Senior Strategy Officer, Office of the Chief Communications Officer

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation•Seattle, WA

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 Communications Division, led by the Chief Communications Officer (CCO), oversees the foundation’s global communications strategy. The division unites internal and external communications to advance the foundation’s mission and amplify its impact around the world. The Communications Division is focused on achieving two goals: to build trust in the Gates Foundation and to inspire more people to care about our mission. Your Role The Senior Strategy Officer is a strategic partner to the Deputy Director, Strategy Planning and Management (DDSPM) and the Communications Leadership Team in their collective efforts to build trust in the Gates Foundation and inspire more people to care about our three goals: ending preventable maternal and child death, eradicating infectious diseases, and getting millions of people out of poverty. You lead high-impact projects and initiatives in collaboration with Directors and Deputy Directors to define and execute our division’s strategy. You are responsible for shaping and executing strategy efforts, providing strategic thought partnership, materials development, project management, and analytical support. You will be a model of collaboration and do what is needed to provide operational support including input into annual planning and budgeting processes, ongoing pipeline and portfolio management, reporting of progress towards program goals and bodies of work, and the coordination of work across a global division with communications offices in Europe, Africa, India, and China.

Requirements

Master's degree or equivalent experience, preferably in management consulting, strategy development, or marketing strategy.
7+ years of experience in strategy development roles.
Mastery-level knowledge of strategy development and ability to coalesce groups around common goals and priorities to drive work forward.
Exceptional design and material development skills in PowerPoint and other tools (e.g. LLMs).
Demonstrated ability to lead and support a wide array of projects to successful conclusion while operating in a dynamic and sometimes ambiguous environment.
Strong presentation skills (both oral and written), with proven ability to adapt tone and style for broad and diverse audiences.
Proven track record working with diplomacy, flexibility, efficiency, cultural sensitivity and savvy across multiple global, matrixed contexts.
A record of getting things done, of driving clarity amid ambiguity, and finding a mutually agreeable path forward out of complicated priorities.
Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
Ability to be creative and successful, both collaboratively and as an independent problem solver.
Ability to identify, assess, and develop creative solutions to complex strategic and operational challenges.
Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Significant experience leading projects at a premier strategy consulting firm is preferred but not required.
Significant experience leading marketing campaign strategy development is preferred but not required.
Experience leading program design, results frameworks, measurement, learning & evaluation, scorecards and performance management is a plus, but not required.
Knowledge of communications and advocacy in donor and developing countries contexts for global health and development issues preferred.

Responsibilities

Strategy Development and Implementation Partner with the DDSPM and Communications Leadership Team to scope, lead, and execute strategy development for both discrete projects and broader strategic areas of work. You will play an end-to-end role as the lead strategist but will also facilitate any required process improvement and develop materials. Support execution of strategies by leading a process to translate strategy into clear, actionable plans where everyone knows what they are accountable for. Lead ongoing iterative improvement of the strategy, refine approach from learning to early execution, and respond to changes in the internal and external environment. Identify, lead, and support qualitative and quantitative analyses, elevate insights, and outline tradeoffs to drive strategic decision making. Serve as a strategic advisor to Communications leaders and teams and challenge their thinking to elevate the rigor in decision making. Develop compelling and clear presentation materials, memos, and frameworks. Partner with DDSPM and SPM team on operational model execution and process improvements. Partner with directors and deputy directors on special projects or initiatives of cross-cutting importance for the Communications teams (e.g., AI). Flex across the division to take on new projects as needs arise. Provide ad-hoc slide development support for CCO priorities.
Program Management and Planning Provide the Comms leadership team and staff with appropriate business and operational support to deliver on divisional and team goals. Support leadership and teams in translating strategy into coherent, prioritized portfolios and investment plans. Consult/strategize with program leadership to maximize impact of investment and financial processes and ensure optimal learning, decision making, and collaboration. Promote efficiency and productivity on the team by providing leadership and support in process and systems development. Design and drive adoption of improved tools, new tools, ways of working, and reporting. Develop trusted relationships and become a model of collaboration with teammates, other Communications teams, and regional office staff in Washington, D.C., Europe, China, India, and Africa. Contribute to cross-foundation initiatives and joint work with the Global Policy and Advocacy division. Develop new ways of tackling challenges via use of AI tools.
Culture and Collaboration Act as a strong ambassador of the Communications Division and SPM team culture - living our values of collaboration, rigor, innovation, optimism, and inclusion in how work gets done. Foster effective collaboration and team health by strengthening ways of working, surfacing challenges constructively, and supporting an environment of trust, accountability, and continuous learning.