Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Research Program Manager (LTE)

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation$157K — $235K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree required, graduate degree preferred in a relevant field.
  • 5+ years of program management experience leading complex initiatives.
  • Strong understanding of research processes and best practices.
  • Familiar with software development workflows and engineering collaboration.
  • Excellent communication skills to engage stakeholders effectively.
  • Strong analytical skills for synthesizing complex information and making data-driven decisions.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

  • Manage multiple research portfolios with a focus on resource allocation and risk tracking.
  • Align portfolio work with organizational priorities and flag evolving trade-offs.
  • Engage with software teams to ensure research needs are met.
  • Quickly learn relevant research areas and adapt planning and execution accordingly.
  • Synthesize findings to inform decisions and provide leadership options.
  • Implement efficient processes to maintain work progress across teams.
  • Maintain clear workplans with milestones and communicate updates effectively.

Benefits

  • Relocation support provided for candidates moving to Seattle.
  • Opportunity to work in a dynamic environment focused on global health impact.
  • Engagement with diverse stakeholders and high-level decision-makers.
  • Chance to drive progress in multi-disciplinary research initiatives.
Full Job Description
Your Role

As a Research Program Manager, you will play a pivotal role in maximizing the impact of research teams at IDM. Your responsibilities will include working with leadership and research managers to define, prioritize, and manage research projects within one or more portfolios. You will understand and effectively communicate the direction of research portfolios and projects to diverse audiences to drive progress toward Foundation goals. You will build partnerships with stakeholders and partners, understand their goals and work, and synthesize across these engagements to support and inform the portfolios you manage. You will engage in cross-cutting projects, quickly learning about the research area, support defining the direction and scope, and ensuring successful execution. You have a passion for our mission and commitment to driving it forward.

This is a 24-month Limited Term Employment position, relocation to Seattle will be provided.

What You'll Do
  • Manage multiple research portfolios in partnership with research managers and deputy directors, driving outcomes through resource allocation, risk tracking, and progress oversight
  • Connect portfolio work to IDM's organizational priorities, ensuring alignment and flagging trade-offs as the landscape evolves.
  • Engage with software teams and TPMs to maintain continuity between research portfolio needs and modeling tool development.
  • Develop working depth in relevant research areas and current modeling technologies to guide planning, assess progress, and anticipate risks.
  • Synthesize findings and emerging insights to inform portfolio-level decisions and surface options for leadership consideration.
  • Design and implement right-sized program processes and frameworks that keep work moving efficiently across teams and organizational scales.
  • Maintain workplans with clear milestones and deliverables; proactively communicate timeline changes and risks.
  • Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring effectiveness of complex programs & partnerships.
  • Develop cross-functional communication patterns that create visibility and coordination across research teams, software, and leadership.
  • Represent portfolio priorities clearly, tuning messaging for diverse forums spanning researchers, engineers, and partners.


Your Experience

We are seeking an experienced, adaptive, and strategic team member who thrives in dynamic environments and is passionate about impact-driven global health work. Ideal candidates will have:
  • Bachelor's degree at minimum, graduate degree preferred, with experience in complex or multi-disciplinary research management, ideally in the global health & development.
  • Five or more years of program management experience, with a proven track record leading complex initiatives and driving results across multiple projects in parallel.
  • Demonstrated understanding of research processes and best practices, with experience applying these to complex programs to achieve research objectives.
  • Familiarity with software product or tool development workflows, with the ability to engage productively with engineering teams and contribute to requirements and roadmap discussions.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate scientific insights into programmatic implications and engage stakeholders at multiple levels.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to synthesize complex information, make data-driven decisions, and navigate ambiguity.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment; skilled at assessing gaps and finding practical solutions.
  • Commitment to the foundation's mission, values, and ethical standards.
  • Ability to travel up to 20% domestically and internationally.


*Must have unrestricted work authorization in the country where this position is located. The Foundation does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. This includes direct company sponsorship and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g.: H-1B, O-1, L-1, E, OPT, STEM-OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc.).

The salary range for this role is $143,000 to $214,400 USD. We recognize high-wage market differences in Seattle and Washington D.C., where our offices are located. The range for this role in these locations is $157,300 to $235,900 USD. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission. New hires salaries are typically between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint. Actual placement in the range will depend on a candidate's job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process.

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About Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a private foundation founded by Bill and Melinda Gates. The foundation was launched in 2000 and is based in Seattle, Washington. The primary goals of the foundation are to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty, and to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology. The foundation is one of the largest charitable organizations in the world, with an endowment of over $50 billion. The foundation has made significant contributions to global health, including the eradication of polio in India and the development of new vaccines for malaria and tuberculosis. The foundation also supports a variety of educational initiatives, including the development of new technologies for teaching and learning.
Learn more about Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Size
1,600 employees
Industry
Founded
2000

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