We are currently seeking a Senior Program Officer (SPO) to join the Vaccine & Human Immunobiology team to help create a productive and collaborative culture of innovation, accelerate translation of basic research into practical health solutions, and to be passionate about solving problems and addressing questions relevant to our mission.
Areas of Responsibility:
Strategy Development:
- Assist the Deputy Director in developing strategies to address critical gaps in the Global Health vaccine-related portfolio.
- Help to conceptualize, shape and drive initiatives in key strategy areas.
Investment management:
- Manage a substantial portfolio of complex grants and investments requiring both relevant subject matter expertise and high-level management skills; including applying and evaluating milestone-based performance objectives and helping to make go/no-go decisions about specific projects and product candidates.
- Facilitate implementation of experimental medicine studies and the transfer of vaccine assets through late discovery/translation.
- Identify and select partner institutions as well as develop the scope and strategy for selected grants, investments and contracts.
- Serve as a thought partner and resource to grantees and partners to facilitate accomplishment of strategic objectives.
- Contribute to review of proposals and write proposal summaries.
- Keep Foundation colleagues informed of progress on individual grants and investments that may constitute solution sets for specific global health problems.
- Synthesize and document learnings across related grants and contracts.
- Leverage opportunities to disseminate knowledge and products developed by grantees and partners in order to extend their impact.
Provide Subject Matter Expertise:
- Contribute to foundation knowledge capture, evaluation, learning, and dissemination; including developing reviews, summaries and informative reports that summarize key activities as well as supporting monitoring and evaluation activities.
- Monitor and provide analysis on technology trends, innovations and policy issues relevant to initiatives/portfolios.
- Represent the Foundation externally and be recognized as thought leader through participation in public events and meetings related to area of expertise and position responsibilities, as well as through written work in relevant journals and publications.
- Serve on relevant advisory and working groups.
- Plan and organize convenings to inform strategic planning.
- Assist in the preparation and presentation of reviews and information/reports to Directors, Presidents, Co-Chairs and other Foundation leadership.
Partnership building:
- Partner internally to share learnings and expertise.
- Forge meaningful partnerships with the newly founded Gates Medical Research Institute to bridge discovery into translation.
- Represent foundation interests in building external networks. Form key partnerships with our PDPs, academic, pharmaceutical, biotech and other key external partners to enhance implementation of program strategy and tactics.
Educational Background:
PhD or MD.
Skills/Experience:
The SPO will have deep expertise in immunology; preferably with a focus on infectious diseases, inflammation biology, microbial pathogenesis and/or vaccine/biologics discovery.
Title level will be dependent on the candidate’s experience commensurate with responsibilities and team equity.
Additionally, we seek:
- Scientists and/or physician scientists with an established track record of success in academic, industry or similar position. Minimum 10+ years of experience and PhD or MD.
- Academics should have held their own grants and had experience as independent principle investigators.
- Significant technical depth in areas relevant to our work particularly those focused on vaccination, pathogen immunobiology, correlates of protection, antibodies or passive immunization.
- Experience with writing, implementation and/or management of performance based grants, contracts or cooperative agreements preferred.
- Experience assessing new technology and approaches as well as matching novel technologies with biomedical or public health applications.
- Experience in a role requiring collaboration as well as a demonstrated ability to work with flexibility, efficiency and diplomacy both individually and as part of a complex team effort; ability to work in a cooperative and collegial fashion.
- Demonstrated outstanding written and oral communication skills in positions requiring communications in a broad and diverse audience on a range of complex technical issues.
- High appetite for risk and innovation.
- Ability to organize/prioritize work and meet deadlines within a fast-paced environment with multiple and competing demands.
- Proactive and flexible nature with reliable follow-through and attention to detail.
- Demonstrated ability to successfully assemble, coordinate, and manage complex inter-group collaborations and partnerships, guiding such programs to meet programmatic and strategic goals.
- Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills with the ability to solve problems with energy and positive attitude.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and build relationships to gain the respect and trust of others.
- Thorough understanding of the realities and complexities of matrix based organizations.
- Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally.
- A sense of humor.
- Commitment to the foundation’s core values, mission, and programs with an approach that is consistent with the foundation’s guiding principles and holding self to the highest ethical standards.
Job Function:
Organization Info
Listing Stats
Post Date:
Feb 7 2018
Active Until:
Mar 7 2018
Hiring Organization:
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
industry:
Nonprofit