Senior Portfolio Manager

CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations); Greater London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking organization dedicated to combating global health threats. In this pivotal role, you will oversee portfolio governance meetings, engaging with senior leaders and experts to drive effective decision-making. Your expertise in portfolio management and data analysis will be crucial in shaping strategies that enhance vaccine development against emerging infectious diseases. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to impactful global health initiatives while working in a culturally diverse and inclusive environment. If you are passionate about making a difference and thrive in collaborative settings, this role is perfect for you.

Benefits

Diverse and inclusive working environment

Experience in global health initiatives

Collaboration with leading experts

Qualifications

• 5+ years experience in portfolio management in an R&D setting.
• Proficient in data management and communication strategies.

Responsibilities

• Oversee governance meetings and ensure effective decision-making.
• Conduct portfolio assessments to inform strategy and resource planning.
• Collaborate across departments to maintain portfolio information.

Skills

Portfolio Management

Data and Knowledge Management

Cross-disciplinary Collaboration

Communication Skills

MS Office

Research Approaches

Presentation Skills

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Life Sciences

Business Administration

Tools

Portfolio Management Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

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 several 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 looming 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 – will contribute toward CEPI’s ultimate goal of dramatically reducing or even eliminating 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 and working globally.

In CEPI we strive for diverse thinking, and we want a culturally, intellectually and geographically diverse pool of candidates for all our vacancies. We work for an inclusive working environment where each employee can contribute and grow.

More details about CEPI and our mission can be found on our website: www.cepi.net

About the role

The primary objective of this role will be to oversee preparation and delivery of regular portfolio governance meetings. This includes engaging effectively with senior CEPI leaders and external experts, drive the operational and analytical aspects of CEPI’s investment governance meeting, data and knowledge management activities to enable effective portfolio investment decision-making and leading development and conduct of robust portfolio analyses.

Responsibilities

• Manage key activities to deliver effective weekly, monthly and annual portfolio governance and review meetings, including development of meeting agendas, engaging effectively with senior business and R&D leaders to secure buy-in and support, interacting with governance board members to ensure effective meeting practices, working with project teams to develop clear and compelling investment proposal presentation materials and ensuring diligent follow up on meeting actions.
• Develop and conduct insightful portfolio assessments to inform strategy, resource planning, opportunity identification and portfolio investment tracking and reporting.
• Manage integrated portfolio management activities to address business priorities, including identifying and scoping defined pieces of work, leading cross-functional working teams to deliver effective solutions, and ensuring clear follow through to achieve sustainable business impact.
• Partner with other departments across CEPI to compile and maintain an authoritative source of portfolio information (e.g., return on investment, aggregate budgets, master timelines, probability of success etc.).
• Oversee preparation and delivery of other internal or external portfolio management related meetings and events.

Education, Experience and Competence

• Essential: Bachelor’s or master’s degree in life sciences, economics, business administration or relevant subject.
• 5+ years previous experience in portfolio management and governance in an R&D setting (including industry, global health or management consultancy).
• Essential: Proficient in MS Office and Portfolio Management tools, comfortable with applying new IT tools across tasks.
• Essential: Data and knowledge management experience, and qualitative and quantitative research approaches.
• Strong cross-disciplinary collaboration and communication abilities, with proven ability to engage effectively with senior business and R&D leaders.
• Strong ability to condense information, derive insights and option development/thinking.
• Strong ability to create presentations and compelling narratives, and development and implementation of organizational communication strategies.
• Proficiency in basic portfolio research and analysis methods and tools, and reporting techniques.
• Experience and understanding of global health/life sciences R&D.
• Proactive and can-do attitude, takes accountability for delivery.
• High degree of integrity and confidentiality.
• Strong written and verbal English language skills.
• Ability to adapt and work within a multicultural, multidisciplinary environment.

Travel and Location Requirements

• Position based in either London, UK, or Oslo, Norway.
• Travel to other CEPI offices as assigned.

What we can offer you

• Experience in the international effort to develop vaccines against emerging infectious diseases and accelerate vaccine development in response to disease outbreaks.
• The opportunity to work together with leading internal and external experts on solutions for global challenges that can redefine global health for our future.
• A diverse and inclusive working environment.

Background verification will be conducted to verify information provided in the CV and available documentation for the successful candidate.

CEPI will process the personal data collected for the purpose of managing your application during the recruitment process. You can contact CEPI by sending an email to [e-mail]. The legal basis for processing is in relation to your application. You can access, rectify, delete, oppose, limit the processing or request the portability of your data by contacting [e-mail] or contacting CEPI’s Data Protection Officer via the following email address [e-mail]. Your data will be stored during the relationship and after termination of the same, for the limitation period for legal actions that could result from it.