Application Guide

How to Apply for Director, Global Talent Acquisition (Remote)

at Givedirectly

🏢 About Givedirectly

GiveDirectly is a nonprofit that pioneered direct cash transfers to people living in poverty, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. It's unique for its data-driven approach, operational rigor, and commitment to scale—making it a compelling place for talent leaders who want to apply tech and operational excellence to social impact.

About This Role

As Director of Global Talent Acquisition, you'll own the entire TA function—from building a proactive sourcing engine to scaling operations across 10+ countries. This role is critical to GiveDirectly's hypergrowth phase, where you'll design processes, lead a team, and partner with senior leaders to ensure the organization attracts top talent to deliver on its mission.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a check-in on hiring pipeline metrics across regions, then a strategy session with a senior leader on headcount planning for a new country expansion. Afternoon could involve reviewing ATS workflows with the ops team, interviewing a candidate for a key role, and ending with a team stand-up to align on sourcing priorities.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Givedirectly Is Looking For

  • Has 7+ years in talent acquisition, including 3+ leading a team, with proven success recruiting across Sub-Saharan Africa and global markets, ideally in nonprofit or tech-enabled social impact.
  • Thrives on building from scratch: they've scaled a TA function during hypergrowth, launched sourcing capabilities, and implemented workforce planning where none existed.
  • Is an operations expert with deep ATS (Greenhouse preferred) and data skills, able to optimize processes, leverage AI tooling, and use metrics to drive decisions.
  • Excels at stakeholder management, partnering with senior leaders on headcount planning and organizational readiness, while enabling hiring managers with structured processes.

📝 Tips for Applying to Givedirectly

1

Highlight specific examples of scaling TA in hypergrowth environments, including metrics like time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, and diversity outcomes.

2

Show your experience with Greenhouse by naming specific customizations or automations you've implemented (e.g., scorecards, email templates, reporting dashboards).

3

Emphasize any work in Sub-Saharan Africa or similar markets—mention country-specific challenges (e.g., talent pools, visa processes) and how you navigated them.

4

Quantify your impact: e.g., 'Built a sourcing engine that reduced time-to-fill by 30% and increased candidate pipeline by 50% across 5 countries.'

5

Tailor your cover letter to GiveDirectly's mission—show you understand cash transfers and why top talent would want to work there, not just generic nonprofit interest.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your experience leading global TA in a growth-stage organization, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.', "How you've built and used data-driven processes (ATS, metrics, AI) to improve hiring speed and quality.", 'Your ability to partner with senior leaders on strategic workforce planning and organizational readiness.', "Your passion for GiveDirectly's mission and understanding of how talent acquisition directly enables impact at scale."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read GiveDirectly's research and blog posts on cash transfers and their impact—understand the evidence base.
  • → Review their annual reports and financials to grasp their scale, growth trajectory, and funding model.
  • → Look at their current job openings and team structure on LinkedIn to understand existing TA capabilities and gaps.
  • → Check out any press coverage on their expansion (e.g., new countries, partnerships) to see where they're headed.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk me through how you would build a sourcing engine from scratch for a new region (e.g., Sub-Saharan Africa).
2 Describe a time you used data to influence a hiring decision or change a process. What metrics did you use?
3 How do you approach headcount planning with senior leaders, especially in a fast-scaling environment?
4 Give an example of how you've implemented AI or new technology in recruiting operations. What was the outcome?
5 Tell me about a time you managed a difficult stakeholder or hiring manager. How did you align them to a structured process?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't focus only on US or Europe recruiting experience—this role requires global, especially Sub-Saharan Africa, expertise.
  • Avoid generic statements about 'passion for the mission' without specifics—show you understand cash transfers and GiveDirectly's unique approach.
  • Don't overlook operations and data—this role is as much about process design and metrics as it is about people leadership.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Givedirectly!

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