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 TeamPartnerships for Impact (P4I) aims to enable enduring impact by integrating principles for how we identify, strengthen, and engage with partners throughout our strategy and investment processes to achieve scalable and sustainable outcomes. A key aim is for the partners we choose and how the foundation works with them to better reflect, address, and empower the communities we serve to achieve sustainable impact.
Partnerships for Impact is one of five Executive Leadership Team (ELT) Focus Areas, cross-foundation initiatives prioritized by the foundation’s ELT. Last year, P4I started a new phase of work jointly sponsored by the Chief People Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, with three main areas:
1) Strategy integration – embedding partnership principles into strategy development and implementation to ensure strategies are informed by local insights and partner portfolios are maximizing impact;
2) Program integration – equipping program officers with the necessary guidance, tools and supports to apply partner-centered approaches in grantmaking that drive enduring impact;
3) Measurement – establishing clear standards and metrics for assessing the impact of partnerships, synthesizing existing data sources, and identifying exemplary models of effective partnership engagement.
Due to the cross-cutting nature of this work, the team that drives this work is drawn from multiple divisions and functions, with strong collaboration with all of our Program Divisions.
This role can be located in either our Seattle or Washington DC office.
As the Deputy Director, Partnerships for Impact, you will report to the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Chief People Officer (CPO) in the combined HR/DEI function as part of the Business Operations division.
Your primary focus will be to provide visionary leadership in developing a new learning program to equip Program Officers at the Gates Foundation with the tools and resources needed to translate our strategy goals into high-impact partnerships and investments that reflect our values, the perspectives of those closest to the communities we serve and support enduring impact. This will be a holistic PO learning and resources program that consolidates enterprise-wide good practices, knowledge and tools to equip investment makers to apply our partnerships philosophy to effective grantmaking. The DD, Partnerships for Impact, will lead a small, dedicated team and oversee all aspects of the design and implementation of this new program.
Program and Content Oversight
Provide strategic vision and leadership in designing a holistic program to support and equip Program Officers at the Gates Foundation to translate our programmatic strategies into high-impact partnerships.
Identify and codify good practices related to equitable and inclusive partnerships. Oversee development of new enterprise guidance related to partnerships and grantmaking.
In collaboration with the Human Resources Organizational Development function, build upon the existing Starting Gates onboarding program to create asynchronous and other learning opportunities in a program officer’s first year. Collaborate with program divisions with bespoke onboarding programs to identify opportunities to support scaling and adoption at enterprise level.
In collaboration with the Investment Management Enablement team, develop continuous learning opportunities for program officers focused on critical points in the investment life cycle, focusing initially on partner identification, concept and proposal co-creation with partners, and partner relationship management.
Oversee content development, collaborating with learning & development colleagues to draw on innovative adult learning tools to create interactive learning opportunities that can provide actionable knowledge and skills tailored to the program officer’s core role and responsibilities.
Knowledge Management
In partnership with our Information Technology team, oversee the development and implementation of an integrated knowledge hub knowledge consolidating resources from across multiple sites and teams to improve navigation and user experience.
Guide and support Measurement, Learning and Evaluation (MLE) efforts to identify and document relevant exemplars, good practices and high-impact approaches to partnerships and investment-making that drive enduring impact. Ensure that learnings are translated into content that is accessible and relevant for program officers and regularly disseminated to support continuous learning and improvement.
Influence, Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement
Build strong collaborations with other operational functions and divisions in order to deliver on P4I objectives, including HR, IT, Communications, and Finance.
Develop close collaboration with Program Divisions and Regional and Country Offices (RCOs) to ensure that users are centered in the development and delivery of the new program, that different global contexts are reflected, and that new content is co-created and tested with pilot program teams and RCOs as part of an iterative development process.
Collaborate with the Foundation Strategy Office and other P4I stakeholders to prepare updates and reporting to Executive Sponsors and the Executive Leadership Team.
Partner Engagement
Provide leadership and vision for foundation wide efforts to improve the consistency and quality of partners’ experience working with us.
Guide and support implementation of the foundation wide Grantee Perception Survey, ensuring that partner feedback is integrated into foundation processes and decision-making. Reflect partner feedback into development and updating of PO learning content.
Explore opportunities to pilot and test new and innovative approaches to engaging partners at an enterprise level.
Change Management & Integration Strategist
Spearhead an intentional change management approach to drive uptake and adoption of PO behaviors and practices aligned with the foundation’s partnerships philosophy and organizational values. Work closely with other operations functions to coordinate cross-foundation communications and change management initiatives.
Identify opportunities for integration and support change efforts across the P4I bodies of work.
Your Experience
Expertise in leading, developing and managing complex, impact-driven partnerships in a global context, including in the philanthropic sector.
Experience making and managing grants, demonstrating a deep understanding of principles and approaches to equitable and inclusive grant-making in a global context.
Experience designing adult learning programs and large-scale organizational change initiatives. Understanding of user-centered design and behavior change.
Experience advising external programmatic partners and/or Program Strategy Teams to achieve programmatic impact, showing fluency with how our foundation’s investment strategies work.
Demonstrated experience leading teams and a track record implementing large scale and/or global change. Effective collaborator and experience working in a matrix environment (i.e., ability to influence without formal authority).
Proven record of managing complex projects and portfolios including workplans, resource allocation, communications, analysis, facilitation, and stakeholder/leadership engagement.
Strength in structured problem solving and strategic business planning, with the ability to easily identify and communicate frameworks to analyze issues and synthesize disparate information.
Demonstrated ability to build credibility with and influence senior leaders, peers, and cross-functional teams in a global, complex organization.
Exemplary written and verbal communicator with proven expertise in crafting and executing impactful communication strategies, including experience designing messaging for diverse internal and external audiences. Curious and listens intently and with a bias toward being responsive and productive. Strong preparation and presentation of executive-level information.
Strong demonstrated skills and behaviors aligned with our values and value-based behaviors: collaboration, inclusion, rigor, innovation, optimism. Possess and champion an environment of learning and a growth mindset.
High level of cultural competence. Experience working outside of the U.S. is desirable.
Experience working in at least one of the foundation’s programmatic areas is desirable.
Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.
The salary range for this role is $233,600.00 to $362,200.00 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 $254,700.00 to $394,700.00 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.
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.