GiveDirectly seeks a highly motivated Senior Manager, Cash & Coaching to spearhead their innovative Cash + Coaching initiative. This critical role focuses on identifying, developing, and scaling cost-effective coaching components designed to significantly amplify the impact of large-scale cash transfers reaching hundreds of thousands. The ideal candidate is an expert in graduation programs and strategies, possessing the product development acumen to translate these into scalable digital formats. While graduation-style programs combining cash and coaching have shown strong results, their high cost and intensive nature present scalability challenges. GiveDirectly aims to create lean, digitally enabled, and recipient-centric coaching interventions that can be seamlessly integrated into large transfers with minimal marginal cost, enabling deployment across multiple countries. This position is inherently entrepreneurial, involving:
- Leading in-depth collaborations with country Programs teams to design and pilot coaching models within operational settings.
- Engaging extensively with external organizations, including graduation NGOs, edutainment firms, chatbot developers, and researchers, to adapt and integrate best-in-class content.
- Managing vendors and co-development partnerships from initial concept through to full rollout.
- Translating behavioral science, coaching theory, and evidence into practical, scalable delivery systems.
- Facilitating rapid testing and iteration within large-scale cash programs to generate high-quality evidence efficiently.
This is a unique opportunity to refine the most impactful elements of graduation programs and reimagine them within a dynamic, digitally empowered, autonomy-first model aimed at reaching millions. The role reports to the Senior Director, Product.
Level: Senior Manager
Travel Requirement: Approximately 1-2 trips per quarter to one of GiveDirectly's operational countries in Africa for field visits and collaboration.
Key Responsibilities:
1) Strategy & Product Vision: Defining the Cash + Coaching Model
- Establish the overarching vision and strategic roadmap for Cash + Coaching, encompassing content, delivery channels, and dosage.
- Synthesize insights from graduation programs, behavioral science, and digital coaching research into a clear and scalable product strategy.
- Develop a modular "menu" of coaching components (e.g., soft skills development, financial planning, digital literacy, market access, savings strategies) and define how they integrate with large cash transfers.
- Make informed decisions balancing program intensity with scalability, differentiating between core impact drivers and elements that add cost or complexity.
2) Building & Scaling User-Facing Coaching Products
- Lead the development of digitally enabled coaching tools, such as:
- AI or rules-based chatbots (e.g., for planning and follow-through on WhatsApp).
- Video-based "wise intervention" and edutainment content.
- Tablet-based or volunteer-facilitated digital curricula.
- Create repeatable, evidence-based protocols and curricula for light-touch in-person interactions, including:
- Training sessions for digital product usage.
- Scripts and guidelines for community meetings.
- Market linkage interventions.
- Analog versions of digital products for users lacking digital access.
- Translate product concepts into precise technical specifications in collaboration with the internal Tech team and external vendors.
- Ensure all tools are designed for environments with low literacy and limited connectivity.
- Sequence product releases strategically, balancing speed of deployment with quality assurance.
3) Partnerships, Vendor Management & Country Pilots
- Forge and manage strategic partnerships with graduation implementers, academic institutions, and technology/edutainment vendors.
- Determine when to develop solutions in-house versus adapting or licensing external content.
- Conduct in-depth collaborations with country Programs teams in locations such as Rwanda, Mozambique, and Malawi to pilot and refine interventions.
- Oversee budgets, scopes of work, contracts, and performance of external vendors and collaborators.
- Navigate the balance between collaborative openness and long-term scalability goals.
4) Learning & External Positioning
- In partnership with the research team and academic collaborators, ensure the successful execution of rapid pilots and structured experiments for developed coaching components.
- Contribute to donor-facing strategy and the organization's positioning within the sector regarding scalable "graduation-lite" models.
- Represent GiveDirectly in industry discussions on digital coaching, graduation programs, and cost-effective poverty reduction strategies.
Qualifications:
Candidates should demonstrate exceptional alignment with GiveDirectly's values and actively embody core competencies such as emotional intelligence, problem-solving, project management, follow-through, and fostering inclusivity. Applications from individuals with personal or professional experience within low-income and/or historically marginalized communities are strongly encouraged.
- Language Requirement: English proficiency is essential; French proficiency is preferred.
- Experience: 8-10+ years of experience in designing or leading graduation, economic inclusion, or cash-plus programs.
- Digital Coaching Product Experience: Direct experience building or scaling digital coaching products (e.g., chatbots, app-based curricula, edutainment platforms, digital financial literacy tools).
- Graduation Program Expertise: In-depth knowledge of the evidence base for graduation programs and coaching methodologies.
- Project Management: Proven ability to manage multiple internal teams, country programs, and external vendors concurrently.
- Systems Thinking: Experience translating behavioral science or training concepts into scalable operational systems.
- Communication & Strategy: Excellent written communication and strategic thinking skills.
Preferred Experience:
- Co-development of products with governments or multilateral organizations.
- Familiarity with AI-enabled tools, WhatsApp-based delivery systems, IVR, or digital learning platforms.
- Experience working in fast-paced, iterative environments.
Compensation:
GiveDirectly is committed to providing generous and equitable compensation. Salaries are determined using an accredited third-party salary aggregator to ensure competitiveness based on role, location, and cost of living. The organization adheres to a strict no-negotiation policy to maintain internal equity.
United States Compensation Details:
- Base Salary: $115,500
- Bonus at Target Performance: $11,500 (with potential for upside; this amount was $13,455 in 2025 based on current performance multipliers)
- Estimated Total Compensation at Target: $126,500+
- Annual Benefits Stipend for US-based employees: $21,393
For candidates not based in the US, an estimated salary benchmark for their specific country of residence will be provided during the hiring process, as this role is fully remote.
Working at GiveDirectly:
GiveDirectly is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
For US applicants: Review your rights as an applicant here.
Commitment to Safeguarding:
As an organization dedicated to eradicating extreme poverty, GiveDirectly places the highest priority on the safeguarding of its recipients, staff, and partners. GiveDirectly is a member of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and will conduct thorough checks with previous employers regarding any abuse or misconduct matters. Additional robust pre-hire screenings, including in-depth reference checks, criminal background checks, and sanctions screens, may also be employed. These measures are crucial for building and maintaining trust with the communities we serve and preventing harm to our recipients and staff.
GiveDirectly is committed to adhering to all local, national, and international laws that protect people and fundamental human rights. We maintain a policy of "zero tolerance" regarding the prevention, reporting, and response to any form of abuse or exploitation, and expect all employees to prioritize the protection and safeguarding of our recipients.
Reasonable Accommodations:
We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment. If you require any accommodations during the application or interview process, or to perform the essential functions of the role, please contact us at careers@givedirectly.org with the subject line "Accommodation Needed." We are committed to working with you to ensure your needs are met.
Ready to make your application stand out? Consult our Candidate Application Prep Guide.
Create a Job Alert
Interested in advancing your career with GiveDirectly? Sign up to receive future opportunities directly to your inbox.
Create alert
Apply for this job
* indicates a required field