How to apply for Consultant, Strategic Initiatives [Limited Term]

About GiveDirectly

GiveDirectly is a nonprofit that sends unconditional cash transfers directly to people living in extreme poverty. It has delivered more than $1B to over 2 million people across 15 countries since 2011. The organization is now preparing to scale to billions of dollars per year, and it says its culture is candid, analytical, and non-hierarchical.

About the role

This is a limited-term consultant role on strategic initiatives. The work supports GiveDirectly's growth from its current playbook to $750M+ delivered by the end of 2027, while building toward a roughly 10x step-change on a new technology stack and operating model. The role also involves exploring incremental funding through external partnerships, such as sourcing verified lists from institutional partners.

A typical day

A typical day might involve analyzing data on delivery costs or partnership pipelines, drafting or refining plans for the new operating model, and coordinating with remote colleagues across teams. Because the role is limited-term and focused on strategic initiatives, the work likely shifts between research, partner conversations, and building recommendations for leadership. Ask the hiring team how they structure a typical week and what tools the team uses.

Who GiveDirectly is looking for

• Has experience in strategy, operations, or consulting, especially in a high-growth or scaling environment.
• Can work with data and build or improve operating models, technology stacks, or partnership pipelines.
• Is comfortable with a remote, full-time, limited-term role and can manage high ownership with little hierarchy.
• Understands or is willing to learn the cash transfer model, cost-effectiveness research, and the operational realities of delivering aid at scale.

Tips for this application

• Read GiveDirectly's CEO essay on what it will take to deliver billions per year, and refer to specific points from it in your application.
• Connect your experience directly to the scale targets in the job description: $750M+ by end of 2027 and the 10x step-change on a new technology stack and operating model.
• Show how you have worked on external partnerships, verified lists from institutional partners, or similar partnership sourcing in a past role.
• Review GiveDirectly's values and the employee stories on its site, then use your application to show how you work in a candid, analytical, non-hierarchical setting.
• Be explicit that you understand this is a limited-term, full-time, remote role and explain why that structure fits your situation.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your direct experience with strategic initiatives, scaling operations, or building new operating models.', 'Any work you have done with external partnerships, institutional partners, or sourcing verified lists.', 'How you use data and analysis to support decisions in a nonprofit or aid context.', "Why GiveDirectly's cash transfer approach and its specific scale targets matter to you, using facts from the job description rather than general statements."]

Research before applying

• Read GiveDirectly's CEO essay on what it will take to deliver billions of dollars a year to people in extreme poverty.
• Review GiveDirectly's values page and the employee stories on its site to understand the candid, analytical, non-hierarchical culture.
• Look at GiveDirectly's published research on cash transfers, including coverage by The Economist, NPR, TED, and The Washington Post.
• Find out what GiveDirectly means by its current playbook, the new technology stack, and external partnerships with verified lists from institutional partners.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you would help GiveDirectly move from its current playbook to $750M+ delivered by the end of 2027.
• Your approach to building or evaluating a new technology stack and operating model for a 10x scale step-change.
• A time you sourced or managed external partnerships, especially with institutional partners or verified lists.
• How you handle high ownership and non-hierarchical work in a remote setting.
• What you know about GiveDirectly's cash transfer research and how you would apply it to strategic initiatives.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Writing a generic cover letter that does not mention GiveDirectly's scale targets, cash transfer model, or the limited-term nature of the role.
• Focusing only on nonprofit passion without showing analytical or strategic skills for the $750M+ and 10x scale goals.
• Ignoring the remote, non-hierarchical, high-ownership culture and not giving examples of how you work in that kind of setting.