Senior Global Director of Country Operations

Senior Global Director of Country Operations

London, UKAbout GiveDirectlyGiveDirectly (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.Location:

This role is fully remote. Regular working hours must be in Africa time zones (EAT, CAT, WAT). Preference to be based in Sub-Saharan Africa, ideally in Nairobi, Lilongwe, Maputo, Kigali, Kampala, Maputo, or Goma.Priority application deadline: Sep 5, 2025Level: Senior Director (we may reconsider the leveling for a senior enough candidate)About GiveDirectlyGiveDirectly (GD) delivers cash directly to people living in extreme poverty, having raised over $1B since 2011, reaching 1.5M+ recipients across 15 countries, and contributing to 20 rigorous RCTs that have shaped the global cash movement. Recognized by outlets like Fast Company, the New York Times, and The Economist, GD is celebrated for innovation and impact. Our 750+ team members—spanning 21 countries and 69 languages—work in a candid, analytical, non-hierarchical culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion are core to how we hire, design programs, and build community. While there is much that we are still learning, we seek to create a workplace where people bring their authentic selves, feel respected, and thrive, balancing inclusivity with shared values. While learning and evolving, we take care of one another, create space for fun, offer flexibility, and proudly uphold our commitment as an equal opportunity employer.About this role:The Global Director of Country Operations (GDCO) plays a critical role in strengthening the infrastructure and effectiveness of GiveDirectly’s country offices. They serve as the primary point of contact for Global Shared Services (GSS) functions across countries and backstop Country Directors (CDs) to ensure high-quality implementation of global standards. This leader will ensure country back office operations—including finance, compliance, HR, procurement, IT, and risk management—are aligned, efficient, and adaptable to local contexts, ultimately enabling the organization to scale impact and operate with excellence. The ideal candidate should be able to identify and advance macro level improvements in country office management across the org while also being able to roll up their sleeves and work with country offices to implement improvements directly. They should be able to work with Country Directors along on the journey of maturing GiveDirectly country offices to be effective, well functioning, and excellent in a way that respects and empowers Country Director leadership while maintaining org wide norms and cross country standards that are simple, streamlined, and effective.What you’ll do:Strengthen Country OperationsPartner with CDs to ensure offices are well-structured, compliant and able to deliver impact at scaleProvide operational support to CDs across financial management, people/HR, compliance, procurement, administration, IT, security.Support new country and project office setups, and responsible wind-downs.Facilitate evolution of country office organigrams and talent management systems to strengthen leadership and long-term sustainability.Ensure Global Standards and CompliancePartner with GSS departments and CDs to embed global standards, systems and policies in country operations, and adapt them for local context.Coordinate with Legal and Compliance to keep country registrations and statutory requirements up to date; support sourcing of legal counsel when needed.Develop a compliance certification process for country offices, that clarifies CD’s accountabilities and provides assurance, through periodic verification, that county offices are meeting core operational and compliance standards.Run periodic spot checks to identify risks early and support CDs in addressing them.Coordinate with Global Shared Services (GSS)Serve as primary contact for GSS functions (People, Compliance, Procurement, Corporate Audit, Security, IT, Risk).Define and refine responsibilities and RandR between GSS and country offices.Facilitate cross-office information flow and best-practice sharing.Oversee non-program-specific risk monitoring and mitigation across countries.Partner with GSS on ensuring CDs are monitoring and managing country-specific risks and maintaining a global risk register.Backstop, lead, or participate in crisis managementFacilitate a culture of proactive risk management across all country offices.Other ResponsibilitiesJoin and represent Programs in regular GSS/country office coordination meetings.Lead or contribute to org-wide initiatives to advance and evolve country office management.Take on special initiatives and projects as assignedAny other responsibilities as requiredWhat you’ll bring:Deep experience managing and maturing country offices, particularly in Sub-Saharan AfricaComfort in a fast paced and changing environment that lacks predefined playbooks and requires “figuring things out” where neededAdept at financial and budget management. Bonus points for knowledge about financial modelingExpertise in HR, compliance, procurement, corporate audit, risk, IT, and country registration processesStrong cross-cultural communication, stakeholder management, and comfort with matrixed organizationsProven ability to create clarity and structure within evolving systems that can work in diverse contextsDemonstrated ability to make data-driven decisionsHighly analytical and able to grip the details of country office management for ongoing rigorous systems building and cross country oversight.Ability to get things done with limited resources and implement scalable solutionsExperience and aptitude leveraging new technologies and AI to advance organizational and country office effectiveness. Comfort taking an agile and iterative approachFamiliarity with INGO standards, donor compliance, and internal controlsExceptional alignment with GiveDirectly Values and active demonstration of our core competencies: emotional intelligence, problem solving, project management, follow-through, and fostering inclusivity. We welcome and strongly encourage applications from candidates who have personal or professional experience in the low-income and/or historically marginalized communities that we serve.Language Requirement: English. Additional Language Preferences: French, Portuguese, or SwahiliCompensationAt 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.This role is fully remote, so if you are not based in the US or Kenya, we will share an estimated salary benchmark for the country you are based in during the hiring process.Why work at GiveDirectly?At GiveDirectly, we work to ensure that you have everything you need to excel in your role and on your team, including:A positive and supportive team with opportunities for advancementA demonstrated commitment to helping all staff develop and growA competitive salary, including bonusA robust health benefits plan (exact details will vary by country)Flexible paid time offAllowances for desk set-up and learning and development#LI-REMOTEWorking at GiveDirectlyGiveDirectly 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.Flagging for US applicants:

We invite you to "Know Your Rights " as an applicant.Commitment to SafeguardingAs a global organization serving some of the world’s most vulnerable communities, GiveDirectly takes the safeguarding of its recipients, staff, and partners seriously. To that end, GiveDirectly is a member of theMisconduct Disclosure Scheme , and will systematically check with previous employers about any sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment issues relating to potential new hires. We may also employ other robust pre-hire screens, including in-depth reference checks, criminal background checks, and sanctions screens.GD is committed to observing all local, national and international laws that protect children, vulnerable adults, and basic human rights of all. GD is committed to a policy of “zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH)” and expects anyone who works for GD to uphold the protection and safeguarding of our recipients as a priority.These efforts help us continue to build and maintain trust with the communities we serve, and prevent harm to our recipients.Interested in building your career at GiveDirectly? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.Apply for this job

indicates a required fieldFirst Name *Last Name *Email *PhoneResume/CV *Enter manuallyAccepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtfWhere are you currently based? (City, State [if applicable], Country) *How did you hear about this opportunity? * Select...Do you know, or are you related to, anyone at GiveDirectly? * Select...Why are you interested in this role at GiveDirectly? (200 words max) *Read the “What you''ll bring…” section above and tell us why that is you. Please focus on what isn''t immediately obvious from your resume. (200 words max)* *Tell us about a time you helped a country office ‘mature’... whether by strengthening back-office operations, restructuring teams, or setting up sustainable systems. What problem were you solving, how did you partner with country leadership to implement change, and how did you measure whether the office was stronger as a result? (400 words max) *AI Policy for Application: At GiveDirectly, we value authenticity and individuality in the hiring process. While we support using AI tools on the job, we ask that applications reflect your own ideas and personal experiences. This helps us better understand your unique skills, perspectives and passion for our mission. Please indicate “Yes” if you agree* * Select...We''d love to hear from you—not AI.Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.As set forth in GiveDirectly’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran''s discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.Select...Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305Page 1 of 1OMB Control Number 1250-0005Expires 04/30/2026Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form CC-305 Page 1 of 1 OMB Control Number 1250-0005 Expires 04/30/2026Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp .How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability.

Disabilities include, but are not limited to:Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDSBlind or low visionCancer (past or present)Cardiovascular or heart diseaseCeliac diseaseCerebral palsyDeaf or serious difficulty hearingDiabetesDisfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disordersEpilepsy or other seizure disorderGastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn''s Disease, irritable bowel syndromeIntellectual or developmental disabilityMental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSDMissing limbs or partially missing limbsMobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supportsNervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilitiesPartial or complete paralysis (any cause)Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysemaShort stature (dwarfism)Traumatic brain injury

Disability Status Select... PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to ..... full job details .....