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
The Global Growth & Opportunity (GGO) division works to catalyze sustainable transformative change in the face of inequities and market failures, to realize the potential of untapped markets, and to see the economic and social benefits of including everyone. We focus on the areas of Agricultural Development; Global Education; Inclusive Financial Systems; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; Digital Public Infrastructure and Nutrition. We seek solutions that are sustainable, transformative, and inclusive with an eye toward applying technology innovations as well as data evidence to drive change in the world’s developing countries.Your Role
The IFS country team develops and maintains strategies in nine focus countries. As a member of our country team, you will be responsible for IFS’s work in East Africa.
In the role of Senior Program Officer (SPO), you will strategically develop and manage one or more portfolio of grants and contracts in East Africa requiring high-level grant management skills, monitoring and evaluation. As a key advisor on strategy initiatives, contribute to the continued development of the team’s strategic vision, while partnering closely with team leadership and the Africa Regional Office to set the overall strategy and goals for our work globally and in East Africa.
This will require you to be deeply involved in each country’s government (Kenya, TZ and Uganda), financial regulation, banking, and financial technology networks to drive a consistent, evidence-based strategy across the various grant making areas that will deliver digital financial services to the poor. You will also help build and engage a strategic network of advisors. In doing so, you can recognize the interrelationships between policies and regulations; financial infrastructures; and public- and private-sector institutions to identify key strategies that will influence distinct classes of financial service providers to better serve low-income clients.
The role reports to: Deputy Director, IFS Focus Country Implementation
*This is a limited-term position for 15 months, located in Seattle, WA. Relocation will not be provided.
***Applicants for this role will only be considered if they are able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.
What You'll Do
Directly or indirectly leads a team to develop, manage and implement project strategies.
Negotiate, execute, and manage complex portfolio of grants or performance-based contracts. Review letters of inquiry and grant proposals and provide clear, concise, and insightful written analyses and recommendations for funding.
Consult regularly with grantees and partners to improve the impact of projects and ensure sharing of lessons learned. This will include field visits, hands-on oversight, operational guidance, and convening and facilitating interactions among key partners. Acquire and utilize market data that highlights the current landscape of the financial inclusion position across the region will be encouraged to determine appropriate interventions.
Develop, manage, resource, and implement a program that aligns with foundation strategy and is operationally integrated with other foundation programs. Contribute to the design of new strategies, collaborations and implementation plans to ensure long-term sustainability and impact.
Represent the foundation to key program-related external constituencies, as appropriate, on committees related to area of expertise and responsibilities of the position.
Initiate, develop and cultivate strategic relationships with potential partners, including other organizations and individuals working in but not limited to corporations, The Prime Minister’s office, Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank, other Government Ministries, Mobile Network Operators, Academics, Social Protection Agencies etc. with the goal of advancing IFS’s core strategy in financial inclusion, digital identity and low-cost payments infrastructure in the region.
Provide support for, and interact with, the community of fintech companies and commercial service providers, including non-profit organizations and non-bank payment service providers who will deliver financial services to low-income individuals in East Africa.
Monitor and share key insights from the work done in East Africa to facilitate work in other countries, especially countries that are a focus for the foundation.
Serve as the primary contact within East Africa for IFS initiatives engaging and working through key implementing partners in close collaboration with their governance bodies. Facilitate connections between technical knowledge specialists and country partners working in financial inclusion.
Liaise with the IFS team to ensure the portfolio of grants and relationships in-country are well aligned with the Foundation’s objectives and complementary to other PSTs goals.
This role may manage employees and may be responsible for hiring the talent needed to achieve our goals, ensuring successful employee onboarding, communicating performance expectations, creating goal alignment, integrating project and change management, giving and seeking feedback, providing coaching, measuring progress, and holding people accountable, supporting employee development, and recognizing achievement and lessons learned.
Your Experience
We are looking for people who enjoy solving complex problems using a hypothesis and data-driven approach and are experienced delivering innovative solutions in complex environments. You should be prepared to work across a diverse set of subject areas, bridging a wide range of expertise all the while being a teammate, with a proven ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, and diplomacy in an exciting, challenging environment.
Ten plus years of prior work experience gained in some combination of the following:
Private Sector (e.g., Banks, Mobile Network Operators), Governments, Central Banks, or public policy organizations; with an emphasis on experience in Ethiopia.
Financial inclusion donor or similar grant-making organization
Development organization utilizing technology to address specific needs of very low income and vulnerable people
Technology company with a focus on large-scale enterprise platforms
Financial services within an emphasis on providing products to mass-market consumers or low- income audiences
Startup ventures in the digital products and services market, including firms that provide venture capital and advisory services.
Recognized internally and externally by the global professional community as an expert within Digital Financial Services, Digital ID, and Digital Payments.
Knowledge of how Digital ID, Payments, and Data form a digital “stack” that not only facilitates digital financial inclusion, but also impacts economic growth and public service delivery.
Ability to navigate the vastly varied cultural, linguistic, and political landscapes in East Africa. Experience with leading and working with a range of clients, colleagues, consultants, and other partners with broad exposure to senior policy makers & regulators.
Proven ability to lead and influence others in a constructive manner and to build and sustain collaborative relationships.
Experience as technical resource to teams and leadership on impact, cost effectiveness and decision analyses.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to effectively synthesize information to reach diverse audiences and build consensus.
Knowledge methods of impact evaluation, operational research, and modeling.
Knowledge of the public policy sphere in East Africa specifically; additional exposure to broader Sub-Saharan Africa region desired.
Demonstrated strategy skills and capacity to conceptualize, structure and supervise projects/programs.
Effective leadership skills with a demonstrated ability to inspire others.
Innovative and open-minded approach to all aspects of work. Ability to question and challenge colleagues, including managers, in a constructive manner.
Ability to engage and negotiate with all levels of decision makers including C-Level and executives within the public and private sectors.
MBA or master’s degree in relevant subject matter.
Language skills to work effectively in East Africa, including Swahili and English languages (French also beneficial)
*Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.
The salary range for this role is $173,000 to $259,600 USD. We recognize high-wage market differences in Seattle, WA and Washington D.C., where our offices are located. The range for this role in these locations is $190,300 to $285,500 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.
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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.