GiveDirectly is the first and largest nonprofit that lets donors send money directly to the world’s poorest. We believe people living in poverty deserve the dignity to choose for themselves how best to improve their lives - cash enables that choice. The Manager, External Relations will be responsible for managing government relationships, driving policy influencing goals, and leading country-level fundraising and media efforts for GiveDirectly in Kenya.
Responsibilities
Government Relations and Policy Engagement
- Manage defined government relationships and support the Country Director in strengthening GiveDirectly’s position as a trusted partner.
- Secure required approvals to support program expansion and ensure compliance with national and local regulations.
- Serve as the primary liaison between government partners and GiveDirectly, ensuring timely, accurate two-way communication, including regular reporting and escalation of risks or policy changes.
- Support field teams to operate in line with government guidance and protocols, proactively identifying and addressing areas of misalignment or emerging risk.
- Track and analyse relevant national policy developments, and support strategic engagement led by the Country Director - in particular in relation to social protection, climate resilience, graduation approaches, emergency response, refugee programming and maternal & child health.
Fundraising, Policy influencing, and Partnerships management
- Support the Country Director to analyze and keep track of key policy developments at national Government level, and to actively engage upstream to influence these.
- Support development and execution of a country-level path to scale for GiveDirectly’s prioritized project models in-country.
- With the support of the Partnerships Director - Policy, develop contextualized policy influencing goals to drive this path to scale by influencing Government and in-country funding opportunities.
- Contribute to the development and management of the country fundraising pipeline and track performance against ambitious fundraising goals.
- Build and manage partnerships with NGOs and UN agencies to expand opportunities for collaborative, cash-based programming, including in climate resilience, graduation, and maternal and child health.
- Contribute ideas and research to identify innovative fundraising opportunities (e.g., blended finance, conservation finance, insurance) aligned with GiveDirectly’s project models.
- Develop high-quality, brand-aligned materials for engagement with the government and funders, including one-pagers, proposals, pitch decks, and FAQs.
External Representation and Media Relations
- Develop clear, consistent messaging and talking points for government, donor, and media audiences, including on sensitive or high-risk issues.
- Build relationships with key national and local media, bloggers, and influencers to advance GiveDirectly’s policy and influencing priorities, with the support of the global Communications team.
- Identify compelling stories from across programs and translate them into effective media pitches and communications products.
- Serve as the main point of contact between country teams and the global communications team, coordinating proactive outreach and incident response as needed.
- Monitor traditional and social media to manage reputational risk, working closely with programs, audit, and leadership teams to address emerging issues.
- Support international and national media engagement to highlight the impacts of cash transfers, including on climate resilience, graduation pathways, and mother and child outcomes.
Team Leadership and Development
- Team Oversight: Manage the Content Associate Field Manager to amplify recipient voices and produce relevant evidence of cash impact.
- Provide effective coaching and management support to the Content Associate Field Manager to strengthen processes, grow the team’s skills, and drive continuous improvement.
- Inclusive Culture: Cultivate a collaborative and inclusive work environment, setting clear goals and expectations, while fostering open communication and constructive feedback across teams.
Requirements
- A strong ownership mindset, with the initiative to identify challenges and drive solutions independently in a fast-paced, high-performance environment.
- 4-6 years of experience in the development sector.
- Supported by a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant field (BA/BSc/HND, MBA/MSc/MA).
- Demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following areas: social protection, climate resilience, graduation approaches, emergency response, refugee programming and/or maternal and child health.
- Experience contributing to policy engagement or government partnerships.
- Experience in resource mobilization, including successful engagement with major donors such as the World Bank and FCDO.
- Experience representing organizations with national and international stakeholders, including government, donors, and media.
- Exceptional communication, organizational, and analytical skills, with professional fluency in written and spoken English and Swahili.
- The ability to work with a high degree of autonomy while collaborating effectively across teams and providing informal leadership as needed.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online through the GiveDirectly Greenhouse board at https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/givedirectly. You can also access the application link via MyJobMag at https://www.myjobmag.co.ke/apply-now/1178576
