Associate Program Officer

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, we're committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team

The Polio Team works with partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) as well as with country governments, donors and other collaborators to build and implement the Polio eradication strategy. We do this by developing relationships and uplifting each other through our journey together. We believe that energized people, working well together, motivated by great leadership in an inclusive environment in which they thrive, will do phenomenal things.

The foundation's Leadership Team is invested in our success, as we continue to provide updates, identify key risks, and build engagement opportunities.

Application Deadline: 20/10/25

The Role

You strategically develop and manage portfolios of grants and contracts requiring high-level grant management skills, monitoring, and evaluation. You act as a key advisor on strategy initiatives and contribute to the continued development of the team's strategic vision while partnering closely with team leadership to set the overall strategy and goals for the team. You coordinate the team's engagement with GPEI on outbreaks across regional and global levels, including managing and hiring talent. You work in close collaboration with national authorities, NGOs, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners at the global, regional, and country levels.

This position is based in Nairobi and reports to the Interim Deputy Director, Health, based in South Africa.

Key roles and responsibilities

• Support the Senior Program Officer and overall, Non-Endemic Outbreaks team in implementing the strategy for stopping outbreaks of Type 2 circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses globally in Africa with particular focus on DR Congo and Lake Chad Bassin (francophone) countries.

• Coordination with Global Polio Eradication Initiative partnership in Kenya to ensure optimum implementation of polio strategy.

• Support facilitation, project management, partner management and follow-up on initiatives and projects to address cVDPV2 transmission led by the Polio Outbreaks team, with a particular focus on strengthening grant and consultant and management and tracking program progress.

• Draft sections of key documents, reports and presentations for a variety of purposes and audiences, summarizing developments and recommendations for internal and external audiences; handle overall process for document preparation.

• Conduct basic data analysis in support of the Foundation's work.

• Interact and communicate clearly and consistently with grantees and partners in the field; support team program officers on select investments

• May directly own a small number of investments.

Your Experience

• An advanced degree, or equivalent demonstrated experience, in management, administration, consulting, public health, or a related field, with a minimum of three (3) years of professional experience.

• Experience in strategic planning and strategy implementation, particularly as it relates to polio eradication and immunization.

• Experience in emergency response, program management, and program operations.

• Previous experience managing teams in cross-cultural, cross-location settings

Other Attributes

• Ability to develop and maintain strong partnerships and relationships inside and outside the organization, manage conflicts, and build consensus.
• Proficiency in English and French is required; knowledge of Portuguese will be considered an advantage.
• Ability to travel up to 50% internationally.

Hiring Requirements

As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Candidate Accommodations

If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here.

Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices.

All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.

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