The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Senior Policy and External Relations Officer

Seattle, WA, United States

Foundation Overview

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people's health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people - especially those with the fewest resources - have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, the foundation is led by CEO Patty Stonesifer and co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

Nearly 2.5 billion people live on less than $2 a day. For one person in eight, hunger is a constant, potentially deadly, companion. The vast majority of the poor also lack access to the most basic financial services and only a tiny minority have access to the Internet. The foundation’s Global Development Program is working with motivated partners to create opportunities for people to lift themselves out of poverty and hunger. Our strategy is focused. Because most of the world’s poorest people rely directly on agriculture, we support efforts to help small farmers improve crop production and market access. Because loans, insurance, and savings can help people weather setbacks and build assets, we facilitate access to financial services for the poor. And because information can change lives, we support free public access to computers connected to the Internet. We also support a range of learning opportunities, including potential new areas of long-term giving, and we respond to emergencies through our Special Initiatives grantmaking.

Responsiblities:

• Oversee the development of outreach strategies to key external partners for the Global Development Program, including developing country governments, donors, civil society, and the private sector aimed at increasing visibility, impact and new resources to achieve key programmatic goals
• Coordinate and develop proactive strategies to deepen and leverage relationships with key regional and national partners in the developing world, especially Africa and south Asia
• Manage a small external relations team, working closer in partnership with GH Policy & Advocacy and Foundation Public Policy working on the US and Europe to support overall foundation outreach in donor countries, including with NGOs and the private sector
• Identify, develop and oversee a portfolio of select grants related to widening support and leveraging the impact of partnerships to support overall GD priorities
• Research and analyze aid and budget allocations, decision making, and regulatory structures relevant to the broader work of the program to help determine best methods for achieving desired results to support wider mission attainment.
• Track current global, regional and national economic, political, social, and other trends important to inform grant making to existing and future regions and countries where the program works.
• Play a coordinating role with the respective GD teams to ensure strategic focus and understanding of the implications of current and potential grants with regard to wider foundation relationships and growing partnerships with governments and intergovernmental bodies (e.g. European Union, African Union).
• Draft short issue briefs as needed for senior foundation leadership including the President, CEO and co-chairs.
• Work with the Public Affairs team to develop outreach plans for listening to outside voices, sharing the Global Development teams’ position and strategies and thinking working on better impact assessment.
• Substitute for the Director of Policy and Advocacy where needed and represent the foundation to key program-related external constituencies.

Qualifications:

• An advanced degree in public policy, international relations, development or a related field.
• At least 15 years experience working on a broad range of development policy issues, preferably including significant experience working in Africa and/or south Asia with a wide range of partners, including Governments, bilateral and multilateral donors.
• Strong public presentation skills and ability to develop and maintain a strategy on how to maximize and leverage relationships with key Global Development policy partners (e.g. Governments, think tanks, universities, other development players).
• A professional demeanor and sensitivity to social practices in other cultures.
• The ability to stay calm and poised under pressure and remain focused in a rapidly changing environment.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to create persuasive and clear written communications.
• Experience in a role requiring the ability to mentor staff and recommend necessary improvements with compassion and firmness; being willing to both give and accept feedback about performance.
• Demonstrated initiative to solve problems with high energy and a positive attitude.
• The ability to work effectively to deadlines.
• An ability to work as part of a team.
• Demonstrated commitment to the foundation’s core values, mission, and programs and to serving our grantees.
• The highest personal and professional integrity along with a sense of humor.
• Ability to travel up to 35%.

Job Location: Seattle, WA 98102

To Apply:

To apply, please click here to apply online.