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 mission of the Global Policy & Advocacy (GPA) division is to understand and shape the public policy debates affecting the foundation's work, build support for its major program and policy objectives, and develop partnerships and alliances that can advance the foundation's objectives nationally and globally. Because the foundation's resources alone are not enough to solve the challenges ahead, GPA also supports advocacy efforts to engage diverse stakeholders and promote innovative solutions that advance our program goals. We work in close partnership with grantees, our colleagues in the Global Health, Global Development, Global Growth & Opportunity, U.S. and Gender Equality programs and Foundation Communications to build the environment in which all people have the opportunity to lead healthy and productive lives.

As a part of GPA, the Development Policy & Finance (DPAF) team is the foundation’s development economics and finance team, accountable for ensuring GPA’s work – and by extension the foundation’s work – is informed by strong economic and financial analysis and viewpoints, resonant with economic trends, and connected with key decision-makers at ministries of finance, multilateral development banks (MDBs), development finance institutions (DFIs) and think tanks focused on development economics and finance. This is not a research team but a group of economists, grant makers and development finance experts accountable for using economic analysis and perspectives to strengthen foundation policy and advocacy strategies, and for growing the community of economic policymakers engaged in foundation issues such as the promotion of human capital and gender equality.

Your Role

This role will report to DPAF’s Deputy Director for International Finance, serve as a foundation leader on issues related to macroeconomic policies and their impact on human capital and gender equality, and partner closely with internal colleagues on Program Advocacy and Communications (PAC), Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE), and other teams.

This role will lead an investment portfolio focused on promoting human capital and gender equality through evidence-based macroeconomic policies and development finance, both building off and growing an existing portfolio of partners committed to driving change. Our goal is to support researchers, leverage in-country champions and advocates, and align governments, donors and other stakeholders to promote macroeconomic policies and investments that promote inclusive and equitable economic development.

This is an 11-month limited-term employment opportunity with salary and benefits, ideally beginning in March or April 2024. For the preferred candidate we are open to considering US-based remote work from most states in the US. Remote work from locations outside of the US is not an option for this role. We are also open to considering candidates based in Seattle, WA, Washington, DC or London, UK for candidates who possess work authorization in one of these locations. Relocation assistance is not provided for this opportunity.

What You'll Do

• Lead the implementation of DPAF’s new strategy on human capital and gender equality

• Serve as the foundation's in-house expert on the intersections of human capital, gender equality, and macroeconomic policy, working effectively to turn good ideas into action, and serving as a thought partner and advisor to senior leadership and colleagues across the foundation

• Work closely with Gates Foundation colleagues focused on health, nutrition, education, women’s economic empowerment and leadership, as well as colleagues in the Foundation’s country and regional offices (India, Africa); serve as a resource for relevant teams across the foundation to ensure coordination and alignment of our global, regional and country specific work

• Manage relationships with colleagues focused on human capital and gender equality at international financial institutions (IFIs), think tanks, philanthropic foundations, and other grantee and partner organizations

• Be up to date on relevant developments in the field, in particular for topics related to the DPAF strategy on human capital and gender equality, including structural transformation and the future of work, gender gaps in time use (with an emphasis on paid and unpaid work), and “what works” in macroeconomic policy to advance equitable health, nutrition, education, and employment outcomes

• Prepare and write briefs synthesizing current practice and knowledge and/or recommending course of action on key topics of relevance to foundation; continue to learn and maintain a comprehensive understanding of the trends and drivers of areas above

• Manage a portfolio of grants designed to deliver on strategy

• Support grantees to achieve desired impact of grants: conducting site visits, providing technical mentorship, convening meetings, and applying and evaluating milestone-based performance objective

• Participate in meetings, coordinate programmatic input, and write and review briefs to prepare Foundation Leadership for high-profile events

• This role is responsible for high quality interactions and clear and consistent communications with grantees and partners in the field

Your Experience

• Advanced degree in economics, public policy, development, or a related field with 7+ years of experience, or equivalent experience

• Extensive experience working with key players at IFIs, governments, research institutions, think tanks, advocacy organizations, multilaterals, and bilaterals to generate evidence-based solutions to promote human capital and/or gender equality through macroeconomic policy formulation and implementation

• Substantive expertise in macroeconomic barriers and policy solutions to narrow gender and other gaps in human capital, paid and unpaid work, and wider economic outcomes

• Experience leading others in a direct reporting relationship and creating a coaching environment for people to test, learn, and grow

• Working experience in Africa and South Asia

• Passion for and track record in using economic policy to drive equitable outcomes and impact in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in relation to human capital and/or gender equality

• Experience in developing and managing strong partnerships and relationships with senior decision makers inside and outside of an organization, managing conflicts, and building consensus

• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and execute exceptionally, translating research to ‘fundable' ideas, advocacy and action

• Demonstrated ability in portfolio management to create optimal investment mix to drive to a set of outcomes

• Proven ability to successfully shepherd issues across large institutions, various levels of staff and different cultural contexts

• Proven ability as a great teammate defined as someone who shares ideas generously, adjusts flexibly to changes in context, and is motivated to act with some urgency

• Strong project management experience with excellent planning, execution, and analytic skills

• Ability to travel up to 30% domestically and internationally

*Applicants for this role will only be considered if they are able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

The salary range for this role is $137,500 to $206,200 USD. We recognize high-wage market differences where our offices are located, in Seattle, Washington D.C., and Boston (Cambridge). The range for this role in these locations is $149,800 to $224,600 USD. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission and new hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint. Actual placement in the range will depend on a candidate’s job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process.

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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.