Background

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially t...

Your Role

As the Senior Program Officer, Regional Product Introduction, you will work with partners to lead investments and support the development and execution of product introduction and expansion strategies for priority products in the Women’s Health portfolio.

The PrIMA (Product Introduction and Market Access) initiative within WHI works to introduce priority products from the WHI portfolio and speed up access to them. Its focus areas are contraception, STIs, and gynecological and menstrual health. PrIMA invests in partnerships that support manufacturing, procurement, supply chain, and product introduction, so that these products stay accessible in priority geographies.

You will report to the Deputy Director of Health Systems for the Africa Regional Office (ARO), with a dotted line to the Deputy Director of PrIMA for WHI. This role is based in our Nairobi, Kenya office.

What You'll Do

The SPO for Regional Product Introduction will work with key stakeholders, both internal and external, to develop and execute on sustainable introduction strategies for WHI priority products in key geographies. We are seeking highly motivated individuals with a deep understanding of women’s health landscape and the ability to build strong relationships with key stakeholders.

• Lead, develop and execute introduction/commercialization strategies for WHI priority products in key geographies products (e.g, GTM planning for the region and select priority geos, including selection of commercial distribution partner for portfolio/products)
• Synthesize and infuse market and user insights and other downstream development considerations into introduction as well as upstream work and planning.
• Oversee execution of work and ensure proper tracking of progress against performance indicators
• Consult with grantees to achieve desired impact of grants; conduct site visits when appropriate, provide technical guidance, convene meetings and apply and evaluate milestone-based performance objectives.
• Coordinate GTM efforts across ARO platforms and WHI portfolio across priority ARO and WHI priority geographies
• Coordinate across key partners (internal and external) to execute on strategy; Where the foundation has country offices, you will work closely with the in-country team to support execution of the work, including identifying and executing operating synergies that can leverage regional/country cross-program platforms. For example, in our Africa Regional Office (ARO) deep engagement countries, you will work closely with ARO Teams, especially for countries with Health Transformation Units (DRC, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania and Senegal)
• Develop and manage relationships with key stakeholders, including implementing partners/grantees as well as distributors and government (where relevant and in partnership with our regional/country offices).
• Review letters of inquiry and grant proposals; provide clear, concise and insightful written analyses and recommendations for funding, including drafting and editing proposal summaries and progress reports for existing grants for review by foundation leadership.
• Support inclusive culture through modeling behaviors and actions; escalate issues in a timely fashion to appropriate stakeholders.
• Work closely with other PO’s across RCOs and across WHI to ensure coordination across initiatives within team

Your Experience

• Degree in business administration, marketing or related field
• 10+ years in pharmaceutical, health care or consumer health care industry, preferable in women’s health
• 5+ years in developing and executing commercial strategies for women’s health products in emerging markets and/or LMICs.
• Proven ability to launch products across public and private sectors successfully
• Deep understanding of women’s health landscape in emerging markets/LMICs
• Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships with key stakeholders
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Fluency in English; Fluency in additional language used in LMIC markets a plus
• Thrives under ambiguous conditions and is highly motivated
• Demonstrated and passionate learning agility with continuous improvement mindset
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and to develop and maintain strong business partner relationships
• Innovative, proactive, and resourceful
• Ability to anticipate and mitigate challenges
• Hands-on team player willing to work in an environment where individual initiative, accountability, and professional maturity are required
• Strong PC experience, Microsoft Office Suite experience required

Other Attributes

• Must have unrestricted work authorization in Kenya where the position is based.
• This role requires extensive in-country travel, with up to 40% of time.
• Flexibility to travel as needed to support active program processes is expected. Occasional travel to Seattle or other ARO locations will also be required.
• Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in a local language of the role's location is an asset.

• Lead, develop and execute introduction/commercialization strategies for WHI priority products in key geographies products (e.g, GTM planning for the region and select priority geos, including selection of commercial distribution partner for portfolio/products)
• Synthesize and infuse market and user insights and other downstream development considerations into introduction as well as upstream work and planning.
• Oversee execution of work and ensure proper tracking of progress against performance indicators
• Consult with grantees to achieve desired impact of grants; conduct site visits when appropriate, provide technical guidance, convene meetings and apply and evaluate milestone-based performance objectives.
• Coordinate GTM efforts across ARO platforms and WHI portfolio across priority ARO and WHI priority geographies
• Coordinate across key partners (internal and external) to execute on strategy; Where the foundation has country offices, you will work closely with the in-country team to support execution of the work, including identifying and executing operating synergies that can leverage regional/country cross-program platforms. For example, in our Africa Regional Office (ARO) deep engagement countries, you will work closely with ARO Teams, especially for countries with Health Transformation Units (DRC, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania and Senegal)
• Develop and manage relationships with key stakeholders, including implementing partners/grantees as well as distributors and government (where relevant and in partnership with our regional/country offices).
• Review letters of inquiry and grant proposals; provide clear, concise and insightful written analyses and recommendations for funding, including drafting and editing proposal summaries and progress reports for existing grants for review by foundation leadership.
• Support inclusive culture through modeling behaviors and actions; escalate issues in a timely fashion to appropriate stakeholders.
• Work closely with other PO’s across RCOs and across WHI to ensure coordination across initiatives within team

• Deep understanding of women’s health landscape in emerging markets/LMICs
• Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships with key stakeholders
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Fluency in English
• Thrives under ambiguous conditions and is highly motivated
• Demonstrated and passionate learning agility with continuous improvement mindset
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and to develop and maintain strong business partner relationships
• Innovative, proactive, and resourceful
• Ability to anticipate and mitigate challenges
• Hands-on team player willing to work in an environment where individual initiative, accountability, and professional maturity are required
• Strong PC experience, Microsoft Office Suite experience required

• Degree in business administration, marketing or related field
• 10+ years in pharmaceutical, health care or consumer health care industry, preferable in women’s health
• 5+ years in developing and executing commercial strategies for women’s health products in emerging markets and/or LMICs.
• Proven ability to launch products across public and private sectors successfully
• Fluency in additional language used in LMIC markets a plus
• Must have unrestricted work authorization in Kenya where the position is based.
• Extensive in-country travel, with up to 40% of time.
• Flexibility to travel as needed to support active program processes is expected. Occasional travel to Seattle or other ARO locations will also be required.
• Proficiency in a local language of the role's location is an asset.