We are seeking multiple (up to three) Senior Program Associates to support our grantmaking aimed at improving global health through scientific research and R&D. This role will report to either Katharine Collins, Heather Youngs, or Ray Kennedy, depending on fit and expertise.

Senior Program Associates (SPAs) work closely with grantmakers, interact with grantees, and are responsible for a wide variety of research and analysis activities that support our grantmaking strategy, as well as administrative and operational duties to support grantmaking. We also expect that SPAs can help define and independently manage some projects. We expect all team members to adhere to our operating values of ownership, openness, calibration, and inclusiveness.

SPA responsibilities may include:

Research: Scoping and conducting research projects, literature reviews, and expert interviews to support grantmaking, grantmaking strategy, and decision-making.

Grant investigation support: Contributing directly to grant investigations, with tasks such as evaluating the potential impact of grants, including impact calculations; and researching and drafting detailed grant recommendations for funding decisions.

Portfolio management: Maintaining relationships with grantees, participating in check-in calls, assessing the progress of funded projects, contributing to planning and strategy documents.

Organizational and administrative support: Managing grant databases, tracking opportunities, coordinating and managing consultants, and arranging meetings.

Communications and external engagement: Attending conferences, as well as preparing written materials and presentations to update management, donors, and other stakeholders on team activities, grantee progress, and key strategic developments.

This job description is intentionally broad and covers several potential areas of focus. While we expect each hire to support each of the activities above to some extent, how they allocate their time will depend on how their interests and aptitudes overlap with team priorities.

Who we’re looking for

We are looking for people who combine scientific understanding, analytical rigor, and strong judgment with curiosity about how global health innovations move from research to real-world impact.

The ideal candidate for these positions will possess many of the skills and experiences described below. However, there is no such thing as a “perfect” candidate; if you are on the fence about applying because you are unsure whether you are qualified, we strongly encourage you to apply. You do not need to have previous experience in grantmaking to apply.

You might be a great fit if you have:

• Experience relevant to Science and Global Health R&D, e.g. in biomedical research, clinical development, implementation research, public health, health tech, consulting, early-, mid-, or late-stage R&D, or pharmaceutical/biotechnology sectors.
• Experience in low- and middle-income countries is a bonus but not required.
• An advanced degree (e.g. master's or Ph.D.) in biology, medicine, or a related global health field, and the ability to think broadly across many topics in biomedical science and translation.
• We anticipate that at least one of our hires will hold an advanced degree, but this may not be required for all roles.
• Outstanding research and critical thinking skills, in addition to critically reading and summarizing primary literature, and the ability to conduct high-quality informational interviews with field experts.
• Excellent judgment, with the ability to focus on the most decision-relevant information.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills, including the ability to:
• Think in probabilistic terms.
• Critically evaluate assessments by others when forming your decisions.
• Have comfort when reasoning about uncertainty.
• Conduct cost-effectiveness and expected value calculations.
• Learn quickly and curiously about new technical areas.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, particularly the ability to reason transparently, and clearly and concisely communicate complex information.
• Ability to travel periodically (e.g. for occasional conferences and team gatherings).
• Strong interpersonal skills for engaging with grantees, researchers, and partners from diverse cultural and institutional contexts.
• Comfort with hits-based giving — funding projects that may have a low probability of success but a large potential upside.
• Ability to overlap with U.K. and U.S. Pacific Time several hours per week for team and grantee calls.

We typically see Senior Program Associates as having at least 4 years of relevant experience, which includes work experience or time spent in an advanced degree (e.g. master's or Ph.D.).

We are open to considering a more senior version of this role for candidates with substantially more relevant experience. If you believe your background and expertise align strongly with this work, we encourage you to apply.

• Scoping and conducting research projects, literature reviews, and expert interviews to support grantmaking, grantmaking strategy, and decision-making.
• Contributing directly to grant investigations, including evaluating the potential impact of grants and drafting detailed grant recommendations.
• Maintaining relationships with grantees, participating in check-in calls, and assessing the progress of funded projects.
• Managing grant databases, tracking opportunities, coordinating consultants, and arranging meetings.
• Attending conferences and preparing written materials and presentations to update stakeholders on team activities and grantee progress.

• Scientific understanding and analytical rigor.
• Strong judgment and curiosity about global health innovations.
• Research and critical thinking skills.
• Analytical and quantitative skills, including probabilistic thinking and cost-effectiveness calculations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills for diverse engagement.
• Comfort with hits-based giving.
• Ability to overlap with U.K. and U.S. Pacific Time for team and grantee calls.

• Experience relevant to Science and Global Health R&D.
• Advanced degree (e.g., master's or Ph.D.) in biology, medicine, or related field (preferred but not required for all roles).
• At least 4 years of relevant experience, including work experience or time spent in an advanced degree.