The aim of the position of DD, Infectious Diseases, is to advance the Indian government’s and foundation’s goals to reduce incidence and mortality from tuberculosis (TB), to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis (VL or Kala-Azar), and to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF). This role will also guide potential development of foundation activities in other infectious disease areas, in partnership with Global Health program strategy leaders based in Seattle.
India bears a large and disproportionate share of the global of burden of TB, VL, and LF. In TB, foundation investments, programming, and advisory support to date has helped to innovate and prove effective models for improved TB case detection and adherence, particularly for TB patients managed by private providers. In VL, foundation investments have helped to significantly reduce prevalence and mortality by improving effectiveness of insecticide spraying, active case detection, and referral and treatment. The foundation is further investing in research to better understand the vector, transmission, infectivity, and relapse rates, so as to define operational models and technologies to permanently eliminate VL as a public health problem. In LF, foundation investments have produced evidence to enable government introduction of new triple drug therapy, and foundation-supported technical assistance is helping to strengthen Mass Drug Administration (MDA) so that LF too will be eliminated as a public health problem.
DD, Infectious Diseases, oversees these three Strategic Initiatives (TB, VL, LF), comprising altogether 3-4 direct reports and their investment portfolios. Each Initiative has its own Initiative Lead, whose responsibility is to translate the foundation’s global TB and NTD strategies into India country strategy for said vertical, leveraging expertise across the foundation. DD, Infectious Diseases, plays a core role in that translation and execution though investment and provision of technical expertise. As well, DD, Infectious Diseases, will work with India Director and Deputy Directors for Health to identify synergies and trade-offs among our health strategies in India and, working also with foundation colleagues based in Seattle, will identify opportunities to leverage foundation investments in upstream discovery, development, surveillance, and data & analytics.
This position reports to Director of Health, India, and is considered an integral part of the leadership team for the foundation’s health strategy in India. This position partners closely with Deputy Directors and Program Officers across the Health, Development, and Policy & Advocacy teams based in India and in Seattle.
- Lead portfolio of infectious disease priorities for foundation’s India Office, currently consisting of TB, VL, and LF Initiatives.
- Ensure each Initiative is pursuing robust, data-driven, results-oriented, innovative strategies.
- Provide expert guidance on foundation investments in upstream and downstream research and delivery programs to improve infectious disease control in India.
- Own senior relationships, support advocacy efforts, and liaise as needed with government bureaucrats and officials and other donor organizations, to provide data and expert opinion on questions of policy and programming on TB, VL, and LF specifically and on infectious diseases more broadly.
- Liaise closely with foundation’s UP and Bihar Initiatives and with Channel Initiatives in order to recommend opportunities for synergy or necessary trade-offs among interventions targeting similar channels and/or beneficiaries.
- Review, approve, scope, propose, shape, and/or manage investments (grants and/or contracts) to execute activities in support of programmatic and policy goals.
- Establish and nurture the external partnerships that will contribute to the success of our investments, including senior bureaucrats and officials in government, donors, multi-lateral agencies, NGOs, private sector organizations, etc.
- Recruit and develop talent, act as mentor and coach to direct and indirect reports
- Serve as a partner and resource to grantees and foundation program teams to facilitate accomplishment of strategic objectives.
- Synthesize and document results and lessons from grants, contracts, and studies, including preparation of briefings and portfolio reviews for presentation to leadership.
- Contribute to writing background documents, briefs, and presentations, including carrying out relevant literature reviews, landscape analyses, and data analysis.
- Plan and coordinate partner consultations and meetings to advance understanding of key issues for the strategies.
- Undertake and lead special projects, as requested.
We are looking for people who are extraordinary strategists, problem-solvers, and leaders
- People who enjoy solving complex problems, using hypothesis- and data-driven approaches, and working through matrixed teaming to deliver break-through solutions
- People who can nurture people and build great teams
- Minimum 15+ years of work experience with at least 5 years in a people management role.
The qualified candidate should have the following competencies and experience:
- Superior skills in critical thinking and strategic planning
- Senior leadership experience in a global health organization, either public or private, including responsibility for program strategy, design, and implementation
- Deep, technical knowledge of infectious diseases -- particularly TB and NTDs -- in Indian and global context, including new technology/product introduction, delivery programming, operational research, and modeling
- Demonstrated experience building and leading strategic partnerships with key stakeholders from diverse sectors including NGOs, government, and the private sector
- Proven success using evidence and data to inform policy, programming, and management decisions
- Strong ability to work with efficiency and diplomacy, particularly as part of a multi-disciplinary team effort. Demonstrated ability to work in productive collaboration with diverse teams including scientists, business analysts, program implementers, and developing country stakeholders, from various cultures, over multiple time zones.
- Masterful ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work of self and others in fast-paced environment with multiple and competing demands, which requires ability to see critical path, measure and mitigate risk, and make trade-offs
- Proven ability to structure and manage high-return, well-risk-mitigated grants, with clear milestones and outcomes; with experience in developing this skill in others.
- Success in nurturing people and building great teams
- Role model for courageous inquiry and intellectual integrity
- Willingness to prioritize collective success over self
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to travel locally and internationally, averaging 30% time.