Director Strategic Engagement

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.

PURPOSE
The Director will lead a team of Heads of Strategic Engagement, enabling them to operate effectively within the WHO institutional landscape while collectively advancing the Foundation’s strategic partnership with WHO.
The Director will ensure that WHO Foundation’s engagement with WHO moves beyond technical embedding to a strategic, forward-looking partnership model that strengthens alignment, accelerates collaboration, and enables resource mobilization at scale. This includes facilitating strategic alignment across programs, proactively identifying and advancing high-potential opportunities, and serving as a senior institutional bridge between WHO and the Foundation.
The Director will empower the Heads of Strategic Engagement to operate effectively within the complex WHO environment. The Director will operate at both strategic and enabling levels—removing barriers, fostering alignment, and ensuring the Foundation’s engagement with WHO is cohesive, impactful, and future-oriented.

REPORTS TO
The Director reports to the Chief Development Officer.
The Director will work in close collaboration with: Chief of Staff, Regional Development Teams (EU, MENA, APAC, US), Director Innovation and other EMT Members
The Director will directly manage Heads of Strategic Engagement and may oversee relevant external advisors or consultants.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1.Institutional Engagement within WHO
Serve as the senior institutional lead for engagement with WHO Program ADGs and senior WHO leadership across priority thematic areas.
Maintain a strategic overview of the WHO institutional landscape and of the internal dynamics
Enable strategic alignment between WHO priorities and Foundation investment strategies, ensuring coherence across thematic portfolios.
Anticipate and help navigate institutional complexities to facilitate effective collaboration between WHO and the Foundation.
Represent the WHO Foundation in high-level institutional dialogues and strategic fora as appropriate.

1. Portfolio Enablement & Strategic Coordination
   Serve as a leader of leaders for the Heads of Strategic Engagement, fostering coherence, collaboration, and shared strategic direction across thematic portfolios.
   Act as a senior connector across portfolios, ensuring alignment of approaches, messaging, and institutional positioning without centralizing ownership of individual thematic areas.
   Facilitate cross-portfolio dialogue to surface synergies, bundled opportunities, and integrated funding propositions.
   Create the conditions for success by helping remove structural or institutional bottlenecks and supporting Heads of Strategic Engagement in navigating complex WHO environments.
   Convene regular strategic exchanges to strengthen peer learning, consistency of engagement, and collective problem-solving.
   Ensure clarity of institutional priorities and alignment with WHO leadership while empowering Heads to maintain ownership of their respective portfolios.
   Strengthen coordination between Strategic Engagement, Development, and Innovation, Development Operations and Communications teams to ensure seamless execution across functions.

2. Strategic Opportunity Development & Select Portfolio Leadership
   Identify and shape strategic opportunities emerging across WHO programs and leadership priorities
   Directly lead and manage one or two priority thematic areas, maintaining a hands-on role in opportunity development, WHO engagement, and strategic positioning within those portfolios.
   Personally steward relationships with the relevant WHO ADGs and senior technical leaders within the Director’s thematic portfolio(s), modeling best practice in institutional engagement.
   Guide the development and positioning of investment cases, ensuring opportunities are strategically aligned, technically robust, and ready for funding.
   Support Heads of Strategic Engagement in elevating promising initiatives to institutional priority level, providing strategic input while preserving their ownership.
   Shape high-level concept framing, positioning documents, and institutional narratives that resonate with major donors and partners.
   Maintain forward-looking visibility on emerging global health trends and ensure both the Director’s own portfolio(s) and the broader Strategic Engagement function reflect high-potential, future-oriented opportunities.

3. Strategic Support to Resource Mobilization
   Act as a strategic partner to the Chief Development Officer in ensuring WHO institutional engagement effectively, and Regional Development teams to ensure institutional alignment with donor strategies.
   Engage selectively with key donors, foundations, and strategic partners at a senior level to reinforce institutional credibility and alignment with WHO leadership.
   Support complex or high-value funding negotiations where strategic institutional positioning is required.
   Contribute to the positioning of the WHO Foundation as a strategic partner for large-scale, multi-year, or catalytic funding initiatives.

4. Organizational Leadership & Systems Strengthening
   Build and nurture a high-performing Strategic Engagement function, fostering collaboration, clarity of mandate, and accountability.
   Ensure effective knowledge sharing and documentation across thematic portfolios.
   Promote a culture of strategic thinking, agility, and collaborative problem-solving within the team.
   Contribute to the overall strategic direction of the Development function as a member of its senior leadership group.

PROFILE AND COMPETENCIES
Experience
Significant senior-level experience in global health, international development, multilateral organizations, or philanthropic institutions.
Demonstrated experience engaging at executive leadership level.
Deep understanding of WHO governance, leadership structures, and the broader global health ecosystem, with the ability to navigate complex institutional dynamics
Proven track record in institutional relationship management and strategic partnership development.
Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams and overseeing complex portfolios.
Strong political acumen and ability to navigate complex institutional environments.
Excellent strategic writing and communication skills.

Competencies
Strategic Leadership
Ability to shape long-term institutional direction, anticipate emerging trends, and align engagement strategies with organizational priorities.

Institutional Relationship Management
Demonstrated capacity to build, steward, and sustain trusted relationships at senior executive levels within complex multilateral environments.

Diplomacy & Political Acumen
Strong judgment and sensitivity in navigating institutional dynamics, competing priorities, and high-level stakeholder interests.

Catalytic Opportunity Development
Capacity to identify, frame, and advance high-potential investment opportunities that unlock strategic partnerships and funding.

Executive Communication
Exceptional ability to synthesize complex technical content into clear, compelling narratives tailored to senior leadership and major partners.

Cross-Functional Collaboration
Proven ability to convene and align diverse teams (development, technical, legal, communications, finance) toward shared objectives.

Influence Without Authority
Skilled at enabling progress and fostering alignment across stakeholders and team members without relying on formal hierarchical control.

Team Enablement & Coaching
Ability to empower senior team members, foster peer learning, and create an environment of accountability and mutual support.

Adaptive Leadership
Comfort operating in evolving, high-demand environments, responding constructively to ambiguity and shifting priorities.
Negotiation & Alignment Building
Ability to facilitate constructive dialogue between institutional leaders and external partners to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
Integrity & Discretion
Demonstrated professionalism, sound judgment, and confidentiality in handling sensitive institutional relationships.

WHAT WE OFFER
Rewarding work in a dynamic non-profit environment
A collaborative workplace within a multicultural team
An agile and flexible environment

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Type of contract: Permanent contract
Location: Geneva with remote work possibility
Working rate: 100%

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.