Director, Global Program Advocacy and Communications, Health

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation•Washington, DC

4d•$299,100 - $509,900

About The Position

The Director, Global Program Advocacy and Communications (Global PAC), Health leads the Foundation’s global health advocacy through a period of change in development assistance, donor funding, country leadership, and the adoption of AI in public health. The role provides strategic leadership for a team that turns the Foundation’s health priorities into political will, financing, and policy change, while helping build health financing and policy systems that countries own and can sustain beyond any single donor. The Director leads Global PAC Health, including Program Partner teams aligned to the Global Health, Global Development, and Gender Equality divisions, as well as Health Communications. The team develops global narratives, public goods, evidence, coalitions, investment cases, and specialized policy capacity to make market- and country-led advocacy more effective. Its work supports the GPA priorities of Maternal & Child Survival, Health Research and Development, Innovation Introduction, and Health Financing. The Director works across Foundation program strategy and division leadership teams, and across GPA’s market-led teams, the Development Policy and Finance team, and philanthropic partnerships. The role connects global, regional, and country teams, brings country perspectives into global decisions, and aligns advocacy capabilities behind the Foundation’s highest-impact priorities. It also partners with the Director, Global PAC Global Growth and Opportunity, to co-lead the overall Global PAC team, and reports to the President, GPA. The Director sets and delivers strategy; develops partnerships with regional and country teams, governments, multilaterals, donors, civil society, philanthropy, and other stakeholders; guides advocacy on health financing, global health architecture, and AI for health; oversees issue communications; and leads and develops an inclusive, high-performing team. The role also advances innovation and learning in advocacy and supports measurable progress, resource mobilization, and the effective use of evidence and communications. The position is based in Seattle, Washington; Washington, DC; or London, UK. It requires a minimum of 30% travel, much of it in Africa and Asia. Applications are accepted until Friday, November 27th.

Requirements

Master’s degree or equivalent demonstrated experience; preferably in public policy, public health, health economics, international relations, or international development.
15+ years of progressive, senior-level experience leading and developing senior teams and leading policy, advocacy, and financing initiatives in global health and global development, or equivalent.
Experience working in or with governments in low- and middle-income countries, ideally in Africa or South Asia, and with multilateral agencies, development banks, and global health institutions.
Professional or lived experience of health systems in low- and middle-income countries and credibility with leaders of governments and institutions in the Global South.
Deep knowledge of health financing and health systems, including budgeting, domestic resource mobilization, and how global health initiatives finance and deliver programs.
Demonstrated record of mobilizing resources across bilateral, multilateral, development bank, and philanthropic funders, ideally in global health.
Mastery-level expertise in advocacy and influencing related to resource mobilization, policy analysis, communications, coalition building, and partnership development with diverse constituencies.
Ability to turn data, economic analysis, and implementation evidence into investment cases and policy proposals that decision-makers act on.
Hands-on advocacy credibility, including the ability to discuss tactics, strategy, and partners in detail and steer multiple complex, interdependent workstreams.
Experience in strategy development and execution, impact measurement, portfolio management, and prioritization in a changing resource environment.
Working knowledge of digital public infrastructure, data, and AI, and related health-system policy, financing, and governance questions.
Ability to learn technical health subject matter quickly, earn the respect of program strategy teams and technical experts, and navigate complex, politically sensitive environments.
Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability to translate technical program strategy into clear, compelling asks for different audiences and cultures.
Ability to build trusted relationships and drive outcomes within a complex, matrixed organization, define what can and cannot be achieved, and constructively challenge senior colleagues while preserving partnerships.
Excellent leadership, judgment, intellectual curiosity, and diplomacy; ability to lead through influence, build and develop high-performing inclusive teams, and lead through change.
Willingness to travel a minimum of 30%, much of it in Africa and Asia.
Successful completion of a background check is required as a condition of employment.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in public policy, public health, health economics, international relations, or international development.
Experience across government, multilateral, academic, nonprofit, and private sectors.
Campaign or strategic communications experience.
Professional working proficiency in French or Portuguese.

Responsibilities

Set and implement Global PAC Health strategy, defining where the team engages and ensuring strategy quality and delivery of outcomes.
Lead Global PAC Health’s contribution to GPA priorities in Maternal & Child Survival, Health R&D, Innovation Introduction, and Health Financing through integrated advocacy, financing, policy, and communications plans.
Partner with program strategy teams and division leadership, lead Program Partner leaders, translate technical priorities into policy and financing asks, and bring regional and country perspectives into strategy development.
Co-design advocacy strategies, asks, and plans with Africa and India teams; clarify roles, share intelligence, and establish joint accountability for results.
Carry country evidence and leadership into global platforms and decisions, including replenishments and major global moments.
Broker South-South exchange on approaches such as AI tools, regulatory reform, local manufacturing when economically viable, and health innovation supply.
Define policy and financing asks for program priorities and coordinate advocacy contributions to replenishments, pledging moments, and deal teams.
Work with GPA teams and the Resource Mobilization Hub to align financing needs and sources, deal ownership, and escalation.
Support countries’ shift from aid dependence through domestic resource mobilization, stronger budget execution, and blended and innovative finance.
Help shape global health architecture reform in ways consistent with country-led platforms; promote one national plan, budget, and accountability framework in each country.
Steward health advocacy partners, build coalitions, convene stakeholders, and develop investment cases and cross-market learning to strengthen country and regional advocacy.
Lead advocacy and partnerships on AI for health, including policy, financing, governance, procurement pathways, data and compute foundations, and standards for safety, equity, and evidence.
Oversee Health Communications, including evidence-based narratives and communication assets, strategic media engagement, campaigns, and management of communications and reputational risks.
Work with the GGO team to make the case for health as an investment in productivity, jobs, and economic growth.
Partner with the Director, Global PAC GGO, to set shared direction, operating model, standards, budget and portfolio decisions, and portfolio and strategy reviews.
Pilot and assess advocacy approaches, measure results including value for money and defense of past gains, document lessons, and share learning across PAC and GPA.
Lead, coach, develop, hire, and onboard team members; set expectations, provide and seek feedback, support development, foster an inclusive team culture, and lead through organizational change.