Director, North America Team
Gates Foundation, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Overview
The Gates Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting poverty, disease, and inequity worldwide. We value a diverse workforce reflecting the global populations we serve and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contributions, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in employee communities. We strive to create an environment where employees can thrive both personally and professionally.
Your Role The Director, North America Team (NAT)
sets and leads the federal engagement and coalition strategy for a tax-exempt private foundation across the United States, Canada, and the United Nations. The role advances the foundation’s global health and development priorities through political judgment, bipartisan credibility, and high-impact external partnerships. The Director serves as the foundation’s senior federal policy leader, shaping engagement strategy across the U.S. federal landscape, the Canadian government, and multilateral institutions. They will provide strategic counsel to executive leadership on political dynamics, budget developments, and policy risks and opportunities that affect the foundation’s mission. This role is highly external-facing and representative in nature, building broad, politically relevant coalitions to strengthen bipartisan support for science, innovation, and global engagement. It partners with USP and Program Strategy Teams to ensure federal strategy amplifies programmatic priorities and translates evidence into effective policy influence. The Director leads a multidisciplinary team responsible for federal government relations, coalition engagement, communications alignment, and strategic grantmaking, ensuring disciplined execution, accountability, and compliance with applicable rules and laws for private foundations. The Director also serves as the regional office lead for the foundation’s Washington, D.C. office, providing operational and cultural leadership and representing the regional impact of foundation-wide policies and procedures to executive leadership.
What You’ll Do
Set and lead a comprehensive, mission-aligned U.S. federal engagement strategy advancing the foundation’s global health and development priorities.
Navigate complex federal policy and budget landscapes to inform foundation strategy and enable environments aligned with priorities.
Monitor, analyze, and interpret legislative and regulatory developments to provide forward-looking political insight for advocacy, investment decisions, and risk management.
Protect the foundation’s reputation with U.S. government stakeholders and maintain trusted, nonpartisan relationships at high levels.
Coordinate engagement with North American governments, working with foundation leaders and program teams to develop issue briefs, correspondence, and communications with U.S. and Canadian stakeholders.
Senior Political Judgment
Serve as a trusted advisor to GPA leadership on federal political developments and implications.
Demonstrate bipartisan political acumen and the ability to operate across diverse perspectives.
Apply seasoned judgment in high-stakes, sensitive, and rapidly evolving policy environments.
Coalitions and External Representation
Lead and expand politically relevant coalitions and an engagement strategy to sustain U.S. and Canadian support for global health and development.
Build trusted relationships across the federal landscape, national coalitions, civil society, faith communities, think tanks, philanthropy, and private-sector partners.
Mobilize champions and partners to amplify policy goals and increase issue salience.
External Representation
Represent the foundation in high-level federal and multilateral policy forums and strategic discussions.
Partner with Communications to ensure message discipline and alignment in public positioning and high-profile moments.
Represent the foundation in national policy forums and strategic convenings.
Cross-Foundation Integration
Collaborate with the USP division and PSTs to align federal engagement with programmatic priorities and evidence-based strategies.
Translate external political developments into actionable internal guidance for programs and leadership.
Coordinate across GPA markets and hubs to ensure coherence and accountability in advocacy campaigns and measurement.
Leadership and Change Management
Lead and develop a high-performing team through organizational transition, fostering clarity, resilience, and accountability.
Build credibility with senior leaders and navigate internal tensions with diplomacy and sound judgment.
Oversee federal engagement governance, compliance, risk management, and ethical standards.
Washington, D.C. Office
Advise leadership on D.C. office operations and represent regional policy effects.
Lead the office in partnership with the regional senior officer, overseeing local decision-making and safety protocols in coordination with Incident Management.
Champion culture, engagement, and communication for D.C.-based staff, including onboarding, events, ERGs, and learning opportunities.
Your Experience
Advanced degree in public policy, political science, international affairs, public health, or related field, or equivalent senior-level experience.
15+ years of senior leadership experience in U.S. federal government, philanthropy, advocacy, or related sectors.
Proven record of sound political judgment and bipartisan credibility in complex U.S. federal environments.
Deep understanding of U.S. congressional dynamics, federal budget processes, and executive branch policymaking.
Demonstrated ability to convene and lead broad, cross-sector coalitions across government, civil society, faith communities, private sector, think tanks, and advocacy groups.
Experience with Canadian policy environments and familiarity with multilateral institutions such as the United Nations is preferred.
Proven ability to advise senior executives in politically sensitive contexts and lead large, multidisciplinary teams in matrixed environments.
Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to synthesize complexity into strategic action.
Compensation
The salary range for this role is $375,200 to $581,600 USD. The range in Seattle and Washington, D.C. is $412,000 to $635,000 USD. New hires are generally placed in the minimum to midpoint range, balancing competitive pay with the mission.
Hiring Requirements
Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
EEO and Accessibility We are committed to equal opportunity and fair treatment for all applicants and employees regardless of race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, or prior protected activity. We provide accommodations upon request during the application process.
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The Gates Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting poverty, disease, and inequity worldwide. We value a diverse workforce reflecting the global populations we serve and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contributions, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in employee communities. We strive to create an environment where employees can thrive both personally and professionally.
Your Role The Director, North America Team (NAT)
sets and leads the federal engagement and coalition strategy for a tax-exempt private foundation across the United States, Canada, and the United Nations. The role advances the foundation’s global health and development priorities through political judgment, bipartisan credibility, and high-impact external partnerships. The Director serves as the foundation’s senior federal policy leader, shaping engagement strategy across the U.S. federal landscape, the Canadian government, and multilateral institutions. They will provide strategic counsel to executive leadership on political dynamics, budget developments, and policy risks and opportunities that affect the foundation’s mission. This role is highly external-facing and representative in nature, building broad, politically relevant coalitions to strengthen bipartisan support for science, innovation, and global engagement. It partners with USP and Program Strategy Teams to ensure federal strategy amplifies programmatic priorities and translates evidence into effective policy influence. The Director leads a multidisciplinary team responsible for federal government relations, coalition engagement, communications alignment, and strategic grantmaking, ensuring disciplined execution, accountability, and compliance with applicable rules and laws for private foundations. The Director also serves as the regional office lead for the foundation’s Washington, D.C. office, providing operational and cultural leadership and representing the regional impact of foundation-wide policies and procedures to executive leadership.
What You’ll Do
Set and lead a comprehensive, mission-aligned U.S. federal engagement strategy advancing the foundation’s global health and development priorities.
Navigate complex federal policy and budget landscapes to inform foundation strategy and enable environments aligned with priorities.
Monitor, analyze, and interpret legislative and regulatory developments to provide forward-looking political insight for advocacy, investment decisions, and risk management.
Protect the foundation’s reputation with U.S. government stakeholders and maintain trusted, nonpartisan relationships at high levels.
Coordinate engagement with North American governments, working with foundation leaders and program teams to develop issue briefs, correspondence, and communications with U.S. and Canadian stakeholders.
Senior Political Judgment
Serve as a trusted advisor to GPA leadership on federal political developments and implications.
Demonstrate bipartisan political acumen and the ability to operate across diverse perspectives.
Apply seasoned judgment in high-stakes, sensitive, and rapidly evolving policy environments.
Coalitions and External Representation
Lead and expand politically relevant coalitions and an engagement strategy to sustain U.S. and Canadian support for global health and development.
Build trusted relationships across the federal landscape, national coalitions, civil society, faith communities, think tanks, philanthropy, and private-sector partners.
Mobilize champions and partners to amplify policy goals and increase issue salience.
External Representation
Represent the foundation in high-level federal and multilateral policy forums and strategic discussions.
Partner with Communications to ensure message discipline and alignment in public positioning and high-profile moments.
Represent the foundation in national policy forums and strategic convenings.
Cross-Foundation Integration
Collaborate with the USP division and PSTs to align federal engagement with programmatic priorities and evidence-based strategies.
Translate external political developments into actionable internal guidance for programs and leadership.
Coordinate across GPA markets and hubs to ensure coherence and accountability in advocacy campaigns and measurement.
Leadership and Change Management
Lead and develop a high-performing team through organizational transition, fostering clarity, resilience, and accountability.
Build credibility with senior leaders and navigate internal tensions with diplomacy and sound judgment.
Oversee federal engagement governance, compliance, risk management, and ethical standards.
Washington, D.C. Office
Advise leadership on D.C. office operations and represent regional policy effects.
Lead the office in partnership with the regional senior officer, overseeing local decision-making and safety protocols in coordination with Incident Management.
Champion culture, engagement, and communication for D.C.-based staff, including onboarding, events, ERGs, and learning opportunities.
Your Experience
Advanced degree in public policy, political science, international affairs, public health, or related field, or equivalent senior-level experience.
15+ years of senior leadership experience in U.S. federal government, philanthropy, advocacy, or related sectors.
Proven record of sound political judgment and bipartisan credibility in complex U.S. federal environments.
Deep understanding of U.S. congressional dynamics, federal budget processes, and executive branch policymaking.
Demonstrated ability to convene and lead broad, cross-sector coalitions across government, civil society, faith communities, private sector, think tanks, and advocacy groups.
Experience with Canadian policy environments and familiarity with multilateral institutions such as the United Nations is preferred.
Proven ability to advise senior executives in politically sensitive contexts and lead large, multidisciplinary teams in matrixed environments.
Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to synthesize complexity into strategic action.
Compensation
The salary range for this role is $375,200 to $581,600 USD. The range in Seattle and Washington, D.C. is $412,000 to $635,000 USD. New hires are generally placed in the minimum to midpoint range, balancing competitive pay with the mission.
Hiring Requirements
Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
EEO and Accessibility We are committed to equal opportunity and fair treatment for all applicants and employees regardless of race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, or prior protected activity. We provide accommodations upon request during the application process.
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