Senior Officer, Advocacy - Health Product Introduction for Women and Children's Health

Job Posting Organization:
The organization is the largest nonprofit dedicated to combating poverty, disease, and inequity globally. Founded on the principle that all individuals, regardless of their identity or circumstances, deserve the opportunity to lead healthy and productive lives, the organization emphasizes the importance of diversity among its employees to reflect the global populations it serves. The organization offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage without premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, retirement contributions funded by the foundation, regional holidays, and opportunities for employees to engage in various community initiatives. The workplace culture is committed to fostering an environment where employees can thrive both personally and professionally.

Job Overview:
In the role of Senior Officer, Advocacy - Health Product Introduction for Women and Children's Health, you will play a crucial part in connecting innovation with impact. Your primary responsibility will be to ensure that essential maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) products are accessible, accepted, adopted, and sustained within government-led health systems. This position requires close collaboration with various teams, including Maternal, Newborn, Child & Nutrition Health (MNCNH), Family Planning (FP), Women’s Health Innovation (WHI), and Immunization Program Strategy Teams (PSTs), as well as country offices in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Senegal. You will lead advocacy efforts to promote the introduction of priority MNCH innovations at the country level, transitioning from fragmented advocacy efforts to coordinated, systems-level approaches. Your work will involve engaging with governments, implementing agencies, and advocacy partners to unlock financing, expedite regulatory pathways, and build the necessary evidence and messaging to foster political will, ensuring that innovations are embedded into national strategies and delivery systems efficiently and sustainably. You will focus on priority countries for product introduction, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Senegal, Mozambique, and Kenya, and report directly to the director" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Deputy Director, PAC ARO.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Your responsibilities will include co-developing advocacy strategies to address financing and policy barriers that hinder the scaling of high-impact MNCH products in priority regions such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. You will coordinate with governments, development partners, and advocacy stakeholders to ensure that MNCH innovations align with national health strategies, optimize financing, and expedite regulatory approvals. You will oversee detailed micro-planning analyses to guide country-scale approaches, ensuring that evidence informs policy and financing decisions. As a senior advocacy resource, you will link international research and scientific expertise with national MNCH priorities and Sustainable Development Goal 3 achievement plans. You will identify, negotiate, and manage complex performance-based contracts and grants that support advocacy for MNCH product introduction, ensuring high-quality execution and accountability. Additionally, you will manage partnerships and grantee relationships to foster collective learning and advocacy impact, conduct site visits, convene meetings with key collaborators, and evaluate grant components. You will collaborate across foundation teams to align product, policy, and financing efforts, manage grants and partner relationships at regional and country levels, and facilitate knowledge sharing among partners across countries. You will represent the foundation to key government health leaders and produce regular reports and strategic presentations summarizing key developments, risks, and opportunities related to MNCH product advocacy and financing. Furthermore, you will support foundation leadership in preparing for high-level engagements by developing talking points, strategy memos, and partner coordination to drive aligned messaging and influence policy agendas.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience, complemented by an advanced degree in medicine, public health, health economics, public policy, or a related field. Exceptional knowledge and expertise in technical advocacy and communications related to products and commodities, particularly within the FP and MNCH ecosystem, is essential. Candidates should have experience communicating policy and advocacy efforts specific to product introduction and scale, and should have worked with governments, academic institutions, NGOs, the private sector, and professional associations. Hands-on experience interacting with senior-level policymakers, coalitions, and private sector partners is preferred. Experience advising government, donors, and implementing agencies in developing countries is also required, along with a strong understanding of health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and the economic, social, and political factors influencing health outcomes. Candidates should demonstrate a consistent track record of flexibility, efficiency, and subtlety in a complex, fast-paced environment, and possess strong communication skills to convey complex situations clearly to diverse audiences.

Educational Background:
An advanced degree in medicine, public health, health economics, public policy, or a similar field is required for this position. This educational background should provide a solid foundation in understanding the complexities of health systems, advocacy, and policy development, particularly in relation to maternal, newborn, and child health.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in advocacy, policy development, and health systems strengthening, particularly in the context of maternal, newborn, and child health. This experience should include working with various stakeholders, including government entities, NGOs, and private sector partners, to drive policy changes and facilitate the introduction of health products.

Languages:
While the job description does not specify mandatory languages, proficiency in English is likely essential given the international nature of the role. Knowledge of local languages in the priority countries (Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Senegal, Mozambique, and Kenya) would be advantageous and could enhance communication and collaboration with local stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
The position is full-time and may require travel up to 40% domestically and internationally. The hiring process will include a background check, and the organization is committed to providing accommodations for candidates with disabilities during the application and recruitment process. The organization values diversity and inclusion, ensuring equal opportunity and fair treatment for all applicants and employees, regardless of race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, or prior protected activity.