Lead, Health Security

World Economic Forum; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

An international organization for public-private cooperation is seeking a Global Health Security Lead in New York. The role involves strategic development of a global initiative for pandemic preparedness, working closely with senior stakeholders in health and technology sectors. Candidates should have an advanced degree and over 8 years of relevant experience, with strong skills in project management and stakeholder engagement. The position is grant funded and requires on-site work three days a week.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in biotechnology, pandemic preparedness, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience engaging senior leaders across sectors.
• Strong understanding of vaccine R&D ecosystems.

Responsibilities

• Support the strategic development and design of the Pandemic Preparedness Engine.
• Engage senior stakeholders across the global health ecosystem.
• Convene and facilitate cross-sector working groups.

Skills

Global health security

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic thinking

Project management

Collaboration

Education

Advanced degree in public health or related field

Job description

Please Note: This role requires the ability to work on site 3 days per week per company policy.

Salary: The annual salary range for this role is $120,000-140,000 in New York.

Grant funded position: This is a grant funded position that ends on January 31 2029.

About the World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the international organization for public‑private cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Why We Are Recruiting

The Forum's Centre for Health & Healthcare (CHH) helps identify and scale up solutions for more resilient, efficient, and equitable healthcare systems to deliver the best possible care and keep global populations healthy. The CHH community brings together leaders from the world’s top healthcare providers, insurers, biopharma, MedTech and relevant sectors to engage in key global issues with other stakeholders, including government leaders, CEOs and senior executives from adjacent industries, heads of international organizations, academics, experts, thought leaders and representatives from civil society.

At the Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos in January 2026, the CHH launched the Pandemic Preparedness Engine (PPX), an ambitious global initiative designed to accelerate how the world prepares for biological threats by harnessing advanced artificial intelligence and cross‑sector collaboration.

Hosted by the Forum’s Health Security Initiative and developed in partnership with leading global organizations including Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, PPX aims to support the global ambition to develop vaccines and other countermeasures against emerging pathogens within 100 days of identification.

To advance this work, the Forum is recruiting a subject matter expert to serve as a Global Health Security Lead and will help guide the strategic development of PPX, facilitate collaboration among global partners, and support the design of governance and partnership models for this emerging global platform.

Reporting Lines and Interactions

This position will report to the Head, Resilient Healthcare, Centre for Health and Healthcare and will work closely with colleagues and a broad range of stakeholders including private companies in healthcare and other industries, governments, international organizations, civil society organizations, research institutions, academia, and expert communities.

Main Responsibilities

• Support the strategic development and design of the Pandemic Preparedness Engine (PPX) as a global public good for health security.
• Convene and facilitate cross‑sector working groups involving governments, industry, academia and civil society.
• Engage senior stakeholders across the global health, technology, and life sciences ecosystem to build consensus on PPX design principles and partnership models.
• Support, establish and manage the Steering Committee and Health Security Executive Board in shaping strategic guidance and institutional alignment.
• Lead preparation and facilitation of high‑level workshops and global convenings related to PPX implementation.
• Contribute to defining governance structures, sustainability models, and operational frameworks for the long‑term establishment of PPX as an independent effort or linked to a currently established organization.
• Provide subject‑matter expertise on areas including AI for biomedical R&D, vaccine innovation, biosecurity, and global health resilience.
• Collaborate with implementing partners and technical institutions to ensure alignment between policy, governance, and technical architecture design.
• Contribute to strategic communications and thought leadership related to the initiative.

Assessment Criteria

• Ability to navigate the complexity of a matrix organization and leverage synergies across functional competences and thematic content.
• Agile coordination of Forum communities and partners, integrating multiple views and evolving and innovating within a rapidly shifting context.
• Ability to support the development and management of strategic partnerships with external partners, including major efforts by leading businesses, governments, and international organizations.
• Close collaboration with Forum colleagues to advance and coordinate project activities, as required.

Preferred Requirements And Experience

• Advanced degree in public health, life sciences, biomedical engineering, international affairs, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in biotechnology, pandemic preparedness, health security, AI‑enabled life sciences, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience engaging senior leaders across sectors and navigating complex global partnerships.
• Strong understanding of global health security, vaccine R&D ecosystems, or biomedical innovation systems.
• Experience facilitating multi‑stakeholder collaborations or global initiatives.
• Excellent strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, and communication skills.
• Proven project management and coordination skills; attention to detail; capacity to apply critical thinking, synthesize various viewpoints, effectively communicate critical messages, and consult broadly across diverse stakeholders.
• A flexible, agile, and politically astute mindset necessary for working with fast‑paced teams in dynamic environments.

Why Work At The Forum

The Forum believes that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to improve the state of the world by building awareness and cooperation, shaping mindsets and agendas, and driving collective action. Join us and become a driver for positive change!