Associate Field Manager Uganda

About GiveDirectly

GiveDirectly (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 Fast Company, while the growing cash transfer movement (and GD’s leading role within it) have been featured in the New York Times Magazine, This American Life, Foreign Affairs, and The Economist.

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. Team members bring experiences from the private sector, NGOs and government. 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 values are central and deliberately opinionated. We genuinely center the people we serve in our decision making, and strive to build an ambitious, fast moving 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 actively seek to recruit individuals from the communities we serve, and are constantly working to foster a workplace that supports diversity, and is truly inclusive in reality, not just intent. We support flexibility, take care of each other, have fun, and create professional growth opportunities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

• Job Title: Associate Field Manager 

  Location: Kiryandongo

  Reports to: Field Manager 

  Overview: The Associate Field Manager (AFM) will play a central role in ensuring that GiveDirectly delivers a gold-standard product to donors and recipients. The Associate Field Manager will manage the Field Officers (FOs) on one of our field-based recipient enrollment teams. The individual in this position will own day-to-day management of his team, including: daily work planning and team management, tracking team and individual performance; achieving targets; coaching field officers; and identifying opportunities for risk mitigation and process improvement. The Associate Field Manager will serve as the key “eyes and ears” resource on the ground for the Field Manager (FM) and Programme Manager (PM) and will be responsible for regularly synthesizing updates on team performance as well as field successes and challenges. The role will reward exceptional personnel management, organizational skills, high-quality judgment on operational challenges, and a strong commitment towards driving both team and individual productivity and quality.  

   

  Responsibilities:

  Field management (20%)

  • Meet with Field Manager at least monthly to align on any adjustments to workplan.
  • Meet with field teams in the morning to align on plan for the day and problem-solve field challenges.
  • Coordinate team approach for village surveys each day to maximize efficiency and productivity. Ensure teams get to the field on time
  • Track FO productivity & quality of service, including reviewing operational reports each week; discuss team and individual performance weekly with FOs and FM; own course correction if metrics are slipping.
  • Keep senior management informed of key risks to workplan (e.g. village-specific challenges, political instability, rumors about GiveDirectly, recipient refusals, terrain challenges during rainy seasons, etc.).
  • Weekly meeting with other members of field management (FM, AFMs) in order to discuss challenges in the field and propose solutions.

  Data collection and process improvement (20%)

  • Collect surveys ~ 1-2 days a week in order to help teams achieve targets and to help identify areas for improvement.
  • Vet new versions of surveys, including impact on field staff productivity, and recommend survey improvements as necessary (e.g. potential process gaps).
  • Raise ideas for continuous improvement to the enrollment process /recipient experience; execute process improvements and ideas raised by the FM / PM.

  Quality control (15%)

  • Monitor and ensure quality control while the field staff conduct surveys. 
  • Periodically check and review FO data collection in the field. Coach staff to correct any issues observed.
  • Spend 1-2 day resolving difficult cases in the field that require special attention (hard-to-find recipients, cases of potential fraud)

  Field Officer management and development (15%)

  • Coach FOs on challenges that come up in the field. Provide additional case-specific input as requested by FO (e.g. ambiguity around potential impostor). Exercise judgment and escalate recurring issues or questions to FM to align on approach.
  • Coach FOs who are underperforming and provide disciplinary measures if necessary. Encourage teamwork and improve morale through mentorship, affirmations, and various management initiatives.
  • Spend 1-2 days shadowing staff in order to identify areas for improvement and professional development, particularly during staff training.
  • Conduct monthly performance check-ins with direct reports and quarterly  performance reviews.

  Other (10 %)

  • Arrange interview logistics and conduct interviews for new FOs. Recommend potential hires to FM for final approval.  This will apply primarily to the Generalist AFM.
  • Provide initial training to newly hired FOs and on-going professional development to staff.
  • Participate in meetings with district, county, and sub-country officials as necessary. Represent GiveDirectly in the field and manage daily communication with local village and parish leaders.
  • Assist PM and FM with hosting journalists, donors, and other external parties.
  • Assist PM and FM with communicating and executing new projects/pilots/technologies (e.g. software changes and upgrades, recipient targeting projects, content collection for website and mobile app, etc.).
  • Assist with response to “crisis” events (e.g. refusal spikes, government shut-down, coordinated fraud, etc.) This will generally be the responsibility of the Generalist AFM. Promote effective team culture by encouraging recognition of positive achievements, planning team events periodically, and other team-building initiatives.

  Administration (20%)

  • Spend 1 day a week in the head office in order to complete administrative tasks and meetings
  • Ensure all allowance requests and spent allowance requests are submitted correctly and promptly
  • Ensure timecards are accurately submitted in a timely fashion
  • Process leave requests so as not to conflict with work planning and operations
  • Resolve miscellaneous equipment requests
  • Participate in a weekly field management forum to problem solve and collaborate on work planning

   

  Qualifications

  • Bachelors' Degree in Relevant Field 
  • Analytical and technical skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Excel
  • Exceptional leadership ability with demonstrated success in motivating and developing junior staff
  • Exceptional ability to problem-solve complex operational challenges in the field
  • Alignment with GiveDirectly core values and commitment to advancing GD’s mission
  • Positive attitude, strong work ethic, and team-player mentality 
  • Strong interest in being the engine of the day-to-day field work
  • Demonstrated ability to work in a highly independent and self-directed manner, while effectively communicating upwardly about gaps and risks
  • Strong communication and relationship building skills and the ability to represent the organization effectively to external parties
  • Experience working in Humanitarian sector for at least 3 years 
  • Fluency in Sudanese Arabic, Juba Arabic, Dinka or Nuer will be an added advantage

This is a field based role role on a temporary project (2 months) and applications for this role will be processed on a rolling basis.

Read more about our ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts here and about our decision to move our central support teams to remote first here.

GiveDirectly is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values the strength diversity brings to the workplace. 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.

US applicants only:  We invite you to "Know Your Rights" as an applicant.

Commitment to Safeguarding

As 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 Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, 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.

Interview Venue and Accessibility

We conduct interviews over Google Meet with camera on (unless communicated otherwise).

Closed captioning is available during all Google Meet interviews, and interviewers will also post interview questions in the chat box throughout the call. If you need assistance accessing either of these features, please let your interviewer know at the start of your interview! 

We’re committed to running an inclusive and accessible application process for all of our open roles. If there are questions or concerns you have about the accessibility of our hiring process, we warmly invite you to reach out to careers@givedirectly.org. Please include the word "Accessibility" in the email title.

Want to put your best foot forward on your GiveDirectly application? Take a look at our Candidate Application Prep Guide!