Senior Program Officer, Polio Outbreaks (DRC & Francophone Africa Focus) at Gates Foundation

Overview

Your Role As a key member of the Polio Outbreak team, the Senior Program Officer- Country Support will be responsible for intensifying the engagement of the foundation with key partners (WHO, UNICEF, CDC, Rotary International and Gavi) to interrupt variant poliovirus transmission. The emphasis will primarily be on working with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to enhance the quality of supplementary immunization activities, to strengthen acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance and routine immunization, and to build a supportive environment for the application of new tools and strategies to improve the chances of polio eradication. The Senior Program Officer also leads on internal analytics and analysis on polio outbreaks. This position is based in Nairobi, Kenya and reports to the Deputy Director of Non-Endemic Outbreaks. What You’ll Do Lead the Foundation’s polio strategy and portfolio in the Democratic Republic of Congo (and other francophone countries as assigned), with full accountability for performance, partner alignment, and impact. Develop and execute integrated strategies to interrupt poliovirus transmission, aligning outbreak response, routine immunization, and health systems strengthening. Serve as the Foundation’s primary polio lead in-country, managing a complex ecosystem of government, partners, and grantees. Use epidemiological and program data to identify risks and gaps, and drive timely, data-informed course correction. Drive accountability across partners and government counterparts by setting clear expectations, addressing underperformance, and ensuring follow-through. Manage a portfolio of grants and contracts, ensuring strong performance management, strategic alignment, and delivery of results. Design and implement strategies for humanitarian and high-risk settings, addressing access constraints and reaching zero-dose populations. Engage senior national and provincial leaders and key partners to shape strategy, strengthen ownership, and unblock critical bottlenecks. Travel regularly to assess program performance, resolve operational challenges, and strengthen campaign quality and execution. Represent the Foundation and influence action in national, regional, and global forums; prepare clear, actionable briefs for leadership and contribute to a high-performance, collaborative culture. Your Experience Advanced degree in health, public health, epidemiology or vaccinology Significant experience in polio eradication/outbreaks response/vaccine delivery/health emergencies programs in low- and middle-income countries, with an emphasis on program management, emergency response and program operations. Demonstrated ability to work with diverse stakeholders and teams including elected officials, bureaucrats, public health specialists, business analysts, program implementers and developing country stakeholders. Experience in strategic planning and strategy implementation, particularly as it relates to polio eradication and immunization. Country-level familiarity with polio funding and planning processes, goal setting, implementation and evaluation of activities in DRC preferred. Ability to develop and maintain strong partnerships and relationships inside and outside the organization, managing conflicts, and building consensus. Other Attributees Written and oral fluency in English and French; knowledge of Portuguese and/or Arabic an advantage. Ability to travel up to 75% internationally. Check how your CV aligns with this job Method of Ap