Application Guide

How to Apply for Director, R&D Executive Director’s Office (EDO)

at Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)

🏢 About Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)

CEPI is a unique global health partnership that operates at the intersection of science, policy, and equitable access, specifically focused on epidemic and pandemic preparedness. Unlike traditional biotech companies, CEPI coordinates and funds vaccine development across multiple organizations and countries, with a mission-driven focus on ensuring vaccines reach all people in need, not just profitable markets. Working here means contributing directly to global health security and addressing some of humanity's most pressing biological threats.

About This Role

This role serves as the strategic and operational right hand to the Executive Director of R&D, leading key initiatives and ensuring the R&D division runs smoothly to support CEPI's mission. You'll be responsible for translating high-level strategy into actionable plans, optimizing cross-divisional processes, and preparing the R&D division for CEPI 3.0—the organization's next strategic phase. Your work directly impacts how efficiently CEPI can develop and deploy vaccines against emerging infectious diseases.

💡 A Day in the Life

Your day might start with a briefing for the Executive Director of R&D on upcoming technical governance meetings, followed by coordinating with R&D team leads to advance a strategic initiative like streamlining vaccine candidate selection processes. In the afternoon, you could be reviewing cross-divisional workflows to identify bottlenecks, then preparing materials for an external R&D event with partners from academia, industry, and LMIC health agencies, all while ensuring alignment with CEPI's equity goals.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) Is Looking For

  • Holds an advanced degree (PhD preferred) in immunology, virology, public health, or a related field, with demonstrated understanding of the entire vaccine development pathway from discovery to licensure.
  • Has 10+ years of experience in life sciences, including roles that blend technical knowledge with strategic planning, policy, or funding in global health or vaccine development (experience with organizations like WHO, Gavi, or BARDA is a plus).
  • Proven ability to lead without direct authority, building trust and facilitating collaboration among diverse, multidisciplinary teams and external partners across different cultures and time zones.
  • A systems-thinker who can identify inefficiencies in complex R&D or governance processes and design practical, implementable solutions that align with CEPI's equitable access mission.

📝 Tips for Applying to Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)

1

Explicitly connect your past experience to CEPI's 'end-to-end vaccine development' focus—detail specific projects where you managed or contributed to multiple stages (preclinical, clinical, regulatory, manufacturing) of a vaccine or biologic product.

2

Highlight any experience with 'technical governance' in a research or funding context, such as serving on scientific advisory boards, managing grant review processes, or overseeing compliance in a multi-partner consortium.

3

Demonstrate your understanding of CEPI's unique model by mentioning specific CEPI-funded programs (like its variant-proof or rapid-response vaccine platforms) and how your skills could support scaling these initiatives.

4

Tailor your resume to show strategic leadership in preparing an organization for a major transition (like 'CEPI 3.0'), citing examples where you helped redesign structures, processes, or strategies during a growth phase or strategic pivot.

5

Emphasize cross-cultural collaboration by providing examples of working with partners in low- and middle-income countries or navigating complex stakeholder landscapes in global health.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your direct experience with vaccine development lifecycle and how it aligns with CEPI's mission to accelerate equitable access, citing specific therapeutic areas (e.g., Lassa fever, Nipah, Disease X) relevant to CEPI's portfolio.", 'Demonstrated ability to lead strategic initiatives and improve processes in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment, with metrics or outcomes that show increased efficiency or impact.', "Your collaborative leadership style and experience building trust with diverse partners, emphasizing how you've successfully coordinated across scientific, operational, and policy teams.", "Interest in and ideas for contributing to CEPI 3.0 strategic planning, showing you've researched their current 2022-2026 strategy and can think ahead about R&D division evolution."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → CEPI's 2022-2026 strategy ('CEPI 2.0') and its '100 Days Mission' to develop vaccines against new pathogens within 100 days—understand how the R&D division contributes to these goals.
  • → CEPI's current vaccine portfolio and partnerships (e.g., mRNA, viral vector platforms; partnerships with Moderna, BioNTech, or emerging biotechs in LMICs), focusing on their technical and access-related challenges.
  • → The organization's governance structure, including the role of the R&D Committee and how it interacts with the Executive Director's Office, to grasp the 'technical governance' responsibilities.
  • → Recent external R&D events hosted or co-hosted by CEPI (e.g., Global Pandemic Vaccine Summit, scientific conferences) to understand their role in convening and influencing the global health R&D landscape.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe a time you identified and improved an inefficient process in an R&D or scientific organization—what was the problem, your actionable recommendations, and the outcome?
2 How would you approach coordinating the R&D leadership team and external partners to execute a high-priority strategic initiative, such as developing a vaccine against a novel 'Disease X'?
3 CEPI emphasizes equitable access. How have you, or how would you, ensure that R&D strategies and governance processes incorporate access considerations for low-resource settings?
4 What experience do you have with technical governance (e.g., overseeing scientific advisory committees, grant reviews, or compliance) in a multi-partner research context?
5 How would you prepare the R&D division for CEPI 3.0? What structural or process changes might be needed based on your understanding of CEPI's current strategy and global health landscape?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic application that doesn't mention CEPI's specific mission, portfolio, or strategic initiatives (like CEPI 3.0), indicating lack of research or genuine interest.
  • Overemphasizing pure laboratory research experience without demonstrating strategic, operational, or cross-functional leadership in vaccine development or global health.
  • Failing to provide concrete examples of process improvement or collaborative leadership, instead relying on vague statements about 'teamwork' or 'strategic thinking' without outcomes.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

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Good luck with your application to Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)!

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