Vacancy at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Hiring: Principal Officer – Global Lead, Business Development & Licensing
Organization: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
📍 Location: Nairobi, Kenya | Abuja, Nigeria
📅 Application Deadline: 21 May 2026
💼 About the Role
The Gates Foundation is seeking a Principal Officer, Global Lead (BD&L for Global Access) to drive high-impact partnerships and licensing strategies that support agricultural productivity, sustainability, and food & nutrition sovereignty for smallholder farmers across Africa and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
This is a senior leadership role focused on:
- Structuring complex private-sector partnerships
- Scaling agricultural innovations
- Shaping market systems for long-term adoption
- Ensuring technologies reach and benefit smallholder farmers
🎯 Key Responsibilities
1. Opportunity Sourcing & Market Scanning
- Identify and evaluate high-potential innovations globally
- Build a pipeline of scalable agricultural solutions
- Conduct commercial and technical due diligence
2. Deal Structuring & Partnership Design
- Lead negotiations with multinational and regional partners
- Structure licensing agreements and market-based incentives
- Design innovative financing and adoption mechanisms
3. Transaction Execution & Leadership
- Drive partnerships from concept to execution
- Coordinate across legal, finance, and program teams
- Manage multiple complex deals across regions
🌱 Focus Areas
- Seeds, soil health & fertilizers
- Livestock systems
- Irrigation & climate-smart agriculture
- AI-driven advisory systems
- Agricultural value chains (supply & demand integration)
✅ Requirements
- 12+ years experience in business development, licensing, or partnerships
- Strong track record in complex deal-making & negotiations
- Experience working with private sector & emerging markets
- Background in agriculture, food systems, or sustainability (preferred)
- Strong analytical, financial modeling & stakeholder management skills
🎁 Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, dental & vision coverage
- Generous paid leave & family benefits
- Retirement contributions
- Inclusive and diverse global work environment
Apply for Principal Officer – Gates Foundation
Why This Role Matters
This position plays a critical role in transforming agriculture in Africa, ensuring innovations are not just developed—but successfully adopted at scale, improving:
- Farmer productivity
- Livelihoods
- Food security and resilience
