Senior Program Officer

GiveWell

11d • Remote

About The Position

GiveWell is a research organization that identifies and funds cost-effective giving opportunities, focusing on global health and well-being. The Senior Program Officer is a leadership role responsible for a significant grantmaking portfolio, including strategy development and decision-making on funding allocations. This role involves rigorous review of evidence, cost-effectiveness modeling, building grantee relationships, and assessing program delivery. The Senior Program Officer will also communicate externally about GiveWell's work and mentor team members. They will work closely with Senior Researchers, who set research agendas and tackle complex questions, while the Senior Program Officer owns the grant and portfolio decisions. The research department is organized into eight teams: five focused on specific grantmaking areas (Water, Livelihoods, Nutrition, Malaria, and Vaccines), one for New Areas, one for Cross-Cutting methodological issues, and one for generalized research support (The Commons). Placement on a specific subteam will be discussed in the final stages of the hiring process.

Requirements

• At least 5-10 years of professional experience, with a significant portion in similar or closely-related roles.
• Experience using empirical tools to make rigorous, evidence-based decisions under uncertainty.
• Strong track record in funding, building, or scaling new programs, initiatives, or organizations.
• Experience using rigorous quantitative analysis and cost-effectiveness modeling to support decisionmaking.
• Experience building relationships with diverse stakeholders (funders, research organizations, NGOs, etc.).
• Experience owning large budgets and/or grant portfolios.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with an emphasis on directness and clarity.
• Experience setting and iterating on strategy in complex, fast-moving environments.
• Ability to work primarily remotely within the U.S. and abroad.
• Commitment to a work schedule that has some overlap with American working hours and key coworkers if working internationally.
• Willingness to attend international site visits and conferences (1-2 per year on average), and annual department retreats and twice-annual whole org visit weeks.
• Ability to work flexibly, including flexible hours, remotely, or from the office.
• Willingness to commit to a work schedule that has some overlap with American working hours and the schedules of key coworkers if working internationally.

Nice To Haves

• Experience engaging with global health, development, or related fields.
• Experience reviewing randomized controlled trials and impact evaluations.
• Experience working with governments or multilateral organizations.
• Experience gathering first-hand data to inform program design.
• Experience managing a variety of grant types, including advocacy and market-shaping initiatives.
• Quantitatively-oriented advanced degrees.

Responsibilities

• Take primary responsibility for a significant grantmaking portfolio, setting its strategy.
• Sift through funding opportunities to focus on those that matter most.
• Combine rigorous review of empirical evidence, cost-effectiveness modeling, strong grantee relationships, ground-truthing of program delivery, discussions with subject matter experts, understanding of broader context, and personal judgment to decide what to fund, how to structure it, and when to build something new.
• Communicate externally about GiveWell's work.
• Mentor and advise other members of the team.
• Build and lead a grantmaking portfolio that brings rigor and creativity to GiveWell's hardest funding problems.
• Incorporate Senior Researchers' analysis into grant and portfolio decisions.
• Dig into cost-effectiveness models and form independent views of the evidence.

Benefits

• Fully funded health, dental, vision, and life insurance (100% of premiums covered in the US for employee and dependents).
• Four weeks of paid time off per year.
• 16 weeks of fully paid parental leave.
• Ergonomic home workstations or coworking space memberships.
• Automatic contribution equal to 5% of gross salary into 403(b) retirement plan (for US-based staff).
• Relocation expenses covered for candidates who wish to move to office locations (Oakland, CA; Brooklyn, NYC; or London, UK).
• Visa sponsorship for those needing a work visa in the US (case-by-case basis).
• Flexibility in working hours, remotely, or from the office.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed