Program Officer, Maternal and Child Survival & Women's Health

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation•Washington, DC

17d•$157,400 - $259,700

About The Position

The Program Officer, Maternal and Child Survival and Women’s Health (MCS + WH), manages Exemplars projects independently and as part of a team, providing cross-cutting technical and partner facilitation support. The role leads projects that generate and synthesize evidence to inform strategies for maternal and child survival and women’s health, with an emphasis on translating analysis into actionable insights. The Program Officer develops practical ways to help priority partners generate and use learning about what works, where, and why. The position reports to the Deputy Director, MCS + WH.

Requirements

At least 7 years of relevant global health experience, including at least 5 years working across global maternal, newborn, child, and reproductive health technical areas.
Deep knowledge of relevant data, evidence, policies, and programs, and externally recognized subject-matter expertise in at least one relevant area.
Demonstrated ability to translate evidence and technical insights into actionable recommendations used by policymakers and other decision-makers in low- and middle-income countries.
Experience independently managing partner relationships, including with subject-matter experts, technical teams, and decision-makers.
Strong experience independently organizing and driving complex projects while balancing multiple priorities on tight timelines.
Strong writing and presentation skills and the ability to efficiently synthesize materials.
Ability to work comfortably in highly unstructured and ambiguous situations and proactively bring structure and resolution.
Excellent organizational, facilitation, oral, and written communication skills.
Ability to work effectively and sensitively across language, cultural, and distance barriers, with strong listening skills and compassion.
Ability to work flexibly, efficiently, diplomatically, and enthusiastically in a fast-paced environment as part of an integrated team.
Unrestricted work authorization in the country where the position is located; immigration-related sponsorship or support is not provided.

Nice To Haves

Master’s or other advanced degree, preferably in public health or a related field.
Experience translating evidence into actionable recommendations in the MCS + WH area.
Knowledge of low- and middle-income country governments and/or global health and development institutions and partners, such as WHO, the Global Fund, Gavi, UNICEF, and multilateral development banks.
Experience living and working in low- and middle-income countries.

Responsibilities

Synthesize and package actionable insights, cross-cutting themes, and lessons learned across the MCS + WH pillar for internal and external audiences; translate complex research findings into clear briefs, presentations, and other materials.
Manage the MCS + WH research and investment portfolio and lead selected projects, including day-to-day execution of grants and contracts; tracking achievements, budgets, and deliverables; supporting grantee selection, scoping, and due diligence for new investments; and troubleshooting implementation challenges with grantees.
Manage and expand selected relationships across the foundation, particularly in broader women’s health, including Family Planning, Women’s Health Innovations, and Gender Equality work; understand relevant strategies, questions, evidence, debates, and emerging directions.
Support the Deputy Director with materials, analysis, and coordination on MCS + WH topics; facilitate information-sharing across foundation teams and support integration pathways and consideration of tradeoffs with other verticals and broader health systems.
Support external engagement across MCS + WH by owning and building specific external relationships aligned with technical expertise; coordinate logistics, content, and follow-up for meetings and convenings; and help the Deputy Director and Senior Program Officers prepare for leadership conversations and high-level external engagements.