Director, Global Grantmaking and Strategic Programs

Are you passionate about transforming how funding reaches community leaders around the world? Do you thrive in an environment in which you can lead a team dynamically, collaboratively, and strategically to deliver collective impact?

GlobalGiving is looking for a seasoned and innovative leader with experience in grantmaking, community-led development, and nonprofit management to join our Program team as Director, Global Grantmaking and Strategic Programs (GGSP). 

As Director, you will contribute to GlobalGiving’s impact goals by managing the development and implementation of strategic funding programs and grantmaking policies, processes, and operations that advance our mission and multi-year strategy. As a 501(c)(3) public charity, GlobalGiving operates as a public grantmaking foundation, and our growing annual portfolio of more than $100 million includes more than $30 million in disaster response funds. 

You will be joining GlobalGiving at a transformative time as we implement and iterate on our new 2030 strategic plan and redesign long-held systems, teams, and processes to become more equitable, community-led, and achieve new levels of impact. GlobalGiving aims to grow from providing approximately $100 million annually in flexible funding to nonprofit partners around the world to $300 million annually - a 200% increase - and to do so more equitably. This position will oversee the programmatic delivery of our grantmaking and strategic programs to support that growth and ensure funds help accelerate community-led change.

You will be a member of the Program leadership team, contribute to program strategy, and provide oversight of the organization’s grantmaking and strategic programs. You will collaborate closely with members of the Program, Product, Growth, Marketing, Executive, and other leadership teams to elevate and strategize on GlobalGiving’s products and services, grantmaking and strategic programming opportunities, and address roadblocks. 

You will carefully determine and track team goals, provide valuable intel and analysis on initiatives, and lead ongoing projects with an aim to both streamline and increase flexibility for internal and external customers. You should be knowledgeable about and committed to tracking, documenting, analyzing, and utilizing data in strategic planning and decision-making. You will lead the achievement of team-level grant management objectives and contribute to the organization's Key Performance Indicators.

You will lead the evolution of the newly formed Global Grantmaking and Strategic Program team, the result of bringing two previously separate functions (global corporate grantmaking and disaster response) together. You will also guide GlobalGiving's expansion into new cause-based grantmaking areas. You will be expected to find creative solutions to enable efficient and strategic responses to internal and external challenges and opportunities, balancing against the long-term development and stability of the communities we serve. You will lead the refinement of processes and create documentation for the current state of operations, knowing that they may likely need to be revised again when new systems are in place.

The Global Grantmaking and Strategic Programs team currently delivers a range of programming, including:

Grantmaking for Companies - GlobalGiving powers grantmaking for companies to nonprofits around the world. GlobalGiving’s corporate grantmaking approach is rooted in a commitment to fostering sustainable and impactful partnerships. We believe in building long-term relationships that go beyond traditional funding models, focusing on collaboration, transparency, and shared values. By aligning corporate partners with our mission to empower local communities, we create meaningful opportunities for companies to make a tangible difference in the areas where they operate. We work closely with corporate partners to understand their goals and objectives, tailoring grantmaking solutions that not only support their corporate responsibility initiatives but also drive positive change in the communities we serve. Through strategic investments and ongoing collaboration, we strive to create a sustainable impact that benefits both the corporate partners and the communities they support. 

Grantmaking in Disaster Response - We support local communities in the aftermath of disasters caused by natural hazards and humanitarian crises through advisory services and delivery of GlobalGiving disaster responses. In disaster grantmaking, our focus is on sharing power, eliminating barriers to equitable disaster relief and recovery, fostering strong relationships, and providing long-lasting support so communities are better prepared for future disasters. 

We have a collaborative work atmosphere where everyone’s input and ideas are valued. We’re committed to work-life balance and offer everyone opportunities to learn, experiment, and grow. Since creative, enthusiastic employees are our most valued resource and the basis for our success, we take great care in how we attract, hire, and support our employees for a successful career. If you care about collaboration, curiosity, communication excellence, and continuous improvement, this position is right for you.

Primary Responsibilities

Summary for Skimming: 

You will oversee and manage a multi-million-dollar programmatic portfolio, ensuring that policies and processes are in place to manage risk and ensure compliance whilst maximizing a trust-based and equitable approach for nonprofit community partners in line with GlobalGiving’s mission. As the Director, you will inspire, guide, and support a team of 16, mostly remote, staff across grantmaking, grants operations, and strategic programming. You will expand and deepen collaboration across the philanthropic, aid, and social impact sectors, serving as an expert voice and thought leader on our grantmaking philosophy through donor engagement and active participation in external events and speaking engagements. 

Strategic Leadership 

• Evolve, communicate, and lead GlobalGiving’s grantmaking and strategic programming plan across program and other GlobalGiving teams to executive leadership, the Board of Directors, management, staff, partners, customers, and stakeholders as appropriate.
• Support efforts to position GlobalGiving as a thought leader in global grantmaking and humanitarian response. In order to succeed in this role, you should have a deep understanding of the global philanthropic sector and be able to leverage this knowledge to foresee trends and opportunities in grantmaking and disaster response, with a goal to drive equity and community engagement; think innovatively and propose creative solutions to complex challenges; using your strong verbal and written communication skills to articulate the organization's vision and experiences to a global audience. 
• Help craft strategic plans for grant acquisition from corporate philanthropic institutions, high-capacity donors, and philanthropic institutions and develop new funding partnerships working closely with the Growth team
• Contribute to the development of compelling grant proposals that align with GlobalGiving’s mission and programmatic priorities and meet funder requirements.
• Oversee the creation of large thematic or cause-based funds in the organization’s five-year strategy with an early focus on climate. 
• Ensure that GlobalGiving effectively responds to ongoing and new global disasters and crises at the highest level of strategic impact and effect by aligning resources across all relevant internal teams and making recommendations for surge support as needed.
• Collaborate with Program Team leadership to ensure the successful implementation of GlobalGiving’s programmatic strategy in an increasingly equitable manner.
• Manage team budget to maximize resource utilization and ensure timeliness and accuracy of distributions. 

Partner Engagement/Expansion 

• Act as an expert advisor, as requested, to community, funding, and corporate partners, and internal team. 
• Contribute to GlobalGiving’s efforts to engage and expand our network of donors, funders, and corporate partners by establishing, designing, and managing corporate and institutional partnerships supporting wide-ranging thematic areas, including disaster response and focused thematic areas.
• Represent GlobalGiving externally in select media and at virtual and physical events related to program design, delivery, policy, grant management, grantmaking, and disaster response and recovery, and demonstrate GlobalGiving’s impact. 

Personnel Management 

• Lead a team of 16 high-achieving professionals, including managing managers. Develop, coach, and empower the team to build trust and deliver excellence. Ensure that the team is appropriately staffed and can scale at a rate that matches the growth of GlobalGiving’s business. 

Program Oversight 

• Create and facilitate opportunities for deepening equitable grantmaking practices and innovating in trust-based and community-led practices, as well as creative participatory grantmaking methods.
• Oversee the development, design, implementation, maintenance and execution of coherent organization-wide grant programs.
• Lead grant compliance, including the understanding, development, and adaptation of guidance/policies/procedures/systems in accordance with government regulations and organizational needs, objectives, and values. Contribute to the organization’s understanding of enterprise risk across grant and strategic program operations, including assessing operational and other risks and planning for impact.
• Support review and approval of grants and applicants to various giving programs according to policies.

• Lead coordination and ideation with the Product, Marketing, and other teams to adapt and create new tools, products, and systems to increase efficiencies in our grantmaking and advisory and program delivery, with the goals to increase community partner impact and contribute to overall organizational sustainability.
  

Requirements

Required Qualifications

For our team to be a great fit for you, the following qualifications should resonate with you:

• Minimum of 12 years experience leading grant management and grantmaking in the nonprofit sector.
• Demonstrated experience in progressively responsible management and leadership positions, including management of staff.
• Substantial experience managing domestic and international disaster relief, recovery, and preparedness projects and knowledge of relevant donor regulations and policies.
• Advanced knowledge of international/global grant compliance regulations, reporting requirements, and ethical considerations. Experience in fundraising, building, partnering, and maintaining strong and sustained relationships with a variety of donor types: individuals, corporations, foundations, high-net-worth individuals, and others.
• Exceptional communication skills and previous media and external representation experience.
• Exceptional collaboration skills, including significant experience working cross-functionally, managing multiple stakeholders, earning trust, and gaining buy-in across all levels and functions of an organization, from the leadership team to frontline staff.
• Flexibility to navigate changes in grant priorities, corporate relationships, and funding landscapes. 
• A self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, constantly evolving environment.
• Experience working in international contexts.
• Comfort with using and experimenting with technology.
• Committed to leading the Global Grantmaking and Strategic Programs function with a trust-based and community-led orientation.
• A passionate belief in the mission of GlobalGiving and a commitment to our core values.
  

Preferred Qualifications

In addition, the ideal candidate would also have some or all of the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in international development or similar field.
• A continuous learning orientation (as demonstrated through professional development experiences).
• Experience living/working in the Global South/Majority World.
• The ability to work in a language other than English is a plus.
• A great sense of humor.  

Benefits

Salary + Benefits

Starting salary range: $136,000 - $145,000.

Benefits include flexible work hours, remote work options, up to 5 weeks of paid time off per year, professional development opportunities, and a meaningful job where you can go home at night and say, "Today, my work helped more than 700 kids get their essential health and educational needs met." (One of many true stories.) And, of course, we've also got you covered with benefits like health care, dental/vision, paid family leave, paid sabbaticals, commuter benefits, and 401K.

Location

This is a U.S. remote full-time position reporting to the Chief Program Officer. GlobalGiving has an office in Washington, D.C., if you prefer to be office-based. If you intend to apply as a remote worker, be prepared to speak about your experience with remote employment and team management in the recruitment process. You will be expected to travel to the D.C. office periodically.

Applicants must reside in the United States. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have legal authorization to work in the United States for the duration of this permanent position. GlobalGiving does not sponsor employment visas.

In efforts to safeguard the health of our employees and their families, GlobalGiving requires all employees to adhere to GlobalGiving’s COVID-19 Policy and Procedures upon their start date. 

We are an equal-opportunity employer and value diversity in our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.