Senior Program Officer, Government and Multilateral Relations, United Nations

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.

The North America Team (NAT) is a team within GPA that develops and executes policy, advocacy, communications and government relations strategies to build political support and advance domestic and global programmatic priorities that are funded by, or executed within, the United States, Canada, and the United Nations.

Your Role

The Senior Program Officer, Government and Multilateral Relations (SPO), United Nations (UN), will be responsible for developing and executing a cross-cutting advocacy strategy to advance key foundation priorities in global health and development. Reporting to the Deputy Director, Global Policy, Strategy & Operations, North America, in this role you will represent the foundation to external constituencies in support of the foundation’s overall policy and advocacy objectives at the UN. This role is based out of our offices in Washington, DC, where our employees work a hybrid schedule. Relocation assistance can be provided for candidates not currently residing in Washington, DC.

Applications will be accepted until 5 PM (Pacific Time) on Monday, December 16th, 2024.

What You’ll Do

• Develop, implement, and coordinate a UN global health and development advocacy strategy that aligns with foundation priorities and is operationally integrated with other foundation teams.

• Identify advocacy opportunities and provide guidance on prioritization for foundation leadership engagement.

• Contribute to maintaining existing relationships and forming new partnerships with the foundation by reinforcing senior- level relations with key UN officials and UN Member States in New York.

• Maintain and grow relationships with key UN partners in New York, including civil society organizations, foundations, and other groups.

• Represent the foundation to key UN constituencies. This could include both formal and informal presentations such as making speeches, attending conferences and other meetings as necessary.

• Assume primary responsibility for shaping and managing policy and advocacy grants and contracts necessary to achieve UN advocacy goals.

• Partner with grantees to develop project objectives and define key outcomes and milestones, ensuring that appropriate monitoring and evaluation systems and processes are established to produce robust evaluation of outcomes.

• Lead ongoing high-quality interactions and clear and consistent communications with grantees and partners.

• Provide regular updates and political intelligence to North America team, and foundation leadership.

• Prepare, support, and staff leadership meetings with UN officials, including writing all political intelligence and briefing notes related to the UN.

• Ability to travel to UN Headquarters in New York, NY (25%).

Your Experience

• Advanced degree in related field with 10+ years of experience working in and/or with the United Nations on global health and development issues and/or in a global health and development focused advocacy organization that engages with the United Nations, including Member States

• Experience working across the UN system including the Secretariat, General Assembly, and agencies or funds.  

• Experience in the conception, design and management of strategies, initiatives and programs related to motivating an enhanced multilateral and/or governmental response.

• Experience building coalitions within the context of the United Nations.

• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering impactful engagement programs around high-level summits and events.

• Demonstrated success in leadership roles developing and managing policy and advocacy organizations, programs, or initiatives.

• Demonstrated leadership, analytical, and interpersonal, skills.

Other Attributes

• Ability to speak both English and at least one other official UN language preferred.

• Ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, enthusiasm, and diplomacy.

• High-level of self-awareness, and a low ego approach to work.

• Ability to navigate complex relationships.

• Excellent written and communication skills.

• Ability to work collaboratively and independently in a highly demanding environment.

The salary range for this role is $182,600 to $283,100 USD. We recognize high-wage market differences in Seattle and Washington D.C., where our offices are located. The range for this role in these locations is $199,000 to $308,400 USD. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission. New hires salaries are typically 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.