Chief Product Officer en Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative

Gates Ventures is the private office established by Bill Gates in September 2008. The group’s mission is to catalyze innovations that improve the lives of the world’s poorest people, and this includes product and technology incubation, advisory functions, advocacy, marketing, and venture management.

The Health & Life Sciences (HLS) team operates three practice areas – a. advisory role and learning agenda b. US Healthcare, and C. Alzheimer’s disease-focused investments. Within the scope of Alzheimer’s disease-focused investments, Gates Ventures has focused on five pillars: 1. Upstream research, 2. Biomarkers/diagnostics, 3. Therapeutics pipeline, 4. Clinical trial bottlenecks and 5. Enabling data sharing and use.

Within this context, the Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative is a non-profit medical research organization supported by Gates Ventures (GV) and a coalition of partners. Our mission is to fundamentally transform Alzheimer’s disease research, accelerating progress toward new treatments and cures for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) by leveraging data and platform interoperability to create a global user community.

The organization’s focus is to establish interoperability among existing global data platforms, increase sharing of dementia-related data from academic and industry sources, and empower scientists to find, search, combine, and analyze data that could lead to new discoveries in dementia research. Our vision is to build a future where open science, and global collaborations power the end of ADRD.

Our product suite is designed to remove barriers of siloed, non-interoperable data, establish an environment to enable digital innovation at scale for ADRD research, and deliver on the organization’s program objectives more effectively and collaboratively. Examples include AD Workbench (ADWB), our secure cloud-based data platform, and the Federated and Distributed Data Sharing Appliance (FDSA), which enables access to previously unreachable datasets. The latest additions to our product suite include the Global Research and Imaging Platform (GRIP), an open-access, white-label, end-to-end solution for data owners/contributors as well as the users.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Chief Product Officer (CPO) is a key member of the executive leadership team, responsible for defining and driving the vision, strategy, roadmap and execution of AD Data Initiative’s product suite. The CPO will oversee the full product lifecycle—strategy, design, development, launch, adoption, and iteration based on feedback/metrics —ensuring AD Data Initiative continues to deliver world-class platforms and tools that accelerate dementia research globally.

The ideal candidate is an experienced product leader with expertise in data platforms, interoperability, and user-centered design, and a track record of scaling products in complex, multi-stakeholder environments. This individual will thrive at the intersection of technology, science, and policy, partnering with researchers, industry, funders, and data providers to remove barriers to discovery.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Product Vision & Strategy

• Define AD Data Initiative’s long-term product vision and roadmap, aligned with the organizational mission.
• Lead product strategy for the flagship platforms (ADWB, FDSA, GRIP and future products), ensuring interoperability, scalability, and usability.
• Anticipate scientific, technical, and regulatory trends to maintain AD Data Initiative’s leadership in biomedical data innovation.
• Champion a “build once, reuse often” philosophy across AD Data Initiative and partner platforms.

Product Leadership & Execution

• Lead cross-functional teams and vendors in developing secure, user-centered, and innovative data-sharing platforms.
• Ensure high standards of product design, performance, compliance (HIPAA, GDPR), and data security.
• Establish and manage product development processes, metrics, and performance benchmarks, including expectation setting with external vendors.
• Drive adoption of AD Data Initiative products through global partnerships, collaborations, and user engagement.

Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships

• Engage with global academic, industry, and philanthropic stakeholders to align product development with community needs.
• Represent AD Data Initiative externally at conferences, workshops, and strategic collaborations.
• Build trust with data owners, researchers, and policy leaders to advance secure data sharing.

Team Building & Leadership

• Recruit, mentor, and inspire a high-performing product team spanning product management, UI/UX, security/governance and program leadership.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, data science, and operations leaders.
• Foster an inclusive, mission-driven culture focused on innovation, excellence, and impact.

Resource & Organizational Leadership

• Serve as a key advisor to the Executive Director and Board on product direction and strategy.
• Oversee budgets and vendor relationships to maximize efficiency and impact.
• Ensure AD Data Initiative product strategy aligns with broader Alzheimer’s research ecosystem efforts (e.g., EPND, Precision Brain Health Initiative).

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 15+ years of product leadership experience, including at least 5 years in an executive role.
• Proven success building and scaling data platforms, research tools, or health/life sciences products.
• Deep understanding of data interoperability, federated sharing/learning models, and biomedical research workflows.
• Track record of engaging diverse stakeholders (researchers, industry, policy, funders) to align around shared product goals.
• Demonstrated ability to lead in ambiguous, multi-stakeholder environments and oversee multiple projects across the product suite.
• Strong communication skills—able to translate complex technical and scientific concepts for diverse audiences.
• Commitment to AD Data Initiative’s mission, values, and ethical standards.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree in computer science, biomedical informatics, life sciences, or related field.
• Experience with ADRD, neuroscience, or biomedical research ecosystems.
• Familiarity with privacy-preserving architectures, AI/ML in life sciences, and global regulatory frameworks.
• Experience leading product strategy in non-profit, consortium, or mission-driven organizations.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $280,000 to $325,000 per year. Starting salary offers will vary depending on several factors, including education, experience, and qualifications. This role also qualifies for a discretionary annual bonus. Gates Ventures offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance and a 401(k) program with employer match. Our benefits also include generous paid time off for vacation, sick leave, holidays, and parental leave.

Gates Ventures is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.