GiveDirectly
What Senior Manager, Humanitarian do:
Design and implement high-quality programming:
Company GiveDirectly
- Oversee end-to-end design, planning, and execution of improvements to emergency response capabilities, coordinating internal and external stakeholders to ensure successful delivery
- Refine and scale deployment criteria and operational playbooks to accelerate readiness across a growing number of countries
- Conduct operational diligence, feasibility, and risk assessments for individual disaster responses, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and context realities
- Define, track, and report on operational efficiency and impact metrics to support performance management and continuous improvement
- Ensure high-quality management of partners, vendors, and subgrantees to drive excellence in program execution
- Assess and advocate for required resources (e.g., budgets, staff) for project success; monitor ongoing utilization and adapt plans to address gaps or overages
Pursue new funding opportunities and represent the GD Humanitarian team, internally and externally:
- In coordination with the Humanitarian Director, Country Directors, and Fundraising teams, identify and pursue response-specific and unrestricted emergency funding opportunities
- Translate field learnings and operational successes into compelling donor proposals, updates, and campaign materials
- Establish and maintain high quality relationships with designated donors and operational partners
- Represent GiveDirectly at external and internal fora, including but not limited to Town Halls, conferences, and media engagements
Manage and develop high-performing teams:
- Manage a Program Manager and support broader surge staffing efforts to ensure GD can respond effectively to Tier 1 disasters
- Support team goal-setting, impact planning, and performance tracking across emergency responses
- Foster talent development through coaching, career planning, and clear accountability, with a focus on building long-term capacity within the team
Qualifications
- Alignment with GiveDirectly Values: exceptional alignment with values and an active demonstration of our core competencies: emotional intelligence, problem solving, project management, follow-through, and fostering inclusivity.
- 4-7+ years of experience in a role focused on problem solving, team management, and/or new business development. Prior humanitarian/emergency experience strongly preferred.
- Analytical problem solving: looks at problems with an analytical and iterative mindset, with strong framework for prioritization and ability to put structure and process to ambiguous problems.
- Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple workstreams, prioritize/explicitly deprioritize, and hold a high quality bar.
- Strong technical skills, including data analysis and ease with learning new third-party tech platforms and tools.
- Fundraising: Preference for candidates with a strong partnership and relationship management background.
- Strong communications skills: Skilled in speaking, writing, presenting, and negotiating across multiple stakeholders.
- Enthusiasm for fast-paced environments, which may lack pre-defined playbook for success and involve significant “learning by doing.” Comfort with ambiguity and building systems from scratch.
Career Coaching Advice for Senior Manager, Humanitarian Role Applicants
Senior professionals in the humanitarian field face the complex challenge of leading mission-driven work in volatile, resource-constrained environments. Balancing strategy, impact, and sustainability requires constant adaptation. Here are practical steps to strengthen your career in this space:
1. Enhance Strategic Leadership and Systems Thinking
Move beyond operational oversight to long-term visioning. Learn to assess and design sustainable, scalable solutions across sectors. Courses in systems thinking, adaptive leadership, or strategic foresight can sharpen your decision-making in complex contexts.
2. Stay Informed on Donor Trends and Localization
Funding models are shifting. Donors increasingly expect transparency, local ownership, and impact measurement. Strengthen your knowledge in results-based management (RBM), localization strategies, and MEAL frameworks to lead effective, fundable programs.
3. Develop Cross-Cultural and Remote Leadership Skills
Leading diverse, often remote teams across regions is a norm. Prioritize cultural intelligence, trauma-informed leadership, and digital collaboration tools (e.g., Teams, Trello). This builds trust and cohesion in dispersed environments.
4. Foster Partnerships and Advocacy Skills
Influence is key in senior roles. Develop your ability to build alliances across NGOs, governments, and the private sector. Strong advocacy and policy engagement skills increase your effectiveness in shaping humanitarian agendas.
5. Pursue Executive Education and Sector-Specific Credentials
Consider programs like the Harvard Humanitarian Response Intensive Course, or an MBA/MPA with a humanitarian focus, to expand your leadership toolkit and global network.
Salary Insight
Senior humanitarian managers typically earn $80,000–$150,000, with international assignments or UN roles exceeding $180,000.
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