The Program Officer (PO) will be responsible for the Family Planning (FP) team’s Ouagadougou Partnership (OP) regional strategy to ensure acceleration of the FP movement and programs in the nine francophone countries of West Africa. The PO will strategically develop and manage a portfolio of contracts and grants to generate demand for FP, address unmet need for FP, amplify learning and scale of impactful interventions, and support country leadership for enabling policy, financing and longer-term sustainable impact.
Areas of Responsibility:
- Partner with key stakeholders in the family planning field at the global and regional levels, and in the nine francophone countries of West Africa to advance the foundation’s FP strategy to achieve FP2020 goals as critical pathway to the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Build and nurture relationships with critical external stakeholders - especially the government, donor, civil society and implementing partner members of the OP – to support achievement of the Gates Foundation and OP strategic goals.
- Work collaboratively with the FP team and other foundation teams to ensure that the OP regional initiative is accelerating progress in alignment with the program strategy and country costed implementation plans for FP.
- Develop, manage, and support a portfolio of complex grants and contracts requiring high-level partner management, technical and finance skills to evaluate plans, performance and outcome achievement.
- Conduct thorough analyses of grants and contracts, including grantee progress reports, briefing documents and portfolio reviews; synthesize and document results and lessons to leadership.
- Manage internal processes and portfolio progress while ensuring appropriate documentation, grant budgeting and reporting.
- Review letters of inquiry and grant proposals; provide clear, concise and insightful written analyses and recommendations for funding including proposal summaries and progress reports for existing grants for review by foundation leadership
- Consult with grantees and other partners to maximize impact of projects and ensure optimal learning. This may include conducting site visits, providing operational guidance and convening meetings of key stakeholders.
- Monitor and report on performance of the investment portfolio with reference to the strategy, and use analytical insights to problem solve, adjust and modify strategy and execution plan to achieve success.
- Report on progress regularly and document achievements and challenges for the foundation and global community; write communication briefs and provide updates as needed. Closely collaborate with colleagues across the FP team, and teams across the foundation including: Integrated Delivery; Maternal, Newborn and Child Health; Nutrition; Gender Equality; and Global Policy, Advocacy and Communications.
- Contribute to longer term FP team strategic planning processes, and support the team in planning major external conferences, events and leadership site visits (ICFP, FP2020 West Africa Meeting, etc.) with a view to advance Foundation priorities.
Educational Background:
Bachelor’s or other advanced degree with 5+ years of experience, or equivalent experience.
Skills/Experience:
Core Knowledge and Skills:
- Excellent knowledge of family planning and reproductive health (or related areas of global health) within the context of public and private health systems, particularly in the context of Africa.
- Excellent record of engagement with major bilateral and multilateral donors and private foundations, particularly knowledge of their country level funding priorities and investment processes as it relates to family planning, reproductive health.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders and teams including elected officials, public health specialists, researchers, business analysts, program implementers and other country-based FP stakeholders.
- Analytical and critical thinking skills especially as it relates to use of data and research insights to drive strategic decision making.
- Excellent listening, written and oral communication skills and ability to communicate with a broad and diverse audience. French fluency preferred.
- Ability to inspire and lead a diverse team of high functioning partners, including both internal and external staff and stakeholders focused on both strategic and tactical tasks.
- Ability to work collaboratively and respectfully in a matrixed environment and engage in rigorous questioning and challenging of ideas and data to advance shared strategic goals.
- Ability to give/receive constructive feedback to/from colleagues including managers, partners, and clients
- Works with efficiency and diplomacy
- Ability to travel up to 40% domestically and internationally.
- Fluency in French is desirable.
Experience:
- Experience in global health programs with a focus in family planning.
Additional Information:
This is a Limited Term Employee role associated with our parental leave program targeted for 18-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.
Job Function:
Organization Info
Listing Stats
Post Date:
Nov 27 2017
Active Until:
Dec 27 2017
Hiring Organization:
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
industry:
Nonprofit