Senior Program Officer

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 This role sits within the Foundation’s Africa Offices (AIO) and is based in Ethiopia, working in close partnership with the Government of Ethiopia, donors, and implementing partners to strengthen primary health care through health financing, pharmaceutical systems, and supply chain management. The team focuses on supporting country-led priorities and national health system institutions, strengthening the policy and financing environment for primary health care, and improving the availability and affordability of essential medicines and health commodities — grounded in country ownership, strong government engagement, and effective donor coordination. Application Deadline: 31/8/2026 Your Role The Senior Program Officer (SPO) will lead the development and management of a portfolio of strategic investments (grants and contracts) to strengthen primary health care through health care financing (HCF), pharmaceutical systems, and supply chain management (SCM). This role is designed for a senior health systems leader with deep expertise in health financing and health economics, pharmaceutical systems, and supply chain management. Experience working alongside Ministries of Health and national health financing, regulatory, and supply chain institutions is strongly preferred. Working closely with the Government of Ethiopia, donors, and implementing partners, the SPO will provide technical leadership, strategic analysis, and investment oversight to advance the Foundation’s health systems objectives. The SPO will cultivate strategic partnerships, represent the Foundation in national and global technical forums, and contribute to shaping the Foundation’s strategy in health financing, supply chain management, and health systems strengthening. While global strategy for health financing and supply chain systems is set by the relevant global program teams, this role focuses on country-level strategy, investment design and oversight, and the government and partner engagement required to translate that strategy into measurable improvements in Ethiopia’s primary health care system. This is a 6-month, limited-term position based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Prior experience working in Ethiopia is preferred. What You’ll Do 1. Portfolio Strategy, Investment Design & Grantmaking Lead the design, development, negotiation, execution, and management of a portfolio of grants and contracts aligned with the Foundation’s health financing, pharmaceutical systems, and health systems strengthening strategy Identify new investment opportunities and develop grant concepts that respond to national priorities and evidence gaps Review proposals, conduct technical and financial assessments, and provide evidence-based funding recommendations Manage portfolio budgets, grant documentation, reporting, and internal processes while ensuring compliance with Foundation policies and operational standards 2. Investment Oversight & Portfolio Management Provide strategic oversight of active grants and contracts, ensuring high-quality implementation and achievement of milestones Ensure effective risk management, learning, and measurable impact across the portfolio Track performance against agreed indicators, surface implementation risks early, and course-correct with grantees where needed 3. Government Engagement & Policy Dialogue Maintain regular engagement with the Government of Ethiopia, particularly the Ministry of Health and other relevant government institutions, to advance joint priorities Support the implementation of health financing, pharmaceutical systems, and supply chain initiatives at national and sub-national levels Provide rigorous technical analysis and evidence-based recommendations to inform policy dialogue, health systems reforms, and strategic planning 4. Representation on Coordination Platforms & Governance Bodies Represent the Foundation in national technical working groups, partner coordination platforms, and governance bodies, including: SDG Performance Fund (SDG PF) Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) Health Care Financing Technical Working Groups Supply Chain Management Technical Working Groups Other strategic coordination mechanisms Represent the Foundation at national, regional, and global meetings, conferences, and high-level engagements related to health financing, pharmaceutical systems, health systems strengthening, and supply chain management 5. Technical Leadership in Health Financing, Pharmaceutical Systems & Supply Chain Serve as the Foundation’s technical representative on health care financing, pharmaceutical systems, and supply chain management initiatives Translate complex technical and financial issues into clear, actionable recommendations for diverse audiences, including senior government and donor decision-makers Use data, implementation research, and evidence to inform investment decisions, policy dialogue, and strategic program design Maintain a strong understanding of digital health, health information systems, and innovative approaches that improve data quality, automate data collection, and strengthen evidence-based decision-making 6. Partnerships & Donor Coordination Build and strengthen partnerships with bilateral and multilateral donors, development finance institutions, UN agencies, implementing partners, academic institutions, and the private sector to maximize alignment, coordination, and program impact Strengthen collaboration with government, donors, implementing partners, civil society, and the private sector on health financing, pharmaceutical systems, and supply chain priorities 7. Cross-Foundation Collaboration Collaborate across Foundation teams to ensure investments align with broader Primary Health Care (PHC), Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and health systems strengthening strategies Foster an inclusive and collaborative culture by modeling Foundation values, promoting knowledge sharing, and escalating issues to appropriate stakeholders in a timely manner Your Experience Advanced degree or equivalent demonstrated experience in medicine, public health, health economics, health financing, health policy, pharmacy, supply chain management, or another relevant field Experience in a public or private global health organization, with demonstrated leadership in health systems strengthening initiatives Proven experience designing, implementing, and managing health care financing initiatives, including health systems financing, health economics, strategic purchasing, provider payment reforms, health insurance and risk pooling, benefits package design, resource mobilization, and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Demonstrated experience leading or supporting pharmaceutical systems and health supply chain management initiatives, including procurement, forecasting, logistics, warehousing, distribution systems, supply chain governance, local pharmaceutical and health commodity manufacturing, and access to essential medicines and health commodities Extensive experience working with Ministries of Health and other government institutions to develop policies, strategies, implementation plans, and health system reforms; experience working in Ethiopia is preferred Demonstrated experience collaborating with bilateral and multilateral donors, including organizations such as the World Bank, Global Fund, Gavi, WHO, UNICEF, USAID, philanthropic organizations, and other development partners Significant experience developing, negotiating, and managing complex portfolios of grants and contracts, including investment design, implementation oversight, budgeting, performance management, monitoring, evaluation, and risk mitigation Proven ability to build and sustain strategic partnerships across governments, donors, implementing partners, academia, civil society, and the private sector Experience representing an organization in high-level policy dialogue, technical working groups, steering committees, and international forums Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, influence without authority, and work effectively in cross-functional and multicultural environments Deep expertise in: Health financing and health economics — strategic purchasing, provider payment reform, health insurance and pooling mechanisms, benefits package design, resource mobilization, and UHC Pharmaceutical systems and health supply chain management — procurement, forecasting, logistics, warehousing, distribution, and supply chain governance Local manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and health commodities, and access to essential medicines Primary health care and health systems strengthening Health technology assessment Strong analytical, quantitative, writing, and communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex technical issues into clear, actionable recommendations Familiarity with digital health, health information systems, and data-driven approaches to strengthen decision-making is an asset Expected Outcomes of the Role A coherent, well-managed portfolio of health financing, pharmaceutical systems, and supply chain investments delivering measurable results against agreed milestones Strengthened government capability and a more sustainable financing environment for primary health care and progress toward UHC in Ethiopia Improved availability, affordability, and reliability of essential medicines and health commodities at the primary health care level Stronger alignment and coordination among government, donors, and implementing partners, reducing fragmentation and duplication of investment Evidence, analysis, and insights that shape Foundation strategy and inform national policy dialogue and health system reform Other Attributes Ability to travel up to 30% domestically and internationally. This position does not offer visa sponsorship. Applicants must possess current work authorization and must not require sponsorship now or at any point in the future. Hiring Requirements As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Candidate Accommodations We’re committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring experience for all candidates. If you have a disability or medical condition and need an accommodation at any stage of the application or interview process—such as an ASL interpreter, alternative interview format, or physical accessibility support—we’re happy to help. Please contact HR@gatesfoundation.org with the position number and a brief description of your accommodation needs. Requests will be handled confidentially. Inclusion Statement We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices. All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity. Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.