Senior Manager, Business Operations

Role Description

GiveDirectly is seeking a highly analytical, structured, and execution-oriented Senior Manager, Business Operations to drive cross-functional initiatives and make core operational functions run more effectively across GiveDirectly.

• This role supports core operational functions including Finance, HR, Compliance, Legal/Risk, Internal Audit, Corporate Audit, Procurement, Safety/Security, Safeguarding, and IT.
• You will own a portfolio of high-priority operational workstreams and initiatives, often in ambiguous and high-stakes contexts.
• This role is designed to increase organizational leverage — ensuring leadership priorities translate into clear execution.
• This role reports to the Chief Operating Officer and is an individual contributor (IC) role with significant ownership and autonomy.

Location: Flexible (proximity to a GD office preferred: New York, Nairobi, Kampala, Kigali, London).

Travel: ~2–3 trips annually.

Qualifications

• A structured problem-solver with 5–7 years experience in consulting, strategy or operations in business or social impact contexts.
• Highly analytical — you use data to diagnose issues, generate insights, and drive decisions.
• A builder and operator — you’ve led complex, cross-functional work end-to-end.
• Systems-minded — you spot inefficiencies quickly and design processes, tools, or workflows that make teams run better at scale.
• A clear, direct communicator — you cut through complexity and influence senior stakeholders.
• An influencer without authority — you align teams, navigate tradeoffs, and move work forward across functions.
• Technically fluent — comfortable with spreadsheets, dashboards, and project tools.
• High ownership, low ego — you take responsibility for outcomes and follow through.
• Motivated by impact — you want your work to matter and help GiveDirectly deliver cash effectively.

Requirements

• Drive execution and shape priorities across the COO portfolio.
• Own and drive a portfolio of high-priority workstreams and initiatives.
• Lead analytics and decision support across Finance, HR, Risk, and other operational areas.
• Improve systems, processes, and operating rhythms within the Global Shared Services portfolio.
• Drive AI and automation use cases to reduce manual effort and improve decision-making.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives such as audit follow-up and compliance improvements.
• Act as a high-trust thought partner to leadership.

Benefits

• Base Salary: $109,200 (US), £71,400 (UK), $77,500 (Kenya).
• Bonus at Target Performance: 10% (~$10,920 in the US, ~£7,140 in the UK, ~ $7,750 in Kenya).
• Annual Benefits Stipend: $21,393 (US), £2,760 (UK), $8,453 (Kenya).
• Flexible paid time off that staff is encouraged to take.
• Allowances for desk set-up and learning and development.