Launched by the International Hospital Federation (IHF) in 2022, the Geneva Sustainability Centre supports hospitals and healthcare services to address the sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow. We equip current and future hospital leaders with the information, tools, and skills to drive this sustainable transformation at leadership, management, and institutional levels.

The Centre is seeking to appoint a Programme Lead to develop and lead a learning programme that will enable hospital executives to deliver initiatives for net zero, climate resilient and sustainable healthcare.

Position Overview

The Programme Lead for Learning Programmes will play a key role in the Geneva Sustainability Centre’s core team. Under the direction and supervision of the Centre’s Executive Director, the Programme Lead will lead, manage and support the delivery of a high-quality portfolio of educational programmes supporting our global initiative at the intersection of climate change and healthcare.

This position will suit an experienced and well-established professional in healthcare leadership development who is passionate about making a real impact in the delivery of sustainable health systems. The postholder will work with a range of stakeholders from across the Geneva Centre’s global community (hospital leaders, clinical executives, academic groups, and non-profit organizations at both national/international levels) to reduce the healthcare sector’s direct contributions to global carbon emissions and to help hospitals on their journey towards a lower carbon future.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

This position will suit an experienced and well-established professional in healthcare leadership development who is passionate about making a real impact in the delivery of sustainable health systems. The postholder’s responsibilities include all aspects necessary to its successful deployment such as but not exclusively limited to:

• Develop and manage a phased and comprehensive approach to the development and implementation of the Centre’s learning programme.
• Ensuring the professional, and theoretical basis for the programmes through senior advisory support and technical experts.
• Actively participating and helping to manage the development of proposals and negotiations required to establish a solid set of contracts.
• Collaborating with wide range of key stakeholders in the healthcare sector – hospital associations, system leaders, hospital executives at both national/international levels to ensure that the Centre’s learning programme is continuously adding value to IHF members.
• Ensure ongoing evaluation and continuous quality improvement is taking place and feeding back into the culture and implementation of learning program materials and approaches. This may include developing a model for testing components of the program, in order to further develop educational components.
• Working with the communications and engagement team to develop solid communications and marketing approach for the programme.
• Working with the team to refine the pricing models for different elements of the programme.
• Sourcing high quality speakers and a sound faculty base, mindful of regional representation and economy of travel.
• Ensuring over time the robust use of a learning management system.
• To work with the other team members to ensure that the GSC has a solid, integrated and synergistic approach across its programmes, including the learning programme, the use of tools and materials on the website.
• Working collaboratively with the IHF learning programme team to ensure a synergistic approach to both the IHF and the Centre’s programs as appropriate, including for pricing schemes, faculty sourcing and deployment.
• To work with the Director and other senior team members to identify potential alternative funding opportunities e.g. to enhance access and support countries to join where financing may be difficult.
• Manage and support a Project Officer for Learning programmes.
• Provide the framework, support and relationship building to ensure a strategic approach to partners for leadership training for the Centre; for example, exploring relationships with universities engaged in such work already or other NGO organizations which already have online leadership delivery platforms.
• Form an integral part of the Geneva Sustainability Centre and proactively contribute to the strategic development and success of the Centre, acting as deputy Director when appropriate and required.
• Seek and provide relevant up to date information and support on the current trends in hospital executive leadership.

Other Duties

• Representing the Centre at Members’ and Partners’ external committees, conferences, meetings, and other similar events, on the request of the Executive Director.
• Fostering a culture within the Centre which values respect, teamwork and excellence and contribute to a working environment in which all staff within the wider IHF team are empowered and respected.
• Contributes to the IHF membership support processes as part of a shared and aligned approach across the IHF and Geneva Sustainability Centre.
• To work towards a synergistic and integrate programmatic approach as a means of maximizing the Centre’s reach and impact.
• As this is a hands-on ‘doing’ role: the post holder may be asked to undertake other reasonable duties in addition to those listed in this job description.

Profile Requirements

The Programme Lead will be expected to have:

Essential Criteria:

• Significant (10+ year) experience in a senior operational management or a C-level position, either in a public or private hospital or in a healthcare-related institution, a related NGO or in leadership development at executive level.
• A minimum of Master’s degree or equivalent in leadership development or management education, health/business administration, industrial/organizational psychology, or related field.
• Extensive programme development and implementation experience in a small organization, start-up operation or similar setting, in at least two of the following: an international context, healthcare and/or environmental sustainability setting.
• Extensive training delivery experience either through affiliation with a university or with a formal training program within a healthcare or related system.
• Demonstrated teaching, high-level facilitation and excellent presentation skills based on course evaluations and/or other third-party recognitions.
• Established programme management skills, including experience in developing and managing multiple deliverables from start to finish, delivering to tight deadlines and with multiple stakeholders.
• Sound knowledge of sustainability, international healthcare systems, or both.
• Be self-supporting, with a strong motivation and passionate commitment to achieving effective action against climate change, in support of improving human health.
• A service-oriented attitude, with excellent interpersonal skills enabling the development of positive relationships across a wide variety of students, stakeholders and groups from highly diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to confidently engage with a range of stakeholders, at all organizational levels.
• A highly effective team player who can help drive the delivery of a successful and aligned programme for the Centre and IHF.
• Ability to oversee and mentor a project officer supporting the development and implementation of the learning programme.
• Fluency / native in English, with excellent oral and writing skills (the operating language of the IHF and Geneva Sustainability Centre is English).
• Highly proficient in the use of Microsoft Office systems, including MS Word, MS Outlook, MS PowerPoint and MS Excel and SharePoint.
• Ability to work remotely, blending in-person and virtual approaches as required.
• Swiss or EU citizenship or a valid work permit for Switzerland at the time of application is a pre-requisite.

What this position offers

Working within the Geneva Sustainability Centre provides a unique opportunity to act in the vibrant Geneva NGO ecosystem and to engage with healthcare leaders across the world.

The Programme Lead will be hired for a one-year renewable contract and will receive a competitive salary based on experience and skills set.

Applying for the role

This role requires an enthusiastic professional with strong programme management skills, relevant experience in sustainability and a ‘can do’ attitude. If this sounds like you, please apply by sending your application to gscrecruitment@ihf-fih.org with the subject header ‘Application: Programme Lead – learning programme’, enclosing:

• a cover letter in English describing your motivations and relevant experience for this position (maximum of two pages).
• a concise CV.

The Geneva Sustainability Centre is committed to fostering an organizational culture which values respect, teamwork, and excellence, and to building a working environment in which all staff are empowered and respected. In recruiting candidates, we seek candidates with the proven skills required, irrespective of race, gender, religion or belief, age, disability, or sexual orientation.