Director, R&D Executive Director\'s Office (EDO) in London

Launched in 2017, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is an international coalition of governments, academic, philanthropic, private, public, and intergovernmental institutions whose vision is to create a world in which epidemics and pandemics are no longer a threat to humanity. Our mission is to accelerate the development of vaccines and other biologic countermeasures against epidemic and pandemic threats so they can be accessible to all people in need. CEPI played a central role in the global response to COVID-19, creating the world's largest portfolio of COVID-19 vaccines – seven of which are approved for global or domestic use - and co‐leading COVAX, the global initiative to support equitable access which supported the delivery of over 2bn vaccine doses globally. CEPI has contributed to a number of scientific breakthroughs in vaccine development against other infectious diseases, including the first ever licensed Chikungunya vaccine and the first Nipah and Lassa virus vaccines into Phase 1 trials.

As COVID‐19 has demonstrated, emerging infectious diseases represent an existential threat to our way of life. COVID‐19 is not the first pandemic of the 21st century, and unless we act now, we can be sure that it will not be the last. Unlike some of the other big threats that humanity faces, we have the tools to systematically reduce and even eliminate the risk of future pandemics. It is vital that we capitalise on the rare alignment of political will, practical experience, and technical and scientific progress emerging from the pandemic to prevent such devastation happening again. CEPI's five-year plan for 2022‐2026 – known as CEPI 2.0 – aims to dramatically reduce or even eliminate the future risk of pandemics and epidemics. Central to the plan is CEPI's goal to accelerate the time taken to develop safe, effective, globally accessible vaccines against new threats to just 100 days. Achieving this '100 Days Mission', which has been embraced by the G7 and G20, would give the world a fighting chance of containing a future outbreak before it can spread to become a global pandemic, potentially averting millions of deaths and trillions of dollars in economic damage.

CEPI is a not‐for‐profit association under Norwegian Law and has offices in Oslo (HQ), London, and Washington DC. In CEPI we strive for diverse thinking, and we want a diverse pool of candidates for all our vacancies. We work for an inclusive working environment where each employee can contribute and grow.

About the role

The Research & Development (R&D) division of CEPI is working on a multitude of strategic and operational initiatives. The R&D Executive Director's Office is a central team within the R&D Division, supporting the smooth and effective operation of the R&D Division in the execution of technical projects and programmes, and the connection of R&D with wider organisational strategic goals and impact.

The Director of the R&D EDO reports to the Executive Director of R&D, and enable him/her and the R&D Leadership Team to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders in order to facilitate execution of CEPI's strategy. The role oversees three sub teams covering R&D divisional planning and strategy; the technical component of CEPI governance; and the delivery of external R&D Events and administrative support for the division.

2026 will be a pivotal year for CEPI and for the R&D division as we continue to deliver our R&D objectives under CEPI 2.0 strategy and also prepare for the implementation of CEPI 3.0 strategy from Jan 2027. This role and the R&D EDO will be essential in ensuring alignment within the R&D division, coordination between the R&D and the wider CEPI organisation (including strategy, governance, and resource mobilisation), and the prioritisation and delivery of improvement initiatives within the division to ensure effective and efficient delivery of R&D objectives.

This role requires an individual who is visionary and forward thinking, results oriented and performance driven, who is adaptable and open to change, who can understand both the scientific detail of CEPI's work and the strategic and operational aspects that are essential to maximise impact and progress. This position is a one year fixed‐term contract maternity cover.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic initiatives from development through successful execution, working closely with the Executive Director of R&D and the R&D leadership team.
• Effectively prioritise activities including balancing different perspectives to ensure R&D leadership remains focused on critical objectives, milestones and deliverables.
• Oversee daily operations within the division, including: providing support to the Executive Director and coordination of R&D leadership team; execution of CEPI's technical governance; delivery of successful external R&D events and provision of departmental administrative support, through collaboration with R&D leaders, other technical and non‐technical divisions/departments, and external stakeholders and partners.
• Ensure effective development and integration of R&D strategy into CEPI's strategy and work closely with the Executive Director of R&D and all internal stakeholders to prepare the R&D division's strategy, structure and processes for CEPI 3.0.
• Identify areas of improvement in current R&D division and cross‐divisional processes and make actionable recommendations for optimized efficiency and productivity. Working closely with R&D leaders and People and Organisation to set the direction for organisational development in R&D and ensure effective communication of change initiatives.
• Represent the Executive Director of R&D in internal and external meetings as appropriate.
• Maintain and build networks and support the Executive Director of R&D's high quality working relationships with a wide range of colleagues internally and externally; support development of CEPI's overall stakeholder management approach.
• Lead the multifunctional R&D Executive Director's Office team to execute the Division's operational goals for internal governance, strategic planning and analytics, effective partnerships, and delivery of R&D events.

Education, Experience and Competence

• Masters or further advanced degree (PhD desirable) in relevant field, with an understanding of end‐to‐end vaccine development.
• Extensive experience in life sciences field, including in technical, strategic, policy or funding roles related to vaccine development. Experience working with international partners and health organisations is desirable.
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to build trust with partners and to work collaboratively with colleagues from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds.
• Excellent ability to think critically, strategise and persuade key stakeholders to resolve differences in an effective manner.
• Ability to make decisions in a fast paced and changing environment that balance different equities and produce the best possible results for the R&D division and for the organisation.
• Proven experience leading multi‐functional teams. Strong program management and strategic capabilities.
• Ability to build complex cross‐group/department plans, drive, track and report execution progress.
• Strong communication skills, verbal and written, including presentation skills.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Ability to manage confidential issues with complete discretion.

Travel and Location Requirements

This role will preferably be based in London (UK) although could be based in Washington D.C. (US) or Oslo (NO) for the right candidate. It will require working across different time zones regularly and may require travel to other countries as projects and initiatives progress.

What we can offer you

• The opportunity to work together with leading experts on solutions for global challenges.
• Experience in the international effort on developing vaccines against emerging infectious diseases and accelerating vaccine development response to outbreaks.
• A diverse and inclusive working environment.

How to apply

For more information on how to apply, please visit: https://cepisites.secure.force.com/careers. Should you have any issues submitting your application or have questions please contact jobs@cepi.net. Background verification will be conducted to verify information provided in the CV and available documentation. Deadline for receiving applications is 1st February 2026 at 23:59 CET.