Senior Director, Global Health Security, Health Programs

The Senior Director, Global Health Security (GHS), Health Programs serves as a strategic leader within FHI 360's Health Programs department, responsible for overseeing the implementation of multiple program portfolios and initiatives spanning epidemic and pandemic prevention, preparedness, detection, and response. Reporting to the Senior (Sr.) Director, Health Programs Global Technical Team, this role provides operational oversight to the GHS division comprised of multiple project teams, fosters innovation, and ensures the delivery of high-quality outcomes aligned with organizational objectives and donor requirements. The Sr. Director, GHS collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to gather and share evidence, lessons learned, and best practices to drive continuous improvement and organizational impact. The Sr. Director, GHS provides leadership, guidance, and direction to the GHS technical team that span award implementation, technical quality, innovation, and knowledge management. Their decisions are guided by organizational strategy and have significant short- and long-term impacts on public health and development outcomes.

Complexity & Problem Solving:

• Navigates complex challenges inherent in project implementation including implementation in outbreak-affected, fragile, and rapidly evolving operating environments.

• Offers strategic direction and innovative solutions for technical challenges.

• Analyzes project performance and identifies areas for improvement.

• Recommends actionable solutions to enhance effectiveness and efficiency.

• Fosters innovation and shares best practices to drive organizational impact.

• Contributes to achieving sustainable development goals.

• Makes time-critical technical and operational decisions during outbreaks and public health emergencies, frequently on incomplete information and under compressed timelines.

• Resolves cross-award technical questions spanning surveillance and early warning, laboratory systems, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, workforce development, antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic disease and One Health, and emergency preparedness and response, and sets the standard to be applied across the portfolio.

• Anticipates and mitigates programmatic, security, staff safety, and reputational risks associated with work in outbreak-affected and fragile settings.

Discretion & Impact:

• Exercises discretion over project-related GHS technical matters with direct impact on project outcomes and organizational success.

• Works closely with project leadership to decisions on resource allocation, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.

• Influences portfolio performance and reputation.

• Decisions contribute to achieving organizational objectives and driving positive change.

• Impacts both short- and long-term public health outcomes.

Collaboration & Interaction:

• Engages with internal and external stakeholders to gather and share evidence, lessons learned, and best practices.

• Fosters partnerships with project teams, donors, and implementing partners.

• Facilitates communication and knowledge exchange to enhance project outcomes.

• Communication style is characterized by transparency, collaboration, and teamwork.

• Works cross-functionally to achieve common goals and drive organizational impact.

• Establishes and maintains relationships across FHI 360, including with all Groups and Enterprise Support colleagues.

• Represents FHI 360 with ministries of health, national public health institutes, donors, multilateral agencies, and technical working groups and coordination mechanisms on health security.

• Coordinates across awards and country programs to align technical messaging, avoid duplication, and present a single coherent organizational position to donors and host-country counterparts.

• Contributes to publications, conferences, and technical convenings, positioning FHI 360 as a thought leader in epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response.

• Contributes to business development initiatives by providing technical input to proposals, writing relevant sections, and shaping the organization's health security positioning with current and prospective donors.

Management & Supervision:

• Oversees the implementation of all global health security programs within their division, ensuring technical quality, donor compliance, and timely delivery across projects. Provides technical leadership and guidance to GHS project teams.

• Sets strategic direction, manages budgets, and ensures programmatic quality.

• Focuses on fostering a culture of excellence and accountability.

• Manages project staff and shapes the portfolio structure for optimal efficiency and effectiveness.

• Leads a team of seasoned technical experts, handling supervision, performance management, and professional development.

• Embraces other duties as assigned, contributing to the team's multifaceted and evolving responsibilities.

• Ensures that health security programs are appropriately staffed and technically supported: advises on staffing structures and levels of effort, participates in the recruitment and selection of senior technical positions, and mobilizes surge or specialist support when project needs exceed available capacity.

• Stays aware of portfolio-level budgets, pipeline, and resource allocation across awards, in coordination with project leadership and enterprise support functions.

• Maintains organizational readiness for emergency response, including deployment rosters, standard operating procedures, and occupational health and safety provisions for deployed personnel.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Comprehensive knowledge of project management principles.

• Expertise in program implementation methodologies.

• Proficient in organizational leadership practices.

• Demonstrates expertise in strategic planning, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.

• Proven track record of driving innovation and achieving impactful outcomes within their division.

• Aims to meet or exceed revenue targets across all segments (USG, foundations/corporations, and other donors).

• Comprehensive knowledge of global health security concepts and frameworks.

• Technical breadth across the core health security domains: surveillance and early warning, laboratory systems, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, health workforce development, antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic disease and One Health, and emergency preparedness and response.

• Demonstrated experience leading or supporting outbreak and public health emergency response in low- and middle-income settings.

• Working knowledge of United States Government and other major donor requirements applicable to health security programming.

• Excellent oral and written communication and analytical skills in English.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree or its International Equivalent in Business Administration, International Development, Communication, Social Marketing, Economic Development, Education, Health, Nutrition, Research, Technology, Youth, or a related field.

• Minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in project management, overseeing complex projects and initiatives; or 12 years and a master's degree; or 9 years and a PhD; or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience to perform job responsibilities effectively.

• Minimum 8 years of experience in leadership and line management.

• Proven experience leading and managing complex, strategic portfolios of programs/projects on a national or international scale.

• Experience leading teams in complex settings, managing financial and human resources.

• Significant experience working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in a related field.

• Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification or other recognized project management certification.

• Certifications relevant to research management or organizational leadership.

• We welcome candidates with other relevant certifications or their international equivalents.

• Advanced degree in public health, epidemiology, medicine, or a related field.

• Formal training in field epidemiology (e.g., FETP) or in emergency or incident management systems.

• Professional working proficiency in French, Spanish, or Portuguese an added advantage