Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership committed to saving children's lives and protecting people's health by increasing equitable use of vaccines in lower-income countries. The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. Gavi uses innovative finance mechanisms, including co-financing by recipient countries, to secure sustainable funding and adequate supply of quality vaccines. Since 2000, Gavi has contributed to the immunisation of nearly 880 million children and the prevention of more than 15 million future deaths. At the Global Vaccine Summit in June 2020, world leaders pledged more than $8.8bn to ensure Gavi can continue to amplify this work and immunise another 300 million children by 2025.
Gavi’s strategy for the 2021-25 period (‘Gavi 5.0’) focuses on increasing equity of immunisation programmes by reaching marginalised children in the world’s poorest countries with the objective to save millions of lives. The new strategy also includes a focus on ensuring continued success of immunisation programmes in former Gavi-eligible countries, and on providing access to new Covid-19 vaccines through COVAX to address the health and economic impacts of the largest pandemic in a century.
The Strategy, Performance and Transformation team supports the Alliance leadership and Board in accelerating the roll-out of Gavi 5.0. This includes (i) designing and operationalising Gavi’s approach in a number of focus areas (including reaching zero dose children and marginalised communities, optimising Gavi’s portfolio management processes), (ii) supporting the Gavi country teams in designing and rolling out transformative strategies for key countries, (iii) defining Gavi’s new partnership model and partnership investments at global and regional level, and (iv) strengthening the performance management process in the Gavi Secretariat to ensure Gavi’s leadership steers the organisation towards results and operational excellence. The team will also lead on the development of Gavi’s 6.0 strategy starting in 2023.
THE ROLE The Head will lead the design, operationalisation and launch of new approaches for Gavi 5.0 and the development of the Gavi 6.0 strategy. He/she will act as a senior advisor to the Gavi leadership team and support it in identifying and addressing strategic questions that might arise during the implementation of the strategy 2021-25 and beyond.
MAIN DUTIES
Acting as a thought partner to the Gavi senior management, the Head will align with the senior management on the vision and prioritisation for the new approaches, ensuring clarity on roles and responsibilities and on the support required from the Strategy, Performance and Transformation team. He/she will guide his/her team in the development of the strategies/approaches by providing thought leadership, strategic guidance and process oversight. Working closely with the business leads, he/ she will supervise project teams staffed with members across the Alliance to develop an evidence base which will inform the discussions of the Alliance leadership. He/ she will oversee the development of options and recommendations for the CEO’s and Board’s consideration, and help the business move new approaches into implementation with an excellent change management component. As part of this work he/she will guide the design and operationalisation of Gavi’s support to Alliance partners at global and regional levels and be leading on Partnership Team meetings.
As examples, the initiatives that the Strategy, Performance and Transformation team will support will tackle the following questions: • What programmatic and financing approach to sustainably reach zero-dose children with life-saving vaccines in different country settings, for example in conflicts and emergencies? How to ensure global uptake and smooth implementation? • How can Gavi accelerate progress in reaching unreached children with life-saving vaccines in key countries such as Nigeria and India? What are the impactful and innovative investments that Gavi should support? • How can Gavi revamp its partner engagement approach at global/regional levels to ensure effective contribution from partners to the Alliance mission? How to manage the engagement of Alliance leadership in the process through the Partnerships Team? • In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the increase in fragility and conflicts, climate change, new blockbuster vaccines coming to the market and the evolving global health architecture, how will Gavi’s goals, objectives and operating model evolve in the Gavi 6.0 strategic period? • How to optimise the performance management process within the Gavi Secretariat to ensure that Gavi is on track to deliver against its strategic priorities and achieves operational excellence?
The Head will pay particular attention to fostering a spirit of collaboration and shared responsibility within the Gavi Secretariat and Alliance partners. He/she will ensure ownership of implementation plans by the relevant Alliance teams following approval of strategies and approaches.
Note: The essential functions listed in this section are not exhaustive of the job responsibilities; other duties may be assigned consistently with the department needs.
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
• Advanced degree in business administration, public health, medicine, public policy, economics, international development or related areas required.
WORK EXPERIENCE
• At least 12 years of professional experience in the field of strategy, organisation and/or management preferably of international development institutions required; • Thereof at least five years in a top tier management consulting firm preferred; • Significant experience in the field of strategy development is essential; • Experience in working with and engaging senior leaders (C-level) is essential; • Experience in global health and/or the non-profit sector a must, ideally including in low resource settings.
SKILLS
• Structured strategic thinking; • Exceptional people skills including relationship development at senior levels, and ability to influence outside of formal hierarchical structures; • Excellent knowledge of Global Health; • Excellent analytical and project management skills; • Ability to influence outside of formal hierarchical structures; • Excellent writing, presentation and communication skills; • Ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish working relationships with multiple teams; • Ability to work independently, under pressure, demonstrating initiative and flexibility.
LANGUAGES
• Fluent English; French is a plus.
CONTACTS
• Director, SFP (direct report); • Frequent interactions with Board members, CEO, COO and Managing Directors; • Collaboration with all teams in Gavi Secretariat; • Gavi partners at WHO, UNICEF and others.
How to apply
If you wish to apply, please provide a cover letter and resume through our Careers webpage and apply by clicking on “Head, Strategy, Performance & Transformation”. Deadline for applications is 5 October 2022.
Please note that as a vaccine organisation and in order to provide duty of care towards its employees, Gavi is requiring its new employees to confirm that they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as a condition for pursuing employment with us. You can find out more by visiting this link.
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In support of Gavi’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion, we hire globally and welcome applications regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, national origin, family status, sex, gender identity or expression, physical characteristics, race, religion, spirituality or sexual orientation. Gavi has zero tolerance towards sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse as well as any form of discrimination or harassment. Everyone at Gavi is expected to conduct themselves with integrity and respect towards each other. Gavi is committed to creating a work environment that is safe and professional, therefore all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference checks. Read more here.
Gavi brings together the public and private sectors to save lives and protect people’s health by increasing equitable and sustainable use of vaccines against 18 infectious diseases. You will be joining an organisation at the centre of the international COVID-19 response, at the most critical time in global health in a lifetime. You will work in a culturally diverse environment with over 70 nationalities. You will collaborate with partners such as WHO, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank – and from business, civil society and government. And you will work in the first global health organisation to receive equal gender salary certification. Your unique experience, skills and talents can help us achieve our vision of leaving no one behind without the life-saving power of vaccines.
