How to apply for Senior Philanthropy Advisor

About GiveWell

GiveWell is a nonprofit that researches cost-effective global health and development charities and directs donations to them. It has grown from directing $1.5 million in 2010 to more than $400 million in 2025, with grantmaking expected to approach or exceed $1 billion this year. Donors are analytical and quantitative, and their engagement with GiveWell's research shapes the work.

About the role

The Senior Philanthropy Advisor manages and advises a portfolio of GiveWell's largest donors, including those giving seven- to ten-figure gifts. The role helps shape donor relationship strategy, leads within the philanthropy team, and acts as a thought partner to senior leadership. It has direct influence over how GiveWell's philanthropy function grows as grantmaking scales toward and beyond $1 billion.

A typical day

A typical day may involve calls or written correspondence with large donors, preparing materials that explain GiveWell's research and funding opportunities, and coordinating with the philanthropy team and senior leadership on donor strategy. You would likely spend time interpreting cost-effectiveness analyses for donors and deciding how to prioritize your portfolio. Exact routines and team structure are not specified in the job details, so ask about them in interviews.

Who GiveWell is looking for

• Experience managing relationships with major donors or institutional funders, including seven-figure-plus gifts.
• Comfort working with analytical, quantitative donors who engage deeply with research and evidence.
• Ability to serve as a leader within a philanthropy team and as a thought partner to senior leadership.
• Interest in GiveWell's mission of directing funding to the most cost-effective global health and development programs.

Tips for this application

• Read GiveWell's published research and cost-effectiveness analyses so you can speak concretely about how you would discuss them with donors.
• In your application, describe specific donor relationships you have managed, including gift sizes and how you handled analytical or skeptical donors.
• Explain how you would help scale a philanthropy function from directing hundreds of millions to potentially billions, since GiveWell states it is working toward that scale.
• Note that 80,000 Hours' largest funder, Coefficient Giving, works closely with GiveWell; avoid implying this is a conflict, but be aware of the funding context if asked.
• Address how you would act as a thought partner to senior leadership, not just as a relationship manager, because the role explicitly includes that responsibility.

What to cover in your cover letter

Focus on your direct experience with seven- to ten-figure donors and what you did in those relationships. Explain how you work with quantitative, research-driven donors and how you translate evidence into giving decisions. Describe how you would help shape GiveWell's philanthropy strategy as grantmaking grows toward $1 billion and beyond. Show that you can both manage a portfolio and advise senior leadership on donor strategy.

Research before applying

• GiveWell's published research on cost-effective giving opportunities in global health and development, including its cost-effectiveness models.
• GiveWell's growth in directed funding from $1.5 million in 2010 to more than $400 million in 2025 and its stated goal of approaching or exceeding $1 billion.
• The relationship between GiveWell and Coefficient Giving, which 80,000 Hours lists as its largest funder and which works closely with GiveWell.
• GiveWell's philanthropy team structure and how donor advising fits into its overall research and grantmaking work.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you would advise a donor who is analytical and wants to interrogate GiveWell's cost-effectiveness estimates.
• Your approach to managing a portfolio of seven- to ten-figure donors, including prioritization and relationship strategy.
• How you would help the philanthropy team scale as GiveWell's grantmaking approaches or exceeds $1 billion.
• A time you were a thought partner to senior leadership on a donor or fundraising decision.
• How you would represent GiveWell's research to donors who may have different priors about global health and development funding.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating the role as generic major-gifts fundraising without engaging with GiveWell's research and cost-effectiveness approach.
• Claiming you can advise quantitative donors without giving examples of how you have worked with analytically minded funders.
• Ignoring the scale of GiveWell's growth and the expectation that the philanthropy function will expand significantly.