Senior Program Officer, Antimicrobial Resistance & Mortality Surveillance at Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation

• As the Senior Program Officer, Mortality Surveillance & Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), you will support surveillance for the Resilience through Azithromycin for Children (REACH) program, within the Africa Team. REACH is a country-led, time-bound program that aims to save the lives of young children (1-59 months) through biennial mass drug administration of Azithromycin- an intervention, that has previously been demonstrated in peer-reviewed clinical trials to reduce child mortality by ~14% in high mortality settings.
• You will be responsible for developing and handling a portfolio of investments (grants and contracts) that support the design and conduct of high-quality mortality surveillance and AMR in implementing geographies and provide evidence-based analyses to drive country-led decision-making. You will nurture the REACH Network across several countries in West & Central Africa.
• You will work from Africa in constant collaboration with Africa Team colleagues and various Program Strategy Teams (PSTs) across the foundation. We are looking for someone who is innovative, thoughtful, and curious, with a strong ability to identify and solve problems. We are looking for people who enjoy the challenge of working on complex and impactful programs and collaboratively crafting solutions that have the potential for ground-breaking change in the lives of people around the world. The applicant will have the ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, and diplomacy in a fast-paced, ambitious environment.
• This position reports to the Director, Health, Africa team.

What You Will Do

Translate Strategy into Country-Specific Engagement

• Ensure implementation of a tailored approach for Mortality surveillance, and for AMR surveillance incorporating a clear technical vision, overarching goals, and detailed country-specific investment plans. These plans should align with REACH priorities and drive impactful, measurable outcomes.

Support Innovation adoption.

• Identify opportunities for innovation adoption – tools and approaches - in the program implementation that will bring step change to achieving better health outcomes. This includes identifying and nurturing non-traditional partnerships and networks for surveillance.

Engage with Diverse Stakeholders

• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. Provide strategic and technical support through joint efforts, participation in technical forums, and by complementing and aligning resources and interventions.

Drive Impactful Investments Aligned with Strategic Objectives

• Collaborate with global and national stakeholders to conceptualize, develop, and manage high-impact investments that address the surveillance needs and opportunities.

Ensure Quality Surveillance and Data Management

• In line with the agreed program protocol, you will ensure that the program collects high quality, accurate and timely data, you will ensure quality analytics and systems.

Optimize Project Impact and Promote Learning

• Partner with the IDS/ surveillance program, grantees and stakeholders to maximize project impact and promote evidence generation and knowledge sharing. Activities include establishing a learning agenda, a learning and sharing platform and partnerships, translating learning into operational guidance.

Leverage Cross-Sector Opportunities

• Work with stakeholders to identify and pursue cross-sector grant-making opportunities that drive the REACH program. These may include collaborations in related program areas such as Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH), Routine Immunization, Primary Health Care, Malaria and Polio.

Your Experience

• Medical Doctorate (MD) and/or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) with at least 10 years of experience in epidemiology or public health, or equivalent experience. Masters in public health (MPH) desirable.
• Proven understanding and technical experience in microbiology, infectious disease surveillance, mortality surveillance, and disease modeling, and proven track record in translating research findings into highly effective programs.
• Significant experience working in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) with academic institutions, local governments, and NGOs.
• Experience brokering relationships with global partners, including academic, research, industry, government, other donors, and grantees, to build a common vision for effective solutions to complex problems.
• Ability to collaborate effectively in a matrixed environment - manage, coordinate, and prioritize multiple projects and meet deadlines within a fast-paced environment with multiple and ambitious demands.
• Experience in working on teams with diverse cultural and professional backgrounds.
• Excellence in scientific writing and data analysis, written and oral communication skills, and experience synthesizing technical information toward strategic decision-making.

Other Attributes

• This role will require the ability to travel up to 40% domestically and internationally.
• Nigeria is the preferred location for this role. However, Senegal is an option for consideration.
• Fluency in English is required, with strong proficiency in French highly preferred.