Rwanda Senior Manager - Field Operations and Programs

GiveDirectly has delivered more than $1B in cash directly to 2+ million people living in poverty across 15 countries since 2011. We believe cash transfers are one of the most scalable, cost-effective, and dignified forms of aid, with the research to back it up. Our work has been covered by The Economist , NPR , TED , and The Washington Post . We are one of Time100’s Most Influential Companies of 2026. Our culture is candid, analytical, and non-hierarchical. We support high ownership and real professional growth. Curious about what it's really like to work here? Read our values and hear from the people who do . If they resonate, this could be a great fit! Senior Manager - Field Operations and Programs Reports to: Program Director Level: Senior Manager Manages: Program Managers Role Purpose The Senior Manager (SM) provides senior leadership for field operations and program implementation, ensuring high-quality delivery, scalable systems, and strong people management across programs. The role owns field execution standards, operational systems, and talent development, while Program Managers retain accountability for day-to-day delivery and the Program Director retains accountability for country-level execution and strategy. The Senior Manager acts as the bridge between strategy and execution, translating Program Director priorities into strong operational practice across teams. Key Responsibilities: 1. Field Operations Leadership (Standards & Performance) Provide senior oversight of field operations across programs, ensuring consistent implementation quality, data integrity, and adherence to operational standards. Hold Program Managers and Field Managers accountable for meeting delivery targets (e.g., households enrolled, efficiency benchmarks, recipient experience). Conduct periodic field visits to assess system effectiveness, implementation quality, and staff performance. Identify cross-program delivery challenges and escalate systemic issues to the Program Director with proposed solutions. Review and endorse operational pilots and targeting approaches before scale, assessing feasibility, efficiency, and risk. Serve as the escalation point for cross-program operational risks prior to Program Director involvement. 2. Systems Building & Operational Model Improvement Own continuous improvement of the field delivery model, with a focus on scalability, efficiency, and reliability. Lead initiatives to: Strengthen data quality assurance systems Improve backend checks and automation Integrate technology into enrollment, monitoring, and follow-up protocols Oversee risk mitigation plans proposed by Program, Product, and Field Managers, particularly for: Complex pilots or research partnerships Operational slowdowns or delivery risks Ensure operational systems remain aligned with Program Director priorities and organizational strategy. 3. Senior People Management & Talent Development Foster a high-performance culture across field teams, emphasizing accountability, feedback, and professional growth. Directly manage senior field staff (e.g., Program Managers, Field Managers), setting expectations for strong people management at all levels. Oversee hiring plans for field teams, supporting managers in recruitment, onboarding, and training where needed. Lead performance reviews for direct reports and build their capacity to conduct effective reviews for their teams. Identify high-potential staff and, in partnership with managers, support accelerated development and promotion pathways. Identify structural gaps or inefficiencies in field team org charts and propose resourcing or design adjustments to the Program Director. 4. Data, Performance Monitoring & Decision Support Use data to monitor field and program performance, identify trends, and inform operational improvements. Oversee survey design and updates for new and existing programs, ensuring alignment with program objectives and data quality standards. Coach teams on effective use of data f