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, weโre committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.
The TeamThe Africa Team works to enable the foundationโs ambitious goals of scaling evidence-based interventions that target a range of diseases and socio-economic conditions which are endemic across Sub-Saharan Africa. Specifically, the focus of the Africa Team is to enable collective impact for the foundation in Africa by influencing policy and finance towards key development priorities, strengthening capacity, and enabling systems for delivery, and innovating and using cross-cutting enablers for impact at scale. The team performs its responsibility through direct country engagement to deploy interventions and delivery models, and by building the partner architecture to replicate successful interventions and models across multiple countries.
The Global Health team harnesses technological advancements to tackle health challenges in low- and middle-income countries. We aim to address significant issues that lack adequate attention and resources. Our approach involves enhancing existing tool delivery and investing in innovative solutions.
Application Deadline: 3/3/2025
Your Role
The Deputy Director, Health Programs and Innovation adoption โ West & Central Africa (WCA) will provide strategic leadership, operational execution, and oversight for health programs across Senegal, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cรดte dโIvoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the broader ECOWAS region. This role is instrumental in scaling health innovations, strengthening primary healthcare (PHC) systems, and ensuring that regional health strategies align with the Foundationโs Program Strategic Teams Strategies (PSTs) and countries. The Deputy Director will work closely with governments, multilateral agencies, private sector partners, and NGOs to accelerate progress in maternal and child health, infectious disease control, and health systems strengthening.
Below is what success in this role looks like:
Transformational Health Impact: Delivery of measurable health outcomes across multiple countries in WCA.
Regional Innovation Ecosystem: Establishment of robust networks, platforms, and policies.
Strategic Partnerships & Policy Influence: Strengthened collaborations with governments, regional bodies, and donors.
Operational Excellence: A high-performing regional health team with effective grant management and execution.
Global Thought Leadership: Recognition as a leading voice in health innovation and program implementation.
This role will be based in Senegal, Dakar and the Deputy Director, Health Programs and Innovation adoption โ West & Central Africa will report to the Director, Health, Africa
What You'll Do1. Strategic Leadership & Innovation Adoption
Lead the development/ adaptation and execution of a cohesive country and regional health strategy for WCA, ensuring alignment with foundation global program strategic teams (PSTs) strategies.
Drive innovation adoption across health systems, bringing to bear digital health, AI, and data-driven approaches.
Provide strategic guidance and support to programs teams, grantees, and partners to strengthen health outcomes across the region.
In partnership with the foundation Regional lead, represent the Foundation at high-level forums in priorities countries and at regional level.
2. Program Development & Execution for Scale
Advise on the designing, funding, and implementation of high-impact, cost-effective health interventions in priority countries.
Lead cross-cutting regional programs focused on maternal and child health (MCH), nutrition, infectious diseases (including malaria), surveillance, and outbreak response, ensuring timely detection, prevention, and control of public health threats.
Strengthen regional health financing mechanisms and collaborate with the Policy team to develop and implement funding strategies that advocate for increased domestic resources.
3. Stakeholder Engagement & Policy Influence : In partnership with the Regional Representative
Regional Representation & Advocacy: Serve as the Foundationโs primary health representative across WCA; working in collaboration with the Regional Representative.
Further collaboration with in-country health donors, ensuring harmonized investments and alignment with national health priorities.
Strengthen partnerships with ECOWAS, AU, WHO-Afro, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and local implementing partners.
4. Team Leadership & Organizational Management
Lead in collaboration with other DDs based in Seattle) a high-performing regional Health team (from different PSTs), ensuring strong execution, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing.