Chief of Staff

Job description

ABOUT US

The WHO Foundation (WHOF), launched in May 2020 and headquartered in Geneva, was created as an independent Swiss foundation affiliated with but independent of WHO. Its mission is to mobilize greater private capital and partnership to advance the mission of the World Health Organization (WHO), enabling catalytic impact on the people whose lives rely on WHO’s work and facilitating innovation to maximize the impact of the resources we invest.

WHO plays a singular role in leading the global health ecosystem, acting as a first-responder to health crises — including the current conflict in Ukraine and on behalf of the 15+ million people in urgent need of aid in Horn of Africa; producing technical guidelines and tools to prevent and treat disease; and acting as a country-level convener with an unparalleled level of trust. The crises of the 21st century, including COVID-19, have made clear both the inequity of access to effective and affordable healthcare and the indispensable role of WHO. Yet WHO lacks sufficient resources to fulfill its mandate. And, beyond funding, its vision cannot be achieved by the public sector alone.

The WHO Foundation was therefore created as an independent Swiss foundation affiliated with but independent of WHO to marshal new resources from philanthropists, foundations, businesses, and individuals to support its mission: promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable, while protecting the neutrality and independence of WHO as the world’s leading health authority. WHOF is a nexus for unique opportunities in global health, facilitating game-changing opportunities between the private sector and WHO. Our focus is on mobilizing grant income, shared value partnerships, and investment to power WHO’s work.

PURPOSE

The Chief of Staff will be a strategic adviser and provide invaluable counsel, participate in high-level decision-making, and ensure the seamless execution of the Foundation’s priorities.

The Chief of Staff will be a dynamic leader, building and maintaining strong external and internal relationships to achieve success driven by prioritizing health equity for communities.They will support business strategies and anticipate future decisions that favorably impact the Foundation. Guiding to ensure effective collaboration and performance.Driven by initiative and a keen eye for opportunity, the CoS will support teams to leverage resource management to maximize impact. The Chief of Staff will be a crucial point of contact, facilitating communication between the Chief Executive Officer and all staff, at times deputing for the CEO while facilitating decisions by other senior leaders. The Chief of Staff will play a pivotal role in driving the organization’s strategic agenda forward by disseminating information and coordinating between various functional leaders to help align efforts with the Foundation’s vision. They will also

be responsible for aggregating data from various projects and sources, to help create a clear point of view aligned with the Foundation’s purpose and support the CEO at various forums. The Chief of Staff will champion a strong justice and equity lens across all functions, including accountability for the departmental operational plans and metrics as well as acting as a positive leader inspiring teams across the Foundation.

REPORTS TO

The Chief of Staff will report directly to the CEO of the WHO Foundation and will also collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders on different subject matters.

ACCOUNTABILITIES & FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Plans:

• Create robust plans to execute on the strategic vision along with the leadership teams to meet the Foundation’s mission and goals.
• Ensure that organizational strategies are effectively communicated and implemented.
• Support the strategic influence of the CEO’s Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion vision and accountability across the organization alongside the People & Culture Director.
• Monitor the Foundation’s progress towards key deliverables and provide the CEO with updates on progress, including challenges and opportunities.

Communication and Liaison:

• Act as a primary point of contact between the executive and internal/external stakeholders.
• Facilitate effective communication within the Foundation and with external partners.
• Receives visitors, organizes, and attends meetings or events on the CEO’s behalf
• Oversees draft correspondence, briefing notes, talking points and reports for the CEOs signature or clearance.

Decision Support:

• Gather and analyze data to provide insights for informed decision-making.
• Assist the executive in making strategic decisions that align with Foundation objectives.
• Apply creative problem-solving with calculated risks and analysis across Foundation.

Project Management:

• Oversee special projects or initiatives on behalf of the executive.

Team Leadership and Coordination:

• Provide leadership support to the executive team and coordinate their activities.
• Ensure alignment of team efforts with Foundation goals.
• Proactive decisions making that is adaptive to evolving circumstances and requirements.

Board Relations:

• Manage relationships with the board of directors.
• Support board meetings, prepare materials, and facilitate communication.

Internal Culture and Employee Engagement:

• Foster a positive organizational culture.
• Implement initiatives to enhance employee engagement and satisfaction.
• Manage and foster high performance across teams while striving for continous improvement and innovation.

Job requirements

PROFILE

• Experience or a minimum of 10 years in a leadership role required
• Past experience in a country from the Global South an advantage
• Significant experience in strategy, analysis, project management, and execution.
• Preferred knowledge of and past exposure to the Global Health sector
• Strong problem solver decision-making skills
• Expertise in managing and evolving multiple stakeholder partnerships.
• High impact communicator – communicate in a focused and compelling way that captures and holds others’ attention and stimulates others’ thinking and actions.
• Strong judgment and comfortable serving as a strategic advisor and influencer.
• Experience working in politically complex situations.
• Capacity to build relationships with a diverse set of individuals and organizations.
• Demonstrated expertise in strategic planning, partnerships, and external relations
• A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion with proven leadership experience in a multicultural and collaborative environment.
• Outstanding communication and negotiating abilities, with the capacity to interact with a wide range of stakeholders.

WHAT WE OFFER

● Rewarding work in a dynamic and innovative non-profit environment with appealing growth and learning opportunities

● A collaborative workplace within a truly global team

● An agile, fast-moving and flexible environment

● Potential to leverage a multinational name and organization in the form of WHO

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

● Type of contract: Permanent

● Location: Geneva (relocation needed)

● Working rate: 100%

● Estimated start date: ASAP

● Application deadline: 4.03.2024

This is a rolling process; applications will be reviewed as they arrive.
The WHO Foundation puts equity at the center of all its work and is committed to building, fostering, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Employment and advancement opportunities are based upon individual qualifications, regardless of gender, color, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, nationality, cultural & religious background, beliefs, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and marital status. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.