Director, R&d Executive Director’s Office (Edo)

**Vacancy**:
**Vacancy reference**
- VAC-0429
**Department**
- Research and Development Executive Directors Office
**Location**
- Oslo / London / Washington DC
**Close date**
- 01/02/2026
**Job description**:
**About CEPI**
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 to a number of 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 big 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 - known as CEPI 2.0 - aims to dramatically reduce or even eliminate 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.
**About the role**
The Research & Development (R&D) division of CEPI is working on a multitude of strategic and operational initiatives. The R&D Executive Director’s Office is a central team within the R&D Division, supporting the smooth and effective operation of the R&D Division in the execution of technical projects and programmes, and the connection of R&D with wider organisational strategic goals and impact.
The Director of the R&D EDO reports to the Executive Director of R&D, and enable him/her and the R&D Leadership Team to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders in order to facilitate execution of CEPI’s strategy. The role oversees three sub teams covering R&D divisional planning and strategy; the technical component of CEPI governance; and the delivery of external R&D Events and administrative support for the division.
2026 will be a pivotal year for CEPI and for the R&D division as we continue to deliver our R&D objectives under CEPI 2.0 strategy and also prepare for the implementation of CEPI 3.0 strategy from Jan 2027. This role and the R&D EDO will be essential in ensuring alignment within the R&D division, coordination between the R&D and the wider CEPI organisation (including strategy, governance, and resource mobilisation), and the prioritisation and delivery of improvement initiatives within the division to ensure effective and efficient delivery of R&D objectives.
This role requires an individual who is visionary and forward thinking, results oriented and performance driven, who is adaptable and open to change, who can understand both the scientific detail of CEPI’s work and the strategic and operational aspects that are essential to maximise impact and progress.
**This position is a one year fixed-term contract maternity cover.**
**Responsibilities**
- Lead strategic initiatives from development through successful execution, working closely with the Executive Director of R&D and the R&D leadership team.
- Effectively prioritize activities including balancing different perspectives to ensure R&D leadership remains focused on critical objectives, milestones and deliverables.
- Oversee daily operations within the division, including: providing support to the Executive Director and coordination of R&D leadership team; execution of CEPI’s technical governance; delivery of successful external R&D events and provision of departmental administrative support,