Project Manager

Project ManagerUnited States + International (Remote)GiveWell's mission is to help people in need as much as we can by researching the most cost-effective ways to save and improve lives, sharing our work openly, and directing donations to the programs we believe will do the most good. Our work, which focuses on global health and well-being, is funded by tens of thousands of donors who rely on our research to inform their giving. We've grown from directing $1.5 million in 2010 to directing more than $400 million in 2025. We anticipate our total grantmaking is likely to approach or even exceed $1 billion this year, and we are working toward a future that could be several times that scale. Through years of deliberate groundwork, we've been growing our research capacity and scope in order to direct substantially more funding to the most impactful opportunities we can find.The roleOur research team is seeking Project Managers who will provide critical support to the team to maximize the impact of a program portfolio of life-saving and poverty-alleviating programs. This is primarily a project management role, providing key support to GiveWell researchers during their research and grant investigations.Responsibilities include:Project management of research and grantmaking plans. Project Managers are project management experts who manage the execution of research and grantmaking workflows. Project Managers make sure that a high volume of complex projects stay on track, our systems and tools are maintained and improved, and timelines are met. They bring excellent judgment for when to follow established processes and when to adapt them to their work. This could include:Keeping team trackers up to date and understanding how projects fit into broader team goals.Managing project timelines and deadlines, flagging risks and adjusting timelines as needed based on competing team priorities.Creating investigation templates and other tools to aid the research team in following consistent, high standards.Effective communication and coordination with internal and external contacts. Project Managers must clearly and effectively communicate with project contributors, internal teams, and external stakeholders about the projects they are managing. They will regularly interact with external stakeholders, including grantees, with progressively more autonomy in those interactions. Project Managers facilitate smooth information flow and collaboration, including ensuring all parties have the information needed to do their jobs well. This could include:Writing and sending messages to grantees and other external contacts to request information, explain our process, or request feedback.Generating call agendas and tracking and communicating clear follow-up steps.Communicating the status of research projects to internal teams and ensuring smooth handoffs on fundraising and funding logistics.Noticing unusual situations and flagging them to stakeholders early.Maintaining high attention to detail and accuracy. Project Managers are expected to maintain high standards for all work outputs, from system maintenance to content production. They ensure precision and reliability in data, documents, and processes. This could include:Ensuring that public-facing documents clearly cite sources and include important information for communicating our research and decision making.Updating team trackers with the most current information, so that teams and leadership can make decisions based on accurate and up-to-date project details.Assigning and following up on outstanding tasks in a timely manner, so the status of projects and next steps are clear.Maintaining organized and complete project files, ensuring information is accessible and usable for the broader team.Proactive problem-solving. Project Managers actively identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and areas for improvement within operational processes and systems, and propose and implement effective solutions to enhance workflows and overall team effectiveness. This could include:Creatively helping teams plan and execute on their top priorities, and assisting in re-prioritizing when needed.Improving guidance, templates, and processes that would better suit the team's needs.Handling straightforward issues independently, and flagging more complex challenges early to managers or other team members, offering options for how to address them.About youWe are growing and changing quickly, so above all we seek a team player who is flexible, organized, and eager to proactively seek out ways to support the team so that we can do more work, better.In addition, we expect you will be characterized by many of the below qualities. Exceptions may be made for excellent applicants who do not meet these criteria:You have a bachelor's degree (or higher) and 2 to 5 years experience in project management or operational support.You are skilled at planning and managing projects, including identifying and focusing on the most decision-relevant aspects of a project and communicating effectively with teammates. You are known for proactively moving work forward – anticipating what's needed, raising risks early, and creating momentum for the team.You enjoy creating order out of disorder, especially when there are many overlapping pieces and stakeholders.You are obsessed with details and love checking things off of your list, and you're energized rather than overwhelmed by knowing there will always be more to tackle.You consider the big picture, asking questions like: is this project appropriately formulated and the best use of my time? How might we allocate our time more efficiently? Do we have the capacity to complete our goals?You clearly communicate what you believe and why, as well as what you are uncertain about.You are comfortable working in a document-heavy culture, where careful writing, clear documentation, and well-maintained systems enable effective collaboration.You ask a lot of questions, and are curious, rather than defensive, when interrogating your own or others' work.You are respectful, effective, and efficient in your interactions with colleagues as well as external parties.You are passionate about helping improve global health and alleviate global poverty as much as possible.Why this role might not be a good fit:This Project Manager role is primarily focused on project management and operational excellence. We want to be transparent about some situations where candidates may struggle or be unsatisfied:You view project management as a stepping stone. This is a project management role, not a pathway into research or other functions at GiveWell. If you're primarily interested in becoming a researcher or working in another capacity, this position likely isn't the right fit. We're looking for people who are genuinely energized by excellent project management and operational support and would like to grow within this function.You're attached to specific systems or methodologies. In addition to some of the usual project management systems, we also use a number of custom workflows tailored to our research needs. If you're deeply committed to implementing particular project management frameworks (like Agile, Scrum, or some other specific PM software) rather than adapting to what makes sense for the project at hand, you may find this frustrating. We need people who focus on operational goals first and can flexibly use, adapt, or improve processes as tools to get there.You prefer lower-volume work or dislike task switching. Project Managers juggle many concurrent projects with competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment. If you prefer focusing on one project at a time or like the feeling of having wrapped up a project and having "nothing on your list," the intensity and volume of this role may not suit your working style.You dislike a document-heavy culture. GiveWell uses extensive written documentation, and Project Managers are expected to navigate and contribute to that culture. If you find it frustrating to read through detailed documents, extract the key information, and keep track of many written threads at once, this role may feel overwhelming. Success here requires comfort with written communication and the ability to manage a large volume of documentation.You have significantly more experience than we're seeking. This role is designed for people with 2-5 years of relevant experience. If you have substantially more experience (e.g., 7+ years in project management or operations) or advanced credentials like a PhD, you may find the role's level and scope don't match your career stage. We want to ensure the position offers appropriate growth and challenge, and candidates with significantly more experience often find it doesn't meet those needs.DetailsCompensation: NYC or the San Francisco Bay Area: $113,000 All other U.S. locations: $102,500 UK or Canada: We'll convert the non-New York/Bay Area U.S. salary into local currency using historical USD exchange rates.Location: GiveWell's staff work primarily remotely within the U.S. and abroad. Offices: You are welcome but not required to work from our offices in