Portfolio and Platform Lead, Accelerator

Gates Foundation•Seattle, WA

About The Position

We are currently seeking a Portfolio and Platform Lead (PPL) for the Accelerator team within the Global Health Division. The candidate will help put together and apply integrated product development plans, as well as bring deep platform implementation and management experience to the Accelerator portfolio. The PPL will apply relevant technical and execution expertise to best suit the complex ecosystem in which Global Health works with various partners (academic institutions, biotechs, PDPs, Pharma). The candidate will work with the Accelerator team and its partners to ensure that: (a) the portfolio of investments related to product development have robust implementation plans that ultimately result in effective, impactful, deliverable interventions; and (b) the portfolio of investments in cross-cutting platforms have robust development, implementation and tracking plans that facilitate the de-risking, advancement and/or termination of product/intervention concepts and candidates in a rational, expedited manner. The PPL will leverage subject matter and execution expertise relevant to drugs, vaccines, biologics, and novel technological platforms, and apply rigorous methodology to assist the Accelerator in assessing, managing, and continuously refining the portfolios to achieve optimal global health impact through our partners and grantees. The Accelerator works predominantly in preclinical innovation for fundamentally new modalities, requiring expertise and comfort in development of novel clinical products.

Requirements

Minimum 10 years of professional experience in the biotech/pharmaceutical professional experience in the biotech/pharmaceutical and/or life sciences research sectors at a senior level.
Significant experience project managing R&D efforts at the product and portfolio levels in vaccines and/or biologics is required.
Integrated product development project management (methodology, metrics, best practices).
Portfolio/platform management (in pharma/biotech context) and associated tools.
Project management, implementation planning and associated tools.
Risk assessment and management (mitigation and contingency plans).
Broad working knowledge and/or specific knowledge of several elements of product and/or service development and launch (e.g., discovery, development, commercial launch).
Strong oral and written communications.
Strong meeting and relationship facilitation.
Facility working within a highly matrixed organization.

Nice To Haves

While discovery and development experience is required, familiarity with the needs of commercial and/or delivery teams is recommended.
PhD and/or MD (preferred) in one of the life sciences, or relevant experience/advanced degree.

Responsibilities

Develop long term portfolio execution plans aligned with the high-level strategies of the Accelerator team.
Work collaboratively with BMGF Program Strategy and Functional teams to develop and execute product development plans and/or the development and management of enabling platforms, with foundation partners and grantees.
Identify and assess key risks at the portfolio level; develop and manage mitigation/ contingency plans.
Proactively identify areas of misalignment and lead the process of developing plans to ‘get back on track’ and refine the portfolio execution plans.
Work with BMGF Program Strategy and Functional teams to identify potential new cross-cutting areas for platform development with partners and grantees.
Manage or oversee Functional team platform strategy and execution.
Monitor the development of promising novel technologies with product or platform potential.
Develop and encourage use of standard approaches, tools and methodologies for portfolio management across teams to enable effective decision making.
Proactively work with peers/ fellow PPLs to ensure a consistent approach as well as application of appropriate rigor to portfolio management across the Global Health Program.
Communicate information related to the portfolio dynamics that will support strategy development and effectively communicate the state of the Accelerator portfolio and platforms to foundation leadership.
Effectively and proactively manage relationships with key internal stakeholders within the matrixed organization.
Support efforts to ensure the team represents foundation's core values of collaboration, rigor, optimism, and innovation.

Benefits

We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities.

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