Senior Program Officer, Global Policy and Advocacy
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Beijing, China
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
Since opening our China Office in Beijing in 2007, we have been committed to supporting our Chinese partners as they play an ever-increasing role in improving the health and well-being of people both in China and around the world. Today, China is a key strategic partner on our global health and development goals. We provide financial and technical support to our Chinese partners and build bridges for international collaboration to help them accelerate innovations in health, agricultural development and poverty reduction. We create broad new partnerships to ensure these innovations reach vulnerable populations at scale as quickly as possible, particularly in low- and middle-countries (LMICs). Together we have seen the tremendous impact that life-saving innovations can have when they become available to those most in need.The China Office is part of the Global Policy and Advocacy (GPA) Division. The mission of the Division is to understand and shape the public policies affecting the foundation's work, build support for its major program and policy objectives, and develop partnerships and alliances that can advance the foundation's objectives nationally and globally. Because the foundation's resources alone are not enough to solve the challenges ahead, GPA also supports advocacy efforts to engage diverse stakeholders and promote innovative solutions that advance our program goals. We work in close partnership with grantees, our colleagues in the Global Health, Global Development, Global Growth & Opportunity, and Gender Equality programs to build the environment in which all people have the opportunity to lead healthy and productive lives.
The Policy Advocacy and Government Relations team in the China Country Office is responsible for understanding and analyzing global development trends and opportunities, particularly China’s evolving international development policies, initiatives and aid models; and identifying engagement opportunities in and with China to promote and develop innovative resourcing and partnership solutions contributing to advancing the foundation’s objectives. We work in close partnership with a diverse range of grantees and partners, and our internal colleagues in the Global Health, Agriculture, Development, and Communications teams to achieve our goals.
The team is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment. We value the unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences of each team member, believing that diversity strengthens our capabilities to achieve our collective objectives. We encourage applications from individuals who are passionate about the Gates Foundation’s mission and values to join the team.
Application Deadline: 18/5/2026
Your Role
The Senior Program Officer (SPO), Policy and Advocacy is a key member of the Policy Advocacy and Government Relations team in China. In this role, you will serve as a strategic integrator, supporting and leading high-impact projects that translate analysis into action.
The primary objective of this position is to serve as the internal specialist on international development trends, aid flows, and funding mechanisms, specifically applying strategic frameworks and project management discipline to advance program work in agricultural adaptation and climate finance with partners in China.
The SPO will work with foundation colleagues across the agricultural development, development policy and financing, strategy, and communications teams to analyze, plan and organize activities for potential investment opportunities and build external partnerships with relevant partners including government organizations, academic institutions, specialized advisory bodies, think tanks, and private sector partners.
This position will report to the Deputy Director for Policy and Advocacy, China Country Office. It is a limited-term position for 9 months. Relocation will not be provided.
What You’ll Do
Partnership & Policy Execution:
Cultivate partnerships with relevant government, think tanks, and academic institutions to identify and build innovative financial, technical and/or policy collaborations to mobilize resources in support of foundation’s program advocacy objectives.
Strategic Project Management:
Lead the end-to-end management of specific strategy and advocacy projects.
Develop project charters, track milestones, manage risks, and ensure deliverables are met on time to support advocacy objectives.
Utilize project management tools to report on progress to senior leadership.
Strategic Analysis & Briefing:
Provide technical analysis on international development policy, aid models and mechanisms, bilateral and multilateral development initiatives/funds relevant to key advocacy issues including, but not limited to, deep dives into China’s interactions with global development mechanisms/instruments, structuring and functioning of aid funds/instruments in China, and others.
Prepare and write briefs, synthesize current practices, and review existing literature of relevant topics in support of establishing advocacy pathways and identifying alliances through initiatives/activities mapping.
Portfolio & Grant Implementation:
Develop and manage a portfolio of grants and activities designed around effective delivery of critical development issues, particularly on sustainable agricultural development and food security in the face of climate change.
Cross-Team Collaboration:
Collaborate with grantees and other partners to increase the impact of projects and ensure grants are effectively implemented to achieve program advocacy goals. This may include site visits, providing operational guidance, and convening meetings of key partners to progress milestone-based deliverables.
Represent the foundation in external meetings and conferences as needed.
Your Experience
Bachelor or other advanced degrees in development, public policy, economics, international relations with minimum 7 years of experience.
Demonstrated ability to think strategically and implement exceptionally, translating research and ideas into grant proposals, advocacy, and action.
Experience in government agencies, large multinational corporations, think tanks, or NGOs.
Solid analytic and technical proficiency in global development policy, aid models and mechanisms, and bilateral/ multilateral development funds.
Proven experience in complex project management, including setting up work plans, managing timelines, and coordinating diverse stakeholders to achieve a common goal.
Demonstrated experience in policy advocacy strategy, with a proven ability to navigate government processes and build coalitions across sectors (public, private and multilateral).
Knowledge of and robust network around adaptation and climate resilient development policy in China, with a particular interest in global and regional bilateral and multilateral initiatives around agricultural transformation and climate finance.
Other Attributes
Strong partner relationship building and management skills.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills with demonstrated record of accomplishment in producing high quality policy analysis and briefs upon request.
Rich experience and demonstrated success in coordinating and working with a diverse range of colleagues, consultants, and leaders in international organizations, government, academia, and industry to achieve targeted project outcomes.
An excellent teammate with an open-minded, innovative, and resilient approach to all aspects of work.
Fluency in Mandarin and English.
Must have unrestricted work authorization in the country where this position is located.
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
We’re committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring experience for all candidates. If you have a disability or medical condition and need an accommodation at any stage of the application or interview process—such as an ASL interpreter, alternative interview format, or physical accessibility support—we’re happy to help. Please contact HR@gatesfoundation.org with the position number and a brief description of your accommodation needs. Requests will be handled confidentially.
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.