Senior Executive Officer (SEO), Office of the CEO (OCEO)

Job Description

Position title: Senior Executive Officer (SEO), Office of the CEO (OCEO)

Location: Geneva

Purpose of the position: CEO primary staff officer; daily operational support to CEO; engagement in key strategic initiatives, under the leadership of the Chief of Staff

Department: Office of the CEO

Team: Office of the CEO

Reports to: Chief of Staff

N° of positions supervised: 0

Career step level: 4

Position Type: 5-year fixed-term contract (with possibility for renewal)* 

*Internal candidates holding permanent contracts will maintain their permanent contract status if selected. 

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 implementing country and donor governments, the World Health Organisation, 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 more than one billion children and the prevention of more than 18.8 million future deaths.

BACKGROUND

The Office of the CEO (OCEO) team provides day-to-day support to the CEO and helps ensure that the CEO’s vision and strategic priorities are well understood and delivered upon, including by:

• Supporting their engagement with Secretariat teams and ensuring follow-up;
• Providing strategic advice;
• Prioritising and managing their time, including flagging key issues for concerted leadership attention;
• Supporting key leadership bodies and processes;
• Facilitating internal and external engagement;
• Supporting strategic engagement with the Board and governance forums;
• Preparing and reviewing briefings, presentations and other materials for external engagement;
• Providing administrative, secretarial and logistical support;
• Supporting OCEO-led projects and work-streams as required;
• Leading strategic and/or cross-cutting sensitive initiatives as needed.

KEY FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Executive Officer, as a central member of the OCEO team reporting to the Chief of Staff, and working with business teams, will:

• Provide direct daily support to the CEO as an integral part of the Office of the CEO;
• Travel with the CEO as required as primary staff officer supporting the CEO and ensuring connectivity with the office for continuity of regular business;
• Review of CEO briefs ahead of all travel working with the teams to ensure completeness and compliance with OCEO Manual;
• Focal point for CEO external communications, ensuring appropriate placement of CEO in external fora, collaborating closely with the Communications Teams and other key stakeholders across the organisation;
• Support CEO in review and clearance of tweets, blogs, speeches and other communications;
• Development and coordination of all CEO presentations including for governance meetings, lectures and other events, working with the Chief of Staff, OCEO Senior Specialist, the Communications team and technical teams across the organization;
• Daily summaries of the OCEO-led Daily Blitz meeting and ensure follow through on actions discussed working across the organization;
• Provide support for CEO inbox, triaging emails, looping in other teams from across the organization, drafting responses, tracking follow-up (with Senior Executive Assistant);
• Support CEO document management and contact management (with Senior Administrative Assistant);
• Lead in updating OCEO manual lead including related SOPs, operationalization, compliance; 
• Support to the Chief of Staff on other key initiatives and deliverables including providing project management support to OCEO-led initiatives;
• Serve as central member of the OCEO team, stepping in as required to support broader team objectives.

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. Travel upwards of 50% may be required.

QUALIFICATIONS

ACADEMIC

• University degree in public health, public administration, development, public engagement, communications or similar;
• Advanced degree preferable.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Eight or more years of professional experience, with a minimum of 5 years’ experience of managing multiple projects within a fast-moving and complex environment; 
• Proven track record working closely as a trusted support to CEOs or other C-suite level executives;
• Background and interest in communications and ability to assess the appropriate external communication positioning for CEO;
• Excellent quantitative and analytical skills with ability to use data to tell a compelling story;
• Proven track record of strategic analysis and project management, including for executive leadership;
• Extensive experience of preparing communications materials, including speeches, presentations and written communications;
• Demonstrated ability to build strong rapport with C-suite level management and their external counterparts and be tactful and discreet;
• Experience/and/or understanding of global public health and immunisation highly desirable;
• Demonstrated knowledge of how to influence stakeholders and manage stakeholder engagement;
• Experience of working within a multi-cultural environment.

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES

• Detail-oriented, comfortable with operational work while also able to develop strategic perspective;
• Strategic thinker with proven ability to prioritize and frame key issues for executive-level decision makers;
• Distinctive written and oral communication skills in English, including ability to structure and synthesise complex issues;
• Fast learner with ability to multitask effectively while maintaining their sense of humour;
• Organised, pro-active and pragmatic with strong process management skills;
• Ability to prioritise and work under pressure and to deadlines;
• High degree of flexibility and team-oriented, willing to adapt to new priorities and jump in as needed;
• Well-honed interpersonal skills and ability to establish strong rapport, including in a remote environment, with counterparts at all levels including senior decision-makers;
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team and in a multicultural environment, while also being able to operate autonomously;
• Understanding of design and ability to develop compelling presentations;
• Tactful and discrete.

LANGUAGES

• Fluency in written and spoken English;
• Fluency in French highly desirable;
• Knowledge of additional languages an asset. 

CONTACTS

• All Secretariat teams;
• Alliance Governance bodies;
• Alliance partner organisations (e.g., WHO, UNICEF, World Bank, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation);
• Developing and donor country governments;
• Media.

If you wish to apply, please provide a cover letter and resume through our Careers webpage and apply by clicking on “Senior Executive Officer (SEO), Office of the CEO (OCEO)”. Deadline for applications is on the 5th of March 2025.

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.              

Become part of our community and join us on Facebook and Twitter for updates about our mission to save children’s lives! You can also follow our hashtag #vaccineswork 

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.  

About the Organization

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 implementing country and donor governments, the World Health Organisation, 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 more than one billion children and the prevention of more than 18.8 million future deaths.