Senior Product Manager, International Rapid Response Payment Systems

GiveDirectly

  • Nairobi
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 22 days ago
About GiveDirectlyGiveDirectly (GD) aims to reshape international giving - and millions of lives - by providing cash grants directly to the world's poorest. The Brookings Institution estimates that $70B of cash transfers would be required to eliminate the poverty gap; the aid sector currently spends $135B each year, much of it on evidence-free interventions. GiveDirectly wants to change that, establishing cash transfers as a benchmark for foreign aid - as the index fund is a benchmark for the financial industry - and in the process accelerating the end of extreme poverty.GD has raised over $1B since launching in 2011, delivered cash to more than 1.5 million people in 15 different countries. We've also supported large-scale, experimental research that indicates strong recipient impact of our programs. As a result, GD has been celebrated as one of the most innovative non-profit companies by , while the growing cash transfer movement (and GD's leading role within it) have been featured in the , , , and .Our culture is candid, analytical, agile, and non-hierarchical. Our global team of ~150, and country operations teams of ~650, together come from 21 different countries speaking 69 different languages. From software engineers to seasoned humanitarian workers, former management consultants to public servants, researchers to field operations -- it's an incredible group of people.Our are central and deliberately opinionated. We genuinely center the people we serve in our decision making, and strive to build an ambitious, dynamic and high performing environment. We strongly encourage you to read through our values carefully, if they reflect how you like to work and energize you, this could be a great fit.We work hard to create an environment in which all our team members can thrive, succeed and grow. We support flexibility, take care of each other, have fun, and create professional growth opportunities.Priority application deadline: August 25, 2025 or until we reach a critical mass of applicationsLocation: This role is fully remote but must overlap with an East Africa timezone by at least 3 hours. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment Visas in the U.S. or U.K. at this time.About this roleGiveDirectly is seeking a Senior Product Manager to drive the design, evaluation, and deployment of cutting-edge payment solutions that support cash transfers to people affected by crises or in extreme poverty-anywhere in the world. This individual will serve as the technical and strategic lead on payment rails and digital transfer mechanisms within the International Rapid Response (IRR) Product team, with a strong focus on reaching displaced and crisis-affected populations with unconditional cash assistance efficiently, securely, and with dignity.The ideal candidate will combine technical knowledge of global payment systems-including aggregator platforms and blockchain-based solutions-with a deep curiosity for solving complex financial and technology challenges. They will play a pivotal role in identifying, testing, and scaling solutions that allow GiveDirectly to deliver cash directly to individuals in emergency settings across the globe.Reports to: Senior Product Director, International Rapid ResponseLevel: Senior ManagerTravel Requirement: Must be able to travel ~1-2 times per year to one of our countries of operation for team retreats or field visitsWhat you'll do:
  • Payments Product Strategy and Roadmapping
  • Own the product vision, roadmap, and prioritization for international payments infrastructure.
  • Translate strategic objectives into actionable product goals, features, and success metrics.
  • Regularly evaluate and refine product-market fit in the context of fast-evolving program and country needs.
  • Investigate and Innovate Global Payment Channels:
  • Identify, assess, and recommend international payment solutions that can reach populations in fragile and underserved markets.
  • Develop partnerships with global and regional payment aggregators, mobile money platforms, remittance providers, and stablecoin or crypto partners.
  • Pilot and evaluate alternative transfer modalities, including blockchain-based or decentralized finance (DeFi) approaches, particularly in contexts where traditional banking access is limited.
  • Build and Scale Payment Infrastructure:
  • Design systems for integrating new payment rails into GD's operations, ensuring compliance, security, and scalability.
  • Define and document technical and operational requirements for payment implementation in humanitarian and development settings.
  • Collaborate with engineers and data teams to ensure seamless integration with targeting, verification, monitoring, and payments systems.
  • Research & Landscape Analysis:
  • Map and compare emerging technologies and vendors in the payments space, with a focus on rapid deployment and cross-border capabilities.
  • Conduct technical due diligence on vendors and track trends in stablecoin, mobile finance, and blockchain applications.
  • Cross-functional Collaboration:
  • Work closely with program managers, engineers, field teams, and finance/legal teams to ensure payment strategies align with on-the-ground realities and compliance frameworks.
  • Ensure excellent handoff of provider execution, oversight and compliance to implementation teams.
  • Support crisis response deployments with technical insight and problem-solving on-the-fly to ensure people get paid.
  • Performance and Reliability Management:
  • Define and monitor key metrics (e.g., transaction success rates, payment speeds, reconciliation gaps).
  • Coordinate root cause analyses and mitigation planning for issues affecting reliability, latency, or compliance, and feed this into the product and FSP strategy
  • Drive Efficiency and Creativity:
  • Leverage your creativity to solve the unique challenges of delivering money in unpredictable, unstable, or disconnected environments.
  • Continuously refine internal payment playbooks and propose systemic improvements to speed, reliability, and recipient experience.
What you'll bring:
  • Exceptional alignment with
and active demonstration of our core competencies: emotional intelligence, problem solving, project management, follow-through, and fostering inclusivity. We welcome and strongly encourage applications from candidates who have personal or professional experience in the low-income and/or historically marginalized communities that we serve. * 5+ years of experience working with international digital payment systems, financial technology platforms, and/or crypto/blockchain-enabled services.
  • Demonstrated understanding of global remittance infrastructures, mobile money networks, cross-border compliance issues, and KYC/AML processes.
  • Hands-on experience evaluating and/or implementing stablecoin or cryptocurrency payment solutions in low-infrastructure environments.
  • Experience in a high ambiguity, low-structure environment - you create clarity, not wait for it
  • Ability to collaborate inclusively with stakeholders across varied social, national, and cultural backgrounds, including communicating technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Analytical problem solver: looks at problems with analytical and iterative mindset, with strong framework for prioritization
  • Intermediate to advanced data manipulation and analysis skills to derive insights from payment data.
  • Technical fluency with payments APIs and technical documentation, including data security standards and the ability to identify areas of concern or strength.
  • Language Requirement: English fluency
Nice to Have
  • Experience operating in crisis or humanitarian contexts (e.g., conflict zones, natural disasters).
  • Prior work with startups or experimental products in global south or emerging markets.
  • Comfort working in SQL, python, R or other scripting data manipulation tools for performance monitoring.
CompensationAt GiveDirectly, we strive to pay our employees generously and equitably. We use an accredited third party salary aggregator to ensure that staff's total compensation package (base compensation + bonus) falls within the 75th percentile of similar roles, at similar organizations. We also have a no negotiation policy to ensure we are paying staff equitably across roles. Read more about our compensation philosophy .
  • The United States base salary for this role is $129,000.
  • The Kenya base salary for this role is $101,221.
This role is fully remote, so if you are not based in the US or Kenya, we will share an estimated salary benchmark for the country you are based in during the hiring process.Why work at GiveDirectly?At GiveDirectly, we work to ensure that you have everything you need to excel in your role and on your team, including:
  • A supportive team that works hard and cares hard
  • A robust health benefits plan (exact details will vary by country)
  • Flexible paid time off that staff is encouraged to take
  • Allowances for desk set-up and learning and development
#LI-REMOTEWorking at GiveDirectlyGiveDirectly is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to the person's race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.Flagging for US applicants: We invite you to " " as an applicant.Commitment to SafeguardingAs a global organization serving some of the world's most vulnerable communities, GiveDirectly takes the safeguarding of its recipients, staff, and partners seriously. To that end, GiveDirectly is a member of the , and will systematically check with previous employers about any sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment issues relating to potential new hires. We may also employ other robust pre-hire screens, including in-depth reference checks, criminal background checks, and sanctions screens.GD is committed to observing all local, national and international laws that protect children, vulnerable adults, and basic human rights of all. GD is committed to a policy of “zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH)” and expects anyone who works for GD to uphold the protection and safeguarding of our recipients as a priority.These efforts help us continue to build and maintain trust with the communities we serve, and prevent harm to our recipients.Want to put your best foot forward on your GiveDirectly application? Take a look at our !

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