Program Officer at Gates Foundation

The Foundation

We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we’re committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team

The India Country Office (ICO) is part of the Africa & India Offices Division (AIO). We work closely with India’s central and state governments, and partner with community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, academic and research institutions, the private sector, and development partners to advance our shared objectives. Our strong networks and ability to convene intellectual and technical resources globally and across sectors enable us to respond effectively to emerging and complex challenges.

In India, our work focuses on key priorities that shape the future of the country’s most vulnerable communities, including reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition; urban sanitation; agricultural development; women’s economic empowerment; digital public infrastructure and financial inclusion, across several states in the country.

The ICO Measurement, Learning and Evaluation (MLE) team (The MLE team) helps ensure that the foundation’s investment portfolios are informed by evidence and adapt as they are implemented in complex, changing environments. The team works with program colleagues to generate and use data and insights to shape investment decisions, program design and implementation; examine outcomes at the level of portfolios and investments; identify more effective ways to achieve goals and anticipate and mitigate risks. MLE officers also make and manage investments in data and evaluation to produce timely, practical, and actionable evidence in support of programmatic impact. The team also supports partners—such as governments, philanthropies, and researchers—to generate and use high quality evidence. Ultimately, the MLE team aims to function as a bridge between evidence and action, fostering continuous learning, collaboration, and impact.

Your Role

The Program Officer, Measurement, Learning & Evaluation (PO) will lead MLE in support of one or more of the ICO’s program areas, managing a portfolio of investments and relationships.

What You’ll Do
Areas of deep engagement will include:

1. Partnering with program and business teams as a “critical friend”:
The PO will work in an embedded fashion with select program teams to identify MLE priorities; shape and design learning and evaluation plans, including theories of change and results frameworks; support sense-making, synthesize evidence; support design of program investments, particularly integrated MLE components; and facilitate learning and application of insights. A key marker of success is the effective communication, translation and use of evidence for programmatic application. The PO will also contribute to the implementation of portfolio performance management processes, helping to foster effective program strategy implementation, synergy and collaboration across programs where appropriate and reporting to ICO and foundation leadership.

2. Developing and managing investments (grants and contracts)
The PO will manage a portfolio of MLE investments in support of one or more programmatic areas of work; cross-cutting themes of focus include change in complex dynamic systems, equity, and sustainability. The PO will design (scope of work, budget, deliverables, competitive/multi-sourcing processes) and manage investments often in collaboration with program colleagues, and support grantees for high quality implementation.

3. Strengthening research and evaluation capacities
The PO will help strengthen the use of data and evidence internally and by the broader ecosystem, serving as a point of contact on data and evidence in select program areas for internal and external partners. The PO is expected to track and communicate trends in specific program areas and identify and pursue opportunities for strengthening the practice of evaluation and evidence use in those areas. The PO is also expected to engage in professional networking, actively follow the scientific literature, and nurture connections within scientific networks and communities of practice.

This position reports to the Deputy Director, Strategy, Planning & Management and MLE

Note – This is a 9 month Limited Term Employment role based in New Delhi. Relocation and Work Visa assistance are not available.

*Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

Your Experience

• Master’s degree in a field related to public health, data science, evaluation or development economics.

• Minimum of five years of experience in program evaluation, ideally in the health domain.

• Experience designing and implementing research and evaluation for program learning, adaptation and accountability, including the use of theories of change and results frameworks.

• Expertise and experience making use of measurement, learning and evaluation for continuous improvement processes to improve internal efficacy of an organization.

• Deep knowledge of India’s health care system and health systems research, healthcare quality, coverage and delivery (nutrition, reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and child health), health inequities (including gender disparities) and primary health care.

• Experience in design and implementation of MLE plans for large scale health projects/programs in India and/or other Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs), including deep knowledge of health systems, equity and sustainability frameworks, measures, and data and evidence.

• High degree of methodological and analytical fluency, skills spanning evaluation design/methods, quantitative and qualitative research methods, data interpretation and visualization.

• Experience in a role requiring collaboration across and within complex internal and external organizations, as well as a demonstrated ability to work with efficiency and diplomacy.

• Excellent at prioritization and multi-tasking; able to work quickly, efficiently, and manage and move a portfolio of both short and longer-term outputs; attentive to detail, deadlines and processes.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to conceptualize, analyze, and communicate evidence in a critical and accessible manner essential (and demonstrated by publication history).

• Grant-making experience desirable.

• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Comfortable in and adaptable to varied contexts and with a desire to work in and with nonprofit sector is essential.

• Fluency in an Indian language.

*Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

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Hiring Requirements

As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Candidate Accommodations

We’re committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring experience for all candidates. If you have a disability or medical condition and need an accommodation at any stage of the application or interview process—such as an ASL interpreter, alternative interview format, or physical accessibility support—we’re happy to help. Please contact HR@gatesfoundation.org with the position number and a brief description of your accommodation needs. Requests will be handled confidentially.

Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices.

All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.