This job posting is for an anticipated full-time position. Anticipated postings are often called “Evergreen Requisitions”. Evergreen requisitions provide the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation the means to recruit continually for critical skills needed for anticipated openings. As the Strategy Officer job becomes open (anticipate opening to occur in early 2019) that match the skills and experience described in this Evergreen posting, a recruiter may contact you prior to the openings should your skills and experience be a match.
The Strategy Officer will lead high-impact projects in collaboration with senior program leadership while managing 1-2 associates on the central strategy team. Potential projects span strategy development and execution planning for current foundation programs as well as cross-foundation efforts and new area exploration. The SO will provide strategic thought partnership, project management, and analytical support to clients across the foundation.
Located in Seattle, WA, the Strategy Officer will report to Deputy Director. Note that this role will occasionally report to other Strategy Team members (Director and SSOs) on a project by project basis.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Support strategy development
- Collaborate with Strategy staff to design the overall process for strategy development
- Act as day-to-day manager of strategic process
- Oversee development of materials to facilitate project execution – e.g. analyses, project plans, meeting materials, ultimate strategy document outputs
- Facilitate discussions with internal team, external experts, and other global health/development partners
- Employ strategic resources to develop and assess options, ensure logical reasoning, and challenge assumptions
- Guide strategy development process with a customer-focus orientation – e.g., effective communication – and emphasis on relationship management
- Bring creative solutions to develop group process – e.g., managing conflict and driving alignment
- Provide recommendations to improve overall foundation strategic planning and management process based upon experience supporting teams.
- Support strategy execution planning
- Collaborate with Strategy staff to design the process for strategy execution planning
- Oversee development of materials to strengthen the strategy execution planning process – e.g. analyses, project plans, meeting materials, ultimate execution plan outputs
- Care for the strategy execution planning process that is focused on enabling program teams align the investments, staff resources and voice/affect necessary to implement their strategies and achieve their impact goals.
- Design analytical work in support of strategy development and execution planning
- Identify and design required analytical work
- Develop analytical methodology and analyze data to support decision-making - collating information required from literature and existing public databases on finance, health, and development
- Participate in the development and use of tools to facilitate strategy development and processes associated with budgeting, portfolio management, and other areas as needed
- Perform problem-solving work in support of strategy projects
- Contribute and participate in ongoing improvement of the Strategy team including overall vision, brand, staffing composition, operational processes, performance development, etc.
- Participate in foundation-wide activities (e.g., learning sessions, all staff meetings, performance reviews)
- We believe that energized people, working well together, fueled by great leadership in an inclusive environment in which they thrive, will do phenomenal things.
Core Knowledge and Skills
- Broad understanding of global health/development issues and some global health/development experience is preferable.
- Experience with strategy implementation, measurement, review and adjustment is preferable
- Excellent oral, facilitation, and written communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to function successfully in a politically demanding environment
- Excellent quantitative/financial knowledge, including experience creating complex models, with a demonstrated ability to extract appropriate data to convey complex information through the use of supporting tables, graphs and other visual representations.
- Excellent organizational skills, demonstrated ability to lead teams through a complex and ambiguous task
- Ability to be self-guided and work effectively and with sensitivity across barriers such as language, culture and distance
- Excellent software skills with Microsoft Office applications. Ability to quickly learn new software modules
- 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
- Experience working in a matrix environment preferred
- A sense of humor
Education and Experience
- Five+ years of professional experience desired, with at least three years in a strategic capacity (preferably leading projects at a top tier strategy consulting firm).