Regional Policy Lead- Health Research and Development- Africa

PATH is recruiting a Policy & Advocacy Lead, Health Research and Development, to lead and support transformative policy and advocacy efforts aimed at strengthening Africa’s health research and innovation ecosystem. If you’re the successful candidate, you’ll be at the forefront of shaping policy, advancing strategic partnerships, mobilizing investments, and driving advocacy initiatives that accelerate the development, introduction, scale-up, and equitable access to health innovations across the continent. Your work will help ensure underserved populations benefit from advances in research, technology, and global health innovation, contributing to a more resilient and equitable health future for Africa.

This role reports to the Regional Director, Center for Advocacy and Policy, and works closely with other R&D advocacy team members and PATH’s health innovation portfolio, including but not limited to Market Dynamics, Product Development, and the Centre for Vaccine Innovation and Access.

The position can be based in Kenya (Nairobi), Ethiopia (Addis Ababa), Rwanda (Kigali), Nigeria, or Tanzania

Role Summary

Africa is entering a pivotal decade for health innovation, with growing momentum among governments, regional institutions, researchers, manufacturers, and development partners to strengthen health sovereignty and expand access to locally relevant solutions. As this landscape evolves, the need for strong policy leadership, strategic advocacy, and effective ecosystem coordination has never been greater.

Operating at the intersection of health R&D, policy, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement, the role will help advance this transformation, leading initiatives that create enabling environments for innovation by linking research, regulation, manufacturing, financing, market access, and health system priorities. The successful candidate will work closely with governments, regional institutions, industry, academia, civil society, innovators, and development partners to translate evidence into action, elevate priority issues on policy agendas, and build coalitions that drive sustainable change.

The role combines strategic advocacy, policy influence, partnership development, and program leadership. The successful candidate will support high-level engagement, shape compelling narratives, cultivate strategic networks, and identify emerging opportunities that advance shared objectives for health innovation and equitable access across Africa. Through this work, the role will help strengthen the conditions that enable scientific discovery and innovation to translate into lasting public health impact, economic growth, and more resilient health systems across the continent.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead strategy for PATH’s health R&D policy and advocacy programs – Drive the vision for the health R&D policy and advocacy portfolio in the region, ensuring strategic alignment, high-quality delivery, and impact.

• Manage program delivery and performance – Oversee workplans, timelines, deliverables, budgets, and reporting requirements to ensure effective program management and accountability.

• Build and manage strategic partnerships – Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with governments, regional institutions, multilateral organizations, research institutions, civil society, donors, and private sector partners to advance shared health R&D goals and objectives.

• Engage regional and continental stakeholders – Strengthen collaboration with institutions such as the African Union, AMA, Africa CDC, AUDA-NEPAD, and related entities to advance health R&D and innovation priorities.

• Represent PATH in strategic forums – Serve as a key representative in technical meetings, policy forums, working groups, and high-level convenings that shape Africa’s health innovation agendas.

• Drive cross-functional coordination with PATH – Collaborate across PATH’s technical, policy, partnerships, and external affairs teams to integrate R&D advocacy, technical, and programmatic priorities into cohesive strategies and outputs.

• Provide team management as assigned and mentorship – Guide project teams, consultants, and partners while fostering collaboration, learning, inclusion, and professional growth.

• Provide thought leadership and knowledge development based on emerging trends and opportunities – Monitor developments across Africa’s health innovation ecosystem to inform strategy, partnerships, and advocacy and policy tools, reports, analyses, presentations, and advocacy materials that strengthen policy engagement and elevate Africa’s health innovation agenda

• Advance PATH’s visibility and influence – Contribute to PATH’s external positioning and thought leadership on health R&D, innovation policy, and equitable access across Africa.

• Business development: identify partnership and funding opportunities, and contribute to proposal development

Essential Skills and Experience

• Education & Expertise – master’s degree in public health, global health, health policy, public policy, international development, pharmaceutical sciences, health economics, or a related field. Experience in management consulting will be valuable

• Health R&D Policy Leadership – Strong understanding of Africa’s health R&D ecosystem, including product development, introduction, access, regulatory systems, and local manufacturing.

• Advocacy Strategy – Proven track record of designing and delivering evidence-based global health advocacy strategies that influence policy adoption and implementation at national, regional, or continental levels.

• Technical Translation – Ability to distill complex scientific, policy, or regulatory issues into clear, persuasive messages for policymakers and other decision-makers.

• Program and Technical Expertise – Demonstrated experience in health R&D, public health programs, policy, or a related field.

• Stakeholder Engagement – Demonstrated ability to build and maintain trusted relationships with governments, regional institutions, multilateral organizations, civil society, and private sector partners.

• Partnership Management – Experience managing partnerships and coordinating across multiple organizations, sectors, or stakeholder groups.

• Communication – Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English, including strong presentation and facilitation abilities with senior stakeholders.

• Project Management – Strong organizational skills, with experience leading multi-country or multi-stakeholder initiatives and managing multiple priorities, deadlines, and deliverables.

• Collaboration and Cultural Agility – Proven ability to work effectively across teams, geographies, cultures, and sectors in a dynamic environment.

• Legal Work Authorization – Must have legal authorization to work in the country of hire.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Donor-Funded Programmes – Demonstrated experience managing philanthropy and multilaterally funded projects.

• Client-focused – Mindset that prioritizes stakeholder needs within organizational resource constraints, and attitude that reflects the necessity to be flexible and responsive to rapid changes in the agendas of policy makers.

• Capacity Strengthening – Experience designing or delivering training and technical assistance to build policy and advocacy capacity.

• Multilingual Skills – Proficiency in French, Portuguese, or Arabic for engagement across Africa’s diverse regions.