GD Rwanda Field Manager

Job Title:Field Manager

Location: Rwanda

Reports to: Senior Manager

Organization Background: 

GiveDirectly (GD) aims to reshape international giving – and millions of lives – by providing cash grants directly to the world’s poorest. The Brookings Institution estimates that $70B of cash transfers would be required to eliminate the poverty gap; the aid sector currently spends $135B each year, much of it on evidence-free interventions. GiveDirectly wants to change that, establishing cash transfers as a benchmark for foreign aid – as the index fund is a benchmark for the financial industry – and in the process accelerating the end of extreme poverty.

GD has raised over $700M since launching in 2011, delivered cash to more than 900,000 people, and launched offices in 8 countries. We’ve also supported large-scale, experimental research that indicates strong recipient impact of our programs. As a result, GD has been celebrated as one of the most innovative non-profit companies by Fast Company, while the growing cash transfer movement (and GD’s leading role within it) have been featured in the New York Times Magazine, This American Life, Foreign Affairs, and The Economist.

We’re looking for exceptional talent to grow our collaborative, diverse team. Joining GiveDirectly provides the opportunity to work alongside individuals who come from 21 different countries and speak 69 different languages. We’re actively working toward an equitable and inclusive environment for all team members, and seek candidates who will bring diverse perspectives and experiences to our organization. We recruit from organizations across all industries: our team has hailed from sectors including start-ups, government, consultancies, investment banks, and nonprofits.

Across our global offices, our culture is candid, analytical, non-hierarchical, and fast-paced. We value ability, adaptability, and willingness to learn. We offer competitive salary and benefits, as well as performance-based bonuses.

Role Overview:

The Field Manager (“FM”) will be expected to lead the field based aspects of our projects. The Field Manager will own the overall enrollment process, including tracking performance of field teams; achieving targets; building a culture of mentorship and professional development; and identifying opportunities for risk mitigation and process improvement. The Field Manager will serve as the key “eyes and ears” resource on the ground for the Senior Manager and Country Director and will be responsible for regularly synthesizing updates on operational health. The role will reward exceptional personnel management, organizational skills, high-quality judgment on operational challenges, and a strong commitment towards building a scalable and better-leveraged field org. This role will require regular travel to the field locations we are working in. In the event that COVID-19 prevents such travelling, the field manager will be expected to lead an adapted remote program.

Responsibilities

Campaign Management: [20%]

The FM will be responsible for managing all aspects of ground operations:

• Set and own quantifiable targets like households enrolled and operational efficiency.
• Serve as the organization’s engine for continuous improvement of the enrolment process and recipient experience.
• Over time, reduce dependence on senior management and create more leverage for the Country Director through capacity-building and delegation.

Vision & Critical Thinking: [20%]

The FM will be expected to be a strong contributor to the overall vision of the country office, engaging with the Country Director in country problem-solving.

• Conceive, develop and test new protocols and methods prior to overseeing scale up.
• Anticipate areas of risk and create mitigation plans (e.g. coordination on complex research partnership, slow-downs from pilots, etc.).

People Management: [20%]

The FM will be expected to oversee a performance-oriented culture within your team (your reports and their reports), with all staff receiving feedback and development opportunities to achieve their potential.

•  Hire, train and manage field staff.
•  Run performance reviews for direct reports and build their capacity to do the same.
•  Identify and coach high-potential field staff to grow on a quick promotion trajectory.
•  Identify gaps in the org chart and propose solutions to the Country Director.

Data and Analysis: [20%]

The FM will be expected to be comfortable using data to track performance, and inform decision-making, and to quickly build expertise within GD’s standard beneficiary data management and survey tools.

• Support survey creation and updates for new and existing projects
• Guide and support reports on data inquiries, skill development, and data analysis
• Work effectively with GD’s global data team (framing needs and expectations, and holding self
• and others accountable to agreed timelines)

Communication: [10%]

•  Meet the GD “bar” for online communication responsiveness (slack, email, phone)
•  Present effectively to the management team (focusing on key insights, etc.)
•  Communicate concisely and clearly across a variety of forms (written, presenting, verbal)

Support for auxiliary projects: [5%]

• Assist Country Director/Field Director  with hosting journalists, donors, and other external parties
• Assist Country Director/Field Director with communicating and executing new projects / pilots / technologies (e.g. messaging Salesforce to field team, brainstorming options for community-based targeting,
• rolling out mobile app questions, etc.)

Team-building / morale: [5%]

• Monitor team dynamics and own follow-up on barometer activities
• Identify opportunities for morale-building (e.g. retreats, team events, incentive schemes, etc.)

Desired abilities/experience:

• Degree in a relevant field
• Exceptional leadership ability with demonstrated success in motivating and developing subordinates
• Exceptional ability to problem-solve complex operational challenges in the field
• Excitement about owning challenging management tasks, including mentoring and motivating direct reports and the broader field team
• Demonstrated ability to work in a highly independent and self-directed manner, while effectively communicating upwardly about gaps and risks
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills and the ability to represent the organization effectively to external parties
• Strong analytical and technical skills, including a high level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel
• Demonstrated success in a high-performance work environment
• At least 3-5 years of management experience, preferably managing managers
• Ability to manage day-to-day operations while simultaneously building more robust, efficient systems.
• Alignment to GD values (listed below). 

GD Values:

• Recipients first - We prioritize recipient preferences over those of donors or ourselves.

• Team next - We do what’s best for organizational - not individual - success.

• Be proactively candid - We say what we believe, and are honest in sharing information.

• Create positive energy - We strive to be a source - not drain - of energy for our colleagues.

• Think rigorously; act quickly - We are intellectually rigorous with a drive towards action - not debate.

• Accept reality. Propose solutions - We do not dwell on problems. We work actively to create solutions.

• Be productively ambitious - We take the risks to pursue industry-changing success, not incremental progress.

• Know yourself and grow - We recognize and accept our imperfections with a focus on growth.

**GD is committed to observing all local, national and international laws that protect children, vulnerable adults, and basic human rights of all.  GD is committed to a policy of “zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH)” and expects anyone who works for GD to uphold the protection and safeguarding of our recipients as a priority.**