This SPO role focusing on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH) Programs within the Accelerate Systems Interventions (ASI) sub-team will support program delivery for one of the RMNCH Program Strategy Teams (PSTs). Generally, the SPO will manage a portfolio of grants and contracts designed to ensure that program outcomes are achieved and progress is monitored. In complex PSTs where the nature of the work or context of the collaboration is more wide-ranging, the SPO may need to act as both relationship manager and key connection point between other GDP technical areas and the PST. The SPO will be expected to manage most aspects of engagement with the PST, maintain leadership relationships with them, and ensure that GDP support to the PST is prioritized against the highest strategic opportunities and provides value to both teams. The role may encompass a number of unrelated technical support areas ranging from evidence generation to pilot program design to system strengthening to multilateral partner management to leveraging market-based solutions to enable product introduction and supply. Thus, being an effective delivery “generalist” is key to success. The person in this role is likely to be asked to be a leader or participant in other teams’ initiatives and must be an extraordinarily good lateral collaborator.
The SPO will have primary accountability for the execution of GDP’s support and engagement with one of the RMNCH PSTs: Family Planning (FP) or Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH). Currently, these teams span diverse areas including market research, social marketing project management, commodity support, strategic purchasing, and supply chain system strengthening. Future support may evolve well beyond this remit and the SPO is expected to grow in responsibility and engagement with that.
In addition, the selected candidate will be responsible for the following tasks:
- Manage internal relationships and help design the appropriate engagement strategies for the assigned PST(s)
- Act as the “account manager” and delivery partner for the program team(s) by either providing services directly or drawing on the right technical support from GDP to move program goals forward and achieve targets
- Develop relationships with technical counterparts within the PST and identify areas where GDP support can be most valuable
- Identify and work with the most appropriate partners/grantees to deliver the work that is the responsibility of GDP within a PST’s goals
- Influence global partners and multilateral institutions towards shared goals and targets
- Shape the PST and global strategies to achieve outcomes – providing input on the initiative strategies, product development priorities, and evidence/policy needs
- Link GDP technical strategies in system strengthening to the PST needs and connect GDP’s cross-cutting work to the PST’s “vertical” needs
- Work with countries / local governments as necessary or through partners to enable successful uptake of program interventions
- Consult with grantees and other partners to maximize the impact of projects and to ensure grants are meeting strategy goals. This may include: site visits, providing operational guidance, and convening meetings of key stakeholders
- Represent the foundation or team in key working groups related to area of expertise and responsibilities of the position
- Up to 30% ad-hoc international travel as required
The foundation is looking for people who enjoy the opportunity of working on complex problems and collectively creating solutions that have the potential for transformative change in the lives of people around the world. You must be prepared to work across a diverse set of disciplines, bridging a wide range of expertise all the while being a team player, with a demonstrated ability to work with flexibility, efficiency and diplomacy in an exciting, challenging environment.
Additionally, we seek:
Required Industry-Related Experience & Education:
- A minimum of 7 years’ experience in one or more of the key areas of support: product introduction, market research and deep user understanding, global partner and stakeholder management, market dynamics, system barrier identification, use of data and scaled digital solutions in global health/development
- Expertise in the strategic management of the design, introduction, and delivery programs for products and / or services at scale in a developing world environment.
- Senior program delivery expertise including working with challenges in developing countries and within global health delivery-related domains
- Strong strategic thinker with thought leadership skills honed within highly dynamic organizations
- Excellent program and project management capabilities – always driving towards clear results within a timeline
- Strong budget management, financing, data analysis, market research and technical skills
- Proven ability to lead and influence others in a constructive manner and to lead teams from either the front or from behind with ability to influence direction of work.
- Highest calibre of collaborative skills – able to use different approaches with different counterparts in different contexts and to flex across program needs
- Ability to build technical credibility and expertise in interacting as a technical resource on strategic, scientific, and programmatic levels with colleagues for impact, cost-effectiveness and decision analyses, system/delivery barriers
- Demonstrates great judgement and able to act independently as well as know when to pull in resources and access management for additional assistance
- Ability to work on business-oriented solutions to supply/demand imbalances or market failures if needed
- Ability to see problems and issues from multiple vantage points and to take into account different stakeholder viewpoints
- Growth mind-set – curious about new approaches, able to change direction, willing to seek feedback and course correct
- Comfortable with ambiguity and able to successfully move work forward managing between differing objectives and incentive structures
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to effectively synthesize information to reach diverse audiences and build consensus
- Strong analytical skills
- Advanced degree
Additional skills and/or experience:
- Knowledge of global healthcare systems for developing countries advantageous
- Expertise in user insights and / or diverse digital innovations for the structuring and scaling of access to services in developing countries highly desirable
- Ability to communicate effectively in English.
- Ability to travel up to 30% of time as needs dictate.
- Commitment to the foundation’s core values, mission and programs with an approach that is consistent with the foundation’s guiding principles while holding oneself to the highest ethical standards.