5 jobs in Gates Foundation

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 Global Policy & Advocacy (GPA) division shapes public policy debates, builds partnerships, and supports advocacy efforts to advance our mission. Within GPA, the Development Policy & Finance (DPAF) team focuses on economic and financial expertise to strengthen policy and advocacy strategies across the foundation's key priorities, including economic growth, public finance management (PFM), and fiscal policy in Africa.

DPAF works to strengthen the fiscal position in priority African countries to increase the amount and impact of domestic resources allocated to pro-poor investments. DPAF engages directly with ministries of finance and economic planning in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Kenya to advance reforms in economic policy and growth, domestic resource mobilization (DRM), public financial management (PFM), and fiscal accountability.

Application Deadline: 18/9/25
This position is a limited-term position for 24 months.

Your Role
The Senior Program Officer (SPO), Development Policy And Finance, Africa Will Support The Foundation's Engagement On Development Finance, Fiscal Policy, And Public Financial Management (PFM) In Africa, With a Focus On Ethiopia, Kenya, And Tanzania As Well As On Regional/continental Issues Where Relevant. Opportunity For Other Countries As Fits Experience. The SPO Will Contribute To

• Managing a grant portfolio supporting economic growth policies, public finance reforms, DRM, private sector mobilization, and fiscal advocacy in Africa.
• Policy analysis on African budgets, fiscal space and economic trends.
• Stakeholder engagement with African governments, particularly ministries of finance and economic planning and policy regional development finance institutions such as the African Development Bank.
• Strategic coordination within the foundation to align regional and global policy efforts, particularly in relation to health outcomes and the foundation's focus on under-five and maternal mortality.

This role requires a good understanding of
Africa's economic and fiscal policy landscape
and practical experience working with African governments, particularly on public financial management and budget policy.

This position reports to the
Deputy Director, Advocacy & Communications
, and works in close partnership with the
Deputy Director, Development Policy & Finance, Country Finance
.

The role is based in
Nairobi, Kenya
, and is offered as a
24-month Limited Term Employment (LTE) position
. Candidates
must be legally authorized
to work in
Kenya
without
visa sponsorship
.

What You'll Do

• Grant Portfolio & Program Management (30%)
• Assist with the management of a portfolio of country finance grants covering economic growth and policy, domestic resource mobilization (DRM), public financial management (PFM), and fiscal accountability.
• Serve as a guide and thought partner to grantees and partners to ensure funding is used effectively to advance fiscal policy reforms and pro-poor investment strategies.
• Provide support in strategy development, measurement and evaluation, and policy impact assessment.
• Design new grants that will advance the foundation's development finance strategy for Africa.
• Development Finance & Public Policy Analysis (30%)
• Working closely with the Policy and Advocacy leads in the foundation's priority countries, conduct policy analysis on public financial management (PFM), budget formulation and execution, and tax policy in priority African countries.
• Produce analytical notes, policy briefs, and commentaries on DRM, debt sustainability, and fiscal space.
• Track economic and political developments affecting fiscal policy and public sector financing in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya.
• Engage with think tanks, universities, and policy institutions to translate economic research into actionable policy recommendations.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Government Relations (20%)
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with ministries of finance, central banks, and economic planning bodies in key African countries.
• Work with African policymakers to strengthen domestic revenue mobilization, tax policy, fiscal transparency, and public expenditure efficiency.
• Represent the foundation in policy dialogues, conferences, and technical working groups related to development finance and fiscal governance in Africa.
• Support advocacy efforts for global financial architecture reforms that enhance Africa's access to concessional financing and innovative finance mechanisms.
• Internal Coordination & Strategic Advisory (20%)
• Serve as a resource for foundation teams to ensure coordination and alignment of global, regional, and country-level fiscal policy initiatives.
• Work alongside DPAF colleagues to represent the team at relevant Africa team meetings, working groups, and task forces.
• Provide strategic input to foundation leadership, preparing briefing notes, background research, and event coordination support.
• Project manage internal foundation processes to update leadership on development finance trends for Africa including managing input and research products from partners and external consultants.

Your Experience

• Master's degree in economics, finance, public policy, international development, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in development policy, with at least 2+ years of experience working in African countries.
• Proven experience engaging with African ministries of finance, central banks, or economic planning institutions on fiscal and economic policy.
• Strong understanding of domestic resource mobilization, tax policy, budget processes, and public expenditure management in Africa.
• Experience working with think tanks, international donors, or regional development institutions on economic and fiscal policy and governance issues.
• Strong research, analytical, writing, and public presentation skills with the ability to synthesize complex policy issues.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities and tight deadlines, and collaborate effectively across teams.

Other Attributes

• Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship
• This position is a limited-term position for 24 months
• Skilled in various cultural, geographic, and operational settings, demonstrating cultural sensitivity with diverse groups and strong dedication to development and personal integrity.
• Ability to travel up to 30% domestically and 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.

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.

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
"Guidance, Solutions, Integrity" describes the Legal division's approach to providing responsive legal guidance supporting pursuit of the Foundation's mission and implementation of the foundation's programmatic and operational strategies. The Legal team delivers comprehensive legal services by providing efficient and reliable legal guidance, managing legal risk, and supporting the development of solutions to achieve the mission of the foundation and its affiliated entities.

The Legal team partners with our colleagues across the foundation and its affiliated entities to enable mission-driven work by maintaining an efficient, well-run global organization where employees can thrive and make their best contributions. Doing this well requires effective collaboration, strong alignment, and thoughtful planning across both operational and programmatic teams – as well as shared accountability for mitigating risk and optimizing the foundation's operational resources.

Your Role
We seek a
Deputy Director, Legal
to provide legal advice in support of the Foundation's programmatic activities, while also supporting its operational needs as appropriate. This position requires a commitment to the Foundation's mission and a strong understanding of the legal and regulatory landscapes in Kenya and across the rest of Africa, and the ability to navigate diverse legal systems and cross-cultural settings. The successful candidate will work closely with internal teams and external partners across multiple jurisdictions to help structure legally sound, mission-aligned work in dynamic and evolving environments. This is an exciting opportunity to apply your legal skills to some of the world's most pressing challenges. You will be part of a dynamic legal team supporting high-impact work that improves lives across the globe.

The postholder will serve as a member of the Foundation's Legal Team and collaborate with other team members to represent the entire Foundation and ensure effective coverage, work allocation and communication regarding legal issues across the Foundation, all from a "one legal team" and "one Foundation" perspective.

The role will be based at the Foundation's office in
Nairobi
, and report to a Director on the Legal Team (based in Seattle).

What You'll Do

• Understand and provide legal support for the programmatic and business objectives of internal client groups, notably the Foundation's Africa Team, develop creative solutions, mitigate legal risks and resolve issues using the appropriate legal framework in consideration of the Foundation's values and consistent with Foundation practices and policies.
• Structure, negotiate, and draft legal documents related to the Foundation's investments, including grants, contracts, and complex transactions and collaborations, and other Foundation activities in furtherance of the Foundation's charitable objectives (collectively, "Investments").
• Understand legal compliance best practices for, and help ensure Foundation-wide consistency regarding Investments, including with respect to applicable laws, Global Access, data/privacy matters, charitability, intellectual property, for-profit engagement and advocacy.
• Demonstrate broad generalist expertise to proactively identify legal issues and collaborate, where appropriate, with other Legal Team members to lead the resolution of complex and strategic legal issues across Africa, in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Establish a partnership of trust with key internal stakeholders and participate as a strategic and day-to-day advisor. Serve as an active and key contributor to the Foundation's Africa Leadership Team.
• Serve as the Legal Team's relationship manager for the Foundation's office in Kenya (and other country offices as required) and support the Foundation's activities across the African continent, working closely with the leadership and staff of the Foundation's Africa Team and providing guidance and helping to coordinate legal team resources where appropriate.
• Facilitate compliance with regulatory requirements applicable to the Foundation's offices in Africa and other Africa-based activities as well as help ensure Foundation-wide consistency, including developing generalist familiarity and, where appropriate, collaborating with other Legal Team members on operational matters (including requirements related to employment/labor, tax, office registration, cybersecurity, insurance, records retention, and workplace health and safety).
• Partner with other Foundation operations teams to support Foundation goals and policies as appropriate.
• Build relationships with and manage outside counsel, as applicable.
• Support training and education of Foundation personnel on legal issues, as well as grantees and partners as appropriate.
• Keep current on and track relevant applicable new and emerging laws, policy developments and best practices, including those relating to tax-exempt organizations, private foundations, cross-border giving and operational compliance in Kenya and the wider African continent.
• Travel to the Foundation's other Africa offices and its offices in the U.S. on a consistent basis required; travel to other Foundation offices as appropriate; and other travel as required.

Your Experience

• Academic: Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from a recognized university required; Masters of Law preferred.
• Professional: Admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with a current practicing certificate. Member in good standing of the Law Society of Kenya.
• Minimum of 12 years' experience in the practice of law, of which at least seven years must have been in Kenya.
• Combination of law firm and in-house counsel experience strongly preferred.
• History of effectively supporting a demanding client base, serving as counselor on ground-breaking, emerging legal issues in a complex, fast-paced and evolving legal and policy environment.
• Direct experience guiding and generally advising clients on broad and multi-jurisdictional commercial legal and business matters in cross-cultural, multilingual, and often politically sensitive environments on the African continent is a plus.
• Experience with supporting grant making and other investment vehicles within philanthropy or representing an international non-governmental agency or a U.S. based not-for-profit is a plus.
• Expertise in leading, drafting and negotiating complex transactions and collaborative relationships.
• Ability to identify potential business and/or operational issues that could impact business objectives of internal clients.
• Ability to collaborate across a legal team and with clients and/or business partners as well as the ability to build relationships to gain the respect and trust of others.
• Ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly and non-legalistically to clients in both writing and orally.
• Ability to work with diplomacy, flexibility, efficiency, intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm both individually and collaboratively as part of a team effort in a highly matrixed organization.
• Ability to prioritize work in the context of an organization's risk tolerance framework, priorities and objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to learn and apply new areas of law applicable to nascent and evolving technologies, business models, regulatory systems, and investment models, demonstrating intellectual curiosity and excitement to engage proactively and confidently with unfamiliar topics.
• Highest standards of ethics and integrity.
• Sense of balance, humor and perspective.

Other Attributes

• Demonstrated passion for the Foundation's mission and values and Legal Team purpose statement.
• Comfortable in a wide range of cultural, geographic and operational settings, demonstrating culturally sensitive behavior with a diverse range of people.
• Ability to travel up to 30% internationally.
• Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

Application deadline
: 2 October 2025

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.

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 People team is a strategic partner in shaping a thriving, inclusive, and high-performing organization. We steward the employee experience across the full talent lifecycle—from attracting and developing exceptional talent to strengthening culture, supporting well-being as well as impact, and aligning people strategies with our mission.

Your Role
At the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, you will join a team of mission-driven professionals dedicated to solving some of the world's most pressing challenges. As the Foundation strengthens its presence in Africa during this impact acceleration phase, this role offers a unique opportunity to shape and lead transformative HR work at scale—while contributing to lasting impact both across Africa and globally. This is a pivotal moment to help establish a truly global foundation.

The
Deputy Director, Regional HRBP, Africa
is a senior leader and strategic advisor within the People division, accountable for advancing the foundation's talent, leadership, and organizational effectiveness agenda across Africa. Serving as a key global partner to members of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), the Executive Program Action Group (EPAG), and other senior regional and global leaders, this role is charged with shaping and implementing enterprise-level people strategies within a dynamic and evolving global context.

In partnership with business leaders you will design and implement forward-looking organizational solutions tailored to the specific countries and regions you support. Drawing on your deep understanding of dynamic business contexts and operating environments, you will proactively shape talent and organizational strategies that drive measurable impact.

In this role, you will lead a team of HR professionals aligned by division or region. You will also play a key role in establishing, evolving, and enhancing the people experience in fast-changing organizations and locations—bringing sound judgment and agile, adaptive approaches to meet evolving needs.

The role reports to the Director, People Partnerships based in Seattle, Washington. The role is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

What You'll Do

• Act as a strategic partner and advisor to one or more ELT, EPAG, and/or senior leadership teams— You will be embedded in these executive forums to shape organizational direction, strengthen alignment and lead both near-term and long-term people planning across the region.
• Own regional decision making on key people programs, initiatives and policies and drive regional perspectives into global solutions. Serve as a voice of the customer and drive the connection between regional leadership and Seattle-based teams, ensuring alignment of global priorities while adapting enterprise-wide initiatives to reflect regional context, culture, and operational realities.
• Define a talent strategy with senior leadership team and provide oversight and direction of the execution of core people processes in alignment with these plans, including performance partnership, talent development, compensation, and engagement cycles, tailoring approaches to strategic priorities and regional and/or division level readiness. Ensure people processes are executed with consistency, rigor and relevance across divisions and countries.
• Drive the development and delivery of organizational solutions with senior leaders and to meet priority business needs which may include organization design, organizational effectiveness, culture and engagement, talent and succession strategy, and workforce planning.
• Provide leadership on regional HR compliance and operations, ensuring legal and policy adherence while fostering operational excellence and mitigating organizational risk
• Represent the people function in business strategy conversations, providing insight and foresight to guide decision-making from a human capital perspective, including global workforce trends and emerging capability needs.
• Diagnose root causes and provide comprehensive solutions to complex organizational challenges. Steward transformation initiatives that advance both near- and longer-term results.
• Lead with a systems-level approach, identifying structural, cultural, and leadership enablers to build global capability, inclusive leadership, and a high-integrity culture.
• Champion and embed a global, inclusive approach, fostering equity, belonging, and cultural competence across leadership practices, systems, and structures.
• Advise and coach senior leaders, acting as a trusted confidante and thought partner in moments of transformation, ambiguity, or disruption.
• Model and advocate for inclusive and ethical leadership behaviors, raising issues with integrity and urgency while creating environments of psychological safety and trust.

Your Experience

• Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree or PhD in Business, Human Resources, or Organizational Psychology preferred. A minimum of 12 years of experience operating at senior leadership levels in HR.
• Operate effectively in a highly matrixed, global organization. Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders across functions and geographies, influencing decisions and driving alignment while respecting regional and cultural nuances.
• Operational experience defining and managing people and employment practices within the countries within the scope of role
• Experience in creating and managing global HR solutions and balancing local requirements with global intentions
• Expertise as a collaborator and bridge-builder across teams and within human resources
• Experience in owning and advising on complex decisions that require the balance of teams/organizational needs and enterprise priorities.
• Proven ability to drive transformation and growth to build a high integrity culture.
• Strong leadership skills, business acumen, influencing and advising skills.
• People management experience leading global and/or cross functional teams.
• Proven track record of building, aligning and implementing a sustainable HR agenda that fuels business performance and organizational capability development.
• Significant experience and demonstrated ability to interface effectively with all levels of management and employees while working in a non-profit, and/or global organization.
• Ability to use people analytics and HR technology platforms to inform decisions, track impact, and continuously improve the employee experience.

Other Attributes

• The role requires willingness to travel up to 30% internationally.

Application closing date - 26th September 2025

• Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

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.