Senior Manager, Special Projects (Remote)

Senior Manager, Special Projects

About

GiveDirectly has delivered over $1 billion in cash directly to millions of people living in poverty across 15 countries. We believe cash transfers are a scalable, cost-effective, and dignified form of aid. Our work has been recognized by major publications, and we are considered one of Time100's Most Influential Companies. Our culture is candid, analytical, and non-hierarchical, supporting high ownership and professional growth.

The Special Projects team identifies, shapes, and executes the organization's most ambitious revenue growth opportunities. As Senior Manager, Special Projects, you will own a focused portfolio of high-stakes, external opportunities, moving one priority initiative forward at a time from exploration through execution. These efforts often intersect fundraising, marketing, product, and research, requiring sharp strategic thinking and strong execution. A key focus will be developing new pathways to mobilize large-scale resources and partnerships from leading organizations at the frontier of technology and innovation.

Responsibilities

• Identify and shape high-potential opportunities: Build and refine a pipeline of “big bet” initiatives by synthesizing internal priorities, market signals, and emerging trends, and rapidly translating ambiguous ideas into clear strategies, theories of change, and milestones with success metrics.
• Own and drive end-to-end execution of priority initiatives: Take ownership for advancing one high-stakes opportunity at a time from concept through execution, maintaining momentum over weeks or months and increasing hit rates across a portfolio of bets.
• Lead complex cross-functional collaboration: Align and mobilize teams across Product, Programs, Research, Finance, and other functions to unlock new funding pathways and deliver against ambitious, organization-wide goals.
• Build and manage high-value external relationships: Develop new partnerships with senior stakeholders, particularly in technically sophisticated and fast-evolving sectors, and support or lead engagement with major donors, foundations, and strategic partners.
• Develop tailored partnership and funding strategies: Create bespoke engagement plans, pitch materials, and narratives that resonate with specific partners and unlock large-scale, funding opportunities.
• Support high-stakes decision making and leadership engagement: Partner closely with senior leadership (including at CEO and Board level) to prepare for critical external meetings and gatherings.

Requirements

• Exceptional alignment with GiveDirectly Values and active demonstration of 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.
• 7+ years of experience in a fast-paced, high-performance environment (e.g., consulting, technology, startups, nonprofit fundraising, or related fields).
• A track record of tenacious problem solving, taking ownership, and delivering results in ambiguous, high-stakes contexts.
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills, with the ability to align senior stakeholders without formal authority.
• Experience shaping, securing, or supporting multi-million-dollar partnerships, investments, or strategic initiatives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, especially for high-stakes, external-facing materials.
• Strong prioritization and self-management skills, with comfort operating across multiple workstreams.
• Fluency in technology-driven environments, with the ability to engage credibly with technical or product-oriented partners.
• Existing relationships or networks with senior leaders, founders, operators, or investors at major global organizations.
• Comfort using AI tools in day-to-day work, or strong eagerness and demonstrated ability to rapidly build this capability.