Senior Program Officer, Development Policy & Finance (2 Year LTE)

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation•Washington, DC

About The Position

The Foundation We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. 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. As a workplace, we’re committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally. The Team The Global Policy & Advocacy (GPA) division shapes development financing and public policy debates, builds partnerships, and supports advocacy efforts to advance our mission. Because the foundation's resources alone are not enough to solve the challenges ahead, GPA also supports advocacy efforts to engage diverse stakeholders and promote innovative solutions that advance our program goals. GPA engages at the global and regional level, as well as in specific countries where resources and engagements are tailored to the context. Within GPA, the Development Policy & Finance (DPAF) team focuses on economic and financial expertise to strengthen policy and advocacy strategies across the foundation’s key priorities, including economic growth, public finance management (PFM), fiscal policy, development financing and capital mobilization. The team ensures GPA’s work – and by extension the foundation’s work – is informed by strong economic and financial analysis and viewpoints, resonant with economic trends, and connected with key decision-makers in countries, and development institutions such as multilateral development banks (MDBs), development finance institutions (DFIs) and think tanks focused on development economics and finance. DPAF is a group of economists, grant makers and development finance experts accountable for using economic analysis and perspectives to strengthen foundation policy and advocacy strategies, and for growing the community of economic policymakers engaged in foundation issues. Your Role DPAF is seeking a Senior Program Officer (SPO) to lead our work on the future of development cooperation and financing. This role will shape the foundation’s perspective on how the global development finance architecture must evolve to better meet the needs of low- and lower middle-income countries (LICs and LMICs). While the team includes experts focused on specific financing flows and instruments, this position is responsible for integrating those perspectives into a coherent view of the broader system. The SPO will bring deep expertise across public, multilateral, and private development finance, domestic and external, and apply it to: Develop and articulate foundation views on reforms to the development finance system, from both a global and country perspective. Contribute to the global policy debates on the future of development cooperation and finance. Translate financing and macroeconomic trends into actionable insights that inform foundation strategy. Create awareness of the impacts from major global shifts such as AI and other technologies, geopolitics and trade, populations dynamics, multiple crises, etc, on a future development finance system. Advise senior leadership on implications of shifts in aid architecture, multilateral reform, innovative finance solutions and country financing trajectories. Design and manage complex grants and analytical work, ranging from financial modeling that underpins strategy and engagement to supporting initiatives advancing the future development cooperation and finance structure at the country, regional and global level. This is a pivotal moment for development finance. Aid budgets are under pressure, financing flows are shifting, innovative instruments are expanding, and many countries are prioritizing economic growth and domestic resource mobilization. At the same time, global challenges such as rapid technological shifts, climate change and pandemic preparedness are increasing demands on the system. The SPO will play a leading role in assessing which financing approaches and institutional reforms can most effectively support country-level development priorities while strengthening the overall system. This is a two-year limited-term position (salary + benefits) that reports to DPAF’s Deputy Director and is based in Washington, DC. Relocation assistance to Washington, DC is available for the hired candidate. Visa support is not available for this role. Applications are accepted until Noon, Pacific Time on Wednesday, April 29th, 2026.

Requirements

Advanced degree (Master’s or higher) in Economics, Public Policy, Public Finance, International Development, or related field.
Minimum 10 years of experience in development finance, fiscal policy, or macroeconomic policy analysis.
Experience working with African ministries of finance, central banks, or economic institutions.
Demonstrated leadership overseeing complex policy or advocacy portfolios.
Strong analytical capabilities and ability to communicate economic insights effectively.
Ability to build a culture of collaboration, accountability, and high performance.
Political acumen and ability to navigate sensitive policy environments.
Established networks with regional policymakers, development partners, and economic institutions.
Familiarity and ability to work with key development finance databases.
Fluency in English required
Must have unrestricted work authorization in the country where this position is located.

Nice To Haves

bi-lingual in French preferred.

Responsibilities

Follow key domestic and external financial flows affecting low- and lower middle-income countries (LICs and LMICs), assessing interlinkages and strategic implications of shifts in these flows.
Translate global debates on changes in the global development system into actionable policy and financing opportunities for countries in Africa and Asia, tailored to specific development challenges.
Clarify the role of concessional finance within the broader development finance landscape, and in relation to innovative financing instruments mobilizing additional capital
Create foresight of mega shifts in technology, populations dynamics, and geopolitics that will affect challenges and opportunities for developing countries.
Contribute to the development of forward-looking principles and policy positions on the future of development cooperation and finance.
Maintain and deepen relationships with key institutions, including the OECD and leading think tanks.
In partnership with foundation colleagues in donor capitals and country offices, engage policymakers to inform reform efforts.
Co-lead strategic analyses and briefings to inform senior leadership decision-making and regional prioritization.
Ensure alignment between economic and financing policy engagement and broader foundation advocacy strategies across health and economic opportunity.
Represent the foundation in global policy dialogues, technical forums, and strategic engagements related to development finance reform.
Elevate and integrate perspectives from the Global South in global policy discussions.
Engage funders, development institutions, private sector actors, and policy researchers to strengthen the ecosystem for reform.
Support coordination and convenings with grantees and partners to advance shared reform objectives.
Facilitate senior leadership engagement in high-level external forums.
Foster integrated advocacy approaches and cross-team collaboration across GPA, regional and country offices, and global program teams.
Partner across divisions to ensure policy proposals and investments reflect regional and programmatic priorities.
Generate high-quality analysis, policy briefs, and learning opportunities to inform advocacy and grant strategies.
Promote an inclusive team culture and management practices aligned with the foundation’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Develop and manage a strategically focused grant portfolio with a clear theory of change.
Ensure investments are aligned with strategic objectives, deliver measurable impact, and meet high standards of quality and accountability.
Engage in and help shape blended finance transactions and other innovative financing mechanisms where relevant.