Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership committed to saving children’s lives and protecting people’s health by increasing equitable use of vaccines in lower-income countries. The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. Gavi uses innovative finance mechanisms, including co-financing by recipient countries, to secure sustainable funding and adequate supply of quality vaccines. Since 2000, Gavi has contributed to the immunisation of 1 billion children and the prevention of more than 16 million future deaths. Gavi has a five-year replenishment cycle where donors pledge resources against a five-year investment plan. The last replenishment took place in 2020, hosted by the UK, and world leaders pledged US$ 8.8 billion for Gavi’s 5.0, 2021-2025 strategy. 2023 is a mid-term review (MTR) year when we will look back at the achievements to-date and look ahead at the needs in the remainder of this strategic period and beyond towards the next replenishment. Spain will host the high-level MTR event in mid-June.

Through the ground-breaking COVAX Facility and the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), Gavi, working with the international community, took urgent action in accelerating access to COVID-19 vaccines no matter where they live. Today, COVAX has shipped almost 2 billion vaccines, the largest vaccine rollout in history. Gavi is now working with countries to reverse the effects of the pandemic on routine immunisation and health systems, to get routine immunisation back on track, relaunch the HPV vaccine programme, rollout the malaria vaccine and continue to support countries with COVID-19 vaccination programmes.

Following the MTR Gavi will be heading towards a replenishment for the 2026-2030 period. In an increasingly constrained global health space, more resources from diverse and sustainable sources are required, and available financing must be leveraged strategically and efficiently to unlock the greatest level of impact possible. A comprehensive approach is needed to attract, retain, and multiply the financial and business resources of sovereign donors, the private sector, and other development institutions to strategically support countries, partners, and the Gavi secretariat as it seeks to ensure sustainability in its ambitious immunisation programmes and safeguard global health security.

Under the oversight of the Managing Director for Resource Mobilisation, Private Sector Partnerships & Innovative Finance (RMPSPIF), the Sovereign & Private Sector Engagement, Donor Relations & Campaigns team leads on (i) driving sovereign and private sector fundraising and engagement, including through blended and innovative financial instruments and ambitious new partnerships, in key industrialised markets with a particular focus on Canada, UK, Europe and the CIS; (ii) building visibility and trust with Gavi through smart donor relations and campaigning with civil society, parliamentarians and influential voices; and (iii) securing and cultivating support and funding for COVAX and COVAX AMC from a range of economies.

THE ROLE

Please note this is a role (approximately 8 months).

The role of the Head is to lead on growing Gavi’s sovereign & private sector engagement, shaping and implementing ambitious prospecting and fundraising strategies towards new sovereigns, corporations, foundations, philanthropists, multilateral banks, and other key investors. The Head will oversee donor and stakeholders’ relations in a set of markets under the purview of the team, with a focus on the arc Canada-UK-Europe-CIS. S/he will in addition directly engage with the UK, which is Gavi’s lead donor, a core investor in an array of financial instruments, a strategic partner strongly engaged in Gavi’s and COVAX governance, and a global hub home to key influencers, financial institutions, corporations and civil society movements.

Sovereign & private sector engagement and fundraising strategies:
• Provide leadership, expert advice, and co-ordination in envisioning, developing, and growing sovereign & private sector engagement, and efforts to mobilise funding and expertise in support of the Gavi 5.1. Produce strategic pitches, and business & investment cases;
• Anticipate the evolving funding landscape and identify financing structures and new sources of in-kind support to match future Gavi needs. Develop strategic options with senior management for raising resources and selectively developing high-value non-monetary partnerships more effectively;
• Inform and drive structuring and implementation of new instruments to leverage private sector funding and lead associated transactions. Lead outreach to key financial and investors groups, pitch and negotiate financing mix (including existing and new funding windows);
• Mainstream across a range of markets (with particular focus on Canada-UK-Europe-CIS) Gavi’s sovereign & private sector engagement and fundraising tools and instruments, e.g. COVAX AMC, Matching Fund, frontloading, IFFIm and innovative leveraged transactions that have proven successful. Propose market-level plans to foster the strategic use of development finance and philanthropic funds to mobilise private capital. Provide advice in markets where there is not enough bandwidth or expertise;
• Think through, develop, and structure individual deals. Build new public and private donor relationships at senior level and play a promotional role in generating new business;
• Lead on key areas as needed for the MTR postmortem and strategic planning for the next replenishment.

Strategic engagement and portfolio oversight in a set of markets, with particular focus on Canada-UK-Europe & CIS:
• Initiate and negotiate grant and partnership agreements and renewals;
• Manage relationship with governments and private sector partners. Co-ordinate strategic engagement and operational liaison with senior government representatives and corporate senior executives. Advise Director and GLT on governments’ positions;
• Stay abreast of relevant government policies and decisions and the corporate and foundation landscape in a set of markets. Ensure systematic analysis of funding trends, develop funding targets, and forecast income projections to ensure effective resource mobilisation in these markets;
• Define and implement market engagement strategies and lead senior donor managers in markets. Develop, broaden, and strengthen network of high-level influencers and advocates in support of Gavi’s mission. Identify and engage with key centres of political support and influential constituencies and institutions, build bi-partisan constituencies, and mobilise champions;
• Proactively address private and public donor needs and requests. Fulfil donor reporting requirements included in legal agreements. Lead on high quality documentation and reports;
• Ensure effective instruments are in place to manage, forecast and track donor commitments. Develop best-practice public and private donor portfolio management, with appropriate streamlined reporting and results frameworks and management of donor agreements;
• Monitor progress and performance towards agreed log frames and deliverables.

Team management and effective partnership with other teams:
• Manage team activities, lead, guide, coach and develop staff;
• Advise the team on development of engagement strategies in donor countries, building bi-partisan constituencies and mobilising key champions;
• Lead and empower the team to engage with new sovereign and private sector partners;
• Ensure effective collaboration with the Innovative Finance team on IFFIm;
• Facilitate effective partnerships and cross-secretariat initiatives aimed at implementing selected pillars of the resource mobilisation strategy;
• As needed, serve as the focal point with specific teams whose inputs are critical to the strategy process and act as lead in cross-Secretariat discussions;
• Carry out projects assigned by the Director in accordance with the team objectives. Second the Director in managing key relationships and initiatives and represent the organisation’s leadership, as necessary.

Note: The essential functions listed in this section are not exhaustive of the job responsibilities; other duties may be assigned consistently with the department needs.

• Minimum 12 years of relevant experience;
• Familiarity with international development and/or global health;
• Established operational track record of excellence in achieving results;
• Outstanding track record in complex projects management;
• Demonstrated ability to structure financial instruments and navigate complex funding mechanisms;
• Credibility in public and private engagement, fundraising and partnerships, excellent understanding of both public and private sector perspectives is necessary;
• Demonstrable experience dealing with political and technical governmental and private sector decision-making processes, and ability to operate internationally;
• Experience identifying and articulating strategic issues, trade-offs, and priorities to provide sound advice.

• Results-oriented individual, entrepreneurial and hand-on;
• Excellent leadership & management skills;
• Excellent technical, analytical, and project management skills;
• Track record in producing high quality work with short deadlines and make effective, timely decisions;
• Outstanding networking, representational, communications and negotiation skills. An ability to be proactive and persuasive;
• Demonstrated ability to work across institutional boundaries with various teams and utilise talent and expertise of team members in a productive way;
• High degree of discretion, tact, and sensitivity in dealing with internal and external clients and stakeholders at all level;
• Fluency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint;
• Ability to adapt and work within a multicultural, multilingual, multidisciplinary environment;
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English.

• Written and spoken fluency in English;
• Written and spoken fluency in other European languages highly desirable.

• Master’s degree in business administration, international relations, public affairs, or other relevant fields.

• Gavi Secretariat;
• Gavi partners;
• Donor government and development agencies, private sector, foundations, philanthropists, multilateral development banks and other investors;
• Civil society, advocates, and influencers;
• Media;
• Other key stakeholders.

If you wish to apply, please provide a cover letter and resume through our Careers webpage and apply by clicking on “Head, Sovereign & Private Sector Engagement ()”. Deadline for applications is 3 July 2023.

Please note that as a vaccine organisation and in order to provide duty of care towards its employees, Gavi is requiring its new employees to confirm that they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as a condition for pursuing employment with us. You can find out more by visiting this link.

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In support of Gavi’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion, we hire globally and welcome applications regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, national origin, family status, sex, gender identity or expression, physical characteristics, race, religion, spirituality or sexual orientation. Gavi has zero tolerance towards sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse as well as any form of discrimination or harassment. Everyone at Gavi is expected to conduct themselves with integrity and respect towards each other. Gavi is committed to creating a work environment that is safe and professional, therefore all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference checks. Read more here.

Gavi brings together the public and private sectors to save lives and protect people’s health by increasing equitable and sustainable use of vaccines against 18 infectious diseases. You will be joining an organisation at the centre of the international COVID-19 response, at the most critical time in global health in a lifetime. You will work in a culturally diverse environment with over 70 nationalities. You will collaborate with partners such as WHO, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank – and from business, civil society and government. And you will work in the first global health organisation to receive equal gender salary certification. Your unique experience, skills and talents can help us achieve our vision of leaving no one behind without the life-saving power of vaccines.