Senior Global Director of Country Operations – Kigali,
Rwanda 
A defining leadership role at the
intersection of global impact, operational excellence, and the future of
poverty alleviation
A
role that carries weight and changes lives
Some jobs are about titles.
Some are about pay.
And then there are roles that quietly shape history.
The Senior Global Director of
Country Operations at GiveDirectly belongs to the third category.
This is not a routine NGO management
position. It is a rare, senior, globally influential role where strategy
meets execution, where systems determine dignity, and where operational
excellence directly translates into millions of lives lifted out of extreme
poverty.
Based remotely, with a strong
preference for Sub-Saharan Africa including Kigali, Rwanda this
role sits at the very core of GiveDirectly’s mission: making cash transfers
the global benchmark for foreign aid.
If you are a seasoned leader who
understands that how an organization operates is just as important as why
it exists, this position was written with you in mind.
About
GiveDirectly: redefining what aid can be
GiveDirectly is not trying to
improve the aid sector incrementally.
It is trying to reset the baseline.
Founded in 2011, GiveDirectly (GD)
was built on a simple but radical idea:
If people living in poverty know
their needs best, why not give them cash directly and let them decide?
The evidence followed the
conviction.
- Over $1 billion raised since launch
- 1.5+ million people
reached across 15 countries
- Programs backed by rigorous experimental research
- Featured by The New York Times Magazine, The
Economist, Foreign Affairs, This American Life
- Named one of the most innovative nonprofits by Fast
Company
The Brookings Institution estimates
that $70 billion in cash transfers could close the global poverty gap.
Meanwhile, the aid sector spends nearly $135 billion annually, much of
it on interventions with limited evidence of impact.
GiveDirectly exists to challenge that
inefficiency calmly, analytically, and relentlessly.
A
culture designed for thinkers, builders, and doers
GiveDirectly’s internal culture
mirrors its external philosophy.
- Candid, analytical, and non-hierarchical
- A global team of 800+ staff across operations
and country offices
- Colleagues from 21 countries, speaking 69
languages
- Engineers, researchers, humanitarian veterans,
consultants, public servants—working as equals
Decisions are grounded in data.
Debate is encouraged.
Egos are not rewarded.
Most importantly, the people GD
serves are centered in every decision not as beneficiaries, but as partners
with agency.
Location
and work model: global, flexible, Africa-centered
This role is fully remote,
with working hours aligned to African time zones:
- East Africa Time (EAT)
- Central Africa Time (CAT)
- West Africa Time (WAT)
Preferred locations include:
- Kigali, Rwanda
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Kampala, Uganda
- Lilongwe, Malawi
- Maputo, Mozambique
- Goma, DRC
The role is global in scope, but
deeply grounded in African operational realities.
Level
and seniority
- Level:
Senior Director
- Leveling may be adjusted for exceptionally senior
candidates
This is a role for leaders who have
already built, scaled, fixed, and matured complex country operations and who
are ready to do it again, at global scale.
The
heart of the role: what the Global Director of Country Operations really does
The Global Director of Country
Operations (GDCO) is the backbone of GiveDirectly’s country presence.
At a high level, this leader ensures
that every country office operates with integrity, efficiency, resilience,
and excellence—without losing flexibility or local relevance.
At a practical level, this role
blends strategy, systems, coaching, crisis response, and hands-on problem
solving.
You are not removed from the field.
You are not buried in abstraction.
You are where decisions become reality.
Strengthening
country operations at scale
GiveDirectly manages over $150
million per year across country offices. That scale demands discipline but
also creativity.
As GDCO, you will:
- Oversee financial management across all country offices
- Strengthen how Country Directors (CDs) manage
operating budgets
- Ensure offices are well-structured, compliant, and
impact-ready
- Support CDs across:
- Finance
- HR and people operations
- Compliance
- Procurement
- Administration
- IT
- Security
You will also lead:
- New country and project office setups
- Responsible wind-downs of offices when programs conclude
- Evolution of organigrams and leadership pipelines
- Long-term sustainability of country teams
This role respects local leadership but
does not abdicate standards.
Embedding
global standards without crushing local context
Operational excellence is not about
rigidity.
It is about clarity.
You will partner with Global
Shared Services (GSS) and Country Directors to:
- Embed global systems, policies, and standards
- Adapt them intelligently to local legal, cultural, and
operational contexts
- Maintain up-to-date:
- Country registrations
- Statutory filings
- Compliance documentation
A key responsibility is building and
implementing a compliance certification process that:
- Clarifies Country Director accountability
- Provides assurance through periodic verification
- Identifies risks early before they become crises
You will also conduct spot checks,
not as audits, but as support mechanisms to keep systems healthy.
Serving
as the connective tissue with Global Shared Services
Complex organizations fail when
roles blur and communication breaks down.
You will act as the primary
interface between country offices and GSS functions, including:
- People & HR
- Compliance & Legal
- Procurement
- Corporate Audit
- Security
- IT
- Risk Management
Your mandate is to:
- Clarify roles and responsibilities
- Eliminate duplication and bottlenecks
- Improve cross-office learning
- Ensure information flows smoothly and usefully
This is quiet, invisible work and
absolutely mission-critical.
Risk,
resilience, and crisis leadership
When you work across fragile
contexts, risk is not theoretical.
As GDCO, you will:
- Oversee risk monitoring across all countries
- Maintain a cross-country risk dashboard
- Partner with GSS to uphold a global risk register
- Support Country Directors in managing country-specific
risks
- Lead or backstop crisis management when needed
Just as important, you will build
a culture where risk is discussed openly, anticipated early, and managed
proactively without fear or blame.
Beyond
the job description: shaping the future of operations
This role is not static.
You will:
- Represent Programs in global coordination forums
- Lead or contribute to organization-wide initiatives
- Take on special projects that advance operational
maturity
- Help GiveDirectly replicate and scale its model at 85%+
budget efficiency
The work evolves as the organization
evolves.
What
success looks like: real, tangible deliverables
Success in this role is measurable.
Examples include:
- A global operational quality checklist used
annually by all country offices
- New offices launching on time, compliant, and fully
functional
- Old offices closing smoothly and responsibly
- Faster, cheaper, smarter back-office processes
- Clear, scalable models for entering new country
contexts
This is leadership with fingerprints
all over the system.
Who
this role is for: experience that truly matters
This position demands depth not
theory.
You bring:
- Extensive experience managing and maturing country
offices, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Comfort in fast-changing environments without
predefined playbooks
- Strong financial and budget management skills
- Proven risk and crisis management experience
- Expertise across:
- HR
- Compliance
- Procurement
- Corporate audit
- IT
- Country registration
You communicate effortlessly across
cultures, manage stakeholders in matrixed organizations, and create clarity
where ambiguity once lived.
You are analytical, detail-oriented,
and decisive.
You build systems and make them work.
Technology,
data, and the future of operations
GiveDirectly is not afraid of
innovation.
You are expected to:
- Make data-driven decisions
- Leverage technology and AI to improve efficiency
- Take an agile, iterative approach to systems
building
- Implement scalable solutions with limited resources
This is modern operations
leadership, not bureaucratic management.
Values
alignment: non-negotiable and deeply human
Technical skills matter.
Values matter more.
GiveDirectly looks for leaders who
actively demonstrate:
- Emotional intelligence
- Rigorous problem solving
- Strong project management
- Relentless follow-through
- A genuine commitment to inclusion
Candidates with lived or
professional experience in low-income or historically marginalized
communities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Language
requirements
- Required:
English
- Preferred:
French, Portuguese, or Swahili
Language here is not just
communication it’s connection.
Compensation:
transparent, equitable, and competitive
GiveDirectly believes fairness
begins with pay.
- Compensation is benchmarked at the 75th percentile
using an accredited third-party aggregator
- No negotiation policy
ensures equity across roles
Base salary benchmarks:
- United States: $145,000
- Kenya: $120,000
For other countries, a localized
benchmark will be shared during the hiring process.
Benefits
that respect the whole person
Working at GiveDirectly means you
are supported not just employed.
Benefits include:
- Competitive salary and bonus
- Robust health coverage (country-specific)
- Flexible paid time off
- Learning and development allowances
- Home office setup support
- A culture that values growth, balance, and humanity
Safeguarding,
ethics, and zero tolerance
GiveDirectly takes safeguarding
seriously without exception.
- Member of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme
- Thorough reference and background checks
- Zero tolerance for abuse or exploitation
Protecting recipients, staff, and
partners is a core operational responsibility.
Equal
opportunity and accessibility
GiveDirectly is an Equal
Opportunity Employer.
All qualified applicants are
considered regardless of race, religion, gender, nationality, age, disability,
or any legally protected characteristic.
Reasonable accommodations are
available throughout the hiring process.
Why
this role matters more than most
This is not just a senior operations
job.
It is a chance to:
- Shape how aid is delivered globally
- Strengthen systems that move billions responsibly
- Empower local teams without compromising standards
- Prove that dignity, efficiency, and scale can coexist
If you believe operations are where
values become visible, this role will feel like home.
How
to prepare a strong application
To put your best foot forward:
- Emphasize country office leadership experience
- Highlight moments where you built or fixed systems
- Show how you balance global standards with local
realities
- Demonstrate values alignment not just skills
Thoughtful, specific applications
stand out.
Internal
linking opportunities (for readers)
If you are exploring global careers,
you may also want to read:
- High-paying remote NGO jobs with global impact
- Fully funded international leadership roles in Africa
- How to work for top humanitarian organizations without relocating
- Senior director jobs in international development
These topics complement this
opportunity well.
Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is this role open to non-US
citizens?
Yes. This is a global role with strong preference for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Is relocation required?
No. The role is fully remote, within African time zones.
Does GiveDirectly sponsor visas?
Visa considerations depend on country context and are discussed during hiring.
Is this role suitable for former NGO
Country Directors?
Yes especially those with multi-country or regional experience.
What makes this role different from
other INGO operations roles?
Scale, autonomy, data-driven culture, and real authority to improve systems
globally.
Final
word: a rare opportunity, if you’re ready
Roles like this do not appear often.
They demand maturity, courage, and
conviction.
They reward impact, not ego.
They leave systems stronger than they were found.
If you are ready to shape the
operational engine behind one of the most influential poverty-alleviation
organizations in the world, this role is calling.
Explore it. Prepare well. Apply
boldly.
And if you found this guide valuable, keep exploring your next global opportunity may be closer than you think.
Final Call to Action
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1 Comments
Great opportunity I like it
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