The Gates Foundation is hiring a Program Officer, Health Advocacy in Abuja. Requires 6+ years of public health advocacy, policy, communications, or government relations experience. Apply by August 10, 2026.

Program Officer, Health Advocacy at the Gates Foundation

The Gates Foundation is seeking an experienced Program Officer, Health Advocacy to support its health policy and advocacy priorities in Nigeria. Based in Abuja, this contract position is designed for a professional with a strong background in public health advocacy, policy influence, government engagement, and strategic communications.

The role focuses on helping transform health priorities into measurable outcomes by supporting policy reforms, strengthening financing commitments, improving accountability, and advancing implementation across key health areas. These include primary health care, immunization, polio eradication, malaria, family planning, maternal and child health, nutrition, and broader health system strengthening efforts.

This opportunity may appeal to professionals who are comfortable working at the intersection of public policy, health systems, government relations, and development programming, while collaborating with national and international stakeholders.

Job Overview

Position: Program Officer, Health Advocacy
Organization: Gates Foundation
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Employment Type: Contract
Experience Required: Minimum 6 years
Education: Advanced degree in a relevant field or equivalent professional experience
Application Deadline: August 10, 2026
Travel Requirement: Approximately 30–40% domestic and international travel
Work Authorization: Candidates must already have authorization to work in Nigeria

About the Role

The Program Officer will help shape and implement health advocacy strategies that support the priorities of the Gates Foundation’s Nigeria Country Office.

Rather than focusing solely on awareness campaigns or public visibility, the role is designed around achieving practical outcomes. This includes helping secure policy commitments, improving health financing decisions, supporting implementation reforms, strengthening accountability mechanisms, and helping partners achieve measurable progress.

The successful candidate will work closely with colleagues across policy, advocacy, communications, and health program teams, while also engaging with government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders.

The position reports to the Deputy Director, Policy, Advocacy and Communications.

What the Position Aims to Achieve

The foundation is seeking someone who can help ensure advocacy efforts remain focused on outcomes rather than activities alone.

Success in the role may include:

• Strengthening political commitment to priority health issues.
• Improving policy implementation and reform efforts.
• Supporting better health financing decisions.
• Strengthening accountability systems.
• Enhancing coordination among advocacy partners.
• Supporting evidence-based decision-making.
• Translating technical information into practical action.

The position requires someone who can connect advocacy efforts with real-world delivery outcomes rather than simply increasing visibility or stakeholder engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Health Advocacy Strategy and Execution

The Program Officer will support the development and implementation of advocacy strategies that align with health priorities and organizational goals.

Responsibilities include:

• Translating public health priorities into advocacy objectives and influence strategies.
• Identifying opportunities to advance policy and financing reforms.
• Supporting stakeholder mapping and engagement planning.
• Monitoring advocacy progress and results.
• Developing workplans, implementation trackers, and decision-support materials.
• Helping teams focus on the highest-priority opportunities for impact.

The role requires an understanding of how policy decisions are made and how evidence, partnerships, and strategic engagement can influence outcomes.

Public Health Policy and Financing Advocacy

A major component of the position involves supporting efforts that strengthen health policy implementation and financing.

Areas of focus include:

• Primary health care reforms.
• Routine immunization programs.
• Polio eradication initiatives.
• New vaccine introduction.
• Maternal, newborn, and child health.
• Family planning.
• Malaria prevention and control.
• Nutrition programs.

The Program Officer will help support advocacy efforts that encourage stronger government commitment, improved budget allocation, timely release of resources, and more effective use of health funding.

The role also involves supporting accountability efforts across the full pathway from political commitment to service delivery.

Evidence, Accountability, and Decision Support

The position requires the ability to translate technical information into practical advocacy tools.

Responsibilities include supporting the use of:

• Policy analysis.
• Investment cases.
• Scorecards.
• Dashboards.
• Monitoring frameworks.
• Accountability mechanisms.

The successful candidate will help ensure that evidence is presented in a way that supports informed decision-making among policymakers, government officials, and partners.

Grant and Partner Management

The Program Officer will help manage relationships with advocacy partners, consultants, and grantees.

Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting grant implementation and monitoring.
• Reviewing partner workplans and milestones.
• Tracking performance and outcomes.
• Supporting adaptive learning and course correction.
• Strengthening partner capacity.
• Encouraging alignment across advocacy initiatives.

The role also involves helping ensure that grants and partnerships remain focused on measurable results and strategic priorities.

Strategic Communications and Policy Influence

Effective advocacy often depends on clear communication.

The Program Officer will support the development of:

• Policy briefs.
• Advocacy messages.
• Leadership talking points.
• Stakeholder engagement materials.
• Partner toolkits.
• Decision-support documents.

The role also includes identifying communication risks, responding to misinformation, and ensuring that advocacy messages remain grounded in evidence and practical implementation realities.

Leadership and Stakeholder Support

The successful candidate will provide support for senior-level engagements and strategic discussions.

This includes:

• Preparing briefing materials.
• Supporting government meetings.
• Coordinating follow-up actions.
• Assisting with country visits and partner engagements.
• Supporting leadership reporting and portfolio reviews.

The role requires strong attention to detail and the ability to prepare concise, decision-oriented materials for senior stakeholders.

Qualifications and Experience

Applicants should possess:

• An advanced degree in Public Health, Health Policy, International Development, Public Policy, Political Science, Communications, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least six years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated success influencing public health policy, financing, implementation, or accountability outcomes.
• Experience developing and implementing advocacy strategies.
• Experience working with government institutions and development partners.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.
• Excellent writing and communication abilities.

Candidates should also be comfortable working across multiple projects while maintaining focus on priorities and results.

Knowledge and Technical Expertise

The ideal candidate should have a strong understanding of Nigeria’s health landscape, including areas such as:

• Primary health care.
• Immunization systems.
• Polio programs.
• Family planning.
• Maternal and child health.
• Malaria control.
• Nutrition.
• Health financing and governance.

Experience working with federal and state-level stakeholders in Nigeria will be particularly valuable.

Preferred Professional Background

Experience in the following areas may strengthen an application:

• Public health advocacy.
• Policy influence and government relations.
• Strategic communications.
• International development.
• Donor-funded programs.
• Coalition building.
• Grant management.
• Multi-stakeholder partnerships.

Candidates with experience managing complex advocacy portfolios or coordinating diverse partner groups may be especially well suited to the role.

Who Should Apply?

This opportunity may be a strong fit for professionals who enjoy translating policy goals into practical action.

Individuals with experience working across government, civil society, development organizations, and technical institutions may find their skills highly relevant. The role is particularly suited to those who can combine strategic thinking with practical execution and who are comfortable navigating complex policy and stakeholder environments.

The foundation is looking for someone who can maintain focus on measurable outcomes while building collaborative relationships and supporting long-term health system improvements.

Application Deadline

August 10, 2026

Candidates are encouraged to review the requirements carefully and prepare a tailored application that clearly demonstrates relevant advocacy, policy, financing, and stakeholder engagement experience.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified should  Go to Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation on gatesfoundation.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com to apply

Applicants should ensure that their CV highlights advocacy achievements, policy influence experience, stakeholder engagement work, grant management responsibilities, and examples of measurable outcomes they have helped achieve.

Application Advice

For advocacy-focused positions, employers often look beyond participation in meetings or campaigns and focus on tangible results.

Where possible, demonstrate:

• Policy changes influenced.
• Financing commitments secured.
• Partnerships developed.
• Accountability initiatives supported.
• Advocacy strategies implemented.
• Public health outcomes strengthened.
• Evidence-based recommendations adopted.

Concrete examples of impact can help employers better understand the value you have delivered in previous roles.