Lead Director, International Development, Health (Maternity Cover)

Lead Director, International Development, Health (Maternity Cover)

Lead Director, International Development, Health (Maternity Cover)

A senior leadership role focused on business growth, client engagement, portfolio oversight, and market expansion across donor-funded and domestic and international health programmes.

About Palladium:

Operating in over 50countries,Palladium is a global consulting and implementation companyworking in partnership with governments, businesses, investors, and communitiesto design and deliver solutions that create lasting positive impact. We addresssome of the world’s most complex challenges across infrastructure, economicgrowth and natural capital, health, energy, climate and environment, anddigital transformation—strengthening systems, institutions, and markets tosupport inclusive and sustainable development. Our more than 2,100 staffworldwide work as trusted advisors across diverse contexts, combining deeptechnical expertise, implementation techniques, and innovative technology todeliver locally informed, client-focused solutions that help organisationsachieve measurable, sustainable impact.
Palladium is part ofGISI’s global family of companies, which aims to create solutions for theworld’s most complex challenges. With annual revenues of $14 billion, GISI’sapproximately 15,000 employees are engaged in projects across 100 countriesworldwide providing construction, program/project management, and engineeringconsulting services.
This Opportunity:
Palladium’s UKEA Health Cluster is building on its positionas one of the leading private sector providers of health systems strengtheningand technical assistance services to donors across the UK and Europe. TheCluster is now focused on deepening its current portfolio with existing clientswhile expanding and diversifying its client base and service offer, building onrecent growth and market success. This diversification component includesdeepening engagement with UK and European government clients, global healthpartnerships, foundations, pharmaceutical and health product companies, andother organisations seeking high-quality technical expertise and implementationsupport.

Palladium is seeking a Lead Director, International Development, Health (maternitycover) to provide strategic leadership to the team during this exciting periodof growth and diversification, from November/December 2026 through September 2027. The role will drive and refine the Cluster's market strategy, strengthen andexpand client relationships, develop compelling market-facing offers in newdomains, grow a high-quality pipeline of opportunities, and ensure excellencein delivery across the new portfolio.

The role builds directly on Palladium's establishedreputation as a trusted partner in health systems strengthening and global health and will work closely with colleagues across Palladium's EconomicGrowth, Climate & Environment, and Finance & Investment teams todeliver integrated solutions that address complex development and healthchallenges.

Location:
The position will be based in Palladium’s London office. Please note that applicants must have the right to work in the UK, as visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
Palladium follows a hybrid working model, with three days in the office and two days remote.

Reporting Lines:

• The Lead Director will report to the Manager Director, UKEA
• This role will directly manage 2-4 staff members and maintain oversight over the Health cluster

Primary Responsibilities:

Practice strategy andleadership

• Implement the strategic vision for the Health Cluster as per the existing “Protect & Evolve” Strategic Plan under Palladium UKEA’s regional strategy, and emerging global priorities
• Work with the Health team to translate existing strengths in health systems strengthening, technical assistance, and global health security into new, coherent, and differentiated market offers
• Position Palladium as a partner of choice in health for new government and private sector clients
• Contribute as a senior member of the UKEA leadership team to wider organisational transformation and growth
• Own and grow a strategic, diversified pipeline of new business opportunities
• Lead bid strategies for major tenders, including opportunity shaping and positioning; commercial and pricing strategies; partnering strategies and leadership in pitching or bidding processes
• Build and maintain senior-level client relationships, with new clients in particular
• Keep abreast of emerging market trends and opportunities
  Delivery oversight and qualityassurance
• Provide senior oversight of the Health portfolio to ensure technical excellence and impact, strong delivery and financial performance, and high client satisfaction
• Act as programme director for selected programmes, as needed, during the period of maternity cover

Team leadership and management

• Build and lead a high-performing, multidisciplinary team, drawing on Palladium’s global expertise and external partners
• Clarify roles and accountabilities within the team; provide regular feedback to team members
• Foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, delivery excellence and wellbeing

Market positioning and thoughtleadership

• Represent Palladium at senior external forums, such as conferences and events
• Drive the development of thought leadership within practice focus areas
• Contribute to Palladium’s global teams in relevant areas
• Senior leadership and technical experience in health systems strengthening, with a strong preference for expertise in sexual reproductive health and rights, demographic transition, public financial management, and health financing
• Proven success in winning work, particularly with new clients as part of diversification efforts
• Experience overseeing large, complex programmes with multiple stakeholders, including FCDO
• Strong existing network across the global health sector, including donors, global health institutions, foundations, pharmaceutical and health product companies

Core Skills:

• Strategic, systems-level thinker with strong commercial judgement
• Credible with senior government, donor and partner decision makers
• Able to communicate complex health issues clearly to technical and non-technical audience
• Comfortable growing a practice area in a changing policy and funding environment
• Strong people leader committed to performance and accountability

Equity, Diversity &Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion intoeverything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society andactively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and goodpractice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in ourworkforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fairtreatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. Theseinclude: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, genderidentity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability,nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require anyadjustments or accommodations to be made during the recruitment process (due todisability, neurodiversity, or for any other circumstance), please email ourteam at and we will be intouch to discuss.

Safeguarding - We defineSafeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect ourpeople, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committedto ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladiumare treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject toan enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and arigorous due diligence process.

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