Program Officer, Global Education - Innovation & Implementation

About the Foundation

The Gates Foundation is a major global nonprofit focused on reducing poverty, disease, and inequality. Its mission is rooted in the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to live a healthy and productive life, regardless of background or circumstance. The organization emphasizes a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities it serves and offers a strong employee benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage with no employee premiums, generous leave, paid family leave, a foundation-funded retirement contribution, regional holidays, and access to employee communities. It aims to provide a workplace where people can grow both personally and professionally.

About the Team

The Global Growth and Opportunity division works to drive lasting change in the face of inequality and market failures, with a focus on unlocking opportunities in under-served markets and promoting inclusive economic and social outcomes. Its work spans Agricultural Development, Financial Services for the Poor, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Nutrition, Global Education, and Digital Public Infrastructure. The division seeks scalable, sustainable, and inclusive solutions, often using technology innovation and data evidence to support change in developing countries.

The Global Education team is dedicated to improving foundational learning—especially reading and math—for primary school children in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The team recognizes that early literacy and numeracy are essential for future education and economic opportunity. With many children still leaving primary school without these core skills, the team prioritizes evidence-based, cost-effective, and scalable interventions that improve learning within government systems.

Role Overview

This position is for a Program Officer who will help design and manage high-impact investments that improve foundational learning outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa. The role is based in Nairobi, Kenya, and reports to the Director, Economic Opportunity, with a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Deputy Director, Innovation and Country Implementation.

The Program Officer will support implementation in Kenya, promote the use of edtech and AI in teaching and learning, and help generate and apply evidence on what works to strengthen government-led foundational learning initiatives across the region.

What You Will Do

• Build and oversee an investment portfolio focused on foundational learning in Sub-Saharan Africa, including large-scale implementation work in Kenya, broader support for interventions across Africa, and testing of edtech and AI products and solutions. Review grant proposals and prepare thoughtful written assessments and funding recommendations.
• Lead the Kenya portfolio in Sub-Saharan Africa by working with local partners, the Ministry of Education, semi-autonomous government agencies, and the wider education community. Shape study designs and field evaluations, interpret results, and make sure programs respond to live data and emerging insights. Strengthen the ability of local partners to deliver and expand impact.
• Create and sustain partnerships with government stakeholders, researchers, implementers, practitioners, and donors across Sub-Saharan Africa to design, test, and scale interventions that improve early-grade literacy and numeracy. Ensure research questions reflect country priorities and work closely with Global Education colleagues to turn evidence into practical country-level programs.
• Work with grantees and partners to raise project performance and ensure grants stay aligned with strategic goals. This may involve site visits, operational support, partner convenings, and monitoring and evaluation follow-up.
• Contribute to strategic discussions and leadership engagement within the Global Education team and across the foundation. Help shape strategies and execution plans that support long-term sustainability and impact, and prepare clear written analysis and communications for diverse internal audiences.
• Partner with donors and philanthropies to identify co-funding and collaboration opportunities that attract new resources to foundational learning and improve outcomes for children.
• Manage multiple relationships and investment plans at the same time, coordinating effectively with colleagues and shared partners while improving operational effectiveness with the broader Global Education team.
• Represent the foundation in regional forums when needed and advocate for the scaling of effective, evidence-backed literacy interventions.

Your Experience

The ideal candidate will be an education leader with strong knowledge of early-grade learning, a collaborative mindset, and a clear commitment to improving learning outcomes. This role offers the chance to influence education systems and support measurable progress in foundational learning across Kenya and Sub-Saharan Africa.

• A bachelor’s degree in education or a related discipline, along with at least 5 years of senior-level experience, or an equivalent background.
• Proven experience in pedagogy and in leading or supporting large-scale programs that improve early-grade outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a strong grasp of the global evidence base.
• Solid understanding of AI and edtech, including how these tools can improve teaching and learning, how they scale within systems, and how to test both technology and non-technology solutions at increasing scale.
• Experience building equitable partnerships with senior decision-makers, education stakeholders, and implementation partners.
• Strong interpersonal skills, conflict management ability, consensus-building skills, and effective matrix management experience.
• Ability to solve complex problems independently, with creativity, energy, and a positive approach.
• Excellent project and team leadership capabilities, including strategy development, shared goal setting, execution planning, prioritization, meeting facilitation, budget oversight, and collaborative working.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to turn complex information into clear recommendations for different audiences.
• Experience managing a donor-funded portfolio as either a grantee or grantmaker, including performance reporting and direct management responsibility.
• Comfort working in ambiguous environments and helping teams adjust to change.
• Ability to work with rigor, diplomacy, and flexibility both independently and as part of a complex team.

Additional Attributes

• Comfort working across different cultural, geographic, and operational contexts, with sensitivity to diverse groups and strong personal integrity.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the country where the role is based without visa sponsorship.
• Willingness to travel up to 30% of the time.

Hiring Requirements

Employment is subject to successful completion of a background check.

Candidate Accommodations

The organization is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring process. Candidates with a disability or medical condition who need support at any stage of the application or interview process can request accommodations such as an ASL interpreter, an alternate interview format, or physical accessibility support. Requests should be sent confidentially to HR@gatesfoundation.org with the position number and a short explanation of the support needed.

Inclusion Statement

The organization is committed to the principle that every life has equal value and to maintaining a global, culturally inclusive workplace that advances diversity, equity, and inclusion in its employment practices.

All applicants and employees are treated fairly and given equal opportunity regardless of race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, or prior protected activity.

Application Deadline

The deadline to apply is 23 June 2026.