The Gates Foundation is Hiring a Senior Advocacy Officer, Africa (Inclusive Financial Systems & Digital Public Infrastructure): Apply Now!!

Senior Advocacy Officer, Africa (Inclusive Financial Systems & Digital Public Infrastructure)

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Time Type: Full-Time

The Foundation

The Foundation is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting poverty, disease, and inequity. Founded on the belief that every person, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy and productive lives, the Foundation aims to improve global well-being. Its employees reflect the diverse populations it serves. The organization offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, generous paid time off, paid family leave, a retirement contribution, regional holidays, and numerous employee communities. The Foundation is committed to providing an environment where employees thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team

The Program Advocacy and Communications (PAC) team works closely with program teams and the Global Policy and Advocacy (GPA) team to develop and execute advocacy strategies that help achieve policy and finance goals. The team’s main objectives include:

• Coordinating the execution of advocacy strategies.
• Leveraging leadership and foundation voices in advocacy.
• Managing a grant portfolio to drive advocacy outcomes.
• Advocating with influencers, media, and governments.
• Leading communications efforts to advance advocacy.
• Developing policy recommendations with program and regional offices.

The Senior Advocacy Officer for Africa will support two key program teams: Inclusive Financial Systems (IFS) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

The Program Teams

• Inclusive Financial Systems (IFS): The IFS team focuses on expanding access to low-cost financial products in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), fostering digital financial systems that can be scaled sustainably. The team’s priorities include enabling supportive policies, promoting instant payment systems, scaling pro-poor use cases (e.g., government payments, wage payments), and reducing the gender gap in financial product usage.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): The DPI team supports countries in building inclusive, secure, and interoperable infrastructure for digital services such as identification systems, data sharing, and credentialing. The team collaborates with other sectors (e.g., health, education) to integrate digital infrastructure into these areas, and supports countries through technical assistance and open-source tools.

Your Role

As Senior Advocacy Officer, the role involves developing advocacy strategies for financial inclusion and DPI across Africa, focusing on engaging African governments, regulators, and other key stakeholders. You will:

• Develop and refine advocacy strategies with IFS, DPI, PAC, and ARO teams.
• Represent the Foundation with African governments, central banks, and implementing partners to support the development and regulation of inclusive digital payment systems and financial services.
• Support the creation of regional standards for cross-border DPI and related regulations.
• Build and manage partnerships with global, regional, and local actors to advance IFS and DPI goals.
• Work with the Resource Mobilization Lead to unlock donor financing for financial inclusion and DPI efforts.
• Represent the Foundation at conferences, working groups, and other external events.
• Write policy briefs, reports, and updates for Foundation leadership and stakeholders.

What You’ll Do

• Develop and Implement Advocacy Strategies: Collaborate with the IFS, DPI, PAC, and ARO teams to design and execute strategies that promote financial inclusion and digital public infrastructure in Africa.
• Engage African Governments and Partners: Advocate for policy adoption that expands access to digital payment systems and inclusive financial services. Work with African central banks, governments, and regional organizations.
• Support Regulatory Development: Help African governments develop and implement policies for safe and inclusive digital public infrastructure and instant payment systems.
• Partner Ecosystem: Build and manage a partner ecosystem, including advocacy and technical assistance partners, civil society organizations, and the private sector.
• Leverage the Foundation’s Voice: Partner with internal teams to use the Foundation’s voice in advancing policy goals and mobilizing resources for IFS and DPI efforts.
• Monitor and Report: Provide insightful analyses and recommendations on financial inclusion, DPI, and related policies.

Your Experience

The ideal candidate will have:

• Advanced Degree in public policy, international relations, business, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in financial inclusion, DPI, or related areas, with a mix of experience in both the public and private sectors in Africa.
• Expertise in IFS, IIPS, and DPI policies, including regulatory frameworks.
• Experience in advocacy strategy development and working with senior policymakers and stakeholders.
• Knowledge of regional and international bodies and their influence on policy decisions.
• Familiarity with the role of donor funding in supporting DPI efforts.
• Strong strategic thinking and ability to prioritize work in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal), with the ability to create consensus across diverse audiences.

Other Attributes

• Cultural Sensitivity: Ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and contexts.
• Travel: Willingness to travel up to 25% both domestically and internationally.
• Commitment to Development: A deep commitment to solving development issues and upholding personal integrity.

Application Deadline: May 22, 2025

If you’re an experienced professional in financial inclusion and digital public infrastructure, and you’re passionate about making a lasting impact in Africa, this is an incredible opportunity to help shape the future of digital financial systems and public infrastructure across the continent.

Apply now to be part of a globally recognized team dedicated to advancing inclusive and sustainable development!

APPLY NOW

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the hiring company. For any inquiries, please contact the hiring organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.