Senior Strategic Finance Manager (LTE)

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation•Seattle, WA

About The Position

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 Enterprise Business Management Team sits at the center of foundation-wide business processes, serving the org in several key functions: • We enable the business processes that fuel enterprise planning and central reporting. Our team provides business ownership to strategic projects that improve core resource allocation business processes, data, and reporting infrastructure. • Provide program and business ownership to information products that support resource allocation and management, investment and portfolio management, and services to help meet teams’ data and reporting needs to enable custom analysis and exploration. • We also provide operating expense business and financial support to program strategy teams (PSTs) and operating divisions across the foundation, directly supporting the operating divisions and overseeing the strategic planning of all foundation operating expenses. You play a critical role in strengthening the foundation’s Financial Planning and Analysis capabilities by supporting cross-foundation visibility, analysis, and decision-making around operating expenses. You will help leadership understand the financial implications of strategic and operational choices through modeling, scenario analysis, and synthesis of sophisticated information into actionable insights. You will lead discovery and diagnostic work to assess current financial processes, systems, and frameworks – finding opportunities to improve efficiency, right-size resources, and enhance alignment between Finance and Operations. This role supports the foundation’s growth and vision by advancing financial stewardship and transparency, enabling leadership to make informed, strategic decisions about how to deploy operating resources most effectively. Through strong analytical rigor, cross-functional collaboration, and a solutions-oriented mindset, you will contribute to the foundation’s broader goals of operational excellence and impact. This is an 11-month Limited Term Employment position based in Seattle. Relocation support will not be provided.

Requirements

Masters/MBA preferred with 6+ years of experience or equivalent.
Strong financial and analytical background, with demonstrated experience in modeling, forecasting, and scenario planning to inform strategic and operational decisions.
Proven ability to analyze complex data, financial, and organizational systems, identify areas for improvement, and develop recommendations that enhance efficiency and transparency.
Highly proficient in Excel, Business Intelligence (BI), and other analytical tools; comfortable synthesizing large amounts of data into concise, actionable insights for diverse audiences.
Proven ability to influence without authority—building trust, alignment, and consensus among diverse partner groups.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex financial concepts into clear narratives for both financial and non-financial audiences.
Experience working across functions or within large, matrixed organizations, demonstrating flexibility, agility, and a collaborative approach.
Intellectually curious, proactive, and comfortable working in ambiguity—able to connect the dots and advance work with incomplete information.
Deep commitment to inclusion, learning, and continuous improvement; values diversity of perspective as a driver of stronger analysis and better decisions.
Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Analysis: Provide financial analysis and modeling to give foundation leadership insight into operating expenses and resource allocation.
Translate complex financial data into clear insights and options that advise strategic and operational decisions across the foundation.
Scenario Planning & Decision Support: Develop and evaluate financial scenarios and options to support leadership in making tradeoff and prioritization decisions.
Provide analytical rigor and judgment to guide conversations on resourcing, growth, and efficiency.
Process & Systems Improvement: Lead discovery and diagnostic work on existing financial planning processes, systems, and frameworks.
Find opportunities to right-size approaches, streamline workflows, and strengthen alignment between Finance and Operations.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Finance Centers of Excellence, Operations, and the COO’s office to ensure cohesive financial planning and transparency across the organization.
Serve as a connector, ensuring insights and lessons from one area inform broader foundation practices.
Financial Stewardship & Insight: Strengthen the foundation’s Financial Planning and Analysis capabilities by enhancing visibility, accountability, and analytical depth.
Help advance a culture of strategic financial management that balances stewardship with impact.
Culture & Influence: Model inclusive, collaborative, and solutions-oriented behaviors.
Lead through influence to align diverse partners around shared goals and continuous improvement in financial practices.