We are currently recruiting a Senior Program Officer (SPO) to join the Therapeutics team. The SPO will work closely with the Deputy Director and other team members to shape and execute the foundation’s discovery program aimed at identifying and evaluating new therapeutics that address global health needs. With a background in biology, s/he will have depth and breadth of experience and knowledge in the field of antimicrobial drug discovery. In particular, s/he will support the tuberculosis and malaria programs. S/he will help to create a productive and collaborative culture of innovation in and translation of basic research into practical health solutions and be passionate about solving problems and addressing questions relevant to our mission.
Conceptualize, articulate and shape priorities in specific drug discovery areas:
- Monitor and track science and technology trends relevant to drug discovery. Provide analysis of opportunities based on the latest and most innovative thinking in the field.
- Collaborate with Deputy Director and Program Strategy teams in strategic planning and initiation of projects/programs.
- Provide technical expertise for the program area.
Develop and manage grants and contracts portfolio to meet strategic objectives:
- Identify and select partner institutions and shape scope and strategy for selected grants and contracts to meet selected strategic objectives.
- Develop strategies and contribute to review of grant proposals and write proposal summaries.
- Apply and evaluate milestone-based performance objectives and help to make go/no-go decisions about specific projects and product candidates.
- Review interim and final reports; write final evaluation.
- Work with product development partnerships and other key external partners to enhance implementation of program strategy and tactics.
- Serve as a partner and resource to grantees to facilitate accomplishment of objectives.
Contribute to foundation knowledge capture, evaluation, learning, and dissemination:
- Keep Deputy Director informed of progress of both individual grants and sets of grants that may constitute solution sets for specific global health problems.
- Synthesize and document learnings across related grants and contracts.
- Develop reviews, summaries and informative reports for team, program and foundation leadership (e.g. President, Co-Chairs and other foundation leadership) that summarize key activities, progress and issues, around priority strategies for Therapeutics and associated grant portfolios.
- Partner with various Global Health programs to share learnings and expertise.
- Support monitoring and evaluation activities as defined within Therapeutics, the Global Health division and the Foundation.
Represent the foundation and program to the external world related to position responsibilities:
- Speak and participate in public events, forums and meetings.
- Serve on boards and working groups.
- Leverage opportunities to disseminate the knowledge and products developed by grantees in order to extend their impact.
- Represent foundation interests in building networks for the program.
Reports to: Deputy Director, Discovery Therapeutics
Core Knowledge & Skills
We are looking for people who enjoy the challenge of working on complex projects and collaboratively creating solutions that have the potential for transformational change. We seek an experienced professional with an understanding of pre-clinical drug discovery broadly; including the principles of medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, assay design, etc.
Education and Experience
The ideal candidate should have a PhD or other relevant terminal degree with deep knowledge and experience in:
- Biology
- Infectious disease research, preferably in tuberculosis or malaria.
- Minimum 10 years of experience working in relevant field, preferably gained in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry.
Coupled with experience in one or more of the following areas preferred:
- Cellular and molecular biology of host-pathogen interaction.
- Strong research, analytical, critical thinking skills as well as the ability to organize and synthesize information are required. Proactive and flexible nature with reliable follow-through and great attention to detail.
- Demonstrated outstanding written and oral communication skills in positions requiring communications in a broad and diverse audience on a range of complex technical issues.
Additionally, s/he will have:
- 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 ability to successfully assemble, coordinate, and manage complex inter-group collaborations and partnerships, guiding such programs to meet programmatic and strategic goals.
- Experience in the execution, conduct and/or management of performance based contracts or cooperative agreements.
- Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills with the ability to solve problems with energy and positive attitude.
- Ability to organize/prioritize work and meet deadlines within a fast-paced environment with multiple and competing demands.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and build relationships to gain the respect and trust of others.
- Solid understanding of the realities and complexities of matrix based organizations.
- Ability and willingness to travel up to 30% domestically and internationally.
- A sense of humor.
- Demonstrated passion for the foundation’s values with a commitment to deliver results against the foundation’s mission.
- Scope of work will require primary residency in the Seattle, Washington area.
As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We’re committed to creating a workplace where employees thrive both personally and professionally. We also believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve—in race, gender, age, cultures and beliefs—and we support this diversity through all of our employment practices.
All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve the mission of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to:
- Race
- Color
- Age
- Religion
- Pregnancy
- Sex
- Sexual Orientation
- Disability
- Gender Identity
- Gender Expression
- National Origin
- Genetic Information
- Veteran Status
- Marital Status
- Prior Protected Activity