Reflecting on the lessons of pandemic response financing, an evolving external landscape with a complex aid architecture, the pressures exerted on aid by poly-crises, and the need to sustain efforts to restore immunisation services before the 2030 SDGs timeline, Gavi is seeking to appoint a Managing Director, Global Donor Relations, Advocacy and Fundraising.

The Managing Director reports into the Chief Resource Mobilisation and Growth Officer and will provide leadership, strategic direction and overall management of Gavi’s Global Donor Relations and Fundraising department, and will design and lead a strategy to mobilise political, diplomatic and financial support from donors for Gavi. He or she will lead Gavi’s strategic alignment with a growing base of donor priorities in a new political environment, and further position Gavi on the global stage through a strengthened and coherent engagement strategy.

The Managing Director is expected to be a key member of the Gavi Leadership Team and a critical source of strategic expertise on positioning Gavi in global health architecture negotiations.

Under the MD’s leadership, the Department is responsible for engaging with donors in Europe and in North America; maintaining and developing relationships with governments and key stakeholders; and leading advocacy strategies in donor markets, including by leveraging civil society organisations. It aims to secure long-term support for Gavi and for immunisation from sovereign and private sector donors, and thereby to ensure that the organisation has financial resources and political support to execute its mission and to meet its objectives. To do that, the Department maintains strong intelligence of the donor landscape and of donors’ national and regional political economy environments, and ensures rigorous management of donors’ contributions to Gavi, including through donor-led evaluations and reporting.

The Department engages with donors to influence global and multilateral processes, with a focus on the G7 and the G20, as well as other global fora. It also plays a critical role in preparing and steering Gavi governance processes and, especially, Board meetings and decisions through its engagement with donors and understanding of the external, political, and diplomatic environment.

In addition to the above, the Global Donor Relations and Fundraising Department also works closely with the Innovative Partnerships and Development Finance Department to secure support from donors to innovative instruments and partnerships as well as to advise on donors’ needs and appetite for specific instruments. The Managing Director also coordinates with the Director for Emerging Markets and the Director for Replenishment to maximise efficiency in donors management in other regions.

Provide thought leadership, strategic direction and global advocacy for enhanced and new relationships with donors

• Provide leadership, strategic direction and overall management to the Global Donor Relations, Advocacy and Fundraising department, and ensure successful delivery of the department’s objectives.
• Exercise thought leadership in cultivating new partnerships and stakeholders in Europe and North America to drive health security and innovative climate-health solutions
• Secure long-term bipartisan support for Gavi in Europe and North America, and drive commitments for the Gavi 6.0 Strategic cycle for 2026 – 2030.
• Engage with donor leadership on behalf of Gavi and drive strategic collaboration between donors and the organisation.
• Ensure the collaboration of the Global Donor Relations, Advocacy and Fundraising Department with other Gavi Departments in order to achieve the organisation’s goals.
• Encourage innovation throughout the department, bringing in enhancements and best practices from both public and private sectors and the broader global health ecosystem;

Leverage tact, diplomacy, and an intimate knowledge of geopolitical trends to drive strategic partnerships in donor markets and global processes

• Strategically position Gavi in global processes, with a focus on G7 and G20, in order to help the organisation to deliver on its mission.
• Manage external relationships and partnerships, including promoting Gavi’s profile in key fora and convening key stakeholders in strategic dialogues on key donor priorities
• Lead the Department to conduct impactful advocacy strategies that will increase Gavi recognition and support.
• Drive collaboration and coordination with other international organisations to strengthen support for global health and immunisation in donor markets.

Set Gavi’s strategic direction as part of the Gavi leadership team

• Share in overall management and decision-making responsibilities as a member the Gavi Leadership Team to ensure the successful operation of the Gavi Secretariat, and strengthen its role in supporting the broader Alliance in its delivery of Gavi’s strategic plan;
• Manage strategic risks in accordance with Gavi’s risk appetite statement;
• Ensure that Gavi remains a key player in the global health landscape by contributing both strategically and operationally on key donor led issues (climate change, pandemic preparedness, etc) across the organisation;
• Manage and develop an engaged and motivated workforce across the department, creating a strategic vision and the right culture and environment to inspire others to succeed by drawing the best out of staff and empowering them.

Location
The position will be based in Washington, DC or Geneva, Switzerland.

Ability to generate influence and build relationships across political economies

• Highly developed interpersonal skills and a demonstrable ability to inspire, collaborate and influence a wide range of different institutions, governments, CSOs, interest groups to drive impact and change;
• Highly diplomatic and sensitive to political and geopolitical trends impacting potential donors that may influence their views of Gavi partnership;
• The ability to present credibility and confidence to political leadership in donor countries, building positive and constructive relationships;
• An ability to inspire trust and followership in others through compelling influence, powerful charisma, passion in their beliefs, and determination;
• A highly proficient manager of stakeholders of wide-ranging seniorities; adept builder of enduring relationships, able to work through difficulties to establish and achieve shared goals within complex environments and at pace;
• Strong oral, written and interpersonal skills, with the ability to relate and work effectively and strategically with colleagues and partners at all levels and across many cultural contexts

Strategic for resource mobilisation

• Comfort leading large, international, multi-stakeholder replenishment cycles
• The ability to set clear corporate goals, priorities and their measurement while committing teams to improved performance; tenacious and accountable in driving results;
• The ability to successfully drive and anchor change in a complex, evolving organisation by demonstrating agility and stimulating creativity and innovation;
• Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty; demonstrates the ability to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations;
• Highly driven and focused on organisational and individual performance and managing for results; demonstrates strong operational skills and superior judgment in evaluating opportunities and risks;
• The ability to act in a transparent and consistent manner, while serving the best interests of the organisation;
• The ability to persevere in the face of challenges, and exhibit a steadfast resolve and relentless commitment to higher standards, which commands respect from followers.

Excellent leadership and management

• Outstanding organisational and leadership abilities; strategic, results-oriented, with a strong commitment to Gavi’s cause;
• Proven ability to identify, motivate, develop and retain a highly professional multicultural staff by fostering a culture of feedback and development; collaborative leadership style;
• Leads others to formulate solutions to complex problems, promotes agility, and empowers teams to respond nimbly in a fast-changing world;
• Creates a sense of purpose/meaning for the team that generates followership beyond their own personality and engages others to the greater purpose for the organisation as a whole;
• A leader who is self-reflective and aware of their own limitations; leads by example and drives the organisation’s performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback and self-improvement.

• Gavi operates in an English language environment, consequently fluency in spoken and written English is essential;
• A second language is desirable, preferably French.

• Advanced university degree in Business Administration, Management, International Relations or Law desirable;

• Gavi Secretariat.