Senior Officer, Advocacy - Product Introduction (Infectious Diseases)

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 foundation emphasizes diversity among its employees to reflect the 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, regional holidays, and opportunities for employees to engage in various communities. The foundation is committed to fostering an environment that supports both personal and professional growth for its employees.

Job Overview:
In the role of Senior Officer, Advocacy - Product Introduction (Infectious Diseases), you will report to the director" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Deputy Director of Program Advocacy & Communications (PAC) at the Africa Regional Office (ARO). This position involves a hybrid work arrangement based in Nairobi, Kenya. Your primary responsibility will be to create an enabling environment for policy and financing that supports the research, development, and introduction of infectious disease products and interventions. This role serves as a crucial link between research and development and the downstream introduction of innovative products, ensuring they are accessible, accepted, adopted, and sustainably integrated into government-led systems in alignment with national priorities. You will collaborate with various teams within the foundation to connect innovation, policy, regulation, and advocacy, focusing on strategically aligned investments and facilitating advocacy efforts for complex product introductions, particularly in priority countries aiming to eliminate malaria and reduce deaths from TB and HIV/AIDS.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Your duties will include co-developing advocacy strategies to overcome political, policy, and regulatory barriers to research and development progress, as well as the introduction and scaling of high-impact infectious disease innovations, particularly complex biotechnology products. You will build strong relationships in priority countries to ensure that advocacy and policy engagement aligns with national priorities, empowering countries to set their own research, adoption, and scale-up agendas. As a senior resource, you will provide expertise on high-impact and emerging interventions for infectious diseases, coordinating with governments, development partners, regional bodies, and advocacy stakeholders to align innovations with national health strategies. You will analyze research and development evidence alongside country scale-up approaches, ensuring that evidence informs policy and financing decisions. Additionally, you will oversee performance-based contracts and grants supporting advocacy for infectious disease product introduction, manage partnerships and grantee relationships, and collaborate across foundation teams to leverage cross-sector opportunities for amplifying advocacy impact.

Required Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, you must have a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience, complemented by an advanced degree in fields such as medicine, public health, health economics, public policy, biotechnology, or similar disciplines. A proven understanding of biotechnology research and development ecosystems, including the regulatory, ethical, and political factors influencing development and deployment in African contexts, is essential. You should have experience in communicating policy and advocacy for complex product introduction and scale, working with various stakeholders including governments, academic institutions, NGOs, and the private sector. Familiarity with national and regional regulatory authorities, ethics committees, and policy frameworks governing biotechnology and infectious disease tools in Africa is also required. Experience in product adoption and scale in low- and middle-income country settings is an asset, along with a solid understanding of health systems and the socio-economic and political factors affecting infectious disease outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa.

Educational Background:
Candidates should possess an advanced degree in relevant fields such as medicine, public health, health economics, public policy, biotechnology, or similar areas. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of the role and the environment in which the foundation operates.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience, demonstrating a strong track record in supporting country-level infectious disease product advocacy and strategy implementation. Candidates should have experience navigating complex regulatory systems and engaging with diverse stakeholders to achieve shared objectives.

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 additional languages relevant to the regions of focus may be advantageous but is not explicitly stated as a requirement.

Additional Notes:
This position is a full-time role based in Nairobi, Kenya, with a hybrid work arrangement. The successful candidate should be prepared to travel internationally up to 40% of the time. The hiring process will include a background check, and the organization is committed to providing accommodations for candidates with disabilities during the application process. The foundation emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion in its hiring practices, ensuring equal opportunity for all applicants.