Senior Program Officer, Modeling & Quantitative Science
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Country: United States of America
Location: Seattle, WA
Time Type: Full time
Posted On: November 18, 2024
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
Our Global Health and Gender Equality Divisions harnesses advances in science and technology to save lives in poor countries. We focus on the health problems that have a major impact in developing countries but get too little attention and funding. Where proven tools exist, we support sustainable ways to improve their delivery. Where they don’t, we are uniquely positioned to invest in research and development of new interventions, such as vaccines, drugs, diagnostics as well as vector control, contraceptives and nutrition. The Global Health division focuses on interventions in HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, enteric and diarrheal diseases and pneumonia while the Gender Equality division focuses on interventions in maternal and newborn nutrition and health as well as in women’s health in general.The Integrated Portfolio Management Team (IPM) in the Global Health division is tasked with maximizing the health impact of our product development portfolio which is similar in size to the largest pharmaceutical companies. We do this by assessing the value/impact and the risk of most products in our R&D pipeline. Cost effectiveness and health impact analyses form the basis of these assessments.
The position will report to the Deputy Director, Integrated Portfolio Management and is based in Seattle
*This is a 9-month limited term employment position with salary and foundation-provided benefits. Relocation will not be offered.
**Application Deadline: December 11, 2024
Your Role
The IPM team is looking to hire a Senior Program Officer, Modeling & Quantitative Science for its Integrated Portfolio Management efforts. By executing health impact and cost effectiveness analyses, this role enables Program Strategy Teams, Functional Teams, and Leadership to have the right information at the right time to make decisions about Target Product Profiles, individual product investments, portfolios of investments, as well as tradeoffs within and across portfolios. In addition to improving the way that the foundation makes prioritization and performance management decisions, this role will drive adoption of improved portfolio management practices. This role will collaborate with Program Strategy Teams, Functional Teams, and external researchers to gather and continuously improve critical data and inputs needed to execute health impact and cost effectiveness modeling of interventions.
The role offers a unique opportunity to have an impact by using experience with epidemiological modelling to shape our portfolio of product development investments that will save lives and reduce suffering in the world’s low- and middle-income countries
What You’ll Do
- Apply expertise in health impact and cost effectiveness modeling to design and execute so-called product valuations using the foundation’s methods and software modeling tools.
- Identify and integrate current academic research to advise teams on suitable models and model assumptions as part of the health impact and cost effectiveness analysis.
- Present modelling results to Program Strategy Teams and Global Health Division leadership to inform product development decision making.
- Collaborate with external world-leading modelling groups and integrate results from their models and expertise into the foundation’s analysis where relevant.
- Collaborate with internal disease modelling experts and other subject matter experts to ensure high quality results.
- Managing and administering grants/contracts with grantees, partners, and vendors.
- Work closely with foundation vendors to translate model methodology improvements into modeling software requirements and ensure successful implementation of modelling software improvements.
- Analyze the portfolio/sub portfolios of product development investments and make recommendations for how to maximize their impact.
- Help evolve the foundation’s portfolio management approaches and tools.
- Identify and evaluate opportunities for continuous improvement of team, division and broader foundation strategy and operational processes.
Your Experience
- Ph.D., Masters or MBA with 6-10 years of experience including 5 years of experience designing epidemiological and/or health economic models.
- Demonstrated quantitative and analytical skills including experience assembling, organizing and analyzing information, extracting insights and presenting findings.
- Proficiency with modelling in R and/or Python, spreadsheet modeling, simulation, data analysis, statistics/econometrics and other quantitative skills. Capability to quickly learn new software programs and new analytical methods.
- Knowledge of infectious diseases, epidemiology and biostatistics techniques used in global health.
- Strategic problem-solving skills to structure the analysis needed to address a sophisticated and ambiguous question, within the resources and time constraints provided.
- Excellent listening, verbal and written communication skills to effectively calibrate input and synthesize information to connect with multifaceted and diverse audiences.
Other Attributes
- Broad understanding of global health & development issues and some global health & development experience.
- Experience with strategy development, execution, measurement, review and adjustment processes.
- Ability to inspire change across a sophisticated organization. Experience in developing and managing strong partnerships and relationships with internal and external impacted groups.
- Candidates with less experience will be considered for a Program Officer role.
*Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.
The salary range for this role is $182,600 to $283,100 USD. We recognize high-wage market differences in Seattle and Washington D.C., where our offices are located. The range for this role in these locations is $199,000 to $308,400 USD. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission. New hires salaries are typically between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint. Actual placement in the range will depend on a candidate’s job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process.
#LI-CM1
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
If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request .
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.