Senior Director, Philanthropy (Remote)
GiveDirectlyAbout GiveDirectly
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.
About the role
GiveDirectly is seeking a strategic and results-driven Senior Director, Philanthropy to lead and grow our senior philanthropy efforts across high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, trusts, and foundations, including private and family foundations.
This role will be central to mobilizing flexible, values-aligned capital at meaningful scale in support of GiveDirectly’s most ambitious goals. You will own the strategy and execution of GiveDirectly’s senior philanthropy program, personally steward and close relationships with some of our most significant supporters, and work closely with the CEO on top-priority relationship management.
GiveDirectly’s philanthropy team is a lean (approximately 4–5 staff), high-performing team that consistently raises $100M+ from major individual donors. Looking ahead, GiveDirectly has set a bold ambition to deliver $5 billion directly to people living in poverty by 2035 - having reached the US$1Bn milestone in 2025. This role will be critical to expanding and diversifying our base of senior philanthropists — particularly donors from technology and finance backgrounds who value evidence, speed, and scalability — while building a durable engine for long-term growth.
This role is ideally based in the United States and requires meaningful overlap with New York working hours (minimum 4 hours daily), as well as collaboration with teams in East Africa, and the Bay Area.
Reports to: Vice President, Partnerships & Philanthropy
Level: Senior Director
Travel: ~6–10 trips annually (donor engagement, team retreats, or program visits)
What we’re looking for
- A proven track record initiating and securing significant philanthropic commitments from high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and/or private or family foundations
- Experience engaging stakeholders or donors from finance and technology sectors, with strong credibility and networks
- Strategic judgment and the ability to both shape philanthropy strategy and personally close complex deals
- Experience leading and developing fundraising teams, or teams working with similar skills sets (analytics, sales, consulting, start-ups), with a strong quality bar
- Strong systems judgment, including experience determining when high-touch donor management is essential and when scalable, automated approaches are more effective
- Deep alignment with GiveDirectly’s values, including recipient choice, transparency, and evidence-driven decision-making
What you’ll do
Set senior philanthropy strategy and drive results
- Own and evolve GiveDirectly’s senior philanthropy strategy (acquisition, close, and upsell) across high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, trusts, and foundations
- Translate organizational priorities and long-term ambitions, including the goal to deliver $5B by 203, into clear fundraising strategies and high-leverage opportunities
- Partner closely with the VP of Partnerships & Philanthropy and the CEO on the highest-priority philanthropic relationships
- Deepen partnerships within the finance and technology sectors while expanding GiveDirectly’s philanthropic base to include next-generation wealth holders, trust-based donors, etc.
Personally steward and close major donors
- Manage and grow a selective portfolio of major philanthropists
- Lead complex, high-stakes donor conversations resulting in significant, multi-year, and transformational commitments
- Serve as a trusted partner to philanthropists engaging with GiveDirectly’s most ambitious initiatives
Lead a high-performing team
- Lead and support a team of approximately 4–5 fundraisers, setting clear priorities and a high quality bar
- Coach team members on donor strategy, relationship management, and deal execution
- Run disciplined portfolio, pipeline, and forecasting using salesforce and other tools
Build scalable systems and collaborate across teams
- Strengthen end-to-end systems for acquisition, engagement, solicitation, and stewardship of major philanthropists
- Define and implement the right balance between bespoke relationship management and scalable, automated donor engagement, ensuring senior time is focused where it adds the most value
- Work closely with the Special Projects, Partnerships, and Individual Giving teams to drive cohesive fundraising strategies and donor experiences
- Ensure strong Salesforce discipline, forecasting accuracy, and portfolio hygiene
What success looks like in 12–18 months
- Multiple new or deepened multi-year, transformational philanthropic partnerships, building on our strong base.
- A credible path to deliver US$200M+ in annual revenue from this donor category within 2 - 3 years, with demonstrated growth hypothesis across acquisition, retention and new fundraising bets (we are aiming for approx 18% YOY growth, ideally more, to meet our overall US$5Bn delivered by 2035 goal).
- A clear strategy for donor engagement - including clarity on how best to manage donor relationships, how best to leverage automation and technology - including synergies with our individual giving team, and when to deploy bespoke strategies for engagement.
- A focused, high-performing philanthropy team operating with strong systems, clarity, and confidence, working collaboratively across the organisation and other revenue teams.
Why major philanthropists choose GiveDirectly
Major philanthropists partner with GiveDirectly because we offer something rare: the ability to deploy capital quickly, transparently, and at scale, backed by one of the strongest evidence bases in global development. Our work particularly resonates with donors from technology and finance backgrounds, and those interested in trust/dignity focused giving, or effective altruism, who value rigorous evaluation, operational excellence, and the opportunity to test and scale ideas that can reshape how poverty is addressed globally.
Compensation
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 here.
- The United States base salary for this role is $145,000 with a 15% annual bonus.
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 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)
- Flexible paid time off
- Allowances for desk set-up and learning and development
#LI-REMOTE
Working at GiveDirectly
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.
Flagging for US applicants: We invite you to "Know Your Rights" as an applicant.
Commitment to Safeguarding
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.**
Reasonable Accommodations
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 [email protected] with the email subject “Accommodation Needed”. We will work with you to ensure reasonable accommodations are made to support your needs.
Want to put your best foot forward on your GiveDirectly application? Take a look at our Candidate Application Prep Guide!