Chief Executive Officer

In our increasingly interconnected world, reducing the risk and impact of tropical diseases is essential to the health of our global community. The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) is the largest international scientific organization of experts dedicated to reducing the worldwide burden of tropical disease and improving global health. We do this through generating and sharing scientific evidence, informing health policies and practices, fostering career development, recognizing excellence, and advocating for investment in tropical medicine/global health research. Our incredible membership, leadership, and staff are wholly committed to finding answers to the world’s most pressing problems. We are seeking a results-focused, mission-driven servant leader to champion ASTMH’s shared vision for the future: a world free of tropical diseases.

As Chief Executive Officer, you will lead a 15-person team (in-person and remote) and oversee an annual budget of $5+ million with investments of approximately $12.5 million for a Society with approximately 4,000 members. As we explore new opportunities to fuel our growth amid the changing landscape of US and global health, you will play a lead role in government relations and public relations, elevating the Society in a broad range of circles that can help advance our mission, vision, and goals. Working alongside the ASTMH President and Board (volunteer positions elected by the members), you will oversee all aspects of the Society, including the Annual Meeting (widely considered the premier meeting in tropical medicine), the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the CTropMed^® certification program, and a portfolio of activities that includes awards and research opportunities, policy development, and more.

You will guide the Board and collaborate with senior leadership on key strategic initiatives to strengthen the Society. Your ability to communicate effectively, inspire internal and external stakeholders, build consensus, and drive action will be central to your success in this role.

Key Focus Areas: How You’ll Make an Impact

Strategic Planning and Governance

• Counsel the Board and senior leadership on the direction and value proposition of ASTMH for its members and the broader global health field to drive strategic planning. Forecast the impact of introducing new programs and strategies to ensure ASTMH meets the evolving needs of its members and the global health community while being fiscally sound.
• Leverage the expertise of the Board to prioritize and develop strategies for overall organizational growth, helping build consensus toward measured iterative action. Offer direct and specific guidance to the President and the Chairs of key committees to help ensure the successful execution of their responsibilities and a satisfying experience in their respective roles.

Building Financial Resilience

• Ensure financial resilience in the face of change so ASTMH can continue to carry out its mission and advance the field of global health. Strengthen the organization’s finances by evaluating all aspects of the business model, including expanding non-dues revenue. Streamline internal operations to find efficiencies and cost savings and focus staff efforts on strategic initiatives that yield the greatest value for the organization.
• Apply a creative and intentional approach to securing philanthropic partnerships with multiple mission-aligned sources, effectively communicating how ASTMH’s work supports the interests of funding organizations.

Tropical Medicine/Global Health Advocacy

• Maintain and strengthen ASTMH’s position as the leading advocate for funding and policies that promote global health, leveraging your in-depth knowledge of the US and global health biomedical research and development ecosystem, including the US Congress and appropriations committees, the World Health Organization, and non-governmental organizations. Serve as ASTMH’s media spokesperson on matters related to US funding and maintain familiarity with non-US global health policy and funding.
• Develop an integrated strategy to proactively engage with traditional and social media, raise awareness, broaden our reach, and build on our long history as a trusted source of information and resources on tropical medicine and global health policy. Oversee and collaborate with ASTMH’s Senior Manager of Communications and an external public relations firm contracted by the Society.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Nurture existing partnerships with global health organizations and government agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, Fogarty International Center, US President’s Malaria Initiative, Centers for Disease Control, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Naval Medical Research Command, Pan American Health Organization, World Health Organization, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and others, while continuously cultivating new relationships.
• Lead and serve on coalitions. Speak at the Annual Meeting and conferences that include the academic and government institutions of ASTMH members and stakeholders such as the Global Health Technologies Coalition, UN Foundation’s United to Beat Malaria, Consortium of Universities for Global Health, and a broader range of partners that can include Women Leaders in Global Health, WomenLift Health, Coalition for Operational Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases, Task Force for Global Health, and for-profit companies. Act as a trusted confidant and advisor with awareness of potential sensitivities between and among stakeholder groups.

Evolution of Events and Meeting

• Working with the Board, develop the future vision of ASTMH’s Annual Meeting and other convenings to continue to deliver high-quality science while meeting the evolving “soft skill” needs of attendees (e.g., leadership development, networking skills building). Guide senior leadership in evolving our events to meet and exceed the needs of attendees, ensuring ASTMH’s continued position as the go-to source for information sharing among our community of tropical medicine/global health experts.

Membership Growth and Retention

• Advance and evolve our services and programs to better align with current and future member needs while maintaining the integrity of our mission. Translate valuable data from our recent business model and strategy assessment (conducted by an outside consulting firm) into actions to meet our goals.
• Cultivate a deep understanding of the different intersectional segments of our membership (clinicians, researchers, US-based, international, etc.), listen and respond to their needs, and create an inclusive environment that values their contributions. Evaluate the landscape of global health to predict the future needs of members, in particular attracting younger members to develop lifelong connections to the Society.

Management and Staff Leadership

• Empower staff to make decisions independently in support of the organization's strategic direction within a supportive work environment. Build upon existing structures and procedures to clearly define staff roles. Listen to staff and volunteers and incorporate their perspectives appropriately. Lead by example to cultivate a collective spirit of humility, foster teamwork, and motivate others to work productively together.
• Oversee the continued implementation of recent upgrades in technology and system improvements. Monitor and evaluate to ensure gains in efficiency over time.

Work Environment and Benefits

• You will enjoy a hybrid work environment, averaging at least three days each week in our Arlington, VA office, depending upon the needs of staff (some who are Arlington-based and others working remotely) and meetings with Washington, DC-based stakeholders, with some flexibility for telework.
• This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous PTO (holiday, personal, sick, and bereavement leave), medical, dental, and vision plans, life and disability insurance, and a 401k with a 6% percent employer match contribution.
• As a Society, we are committed to the open exchange of ideas, freedom of thought and expression, and productive scientific debate that are central to our mission. We affirm the key principles of inclusion, diversity, and respect for all people.

Responsibilities

• Identify, assess, and inform the Board of internal and external conditions and issues that affect the Society and propose strategic responses. Develop policies, procedures, and guidelines as necessary to implement the strategic plan and other decisions by the Board.
• Maintain a working knowledge of significant policy and funding matters that impact the field of tropical medicine research and clinical practice/global health.
• Serve as an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee, the de facto VP of Communications and Media Strategy, and the de facto VP of Membership.
• Maintain regular interactions with the government relations consultant to identify and create opportunities for ASTMH to engage with policymakers, staff and key influencers on matters of interest to the Society and its mission. Represent ASTMH as appropriate at Capitol Hill events.
• Working with the government relations consultant and ASTMH leaders, plan and execute an annual event to engage our malaria partners in Washington, DC on or around World Malaria Day.
• Promote and work to further ASTMH’s commitment to inclusion and respect with the goal of continuing to make ASTMH a more vibrant and welcoming space for all.
• Oversee ASTMH’s finances in accordance with Board-adopted financial plans, policies, and guidelines. Propose initiatives to increase the financial resources available to support the Society. Working with the Chief Operating Officer and Secretary-Treasurer, oversee the preparation and submission of the annual operating budget.
• Serve in an oversight role for grants funded to ASTMH, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Travel Awards grant, the B&MGF $2.5 million Alan Magill grant, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund grant, and the proposed MOSAIC grant submitted to NIH.
• Oversee the successful implementation of the Society’s programs, including the Annual Meeting, American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Pre-Meeting Courses, Update Course, GoTropMEd, and webinars.
• Determine staffing requirements and oversee all human resources activities in accordance with relevant statutes, government regulations and association policies, and Board directives and policies.
• Oversee the management of task forces and committees, assuring appropriate staffing, ongoing relevance, current scopes of work, consistent terms, member turnover, and diverse representation.
• Employ and oversee the work of external contractors, consultants, service providers, and advisers to implement the programs and activities of ASTMH as consistent with Board directives.