The International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS) is seeking a Deputy Director to act as our Chief of Staff / COO and primary liaison with Geneva-based intergovernmental and international organizations.
- Starting compensation: 130,000 – 170,000 CHF
- Work location: Primarily in person (Geneva office) with some WFH options
- Application link: submit an application here by April 13, 2025
Who are we?
IBBIS is an international organization with the mission of safeguarding modern bioscience and biotechnology so it can advance and flourish safely and responsibly. We work with global partners to strengthen biosecurity norms and develop innovative tools to uphold them.
The Common Mechanism, our first major project, is a tool for identifying potentially risky sequences within orders for synthetic DNA. This allows synthesis providers to ask additional follow-up questions if a customer orders sequences of concern (e.g. toxins, viral genomes, virulence factors) while preserving uninterrupted access for customers ordering most sequences.
In 2025, IBBIS’s second year, our focus is on expanding the share of nucleic acid synthesis orders for which sequences and customers are screened; supporting international, inclusive, and rigorous standards for managing access to biotechnology; and working with international, regional, and national partners to reduce the risk of catastrophic events that could result from deliberate abuse or accidental misuse of bioscience and biotechnology.
The role
The Deputy Director will act as a Chief of Staff / COO focusing on the internal running of IBBIS and will IBBIS’s primary liaison with Geneva-based intergovernmental and international organizations. Example tasks include providing strategic feedback on the next project ahead of Foundation Council meetings, co-developing a plan for fundraising and hiring, and ensuring project deliverables are well-connected to IBBIS’s mission and vision.
Key Responsibilities
External focus
- Supporting rapid yet sustainable organisational growth: Overseeing recruitment processes to attract candidates most aligned with the mission and institutional culture of IBBIS, foster staff retention, and ensure compliance with all relevant rules and procedures; collaborating with the ED to raise funding for and awareness of IBBIS
- Fostering strong international relationships and collaborations: Participating in Geneva-based policy and technical processes, including from the Biological Weapons Convention, United Nations, and World Health Organization, Strengthening working relationships with key Geneva-based organizations and partners
Internal focus
- Creating an efficient and effective organization: Overseeing the operations of IBBIS Headquarters, assessing and improving organizational operating procedures evaluating performance, promoting our vision and culture, and developing strategies to improve results. Coordinating and drafting annual plans and revising strategy documents while actively contributing to the identification of emerging and cross-cutting issues and trends, relevant to the mission of the organisation
- Converting vision to strategy: Lead the process of developing clear, time-bound organisational goals and objectives, tracking progress, and motivating staff to achieve them; evaluate organisational company performance and recommend strategies to improve results; monitor outputs to ensure achievement of key milestones in keeping with the organisation’s determined success metrics
Qualifications
- Advanced degree in a relevant subject (e.g. international relations, health security, business administration, etc.)
- Proven experience in a relevant senior leadership role
- In-depth understanding of biosecurity, dual use of the life sciences and biotechnology, or global health security
- Excellent leadership and organisational skills, with the ability to balance strategic thinking with meticulous attention to administrative details
- Knowledge of day-to-day operations of a small, growing organization (such as accounting, financial analysis and data analysis)
- Proven experience in strategic planning and business development, with a strong desire to take responsibility for owning and managing projects to a high standard
- Outstanding written and oral communication skills
- Experience in raising public awareness and fostering stakeholder involvement within the private sector, civil society, or academia
- Government relations and public advocacy skills are an advantage
- Fluency in French is desirable
- Minimum 7 years experience in a relevant field
- Minimum 3 years experience in a senior leadership role, such as Chief of Staff, Head of Operations, COO
Details
- Reports to: Piers Millett (Executive Director)
- Relocation support: may be possible to support joining our Geneva, Switzerland office
- International collaborations: collaborate with global experts and contribute to international projects shaping the future of biotechnology and biosecurity
- Travel opportunities: Opportunity to support IBBIS events on-the-ground in many countries (roughly 10% of the time), team meetings in Geneva 1-2 times per year
Application Process
IBBIS is working with the Michael Page group to recruit candidates for this role. Candidates may submit an expression of interest through their job posting.