The Development Policy & Finance team has an opening for a Senior Program Officer to lead our work on public financial management (PFM) and fiscal policy, especially as it relates to health, human capital development, and other foundation priorities. The effective candidate will manage and build upon a portfolio of work that provides evidence and promotes action in public service delivery oriented PFM – with a primary audience / client being a country’s Finance Ministry or budget authority. The program officer will have the ability to both situate public finance within the broader macro-fiscal context while also recognizing some of the health sector-specific financing concerns and trends both at the multilateral level (such as with Gavi, GFATM, the WHO and the World Bank) and on the ground in developing countries (such as fragmented PFM systems).
The position will also collaborate on, and have the possibility of including, other parts of the team’s portfolio. Particular areas of interest today include understanding how best to (1) increase equitable tax mobilization in developing countries, (2) improve governments’ ability to make pro-poor and pro-growth fiscal policy choices, (3) improve the efficiency and effectiveness of spending in social sectors like health, (4) enable and advocate for governments to implement public finance reforms that result in better service delivery. The geographic focus of the role is Africa – especially but not exclusively Ethiopia and Nigeria – and South Asia.
This position brings together three complementary needs: expert analytic capacity to track the data and trends in public finance and fiscal policy; deep policy knowledge to advise the foundation on the most effective ways to engage in this space; and innovation in designing and executing grants to shape the field. This position will also work closely with our Africa and India government relations teams to cultivate and manage critical in-country relationships (Ministries of Finance, Planning, in-country influencers, etc.) as well as with our program strategy teams in Seattle to collaborate on how DPAF and its portfolio can contribute to overall foundation goals.
The Senior Program Officer (SPO) will report to the Deputy Director, Country Finance, in the Development Policy & Finance Team (DPAF). The SPO will be responsible for a spectrum of program activities, including grant management, research and analytics, strategic planning, communication and relationship management on ways in which countries can mobilize domestic resources and generate the necessary fiscal space to finance pro-poor investments.
Working with colleagues, the SPO will:
- Serve as the foundation’s in-house quantitative and policy authority on public financial management and improving fiscal space for human development, while developing our investment and advocacy plans in related areas
- Develop and guide a portfolio of grants designed to deliver on our team strategy; serve as the team lead on multiple streams of work (such as public finance reform, health and PFM, muni finance etc.) and lead relationships with external grantees and partners;
- Deepen our understanding of players in the public finance space and further develop our investment and advocacy plans in selected areas, and serve as a foundation’s link into the public finance policy and advocacy community;
- Work closely with DPAF and foundation colleagues to inform country transition and sustainability plans with global partners such as Gavi, the GFF, GFATM and the World Bank
- Contribute to strategy development for the DPAF team and the wider foundation
- Inform the foundation’s work on specific issues related to public financial management, budget design and execution
- Manage grants and/or contracts as well as identify opportunities for external partnerships to leverage DPAF’s country finance action in the above areas of work
- Produce short analytical notes and commentary for foundation staff and external use, responding to data updates, new research and political/ economic developments
- Serve as a resource for relevant teams across the foundation to ensure coordination and alignment of our global, regional and country specific work. This will include representing DPAF and potentially leading relevant country and thematic working groups and task teams, as well as ensuring that our work is relevant and leveraged by other teams at the foundation
This position reports to the Deputy Director, Development Policy & Finance and is based in Washington, D.C. or Seattle.
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
Our ideal candidate will combine the technical knowledge of a policy analyst, the political savvy of a seasoned official, the operational skill of an experienced project manager, and a good dose of entrepreneurship. Some proxy indicators might be:
- Demonstrated ability to think strategically and implement exceptionally, translating research and ideas to ‘fundable’ proposals, advocacy and action. Experience as a funder of development projects or programs a plus
- Flexible mindset and interest in connecting multiple disparate fields, adaptable to different contexts and audiences, and stimulated by that variety
- A sense of humor is desired, as is a “campaign mentality” i.e. no job too big, small or hard
- Sophisticated consumer (and sometimes producer) of applied policy research and analytical work on issues of domestic resource mobilization and public finance in developing countries, preferably in Africa
- Excellent research, critical and creative thinking, writing and public presentation skills
- Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to navigate across large institutions and different cultural contexts
- Team player with the ability to be flexible and adjust to changing circumstances
- Must be able to travel up to 35% domestically and internationally.
Education and Experience
- A minimum of 7+years of experience in public finance, mostly in development, ideally rotating across various sub-specialties and in a mix of technical and advisory/policy roles. 2+ years of in-country work a pre-requisite.