Deputy Director, Health R&D
- Company
Gates Foundation
- Location
New Delhi
- Employment Type
Full-Time
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Functional Category
Research & Knowledge Management
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Experience
12 - 13 years
- Date Posted
13-Oct-2025
- Application Deadline
22-Oct-2025
About Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.
Overview of the Role
The Deputy Director, Health R&D, DHAI will lead strategic planning, investment management, and partnership engagement to accelerate India’s health innovation agenda, leading a team of experts in the areas of vaccines, biologics, diagnostics, medical devices, microbiomes, small molecule drugs. The role will shape and oversee a portfolio of initiatives to enable India’s contributions to global health R&D and product development for diseases affecting the poorest communities. The postholder will be based at the foundation’s ICO in New Delhi, and report to the Director, Health R&D, Digital Innovation and AI.
Job Description
1. Core Responsibilities:
• Lead the India Health R&D strategy execution aligned with ICO and global health impact priorities, focusing on infectious diseases and maternal-child and health of women and girls
• Shape and manage a high-impact portfolio of R&D investments across vaccines, diagnostics, drugs, devices, microbiomes, small molecule drugs and relevant AI.
• Assess and advise on technical feasibility and risks of innovation product pipeline candidates and prioritize R&D portfolio of investments accordingly.
• Lead and manage a team of investment officers with expertise across these areas and manage cross-functional project teams within the DHAI cluster.
• Advise team members on sequencing investments to accelerate the development of a diverse portfolio products given local and global market contexts and needs.
• Collaborate within the ICO and across global program strategy and functional teams, to advance product development and innovation to impact at scale journey across the Health R&D portfolio.
• Cultivate and manage strategic partnerships with Indian government agencies, academia, and the private sector.
• Serve as a senior advisor to foundation leadership on India-specific product development and innovation strategies to support impact efforts for India and for the world.
• Represent the foundation in national forums, consortia, and policy dialogues related to health innovation and R&D.
• Ensure governance and regulatory compliance across all R&D initiatives, including adherence to local, international guidelines, ethical standards and protocols.
• Maintain strong engagement with regulatory bodies to support product development pathways and policy alignment.
• Prepare briefs, as needed, for senior leadership meetings and visits.
2. Performance Management and Risk Mitigation
• Track key performance indicators, identify emerging risks or misalignments, and enable timely course correction.
• Establish effective systems for performance monitoring, reporting, and learning.
3. Operational Excellence
• Lead processes related to budgeting, investment planning, and portfolio strategy across the DHAI cluster, working closely with Strategy and Portfolio Planning & Management functions.
• Support implementation of shared tools and systems that enhance efficiency and cross-team alignment.
4. People Management
• Lead a high performing team and foster a positive team culture that enables the group to have agency and thrive.
• Mentor and grow talent within the team to take on challenges that we anticipate for the future.
5. Leadership Support
• Act as a strategic thought partner to the Director to shape strategic priorities across the cluster, identify emerging opportunities for impact,
• Provide analytical insights, synthesizing complex information, and helping prepare internal and external briefings.
• Support stakeholder engagement and communications across internal teams and external partners.
• Track emerging trends and key players across India’s health innovation ecosystem to inform strategic engagement and investment decisions.
• Enable a positive team culture that enables the group to thrive.
Required & Preferred Qualifications
Skill
• Strong biomedical product development end-to-end R&D experience if possible (preclinical > clinical trials > licensure > manufacturing scale-up) in one or more of the following areas: vaccines, biologics, diagnostics, medical devices, microbiomes, small molecule drugs.
• Familiarity with India’s R&D and regulatory ecosystem in the private sector and public sector, including DBT, ICMR, CDSCO, CSIR.
• Proven track record in building and managing cross-sectoral senior level partnerships in India.
• Proven leader with strong program management skills, adept at driving results in complex global matrixed environments by navigating ambiguity, managing shifting priorities, and bringing clarity within and across multiple teams and divisions.
• Experience in global health product development, regulatory processes, and technology transfer preferred (e.g. familiarity with WHO PQ).
• Demonstrated commitment to innovation, inclusion, and impact at scale.
• Strong listening, verbal, and written communications skills; ability to calibrate input and synthesize information to connect with diverse audiences.
• Strong understanding of strategic planning, performance management, and cross-functional coordination.
• Previous experience of leading and facilitating annual program/portfolio reviews, generating insights, developing strategic frameworks, and translating analysis into persuasive narratives, visualizations, and presentations for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience in global development, global health, or government systems in India, is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. Exceptional organizational and analytical skills, including systems thinking, coordination, results orientation and operational rigor.
• Proven ability to work with senior leadership and influence across teams without formal authority but with trust.
• A high-level of personal initiative and ability to be proactive and create a vibrant and positive culture in a rapidly evolving environment, combined with the ability to stay focused on long-term vision.
• Expert in communication, facilitation and influencing skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively and forge strong partnerships with a diverse set of stakeholders internally and externally.
Education
Advanced degree like PhD, MD, or Masters in Life Sciences, Biomedical Engineering or related field is preferred.
Experience
At least 12 years of experience in leadership roles, preferably R&D, within public or private sector, preferably in India (and ideally internationally as well).