Program Manager US 2026

Description

Shape and implement solutions to the world's most pressing challenges with the Dalberg Strategy Activation team.

ABOUT DALBERG

Dalberg is a global group that partners with organizations to design and implement strategies that deliver measurable impact, advancing a more sustainable planet and inclusive societies where all people can thrive. We work side by side with governments, foundations, companies, and communities to move from insight to action-translating bold ideas into programs, policies, and systems that work in practice.

As a diverse, purpose-driven community of professionals, Dalberg combines strategy and management consulting with hands-on implementation, equity-centered community design, data and research, and strategic communications. This integrated approach allows us not only to help clients define what needs to change, but to support them in making change happen-from piloting solutions to scaling them across institutions and geographies.

We are from everywhere, at home anywhere-an African and American organization as much as an Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern, and European one. Dalberg is a place where people bring their full selves to work, practicing transparency and openness while maintaining independence of thought. Our culture is grounded in respect, inclusion, and a shared commitment to learning and growth.

Today, Dalberg is a team of 610+ people from 55 countries, collectively speaking 90 languages, with 48%+ female representation in leadership. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core to how we work-with our clients, partners, and the communities we serve.

Established in 2001 by experienced private sector consultants, Dalberg operates from 25+ locations worldwide, supporting strategy execution and systems change across sectors and regions.

ABOUT OUR STRATEGY ACTIVATION WORK

Executing on a strategy or standing up a new initiative or program is when the 'real work' starts for most of our partners. Therefore, our Strategy Activation work is the practice of speeding up the initial stages of implementation using project management offices (PMOs) and other structures to deeply partner with clients over time to increase the chances of success for a new initiative, program, or learning agenda. It provides the foundational steps towards bringing a strategy to life, contextualizing it further and teasing out implications for business-as-usual, helping test critical assumptions, making strategic choices, adapting to emerging needs and laying the groundwork for implementation.

ABOUT YOU

You are a social impact leader, and you thrive tackling both global and domestic issues, from malnutrition to climate change to economic growth, ensuring no population is left behind. You enjoy leading high-performing teams and engaging deeply with the decision makers and on the ground change makers. You have demonstrated entrepreneurial abilities in your past works by driving innovation and have made change happen. and you want to put your skills to work - transforming organizations that drive change around the world. You have rich experience of working on the ground with communities and partners delivering the impact. You are a committed self-starter with experience as a 'top performer' at a leading consultancy firm or at a well-known social impact organization, a passion for international development, and an entrepreneurial spirit.


What You Will Do and How You Will Grow

Program Managers are resourceful team leaders who manage critical thinking and analytical horsepower that drives teams. As the link between junior team members and Dalberg management, Program Managers deliver creative ideas and results for our clients worldwide. With a combination of analytical skills and social acumen, Program Managers are savvy communicators who understand the community and local landscape, guide their teams in working with stakeholders and decision makers, solve problems that come in way of project delivery, and structure communications that promote constructive dialogues with diverse stakeholders in the public sector, private sector, civil society, and international communities.

For a few examples:
• A Dalberg team is working to expand and deepen programs to transform the trajectories of children in Wilmington, Delaware from cradle to career while also providing housing opportunities to keep the neighborhood affordable for current and legacy residents.
• Dalberg supported the Los Angeles Department of Economic Opportunity to finalize the design of, and launch, a new Economic Mobility Initiative (EMI) aimed at supporting micro- and small businesses in the county by delivering services and programming in partnership with various community organizations.

Dalberg supported USAID in launching a global Community of Practice (CoP) aimed at enhancing educational outcomes for underprivileged children and youth in the Global South through non-state education.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
• End to end program delivery
• Working closely with the stakeholders on ground as well as with senior management of the clients
• Lead project teams in disaggregating problems and providing solutions to address them
• Manage two or more projects simultaneously
• Contextualize and apply innovative strategies and solutions for our clients
• Manage workstreams and provide direction
• Coach, manage, and support junior team members
• Ensure the quality of client deliverables

Dalberg is a platform for change. Our staff is empowered to start new programs, institute best practices, and develop traditions that will define the Dalberg experience for years to come. Innovation and entrepreneurship are not only valued at Dalberg; they are essential to our firm's success. In addition to providing training, management-level advising, and mentoring, we empower consultants to learn by doing, engaging them as core members of project teams from day one.


About Our Clients

Our clients come to us with some of the most difficult global problems, seeking solutions where the obvious ones have failed. We are entrepreneurs and innovators, designers and creative problem solvers, thinkers, and doers who supply new ideas, drawing from a deep base of knowledge that cuts across sectors and geographies and is growing every day. We partner with and serve communities, governments, and companies throughout the world. Some of our recent clients include foundations such as the Gates Foundation, corporations such as Pepsi and Vodafone, multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, UN Agencies such as UNICEF and the UNEP, and government agencies such as DFID and the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency.

What We Offer:

• A collaborative and entrepreneurial organization that provides the platform to make an impact on day one
• Engagement with complex and stimulating projects across various content areas, geographies, and types of clients
• A uniquely talented, highly diverse, passionate, and fun team
• Hands-on mentorship
• Robust knowledge base and client networks to explore and engage as you build your platform
• Reduced travel schedule compared to typical management consulting positions
• A commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism in our culture, beliefs, systems, and processes
• Competitive benefits and career development opportunities

Join Our Team

Our current opportunities are in Washington DC and New York.

Candidate applications will be considered after applications close on February 27th at 12pm eastern and should include a resume and cover letter, both written in English

Onboarding date is May 11.

Interview Process: Candidates selected will be invited for a round of interviews to test analytical and conceptual thinking skills through consulting case questions, and to discuss interests and experience. A candidate's specific title and level of entry will be assessed during the interview process.

Salary: The annual compensation for this role is $105,750. Our salary structure is designed to be in line with that of non-profit and social impact organizations, reflecting our dedication to social impact work. This is distinct from management consultancies, which predominantly cater to commercial clients.

Benefits: Additionally, our comprehensive benefits package encompasses medical, dental, and vision coverage, mental health support benefits, parental leave, disability leave, 401k match, US student loan repayment assistance, and paid time off.

You are expected to work near one of our offices and work 2-3 days/week in the office.

Employment in Dalberg's US offices is contingent on the candidate having the requisite authorization to live and work in the US.

Dalberg values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. Qualified and interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, religion, background, or ethnic affiliation are encouraged to apply for the vacancy.

We have also pledged to three commitments for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) across the firm:

• COMMITMENT 1: We commit to publishing internal Dalberg DEI reports annually, to hold ourselves accountable, report on progress and share lessons from our regional DEI plans.

• COMMITMENT 2: We commit to delivering regular training for all staff (including leadership) on how to engender inclusive workplaces and mitigate unconscious bias.

• COMMITMENT 3: We commit to addressing imbalances in how power and privilege are formally distributed and informally exercised across the firm.

Owing to the large number of applications we receive; unfortunately, only successful candidates will be contacted.

Requirements

Experiences and Skills we are looking for:
• A clear commitment to domestic and/or international development , demonstrated through prior work on issues such as economic development, global health, education, climate, gender equity, justice, mobility, or financial inclusion
• Significant professional experience ( typically around 6-8 years ) in social impact consulting, international development, public sector delivery, philanthropy, or other mission-driven organizations, including experience leading programs, workstreams, or teams
• Master's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Policy, International Relations, Development Studies, Economics, Social Sciences, Education, Social Entrepreneurship, or a related field (or an equivalent combination of education and experience)
• Demonstrated ability to deliver results, learn quickly, and take on increasing responsibility in complex, evolving environments
• Strong experience managing multi-workstream programs , including setting up and operationalizing project and performance management systems, coordinating delivery with partners and clients, and adapting plans to on-the-ground realities
• Ability to build trust and work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders , including senior leaders, partners, and on-the-ground teams
• Action-oriented problem solver with strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills , and the ability to translate evidence into practical decisions
• Proven ability to work effectively as part of a team in entrepreneurial, fast-paced, and mission-driven environments

• Experience working across different cultural and geographic contexts; time spent working in low- and middle-income communities is a plus
• Professionalism and sensitivity to political, cultural, and institutional dynamics in complex environments
• Familiarity with project delivery approaches and tools (e.g., Agile, Scrum, PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma, Jira) is helpful; we value adaptability and a willingness to learn

• Fluency in English (spoken and written) required; fluency in Spanish a plus.


We recognize that candidates may not meet every qualification listed. If you are excited about this role and believe your experience aligns with our mission, we encourage you to apply.

In addition, if you have skills or abilities in the following areas, please share them in your application:

• Fluency in foreign languages
• Experience with Excel or PowerPoint
• Demonstrated ability to innovate new programs, ideas, or initiatives