Senior Director, Philanthropy (Remote)

GiveDirectly•San Francisco, CA

12d•Remote

About The Position

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. 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.

Requirements

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

Responsibilities

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.
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 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
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