Senior Engagement Officer (Global Engagement and Outreach)

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) is an independent research organization at the University of Washington (UW). Its mission is to deliver to the world timely, relevant, and scientifically valid evidence to improve health policy and practice. IHME carries out its mission through a range of projects within different research areas including the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD), Injuries, and Risk Factors; Future Health Scenarios; Cost Effectiveness and Efficiency; Resource Tracking; and Impact Evaluations.

IHME is committed to providing the evidence base necessary to help solve the world’s most important health problems. This requires creativity and innovation, which are cultivated by an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment that respects and appreciates differences, embraces collaboration, and invites the voices of all IHME team members.

About the Team
Within IHME, the Global Engagement and Outreach (GEO) Team develops, cultivates, and sustains relationships with key global stakeholders to strengthen the evidence base for our research, strengthen buy-in and understanding, and seed uptake of our findings by decision-makers. The team manages the GBD Collaborator Network – a research network of over 10,000 collaborators in 162 countries and territories who contribute to the science, dissemination, and uptake of the Global Burden of Disease Study – as well as institutional collaborations with over 50 leading health research, education, and policy institutions worldwide.

IHME has an outstanding opportunity for a full-time Senior Engagement Officer position on the Global Engagement and Outreach team (GEO).

POSITION PURPOSE
The Senior Engagement Officer will expand IHME’s impact by engaging with a diverse network of high-level collaborators and collaborating institutions who contribute to the science, publication, and uptake of IHME’s findings. The Senior Engagement Officer will cultivate and manage relationships with a range of stakeholders from governments, multilateral organizations, donor organizations, academic institutions, and civil society in order strengthen the evidence base for our research, cultivate buy-in and seed uptake of findings among key audiences. They will independently conduct outreach on behalf of IHME and will exercise excellent judgment and diplomacy while acting as a key representative for the organization across diverse contexts. The individual in this role will provide strategic guidance and leadership to the Global Engagement and Outreach Team by developing new leads, designing and executing new initiatives, as well as contributing to strategic planning and staff development activities.

The individual in this position will need to expertly navigate complex external relationships with partner organizations, most of whom are country governments in diverse nations. They must monitor and adroitly navigate complex geopolitics related to countries of interest, manage risks, and represent IHME to various global audiences. As primary ambassadors for the organization, they routinely represent IHME in complex political settings with a high degree of independence. Simultaneously, they must cultivate strong relationships with senior faculty and staff at IHME to understand research processes and products, and to liaise between IHME and external audiences. Lastly, they must understand IHME’s research, in depth, to effectively engage partners in the research process and to lead trainings, give presentations, and conduct seminars on substantive research topics worldwide. Overall, the Senior Engagement Officer will be an essential member of a collaborative team in a challenging and exciting work environment.

This position is contingent upon project funding availability, and is currently funded through at least the end of June 2026.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Engagement
 

• Work alongside institutional leaders to oversee a portfolio of high-impact key partnerships and contribute to developing and managing strategies for extending IHME’s impact and engagement worldwide.
   
• Identify key institutions with whom IHME should partner, cultivate leads, and develop new productive relationships. Advise senior leaders of these opportunities.
   
• Scope, plan, and execute a range of deliverables in order to strategically advance collaborations including coordinating data sharing, jointly developing publications and reports, facilitating collaborator review of data and estimates, contributing to workshops and trainings, launching findings, and responding to technical inquiries.
   
• Develop, maintain, grow, and manage key collaborations in order to strengthen research products and maximize their impact on policy and priority setting.
   
• Act as a key liaison between individual collaborators, key collaborating institutions, and IHME, strongly informed by a command of IHME’s priorities. Exercise excellent judgement in response to new situations, ambiguous requests, and incomplete information.
   
• Independently represent IHME globally to diverse, high-impact audiences. Act as an agile, informed, and diplomatic emissary in complex political settings, particularly with high-level stakeholders including senior officials.
   
• Cultivate effective working relationships with a wide range of IHME staff and faculty in order to meet mutual goals and objectives, and to coordinate cross-cutting efforts.
   

Research / Knowledge Command
 

• Possess a broad and comprehensive understanding of the key concepts, methods, and data sources of IHME’s research portfolio, as well as key issues in population health. Be able to articulately express and share key methodologies, results and messages, and future implications.
   
• Thoroughly understand the landscape, stakeholders, politics, and priorities in the global and public health fields.
   
• Cultivate a strong understanding of the key sources of data, health trends, and policy priorities of an assigned portfolio of stakeholders which may or may not be confined to specific geographic regions.
  
  Strategic Planning
   
• Contribute to the strategic planning, portfolio management, and priority setting of the Global Engagement and Outreach Team. Contribute to staff development and training activities.
   
• Thoroughly understand the interests, goals, and motivations of collaborators in order to create tangible outcomes of mutual benefit. Stay up to date with the field of population health and IHME’s role in the political landscape, and provide guidance to institutional leaders to manage risks and seize opportunities.
   
• Understand long-term goals of the Institute in terms of engagement and develop plans to achieve them; influence others to take action.
   
• Monitor collaborator satisfaction and assess their needs. Advise on the development of relevant resources and tools to help deepen their understanding and engagement with research projects and other IHME led activities.
   

Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
 

Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, humanities, communications, political science and international relations, public policy, public health, or related field plus three years of work experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS 
 

• A commitment to working alongside others at IHME to illuminate the health impacts of systemic racism and other inequities, and to work within IHME to make our organization more diverse and inclusive. Read IHME’s DEI statement here: https://www.healthdata.org/about/mission-vision/DEI [healthdata.org].
   
• At least three years of experience and success at project management, including a demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, creatively solve problems, and reliably meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
   
• Superior written, oral, and listening skills with the ability to adjust message and tone for a variety of audiences.
   
• Professional maturity, with an ability to work both independently and collaboratively to achieve objectives, and to respond constructively to setbacks.
   
• Past success at project management, including a demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, creatively solve problems, and reliably meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
   
• Experience cultivating positive and productive professional relationships with individuals from diverse social, cultural, and political contexts and ability to build rapport quickly.
   
• Demonstrated success managing collaborations including understanding political sensitivities, devising diplomatic and tactical approaches, adapting to organizational norms in a variety of settings, negotiating, and influencing outcomes.
   
• Polished professional presence and ability to represent IHME appropriately in diverse contexts with varying degrees of formality.
   
• Superior interpersonal skills: observant, perceptive, and emotionally intelligent.
   

Strong attention to detail and accuracy.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
 

• Master’s degree in social sciences, Public Policy, Public Health, International Relations, or relevant field.
   
• Previous experience in public health, policy, or communications.
   
• Solid understanding of global health governance and how health evidence is used to make decisions.
   
• Proficiency in a second language.
  
  CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT  
   
• This position works on a global team and with a global network of stakeholders; as such, evening and weekend work may occasionally be required to fulfill job duties.
   
• Occasional international and domestic travel may be required up to 30% of the time.
   
• Valid passport or the ability to obtain one is required.
   
• This position is open to anyone authorized to work in the US. The UW is not able to sponsor visas for staff positions.
   
• The IHME office is located in Seattle, Washington. This position is eligible to work fully remote in the US. Work schedule is required to overlap 50% with IHME office hours, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Pacific Time.