Candidate Brief
Brief for the position of
Director, Health – Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
April 2015
Contents
Introduction
Page 2
About CIFF
Page 2
Role specification
Page 4
Person specification
Page 7
Timetable and How to Apply
Page 8
www.odgersberndtson.co.uk
Candidate Brief, April 2015
Director, Health, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
2
Introduction
At the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), we believe that every child
deserves to survive and thrive. We are an independent philanthropic organisation
aiming to demonstrably improve the lives of children in developing countries by
achieving large-scale, sustainable impact. Based in London, with offices in Nairobi and
New Delhi, we focus our work on programmes in the areas of Health, Educational
Attainment, Nutrition and Climate and we are now looking for an ambitious Director
to join our growing Health team.
About CIFF
Founded in 2003, CIFF strives to couple business acumen and principles with
development experience and best practices to transform the landscape for children.
The Foundation does this by:
 Finding and funding opportunities to make significant improvements to the wellbeing of large numbers of children, including efforts to mitigate climate change.
 Designing investments with like-minded partners to address these opportunities.
 Engaging with partners throughout the investment process to optimise direct and
indirect impact.
 Building a portfolio of consistently high-performing investments for children,
primarily in Sub Saharan Africa and India and Climate Change investments,
primarily in EU, Latin America and China.
Our CEO, Michael Anderson, joined us in September 2013 and he is leading the
organisation on an ambitious new strategy, both in terms of external output and
impact, and internal organisation. This is an exciting time in the Foundation’s
development as we look to deepen our work and continue to increase the impact and
long-term benefits of our programmes.
Our vision
We are uncompromising in our intention to create big improvements to children’s
wellbeing. At the outset, we set clear targets with our partners and collectively
commit to deliver them.
Our work is rigorous and evidence-based
Children’s lives are too important to leave to chance. We trust data over intuition and
measure only what matters.
Be responsive and agile
Development challenges are complicated and it’s rare that anyone gets it right first
time. With our partners, we trial and monitor continuously, adapting and optimising
our approaches to realise success where we can.
Responsibility for success is shared with our partners
Each investment presents difficult decisions. We aim to create a dynamic, challenging
and supportive environment in which all involved can work constructively towards
the best decisions to support success.
www.odgersberndtson.co.uk
Candidate Brief, April 2015
Director, Health, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
3
Our approach
With an overarching devotion to high-impact funding for children, there are three
distinctive features of CIFF’s approach when selecting and managing projects with
our partners.
 Clear about success - When deciding to invest, we articulate clearly the impact
we aim to achieve, how this will be sustained after CIFF’s exit, and how an
investment will advance our efforts to achieve positive and transformational
change globally.
 Explicit use of data - CIFF focuses on the areas where data tells us that we have
opportunities to dramatically improve large numbers of children’s lives. Then, we
use reliable evidence to monitor our progress toward ultimate success.
 Managed investing - Much of the evidence used in development work is
generated in relatively controlled settings. Translating these insights into impact
at scale requires commitment to a process of trial, monitoring and course
correction. CIFF stays engaged throughout each investment until quality
thresholds are delivered and the programme is adequately institutionalised.
Our focus
The Foundation currently focuses on several priority areas:




Health
Hunger Alleviation & Nutrition
Educational Attainment
Climate
Examples of our Health Team priorities include:
Perinatal survival strategy
Newborn deaths represent 43 per cent of child mortality and are a barrier to progress
in child survival. Most deaths occur in the perinatal period, as do the majority of
maternal deaths, along with 1.2 million ‘hidden’ stillbirths. Fulfilling the child survival
agenda means reducing newborn deaths.
We look to invest in programmes that prioritise and resource the perinatal period,
working towards our goal of reducing the global neonatal mortality rate by 10% by
2020, accelerating existing rates of reduction by 50%.
www.odgersberndtson.co.uk
Candidate Brief, April 2015
Director, Health, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
4
Prevention of mother-to-child HIV/AIDS transmission
Great advances have been made in reducing new HIV infections in children and
keeping their mothers alive, but challenges remain to ensure faster access for those
affected, to improve paediatric HIV treatment and care in high burden areas, and to
enable countries to sustain, integrate and optimise their response.
We aim to end paediatric HIV/AIDS by supporting the global elimination of motherto-child transmission of HIV and keep HIV+ mothers and children alive, by reducing
the treatment disparity gap between children and adults and by sustaining political
commitment and delivering effective programmes in partnership with others, notably
the partnership with PEPFAR to double the number of children on antiretroviral
treatment in ten countries.
Adolescent Reproductive Health
Adolescent Reproductive Health is a new area of investment for CIFF. Following the
completion of the ARH landscape analysis, a number of early investments have been
developed to inform CIFF’s emerging portfolio. Investments have been approved to
increase access to contraception for adolescents, promote and demonstrate new
methods of contraception in Uganda and the prevention of child marriage, a leading
cause of teenage childbearing.
HPV Vaccine
The genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually
transmitted infections in the world. According to the US Center for Disease Control,
“most sexually-active men and women will get at least one type of HPV at some point
in their lives.” This is an especially serious problem in developing countries, where
very few people have access to cervical cancer screening and treatment: 85% of all
cervical cancer deaths are of women in low-income countries. Each year in Africa,
93,000 women contract cervical cancer, and 57,000 die from the disease.
We have invested $25 million in HPV vaccination, which offers the best protection
against cervical cancer for women living in developing countries. The money is being
invested in existing programmes run by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and
Immunisation (GAVI Alliance) in support of their goal of reaching 40 million girls
with this vital vaccine by 2020.
www.odgersberndtson.co.uk
Candidate Brief, April 2015
Director, Health, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
5
Role specification
Job Title
Director, Health
Reports to
Executive Director, Health
Location
London
Main purpose of the role:
 Co-lead on the development and implementation of cutting edge and evidencebased health strategies and investments.
 Mentor and manage a team of high performing Managers and Analysts, and to
develop and design investments for board approval and oversee the management
of their implementation for maximum impact.
 Engage and collaborate with governments and a wide range of global health
partners to deliver transformational change aligned with CIFF’s Health Strategy,
and act as a key contact point for strategic health sector partners.
 As a recognised subject-matter expert, to contribute to the development of cutting
edge and evidence-based strategies and plans that ensure CIFF’s work across the
Health Sector achieves transformational and lasting change for children
Principal accountabilities
As a member of the Health Sector Senior Management Team (SMT)
 Take full and collective accountability for the development and implementation of
Health Sector priorities and plans, ensuring they are aligned to the Foundation
Strategy.
 As a recognised subject-matter expert in Health Sector, provide up-to-date,
professional advice to the Executive Team and CIFF Board on related issues, to
support the development of Foundation strategies, policies and initiatives, and
oversee the implementation of CIFF’s Health portfolio.
 Take the lead on corporate, cross-cutting initiatives and projects, as required by
the Executive Team.
 Provide compelling, consistent and united leadership which creates clarity for all
staff in the Sector Team and builds a sense of shared accountability for its success
and that of the organisation.
 Develop and maintain excellent external relationships within the sector
specialism, acting at all times as a corporate ambassador for CIFF, to help build
the organisation’s reputation and profile as a professional, visionary and
collaborative philanthropy.
 Deputise for the Executive Director, as required.
www.odgersberndtson.co.uk
Candidate Brief, April 2015
Director, Health, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
6
Sector responsibilities
Strategy & planning
 As a recognised expert in a specific subject-specialism related to CIFF priority
areas(and/or geography), contribute to the development and review of the Health
Sector Plan & Priorities, to ensure CIFF is making maximum impact in those areas
with the resources available.
 Lead the development and implementation of the annual Health Sector Plan, to
ensure the effective in-year prioritisation of resources and activities.
Programme development, delivery & performance
 Oversee both the development of successful investment proposals and
implementation of high- impact programmes by a team of Sector Managers and
Analysts, ensuring the quality, timeliness and strategic alignment of their work to
Foundation priorities and objectives.
 Allocate and monitor achievement of individual targets for pipeline, new
investments & grant draw-down for all relevant team members, to ensure the
Health Sector Team meets its objectives for programme development and
delivery.
 Conduct regular reviews of investment proposals under development and
programmes in delivery, to monitor compliance with agreed due diligence and
risk management protocols, ensuring the interests and reputation of the
Foundation are appropriately and proportionately protected. Intervene to take
corrective action where necessary.
 Ensure all investment proposals and programmes are underpinned by
appropriate monitoring and evaluation processes and procedures, in accordance
with the frameworks and guidance of the EME Team, to enable the development
of rigorous evidence and analysis that supports CIFF’s advocacy, scaling-up and
mainstreaming agendas.
 As a recognised subject-matter expert, provide casework advice, specialist
guidance and mentoring support to colleagues (within and beyond the team) to
deepen the skills, capability and professionalism of the organisation.
 In conjunction with the Strategy & Partnerships function, ensure that appropriate
procedures and frameworks are in place (in the UK and in-country) to support the
effective leveraging and scaling-up of successful programmes and initiatives.
 Review the processes and procedures in place across the Health Sector Team, to
identify and implement improved ways of working that increase operational
effectiveness and efficiency.
 Lead the collection and analysis of team performance data and management
information, in accordance with CIFF corporate frameworks and requirements, to
enable timely and effective decision-making and planning.
www.odgersberndtson.co.uk
Candidate Brief, April 2015
Director, Health, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
7
 Personally manage an end-to-end caseload of programmes and an active pipeline
of potential investments, in accordance with the Health Sector priorities and plan.
Sector knowledge and profile-building
 Proactively maintain extensive external networks with experts and opinionformers within the area of personal subject-matter (and/or geographical)
specialism, to ensure Health Sector’s work is shaped by the most up-to-date
insights and research. Undertake or commission sector-relevant research and
analysis to inform the effective development, delivery and evaluation of
programmes and initiatives.
 Personally contribute to the development and promotion of high quality thought
leadership, communications and marketing materials to raise awareness about
CIFF’s work in general and especially, within the Health Sector, ensuring
alignment with the Foundation’s Communications & Strategies.
Stakeholder and partner management
 In accordance with agreed account management principles and plans, identify,
cultivate and manage relationships with nominated key partners/stakeholders, to
support the achievement of Foundation and Health Sector Team strategies and
objectives in a coordinated manner.
 Advise and support more colleagues in identifying, negotiating with and managing
appropriate programme partners (as required), to enable CIFF to maximise its
philanthropic impact through effective collaboration.
Leadership of the team
 Set and monitor achievement of performance and personal development
objectives for all direct reports, so that a culture of continuous improvement and
learning is embedded within the Health Sector Team.
 Provide inspiring and motivational leadership that role models CIFF’s values and
behaviours, and empowers and enables staff to deliver excellence.
www.odgersberndtson.co.uk
Candidate Brief, April 2015
Director, Health, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
8
Person specification
Qualifications & Experience
 Educated to at least Masters level, in Public Health or equivalent, relevant Health
specialism.
 Recognised as a subject-matter expert (as evidenced via publications and/or
previous programme delivery) in an area relevant to Health Sector’s strategy
focus, preferably with an extensive track record of working in one of CIFF’s
priority geographies.
 Extensive experience in an area relevant to Health Sector’s strategy focus, with an
extensive track record of working in Sub-Saharan Africa, one of CIFF’s priority
geographies.
 Detailed knowledge and understanding of the international development and
Global Health sector.
 Display an extensive track record of building and maintaining a strategic
relationships and effective Health sector partnerships.
 Demonstrable expertise in global health programme, design, delivery and
evaluation.
 Ability to bring analytical rigour, critical thinking and a detailed understanding of
data and evidence to inform Health team strategy, program design and
investment management.
 Detailed understanding of using cost-benefit and ROI methodologies and metrics
to inform strategy and business planning – preferably within an international
development or philanthropic setting.
 Excellent people leadership skills and proven ability to motivate and develop high
performance teams.
 Ability to think critically and analytically to draw sound conclusions on the basis
of complex data.
 Highly developed communication and influencing skills.
 Awareness of philanthropic sector governance and decision-making processes.
 Experience of identifying and delivering business process improvements.
 High-level of financial literacy.
Key working relationships
 CIFF Board members
 CEO and CIFF Executive team
www.odgersberndtson.co.uk
Candidate Brief, April 2015
Director, Health, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
9
 All other CIFF sector teams and business support – particularly Strategy &
Partnerships and Evidence Measurement & Evaluation teams.
 Global, regional and national institutional partners/stakeholders – e.g. DFID,
World Bank, USAID et al
 International and national NGOs – e.g. Oxfam, GAVI, PMNCH et al
 National governments and local NGO partners in priority geographies
 Research and academic institutions
Timetable
Activity
Date
Closing date
29th April
Preliminary Interviews with Odgers Berndtson
Mid-May
Client Interviews and psychometric testing
w/c 1st June
How to Apply
Application is by CV and a cover letter, outlining why you believe yourself to be
suitable for the role. Please provide evidence of your achievements against the bullet
points of the person specification and be sure to include your full contact details
including daytime and evening telephone numbers.
To apply, please visit www.odgers.com/52171 and click on the ‘apply’ button at the
bottom of the page, following the instructions that appear. Please note that your
application should be no more than two separate documents in order to use the
online application system.
If you are unable to apply online, please email your application to
[email protected]. All applications will receive an automated response.
Equal opportunities monitoring online form
All candidates are also requested to complete an online Equal Opportunities
Monitoring Form. This can be found online at www.odgersberndtson.co.uk/gb/eom52171.
Please note that the closing date for applications is midnight on 29th April 2015.
More information
If you would like to have an informal conversation before submitting your
application, please contact CIFF’s consultants at Odgers Berndtson, Julia Oliver or
Abigail de Leon on +44 207 367 9799.
www.odgersberndtson.co.uk