US Program Associate

GiveDirectly (GD) aims to reshape international giving – and millions of lives – by providing cash grants directly to the world’s poorest. The Brookings Institution estimates that $70B of cash transfers would be required to eliminate the poverty gap; the aid sector currently spends $135B each year, much of it on evidence-free interventions. GiveDirectly wants to change that, establishing cash transfers as a benchmark for foreign aid – as the index fund is a benchmark for the financial industry – and in the process accelerating the end of extreme poverty. GD has raised over $1B since launching in 2011, delivered cash to more than 1.5 million people in 15 different countries. We’ve also supported large-scale, experimental research that indicates strong recipient impact of our programs. As a result, GD has been celebrated as one of the most innovative non‑profit companies by Fast Company, while the growing cash transfer movement (and GD’s leading role within it) have been featured in the New York Times Magazine, This American Life, Foreign Affairs, and The Economist.

Our culture is candid, analytical, agile, and non‑hierarchical. Our global team of ~150, and country operations teams of ~650, together come from 21 different countries speaking 69 different languages. From software engineers to seasoned humanitarian workers, former management consultants to public servants, researchers to field operations – it’s an incredible group of people. Our values are central and deliberately opinionated. We genuinely center the people we serve in our decision making, and strive to build an ambitious, dynamic and high performing environment. We strongly encourage you to read through our values carefully, if they reflect how you like to work and energize you, this could be a great fit. We work hard to create an environment in which all our team members can thrive, succeed and grow. We support flexibility, take care of each other, have fun, and create professional growth opportunities.

The U.S. Program Associate will support implementation for large-scale cash initiatives in the U.S. As a critical member of GiveDirectly’s U.S. programs team, you will support operations, internal coordination, and team processes. You will often be the project point person for community engagement and customer service. You will be expected to support Managers and Senior Managers across multiple projects, and as a result, you must be excited to work in a fast‑paced environment and be comfortable managing multiple workstreams at one time. Through this, you will have the opportunity to learn and develop new skills on a fast-growing team.

Associates should be able to:

• Support multiple projects and workstreams simultaneously (multi‑task), especially by driving process (e.g. metric tracking, survey design)
• Over time, own whole components of projects, including but not limited to customer service and/or delivering payments
• Proactively identify areas for efficiency in projects and team management (e.g. streamlining customer service management)
• Support community engagement and coordination, including acting as a liaison for partner organizations and community members as appropriate

This role will primarily support GiveDirectly’s Rural Income for Self Empowerment Guaranteed Minimum Income (RISE GMI) program. This program provides a monthly guaranteed income to low income residents in rural communities and will involve community outreach and engagement with rural populations and organizations.

Reports to: US Program Manager

Level: Associate

Travel Requirement: This role will require travel to New York or elsewhere in the US for team events 2-3 times per year. Costs incurred for work‑related travel will be reimbursed.

Recipient Experience & Customer Service (40%)

• Lead customer service, including setting up customer service infrastructure and directly supporting recipients via an email‑based help desk and through phone support, as well as in‑person assistance, as needed
• Draft and follow protocols to resolve recipient cases through communication, data entry, and/or escalation of more serious matters to the appropriate individuals
• Be responsible for coordinating with customer service vendors (i.e. Peak) and lead performance management and monitoring of customer service contractors
• Coach applicants through the intake process with a focus on applicants who are experiencing significant barriers
• Case manage applicant/recipient concerns, adhering to GiveDirectly’s safeguarding and protection policies
• Meet periodically with recipients in person to build trust and to identify problems or areas for program or process improvements
• Serve as a trusted resource for recipients, responding to their communications in a timely and professional manner
• Respond to and resolve one‑off recipient issues through communication, data entry, and/or escalation of more serious matters to the appropriate individuals

Community Engagement (30%)

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with implementing partners, key community members, and local service organizations
• Serve as the community liaison for the program, supporting local partners and educating community members of program policies
• Build knowledge of the community we are working in, and support with identifying existing local resources or services relevant for recipients
• Organize and attend events, conferences, and similar programs to sensitize communities on program benefits and requirements
• Collaborate with communication team members to develop and execute on storytelling plans
• Participate in program evaluation and scoping strategies to improve program operations and enhance recipient satisfaction

Direct Program Support (30%)

• Support a range of operational and project management duties to ensure GiveDirectly’s U.S. projects are executed with excellence and in line with our values, particularly “recipients first”
• Lead select operational processes, including overseeing a team of customer service agents and conducting recipient follow‑up surveys
• Support other field ops processes, including verification and payments, and execution across various program stages
• Support whole‑team knowledge management and process documentation, refreshing protocol and process docs regularly
• Work closely with other members of the U.S. team to identify process challenges and propose solutions (e.g. increasing operational efficiency, improving recipient experience)
• Become an expert in the various tech systems used to support project execution and excellence
• Track and report operational and efficiency metrics
• May be responsible for managing other individuals, such as verification support staff
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders, including with tech partners, research partners, and customer service teams

What you’ll bring

• Exceptional alignment with GiveDirectly Values and active demonstration of our core competencies: emotional intelligence, problem solving, project management, follow‑through, and fostering inclusivity.
• Fluency in English is required
• 2+ years of work or volunteer experience in a role that required project management and people management/coordination
• Exceptional communication, organizational, and time‑management skills
• Strong customer service instincts, including skilled problem solving, patience, and high emotional intelligence
• Comfort with quantitative analysis and data‑driven decision‑making, including ability to interpret program metrics, identify trends, and translate data insights into actionable recommendations
• Ability to manage day‑to‑day operations and propose & implement process improvements
• Ability to quickly learn and become proficient in new technological platforms
• Demonstrated ability to work in a highly independent and self‑directed manner, while effectively communicating upwardly about gaps and risks
• Enthusiasm for fast‑paced environments, which may lack a pre‑defined playbook for success and involve significant “learning by doing”

Compensation

At GiveDirectly, we strive to pay our employees generously and equitably. We use an accredited third party salary aggregator to ensure that staff’s total compensation package (base compensation + bonus) falls within the 75th percentile of similar roles, at similar organizations. We also have a no negotiation policy to ensure we are paying staff equitably across roles. The base salary for this role is $74,900 USD / annually.

Why work at GiveDirectly?

• A positive and supportive team with opportunities for advancement
• A demonstrated commitment to helping all staff develop and grow
• A competitive salary, including bonus
• A robust health benefits plan (exact details will vary by country)
• Unlimited PTO (that we encourage staff to take!)
• Desk allowance and flexible work location

We conduct interviews over Google Meet with camera on (unless communicated otherwise). Accessibility Closed captioning is available during all Google Meet interviews, and interviewers will also post interview questions in the chat box throughout the call. If you need assistance accessing either of these features, please let your interviewer know at the start of your interview! We’re committed to running an inclusive and accessible application process for all of our open roles. If there are questions or concerns you have about the accessibility of our hiring process, we warmly invite you to reach out to careers@givedirectly.org.

GiveDirectly is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to the person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

As a global organization working with communities to eliminate extreme poverty, GiveDirectly takes the safeguarding of its recipients, staff, and partners seriously. To that end, GiveDirectly is a member of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, and will systematically check with previous employers about any abuse or misconduct related matters involving potential new hires. We may also employ other robust pre‑hire screens, including in‑depth reference checks, criminal background checks, and sanctions screens. These efforts help us continue to build and maintain trust with the communities we work with, and prevent abuse to our recipients and staff. GD is committed to observing all local, national and international laws that protect people and basic human rights of all. GD is committed to a policy of “zero tolerance when it comes to preventing, reporting, or responding to any form of abuse or exploitation.” and expects anyone who works for GD to uphold the protection and safeguarding of our recipients as a priority.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment. If you require any accommodations during the application or interview process, or to perform the essential functions of the role, please email us at careers@givedirectly.org with the email subject “Accommodation Needed”. We will work with you to ensure reasonable accommodations are made to support your needs.