Chief Executive Officer

CEPI seeks its next Chief Executive Officer. The need for CEPI is greater now than ever before. Candidates should have a track record of success as a CEO or senior leader of a significant organization, and the ability to navigate a highly complex, ambiguous world with multiple stakeholders and partners. They should be familiar with vaccines, public health, and epidemic preparedness, and have demonstrated leadership in a high‑performance, healthy institution with respect to financial management, people and culture, and delivery of results. Candidates must be compelling communicators in English and experienced in working in a multicultural environment, with a deep respect for others from all nations and walks of life.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: The CEO reports directly to the CEPI board and is responsible for the successful leadership of the priorities established in the CEPI 3.0 strategy. Maintain and enhance the power of CEPI’s alliances, positioning CEPI as a highly capable, distinctive contributor to vaccine R&D and biological countermeasures at a system level. Position CEPI to deliver upon opportunities as a fast‑moving, foresightful organization. Effectively evaluate and manage risks across a highly complex portfolio of activity. Ensure the highest levels of confidence among investors, partners, and governments in CEPI’s mission and performance.
• Organizational Performance: Ensure a high‑performance organization through the development of people, processes and technology. Shape organizational structure, culture, leadership and capabilities, with robust management of performance. Lead CEPI’s internal management committees, as a mechanism to direct implementation, and harmonize diverse expertise and areas of focus across the organization. Ensure the robust management of significant resources, including ensuring the value of CEPI’s investments, accountability for maximizing the impact and value of investor resources, and highly effective accounting for performance and fiduciary responsibility.
• Partners & Stakeholders: The CEO is the primary representative of CEPI’s management with the board and with its other key coordinating mechanisms. Lead effective reporting to the board on all operational, administrative and financial aspects of CEPI’s performance, including the timely and transparent reporting of challenges and risks. Represent CEPI at the highest levels nationally and internationally, ensuring that the contribution of CEPI to the global health architecture and to matters of national security is well understood, through direct engagement of policy‑makers, international organizations, partner organizations, and the execution of a strategic communications strategy. Build and maintain alliances and operational partnerships across a wide array of partnerships, extending across industry, R&D organizations of all types, manufacturers, United Nations entities, governments of implementing countries, bilateral donors, philanthropies, and partner international organizations in the global health sector. Play a key leadership role in the ongoing fundraising effort to support CEPI 3.0.
• Delivery & Results: Ensure a highly results‑focused organization, anchored in key principles of rapid execution, innovation, and – above all – epidemic preparedness. Ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of programs, investments, and portfolio‑level impact. Develop a sophisticated understanding of success and performance, including appraising milestones toward achieving CEPI’s five‑year goals relative to its resources. Ensure that alliances and operational partnerships are deeply embedded in CEPI’s working practices, that partnerships are operational, durable, and bear results.

Education, Experience and Competence

• Track record of success as a CEO or senior leader of a significant organization.
• Track record of success in navigating a highly complex, ambiguous world with multiple stakeholders and partners.
• Familiarity with vaccines, public health, and epidemic preparedness.
• Success in leading a high‑performing, healthy institution, with respect to financial management, people & culture, and delivery of results.
• Understanding of the global health architecture.
• Fluency in English, and experience of working in a multicultural environment.
• Strategic vision and capacity to inspire, and set direction.
• Leadership on key questions of epidemic preparedness and health innovation at a global level.
• Leadership on relevant R&D and/or manufacturing.
• Leadership in a highly diverse, international context.
• Experience of leading successful fundraising campaigns.
• Highest standards of ethics and integrity.
• Keen intellect, with sound judgement and rigor in decision‑making.
• Exceptional strategic thinker, with a sophisticated understanding of system‑level impact and collaboration.
• Results‑driven leadership, measuring performance in outcomes.
• Humility in their relationships with others, and willingness to learn and grow.
• Respect for others from all nations and all walks of life.

Travel and Location Requirements: This role is based in Oslo, London, or Washington, D.C. Applications should be received by midday UK time on Tuesday 5 May.