The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is a global public/private partnership dedicated to raising and disbursing large amounts of additional finance to prevent and treat the three pandemics.  The Global Fund has so far committed more than US$11 billion to over 520 programs in 136 countries.

The vacancy is in the Secretariat of the Global Fund. The Secretariat manages the grant portfolio, including executing Board policies, disbursing money to grant recipients and implementing performance-based funding of grants. The Secretariat is also tasked with resource mobilization; providing strategic, policy, financial, legal and administrative support and overseeing monitoring and evaluation. It is based in Geneva and has no staff located outside its headquarters. 

The focus of this position is to enhance political relations with implementing partners across all continents including a focus on key emerging country economies ensuring political and financial support.

The Southern Constituencies team’s initiatives will strongly support the Secretariat’s outreach in implementing countries. Further development of a good understanding of the Global Fund’s purpose, principles and operating processes will contribute to both building an advocacy platform within the countries’ leadership and to increasing quality  demand.

It is also expected that through the consolidation of relations with key ministries of “emerging economy” countries, their governments will progressively consider becoming larger donors to the Global Fund and hence contribute to a worldwide effort in the fight against the three diseases.       

Reporting to the Director, Partnership Unit, the Manager, Southern Constituencies team will work in close cooperation with the other teams in the Partnerships Unit as well as within the Partnerships, Communications and Resource Mobilization Cluster (PCRM) and other relevant teams, units and clusters of the Secretariat.

The two key elements for this position are to:

• Develop a framework for building and enhancing existing political relations with implementing governments and other key national and regional institutional partners in developing countries;
• Facilitate and intensify dialogue with implementing countries (in particular “emerging economies”) that are progressively becoming significant sources of finance for bilateral and multi-lateral development aid.

Develop a strategy to establish, enhance and maintain relations between the Global Fund and key implementing governments, including:

• Building high level contacts with important ministries including the ministries of Health, Foreign Affairs and Finance.
• Preparing and organising global, regional and bilateral consultations, seminars, workshops and roundtables on issues including the nature of the partnership between the Global Fund and implementing countries, south-south cooperation, and the role of “new donors 
• Establishing relations with relevant regional political and development organizations that can support the work undertaken by the Global Fund at multilateral and bilateral levels.
• Representing the Global Fund at international meetings organized by these organizations.
• In close collaboration with colleagues in the Country Programmes Cluster, provide support to senior management in the planning and organization of visits to implementing countries including for the timely preparation of briefings and notes. 
• Ensuring good coordination and collaboration with the other Clusters, units and teams within the Secretariat. The focus of the work is with implementing countries and on-going contacts with the relevant teams in the Country Programmes Cluster being of particular importance. When appropriate regional meetings will be organized jointly with the other units.

Qualifications and Membership

Essential:

• Advanced university degree in social and/or political science, public administration, international development, or related disciplines.

Essential:

• Extensive professional experience of which at least 11 to 15 years of work in the field of international development;
• Proven ability to build partnerships and deliver results that meet the needs and long-term interests of the implementing countries and persons affected by the three diseases.
•  Documented experience in communicating and negotiating complex issues with a broad range of counterparts.
• Proven ability to build and lead a team of professional staff and utilize skills and expertise of team members in a productive way.

Desirable:

• Work in international health preferably including work on HIV/AIDS, TB or malaria.

Skills:

• Outstanding written and verbal communications skills in English, other languages would be an advantage;
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and synthesize complex issues translated into effective oral or written presentations;
• Excellent negotiation, and facilitation skills and high degree of discretion, tact and sensitivity in dealing with stakeholders at all levels;
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment and build effective working relations with counterparts and colleagues.

Core Competencies:

• Gathering Information
• Solution-Oriented Analysis
• Building Relationships
• Demonstrating Accountability and Commitment
• Communicating Effectively
• Understanding Others
• Managing and Improving Performance

An excellent knowledge of English and preferably a good working knowledge of French or one of the following: Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.  Knowledge of other languages an asset.

A covering letter not exceeding one and one half pages must accompany all applications. The letter should describe your ability to meet the essential requirements set out in the vacancy notice.

APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY VIA THE GLOBAL FUND WEBSITE www.theglobalfund.org/en/jobs

CLOSING DATE FOR THE RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS:  09 October 2008

Your online application will be acknowledged and a confirmation sent to the e-mail address that you have provided. Due to the sheer quantity of applicants, we will only contact candidates whose applications are of interest for this position and who are to be invited to participate further in the selection process.