Applicant Portal

THE ROLE

With the Zero-Dose Immunisation Programme (ZIP), Gavi is implementing new ways of working to address equity gaps for missed communities whose immunisation needs cannot be met by governments.  Two ZIP awards are Gavi’s first large-scale regional direct investments in international non-governmental organisations (iNGO) for implementation with the aim to achieve access to immunisation for children in fragile and conflict-affected communities that are beyond the reach of government health services. ZIP is currently in eleven African countries across two regional geographic locations: The Sahel and The Horn of Africa.  Gavi recognizes that business as usual will not reach these children.  ZIP priority populations include cross-border populations, internally displaced people, nomadic populations, people living in conflict-affected communities, and autonomous zones. 

To demonstrate the potential for new ways of working, ZIP is also an investment in learning.  ZIP partners will tailor delivery to overcome barriers faced by the unique experiences of these populations, answer key learning questions and document best practices.  

The Head is responsible for successful implementation of the ZIP portfolio, including grant management to achieve effective implementation, managing programmatic and fiduciary risk, proactively identifying and addressing implementation problems, and facilitating and coordinating key relationships with Alliance core and extended partners.    
Concerning the FED policy: Countries experiencing chronic fragility comprise a growing share of Gavi’s portfolio, challenging Gavi’s vision of achieving equity in immunisation and reaching zero-dose children. To address this, the Gavi Board approved the Fragility, Emergencies and Displaced Populations Policy in June 2022. The policy enables Gavi to prioritise countries affected by chronic fragility, acute emergencies and hosting large numbers of displaced populations. The key now is to socialise and operationalise the policy for effective use and increased health impact in these challenging settings. 

The Head’s role is to ensure:

On ZIP (85%):
•    Strategic leadership for the portfolio of ZIP activities, elevating ZIP priorities among stakeholders including governments, partners and Secretariat leadership and teams; 
•    Responsible grant management, achieving accountability for results with fiduciary oversight, risk management and mitigation; 
•    Documentation of best practices and successful innovations to achieve equity with access and immunisation coverage in active ZIP countries;  
•    Key learning questions are answered, new ways of working are tested for Gavi and within countries; 
•    Positive partnerships essential for ZIP with country stakeholders, Alliance partners and Secretariat colleagues; 
•    Well-functioning, high-performing multidisciplinary Gavi team.  

On Fragility, Emergencies and Displaced Populations  (FED) (15%):
•    Overall ownership of Gavi’s Fragility, Emergencies and Displaced Populations (FED) policy; 
•    Leading operationalisation efforts in a cross Secretariat effort to establish risk appetite and ensure flexibilities are written into Operational Guidelines which support the effective engagement with FED countries and efficient implementation of projects in these settings. 

He/she must be a seasoned manager able to mentor and to be a thought partner to his/her team members. The Head is expected to actively participate in key organisation-wide and cross-cutting initiatives related to Zero Dose policies, strategies, processes, and/or guidelines relevant to the effective delivery of Gavi’s mission. 

Key ZIP functions and deliverables:
•    Provide strategic direction to the ZIP awards and work to achieve equity in immunisation for populations beyond government reach, across the ZIP Theory of Change;
•    Timely, quality completion of grant management and oversight for iNGOs implementation and results;
•    Ensure Gavi facilitation of ZIP activities with countries and Alliance partnership, facilitating technically sound implementation, in complement to country-by-country grants; Address knowledge gaps and demonstrate best practices to remediate access and achieve equity beyond government reach, within ZIP awards and for replication elsewhere;
•    Establish visibility and advocate for immunisation access for missed communities beyond government services, within the ZIP Theory of Change; 
•    Manage highly performing cross-disciplinary team, with consistent, effective, collaborative working practices;
•    Proactive identification and resolution/mitigation of issues and risks;
•    Excellent relationships with key counterparts in governments, across the Gavi Alliance and with other humanitarian and development partners particularly at regional level.

Strategic portfolio leadership:
•    Positioning ZIP learning opportunity to inform 6.0;
•    Senior level engagement with Secretariat, Alliance, governments;
•    Strategic communication for impact and learning;
•    Advocate for resources.

Grant management leadership and support:
•    Provide guidance and leadership to ZIP PMU on management of ZIP awards grants; act as a sounding board; identify and highlight strategic opportunities to advance partnership, coverage and equity, integration, sustainability, etc.; 
•    Ensure implementing partners’ accountability for progress on key performance indicators to reach Gavi’s ZIP strategic objectives;
•    Effectively use evidence and data to drive operational management including advocacy, course correction and delivery of results. 
•    Explore and effectively utilise innovation to support delivery and in assessing performance;
•    Conduct oversight and quality assurance, with a particular focus on risk management; elevate key issues; initiate preventative and remedial actions; lead in bringing solutions to situations of significant complexity (e.g., political instability, crisis, large country portfolio, special partnerships etc.);
•    Monitor and enable proper implementation of operational guidelines, Gavi policies and procedures by the team and within the iNGO consortia, as applicable;
•    Provide back-up support on any country when needed, particularly in fragile and complex situations.

People management:  
•    Provide onboarding, ongoing support, coaching and mentoring to team members; 
•    Manage performance of team members; conduct recruitment as needed; coordinate the team’s work; ensure a productive, collaborative working environment within the PMU; model Gavi values and behaviours; 
Continuous improvement:  
•    Co-develop and ensure uptake of sound practices for grant management, strategic information management, risk assessment, sharing of knowledge and lessons, etc.; instil a culture of continuous improvement and Gavi values.

FED leadership: 
•    Leading operationalisation of FED policy by working across the Secretariat to update the Operational Guidelines with a set of defined process flexibilities to ensure a simplified approach for engagement in fragile countries;
•    Lead on communication of FED policy and how countries can tap into its use for countries classified as fragile, in cases of emergency interventions and on engagement with displaced populations in Gavi’s intervention areas. 

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 professional experience working in public health or development at international levels; 
•    Demonstrated experience in building and leading high-performing teams with direct and matrixed management;
•    Minimum of 3 years experience leading the design, implementation and management of humanitarian projects in fragile and/or conflict settings a must;
•    Proven track record with immunisation and child health programming and partners (e.g. WHO, UNICEF, CSOs) is ideal;
•    Familiarity with an NGO operating model and donor accountability;
•    Proven experience liaising and effectively partnering with bilateral and multilateral agencies.

•    Excellent management skills, including teamwork and people/team leadership and people development;
•    Proven track record leading a matrixed structured team; 
•    NGO or implementing partner grants management helpful with proven experience managing the full project lifecycle (start up to close out); 
•    Proven ability to prioritise, plan, analyse, and problem-solve with expressed sound judgment; 
•    Experience with simplified process planning and proven track record to implement simplified processes through a tailored risk appetite approach highly desirable. 
•    Strategic facilitation, negotiation, political acumen with demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with a range of stakeholders;
•    Representation, advocacy, diplomacy, tact and discretion;
•    Interpersonal, communication, writing and presentational skills;
•    Drive, proactiveness, action and results orientation, continuous improvement;
•    Ability to work successfully in an international, multi-cultural, multi-partner environment, with significant travel.

•    Written and spoken fluency in English essential;
•    French highly desirable.

•    Advanced university degree in public health, health economics, development, business administration (with experience in international development) or other relevant qualification.
 

Internal contacts:
•    All teams across the Gavi Secretariat.

External contacts:
•    Developing country governments;
•    Gavi Alliance partners;
•    iNGOs, UN, multilateral and bilateral donor agencies, humanitarian organisations and civil society.