strategy and engagement in the 22 countries of the Arab League plus Turkey, with a focus on creating and delivering development programs in partnership with Middle East donors, and an advisory role for any other team investing in the region, e.g. Emergency Relief, Polio
- Serving as a member of the Donor Government Relations Leadership Team, alongside the Managing Director, the Director of Europe and other Deputy Directors.
- Overall responsibility for delivering the $2B Lives & Livelihoods Fund (LLF), including ensuring the delivery of new and existing projects ($600M already in progress); involves having a seat on the LLF board on behalf of Gates Foundation
- Responsibility for advancing the foundation’s goals in Pakistan and Afghanistan by managing relationships at the top of both governments and leading the Pakistan Working Group, a mechanism designed to coordinate the foundation’s $725M active investments in Pakistan
- Serving as the Gates Foundation spokesperson in the Middle East and North Africa, and leading the foundation’s communications strategy, including the use of the foundation’s leadership’s voice and presence in the region to drive advocacy goals
- Leading a distributed team of around 20 staff and consultants
- Accountable for the identification and assessment of key portfolio risks, and the development and management of mitigation/contingency plans at the portfolio level
- Passion for the foundation’s mission essential
- Some background in international development required; expertise in specific Gates Foundation investment areas a plus but not required
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills essential; media experience a plus
- Proven ability to build challenging relationships and deliver complex partnerships essential
- Experience working at a high level in the region essential
- Fluency in Arabic a plus
- Proven ability to lead and influence others. Demonstrated ability to work with efficiency, diplomacy, and flexibility particularly as part of a team. Experience working on teams with diverse cultural and professional backgrounds
- Knowledge of international development policy and the key issues at a global level
- Experience in strategic planning and strategy implementation
- Experience in a role requiring collaboration in a complex organization and working with external organizations
This is a Limited Term Employee role associated with our parental leave program targeted for 12-15 months starting in January 2018, however the start and end dates for this assignment may change.
For internal candidates, you are required to have a conversation with your manager to confirm their support before you apply to this position. Managers have the right to decline a request to apply for a backfill position, regardless of tenure in role. With Manager Support and if selected for the role, internal FTEs will retain their FTE status during this stretch assignment.