Our Global Health Program (GHP) harnesses advances in science and technology to save lives in poor countries. We focus on the health problems that have a major impact in developing countries but get too little attention and funding. Where proven tools exist, we support sustainable ways to improve their delivery. Where they don’t, we invest in research and development of new interventions, such as vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics. Our work in infectious diseases focuses on strategies to fight and prevent HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, neglected and other infectious diseases, enteric and diarrheal diseases and pneumonia. These strategies are supported by functional teams that focus on Discovery and Translational Sciences, Vaccine Development, and Integrated Development.
Malaria is a top priority of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Our multi-year Malaria strategy, “Accelerate to Zero”, addresses the areas in which we believe the foundation is best positioned, among a broad spectrum of partners, to develop groundbreaking approaches to reducing the burden of malaria and accelerating progress toward eradication of the disease. Our strategy focuses both on improving current approaches and on intensive research and development toward the creation of new drugs, vaccines, vector-control tools, and diagnostics to prevent and interrupt transmission of the two major species infecting humans - P. falciparum and P. vivax. The foundation works with bilateral and multilateral partners to drive the discovery, development and delivery of improved and new tools; demonstrate and document impact, especially of integrated interventions; and improve surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation needed to achieve and document eradication. We also engage in modeling to better understand the potential impact of new tools and the optimal combination of such tools to achieve eradication in different settings. Underlying these efforts is our ongoing analysis of financial needs and advocacy for sustained commitment, funding and supportive policies that are needed in the long-term fight against malaria.
The Malaria Director will provide leadership to advance and execute the foundation’s overall global health strategy, its infectious disease focus, and specifically, to use model-informed approaches to advance our “Accelerate to Zero” strategy for malaria. This will include oversight of the teams’ research and development efforts to advance malaria research with the goal of reducing disease and death; ultimately eliminating and eradicating the malaria disease. You will lead the team to advance the current strategy, provide guidance and oversight on how to strategically engage and interact with key partners and grantees, as well as oversee the preparation of submissions of programs and projects as well as their execution and management.
The Malaria Director is a member of the Global Health Executive Team (GHET) and will work closely with the Global Health President and colleagues to ensure that the vision of the Global Health program is realized through cross-program integration that strengthens the impact and effectiveness of the malaria team’s strategic objectives.
Key Accountabilities
- Execute the ongoing malaria strategy and engagement plan; adjusting as required based on new information.
- Communication within the division and to program staff about opportunities and progress with critical partnerships (including the potential preparation of reports, reviews and summaries for key stakeholders and foundation leadership including CEO and Co-chairs).
- Lead the annual partner strategy review process to reflect on progress or refinements to strategic engagements. This role has primary accountability for the quality of the strategy and the execution of its strategic outcomes.
- Be a critical thought partner, provide functional expertise to program team on investments and contribute to foundation knowledge capture, evaluation, learning and information sharing.
- Prioritize, select and administer grants and contract portfolios to meet strategic objectives.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with senior leadership and contribute to the advancement of the foundation’s mission and impact by creating an environment of optimism, collaboration, rigor and innovation.
- Represent the foundation and malaria program to the external world (e.g. speaking and participating in public events, forums and meetings; serving on boards and working groups, etc.).
Core Knowledge & Skills
We are looking for people who enjoy the challenge of working on complex problems and collaboratively creating solutions that have the potential for transformational change in the lives of people around the world. The Malaria Director must be a visionary, passionate leader with significant experience with tropical infectious diseases and strong analytical and quantitative skills. You should have experience driving research and development (R&D) efforts and an ability to coordinate the execution of approaches to eradicate malaria and improve health conditions for other infectious diseases in the context of the developing world. Specialization in malaria is preferred although not required. You must be prepared to work across a diverse set of disciplines, bridging a wide range of expertise all the while being a solid team player, with a demonstrated ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, and diplomacy in a fast-paced, challenging environment.
Education & Experience
- Experience across a broad range of novel technologies and approaches; including vaccines, anti-infectious disease drugs, infectious diseases control programs and vector control.
- Demonstrated success in the design and management of a range of research and development programs in a variety of settings is desirable.
- Strong judgment with a demonstrated ability to handle complex issues, multiple tasks, confidential information, and competing priorities with skill, discretion, a strong attention to detail, flexibility and diplomacy.
- Strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills. You must possess strong relationship management skills to build trusting and productive relationships with a wide range of internal and external collaborators, partners and stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to get various entities to work together toward a shared goal.
- Demonstrated ability to effectively inspire and lead high performing, professional-level teams including demonstrated ability to attract, assess, hire, develop, coach, reward/recognize, and retain employees; including managers and individual contributors.
- Experience evaluating, negotiating, advocating and overseeing the execution of successful performance-based collaborative projects in a variety of environments is ideal.
- Demonstrated track record of delivering successful discovery programs through clinical development and into implementation. Ability to anticipate and identify potential obstacles or challenges, have contingency plans, and provide solutions to avoid delays in technical implementation or conduct; including having productively managed alliance partners. You will actively seek out best-in-class standards for innovative approaches for malaria eradication.
- Strong business acumen and ability to tie program objectives to larger organizational goals. An understanding of the medical and technology areas from a scientific perspective and experience managing with a portfolio approach and mindset.
- Consultative, influential, facilitative and collaborative with an ability to engage with, establish credibility and influence internal customers including at the most senior / executive levels.
- Intellectual quickness, curiosity, discipline, resourcefulness and resilience.
- Highly effective written and verbal communication skills to successfully interact with and influence individuals at all levels of the organization and with a broad and diverse audience.
- Ability to travel up to 20% domestically and internationally.
- A healthy sense of humor.
- Demonstrated passion for the Foundation’s values with a commitment to deliver results against our mission.