Senior Global Director of Country Operations (Remote)

<div class="content-intro"><p>GiveDirectly has delivered more than $1B in cash directly to 2+ million people living in poverty across 15 countries since 2011. We believe cash transfers are one of the most scalable, cost-effective, and dignified forms of aid, with the <u><span><a href="https://www.givedirectly.org/gdresearch/" target="_blank">research</a></span></u> to back it up. Our work has been covered by&nbsp;<u><span><a href="https://www.economist.com/special-report/2024/01/10/givedirectly-does-what-it-says-on-the-tin" target="_blank">The Economist</a></span></u>, <u><span><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/12/07/1217478771/its-one-of-the-biggest-experiments-in-fighting-global-poverty-now-the-results-ar" target="_blank">NPR</a></span></u>, <u><span><a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/rory_stewart_to_end_extreme_poverty_give_cash_not_advice" target="_blank">TED</a></span></u>, and <u><span><a href="https://www.givedirectly.org/washingtonpost-apr-2024/" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a></span></u><u>. </u>We are one of&nbsp;<u><span><a href="https://time.com/collection/time100-most-influential-companies/2026/givedirectly/" target="_blank">Time100’s</a></span></u> Most Influential Companies of 2026.<span><a href="https://www.givedirectly.org/washingtonpost-apr-2024/" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></span></p> <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">Our culture is candid, analytical, and non-hierarchical. We support high ownership and real professional growth. Curious about what it's really like to work here? Read our <a class="underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current" href="https://www.givedirectly.org/givedirectly-values/">values</a> and <a class="underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current" href="https://www.givedirectly.org/careers/">hear from the people who do</a>. If they resonate, this could be a great fit!</p></div><p><strong>Location: </strong>This role is remote. Regular working hours must be in Africa time zones (EAT, CAT, WAT). Preference for candidates based in Sub-Saharan Africa but open to exceptional candidates in other locations.</p> <p><strong>Level: </strong>Global Head of Country Operations&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Reports to</strong>: VP Programs&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Travel Requirement:</strong> Must be able to travel 15%-25% for county office visits and team offsitesl</p> <p><strong>About this role:</strong></p> <p>GiveDirectly is seeking a Global Head of Country Operations to strengthen and scale operations across all our country offices. This role will shape the operating model that powers GiveDirectly’s next decade of growth. They will build strong country office foundations and level up our ability to scale and serve recipients excellently and adaptively, working in partnership with our COO and other department leads across the organization. The ideal candidate has delivered results across a diverse set of contexts, brings order to chaos, and can partner with senior leaders as well as they can roll up their sleeves to get critical work shipped.. This is a rare opportunity to architect the backbone of a global organization delivering hundreds of millions of dollars per year.</p> <p><strong>What we’re looking for:&nbsp;</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Proactive thinker and systems builder,</strong> who can both resolve today’s issues and also prepare us for tomorrow’s opportunities</li> <li>Track record of <strong>delivering results</strong> and owning increasing responsibilities</li> <li>A<strong> “doer” </strong>- Someone who gets things done in a<strong> lean, fast paced, and hands on </strong>environment</li> <li>Excellent ability to <strong>influence and manage diverse stakeholders</strong>, including change management</li> <li>Able to <strong>juggle a wide range of responsibilities reliably </strong>and nimbly</li> <li><strong>Diverse work background</strong>: Has demonstrated adaptability across high-performing contexts and demands e.g. in AI/tech, management consulting, or other private sector</li> <li><strong>Operations breadth</strong> across functions like finance, HR, procurement, compliance, ethics, IT, audit, and/or risk, compliance, ethics, IT, corporate audit, and/or risk management.&nbsp;</li> <li>Deep experience living and/or working in<strong> Sub-Saharan Africa.</strong></li> <li>Excited about<strong> GD values</strong> and mission</li> </ul> <p><strong>What you’ll do:&nbsp;</strong></p> <p><strong>Strengthen and standardize country operations</strong></p> <ul> <li>Ensure clear roles, crisp accountability, and strong operating routines.</li> <li>Define and implement simple, scalable operating models across HR, finance, procurement, compliance, IT, security, and risk.</li> <li>Embed global standards in context-appropriate ways that reduce friction so dollars reach recipients faster and more reliably.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Coordination between program teams and central functions</strong></p> <ul> <li>Coordinate and represent country office realities in global standards setting, priority setting, and resource allocation</li> <li>Ensure rollout of global standards in ways that are context appropriate, user-friendly, meaningful, and rigorous</li> </ul> <p><strong>Drive strong financial management and performance</strong></p> <ul> <li>Oversee financial management across all country offices ($350M+/year), ensuring budgets enable scale and mitigate risk.</li> <li>Establish clear KPIs, dashboards, and operating reviews to maintain cost-efficiency.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Lead country expansions and transitions</strong></p> <ul> <li>Oversee new country launches and compliant wind-downs with clear playbooks and risk mitigation.</li> <li>Coordinate across functions to ensure smooth execution.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Strengthen systems and institutional capability</strong></p> <ul> <li>Translate operational insights into repeatable systems, tools, and automation that reduce manual work.</li> <li>Champion continuous improvement and technology adoption to scale efficiently and nimbly.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Enable proactive risk and cross-org alignment</strong></p> <ul> <li>Maintain a global risk framework and lead or support crisis management when needed.</li> <li>Serve as the operational bridge between country leadership and global teams, ensuring priorities are well-resourced and executed consistently.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Other responsibilities as required</strong></p> <p><strong>Example Deliverables</strong></p> <ul> <li>Partner with COO to refresh roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities and how they are split between country directors and global shared services departments</li> <li>Lead an ops &amp; finance working group to to identify and test step-change efficiency improvement at scale (using budget &amp; process data, then piloting changes)</li> <li>Launch a new country office in a crisis-prone region in 3 months</li> <li>Systematize contracting approval processes to cut cycle time&nbsp; by 2x while maintaining compliance &amp; auditability.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Compensation</strong></p> <p>At GiveDirectly, we strive to pay our employees generously and equitably. We use an accredited third party salary aggregator to calculate what we believe to be competitive pay based on role, location, and cost of living. We also have a no negotiation policy to ensure we are paying staff equitably across roles. Read more about our compensation philosophy <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1onxCdQX_DacG0812Wr99LF6zlMTg7RTP/view?usp=sharing"><strong>here</strong></a>.</p> <p>Unless otherwise noted, the benefits stipend may be used to cover benefits or taken as additional taxable income.</p> <p><strong>We are open to considering exceptional candidates at both the Senior Director or a higher level, depending on experience and fit.</strong></p> <p data-start="276" data-end="295"><strong data-start="276" data-end="293">United States</strong></p> <ul> <li data-start="298" data-end="376"><strong data-start="298" data-end="314">Base Salary:</strong> $145,000&nbsp;</li> <li data-start="379" data-end="586"><strong data-start="379" data-end="411">Bonus at Target Performance:</strong> 15% (~$21,750 with potential for upside. For reference, with the organization’s current performance multiplier, this amount would be $25,447 in 2025)</li> <li data-start="589" data-end="696"><strong data-start="589" data-end="694">Estimated Total Compensation at Target: $166,750+&nbsp;</strong></li> <li data-start="699" data-end="737"><strong data-start="699" data-end="727">Annual Benefits Stipend:</strong> $21,393</li> </ul> <p data-start="739" data-end="759"><strong data-start="739" data-end="757">United Kingdom</strong></p> <ul> <li data-start="762" data-end="840"><strong data-start="762" data-end="778">Base Salary:</strong> £106,374&nbsp;</li> <li data-start="843" data-end="1050"><strong data-start="843" data-end="875">Bonus at Target Performance:</strong> 15% (~£15,956 with potential for upside. For reference, with the organization’s current performance multiplier, this amount would be £18,668)</li> <li data-start="1053" data-end="1160"><strong data-start="1053" data-end="1158">Estimated Total Compensation at Target: £122,330+&nbsp;</strong></li> <li data-start="1163" data-end="1200"><strong data-start="1163" data-end="1191">Annual Benefits Stipend:</strong> £2,760</li> </ul> <p data-start="1202" data-end="1213"><strong data-start="1202" data-end="1211">Kenya</strong></p> <ul> <li data-start="1216" data-end="1294"><strong data-start="1216" data-end="1232">Base Salary:</strong> $120,000&nbsp;</li> <li data-start="1297" data-end="1504"><strong data-start="1297" data-end="1329">Bonus at Target Performance:</strong> 15% (~$18,000 with potential for upside. For reference, with the organization’s current performance multiplier, this amount would be $21,060&nbsp; in 2025)</li> <li data-start="1507" data-end="1614"><strong data-start="1507" data-end="1612">Estimated Total Compensation at Target: $138,000+&nbsp;</strong></li> <li data-start="1617" data-end="1654"><strong data-start="1617" data-end="1645">Annual Benefits Stipend:</strong> $8,453</li> </ul> <p>This role is fully remote, so if you are not based in the US, UK or Kenya, we will share an estimated salary benchmark for the country you are based in during the hiring process.</p> <p><strong>Why work at GiveDirectly?</strong></p> <p>At GiveDirectly, we work to ensure that you have everything you need to excel in your role and on your team, including:</p> <ul> <li>A positive and supportive team with opportunities for advancement&nbsp;</li> <li>A demonstrated commitment to helping all staff develop and grow</li> <li>A competitive salary, including bonus</li> <li>A robust health benefits plan (exact details will vary by country)</li> <li>Flexible paid time off</li> <li>Allowances for desk set-up and learning and development</li> </ul> <p><span class="il"><strong>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</strong></span></p> <p><span class="il">#LI-REMOTE</span></p>