Program Officer, Digital

The Foundation
We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we're committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team
The India Country Office (ICO) is central to the foundation's commitment to advancing equitable health outcomes and strengthening India's health innovation ecosystem. The Digital Innovation, Health R&D, and AI (DHAI) cluster is a core enabler for key goals of the ICO across our portfolio.

On the health innovation front, the cluster is focused on new products such as diagnostics, vaccines, drugs and devices, including AI-enabled, diagnostics, modeling, and other data science approaches that are crucial to many programs. On the diagnostics front we aim to accelerate the discovery, development, and deployment of high-quality, affordable, and accessible in-vitro diagnostics and diagnostic devices for infectious diseases that disproportionately impact vulnerable populations. We work with the Government of India, state governments, academia, private sector, and global networks to build effective diagnostic tools as part of a broader strategy to reduce disease burden and improve health equity. The foundation has also been partnering with the Department of Biotechnology, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, Indian Council for Medical Research and private sector players, to strengthen vaccine R&D in India. Our aim is to help India serve as a credible source of supply for life-saving diagnostics, vaccines, and pharmaceutical products for diseases that affect the poorest.

Our Digital for Development (D4D) & AI work continues to focus on unlocking the transformative potential across our portfolios and our approach is continuously evolving to reflect the expanding opportunities and cross-sectoral relevance of these tools. We aspire to work on ethical and responsible D4D & AI adoption, ensuring that advancements in D4D & AI drive positive impact, reduce inequities, and support the strategic goals of governments in India as well as select countries in the South and Southeast Asia region. Our D4D & AI work primarily includes technical assistance support to key central government Ministries / Departments / Agencies and focus geography state governments in the development, rollout and scale-up of digital architecture in health, gender, and poverty reduction, and helping to study impact.

Your Role
The
Program Officer, Digital
is part of an expert six-person
D4D & AI team
within the larger cluster, which partners with various program teams and functions to achieve concrete outcomes aligned with the respective program priorities, especially the health and nutrition related program teams.

Our core digital bodies of work require that the postholder brings an ability to engage with key stakeholders in both public and private sector. The right candidate must bring a strong understanding of governance and institutional structures developed for platform development and technology design. The application of this understanding to our work is an important skill for the role.

This role entails building strong relationships and acting as an advisor to external partners, particularly government(s) and their supporting institutions. S/he will manage relationships with national and state government(s), private sector players, grantees, and development partners as needed, to ensure coordination and collaboration for greater collective impact. The postholder is expected to build a good understanding of the goals and strategies of each of the stakeholders and bring thought leadership in how best Digital & AI can play a supporting role.

You will be based at the foundation's ICO office in
New Delhi
, and report to the Senior Manager - D4D.

What You'll Do
Key responsibilities include:

• Work closely with key government stakeholders (in relevant line ministries at the central government level, as well as in the priority States for the foundation, professional bodies, and private sector players, on key digital programs and priorities that impact national and state-level outcomes for the foundation.
• Drive independently the core bodies of work on digitally enabled healthcare workforce, especially in our priority States in India, including appropriate AI interventions in partnership with the Senior Officer - AI and the relevant AI Taskforce members.
• Collaborate with other program teams across various vertical initiatives, cross-functional teams, and innovation driving teams based in other geographies, offering input and review on investments that include digital components.
• Develop, advise, and manage well-scoped, well-structured investments (grants and/or contracts) to execute against the bodies of work related to digital, aiming for innovative approaches that can be scaled in the public sector.
• Build and help grow the digital partner ecosystem in the priority States that enables the priorities of the cluster, especially the pathways required for innovations to have an impact at scale.
• Use data and learning from foundation-supported investments and global evidence to consult with grantees and other partners to ensure continuous learning that shapes strategy, policy, and programs.
• Track emerging trends and key players across India's innovation ecosystem, to inform strategic engagement and investment decisions relevant for the portfolio being managed within the team.
• Act as a thought partner to the cluster leadership provide analytical insights, synthesizing complex information, and helping prepare internal and external briefings.
• Conduct thorough analyses of grants and contracts, grantee progress reports; write high quality briefing documents that synthesize results and learnings for leadership and the ICO Teams.
• Be a high energy, strong culture ambassador of the foundation (internally and externally), and have a good sense of humor.

Your Experience

• Bachelor's or other relevant advanced degree (e.g. health, technology, digital, business administration) with 5+ years of relevant experience, ideally in an advisory or implementation capacity, working closely with governments.
• Extensive experience (as a thinker and a doer) in technology design, architecture and digital innovation – a mix of public and private sector experience is desirable.
• Passion for solving complex problems through digital innovation (especially in digital health) and demonstrated relevant experience of the same.
• Proven ability to manage/deliver complex digital projects/programs and risk mitigation, with clear milestones and outcomes.
• Familiarity with India's digital governance ecosystem (e.g., National Digital Health Mission, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, Digital India programs).
• Experience managing a portfolio of grants and contracts focused on digital development or transformation is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a highly matrixed and diverse work environment, with strong collaboration, consultative and diplomacy skills.
• Excellent analytical thinking and communications skills, including the ability to synthesize evidence into actionable insights, prepare high-quality briefings and analyses for leadership, and public speaking.
• Results-driven and self-motivated with ability to inspire the pursuit of excellence.

Other Attributes

• Comfortable in a wide range of cultural, geographic and operational situations, demonstrating culturally sensitive behaviour with a diverse range of people and a deep commitment to development issues and high standards of personal integrity.
• Ability to travel regionally up to 35% domestically and internationally.
• Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

Application deadline
: 29 August 2025

Hiring Requirements
As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Candidate Accommodations
If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here.

Inclusion Statement
We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices.

All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.