About this role.
GiveDirectly is seeking a procurement manager to own end-to-end sourcing, forecasting, ordering, and supplier performance for nearly one million phones purchased annually across country programs. The role partners closely with Programs, Finance, country Operations and Procurement Managers, and global supply-chain stakeholders to maintain availability while controlling cost and quality. Key success metrics include on-time-in-full delivery, negotiated cost savings, and program-team satisfaction. The ideal candidate has at least two years of procurement, supply-chain, or vendor-management experience, strong negotiation skills, and experience coordinating across African markets. This is a remote, high-ownership operations role requiring at least three hours of overlap with East Africa time zones.
Role DNA
A quick view of the complexity, pace, ownership and collaboration implied by the job description.
Job Complexity
4/5Pace & Pressure
5/5Autonomy Level
5/5Communication Load
5/5Salary analysis
Estimated compensation compared with the broader US market for similar roles.
Core skills
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Sample interview questions
I would establish a standard forecast template by country, phone model, delivery date, current inventory, lead time, and program assumptions. I would review it on a regular cadence with program and country operations owners, compare forecast accuracy against actual consumption, and maintain risk flags for potential stockouts or excess inventory. The output would translate directly into purchase timelines and supplier capacity commitments.
I would first baseline OTIF by supplier, country, lane, and failure reason, such as late production, customs delays, damaged shipments, or incomplete quantities. I would set clear delivery milestones and escalation triggers, confirm supplier capacity before issuing orders, and use regular supplier performance reviews to address recurring issues. For high-risk orders, I would create contingency plans such as alternate suppliers, earlier ordering, or split shipments.
I prepare with market pricing, total-volume forecasts, supplier performance data, and a clear specification of required quality and warranty terms. I look for savings through volume consolidation, competitive RFQs, payment terms, logistics optimization, and model standardization rather than simply pursuing the lowest unit price. Any agreement would include measurable service-level expectations and remedies for quality or delivery failures.
I would document the defect rate and evidence immediately, verify the applicable acceptance and warranty terms, and communicate a specific resolution request to the supplier. In parallel, I would assess the operational impact, secure replacement or repair timelines, and coordinate with country teams to prioritize available inventory. After resolution, I would conduct a root-cause review and update supplier scorecards, quality checks, and future contract protections.
I use concise, decision-oriented communication that states the risk, affected locations, expected impact, available options, owner, and next decision date. I tailor the level of detail to each audience while maintaining one shared source of truth for order status and milestones. Early escalation and regular updates are essential so Programs, Finance, and country teams can act before a supply issue affects delivery.
GiveDirectly has delivered more than $1B in cash directly to 2+ million people living in poverty across 15 countries since 2011. We believe cash transfers are one of the most scalable, cost-effective, and dignified forms of aid, with the research to back it up. Our work has been covered by The Economist, NPR, TED, and The Washington Post. We are one of Time100’s Most Influential Companies of 2026.
Our culture is candid, analytical, and non-hierarchical. We support high ownership and real professional growth. Curious about what it’s really like to work here? Read our values and hear from the people who do. If they resonate, this could be a great fit!
Priority Application Deadline: September 10, 2026 or until we receive a critical mass of applications
About this role
Phones are core to how GiveDirectly delivers cash — recipients need one to receive mobile money — and we buy close to a million of them a year across our country programs. That means constant coordination: what each country needs and when, which suppliers can deliver it, whether the price is fair, and what happens when a batch arrives damaged or a shipment runs late.
This role owns that end-to-end: forecasting demand with Programs, managing supplier relationships and orders, and keeping price, delivery, and quality on track across every country we operate in.
Reports to: Senior Manager, Global Supply Chain
Level: Manager
Location: Remote, Nairobi preferred; open to any GiveDirectly country office (New York, Washington DC, Nairobi, Kampala, Kigali, London) for the right candidate, with a requirement to overlap with an East Africa timezone by at least 3 hours. We can only employ people in certain places at the moment, so it’s worth checking our current list of eligible countries to see if yours is included. If you’re based elsewhere, it’s not an automatic no, but do flag it early with your recruiter. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas in the U.S. or U.K. at this time.
What success looks like:
Metric | Definition | What Good Looks Like |
On-Time-In-Full (OTIF) | % of phone orders delivered to country programs on the agreed date, at the agreed quantity | Consistently high OTIF, with early flags on any order at risk |
$ Saved | Cost savings vs. baseline/list price achieved through negotiation, sourcing, and consolidation | Demonstrated year-over-year savings across phone spend |
Programs Satisfaction % | Country Programs teams’ rating of responsiveness, communication, and reliability of phone supply | High and improving satisfaction scores, with issues resolved quickly |
What you’ll do:
Forecasting & planning
- Partner with Programs and country Operations & Procurement Managers (OPMs) to build and maintain rolling phone demand forecasts by country and model
- Translate forecasts into purchase timelines that avoid both stockouts and overstock
Sourcing & supplier management
- Own supplier communication for feature phones and smartphones
- Run RFQ/RFP processes to bring on new suppliers where needed, in coordination with country procurement teams
- Track supplier performance and address quality, pricing, or reliability issues directly with vendors
Order & payment management
- Process and track purchase orders from request through delivery
- Coordinate with Finance on vendor payments, invoice discrepancies, and budget tracking
- Manage returns, warranty claims, and defective-device resolution with suppliers
Reporting & continuous improvement
- Track and report OTIF, cost savings, and Programs satisfaction on a regular cadence
- Flag emerging risks — price increases, supply shortages, customs delays — before they affect delivery
- Work with the Phone Inventory System Lead and Global Supply Chain on inventory visibility as new tooling comes online
What you’ll bring:
- Exceptional alignment with GiveDirectly Values 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
- Language Requirement: English
- 2+ years in procurement, supply chain, or vendor/category management; electronics, telecom, or hardware sourcing experience is a strong plus
- Experience with demand forecasting and purchase order management
- Strong negotiation skills and a track record of managing supplier relationships, including resolving commercial disputes like returns and warranty claims
- Professional experience working in one or more African countries is required for candidates based outside the continent.
- Comfort coordinating across multiple African countries, time zones, and stakeholder groups (Programs, Finance, country OPMs)
Compensation
At GiveDirectly, we strive to pay our employees generously and equitably. We use an accredited third party salary aggregator to calculate what we believe to be competitive pay based on role, location, and cost of living. We also have a no negotiation policy to ensure we are paying staff equitably across roles. Read more about our compensation philosophy here.
Unless otherwise noted, the benefits stipend may be used to cover benefits or taken as additional taxable income.
United States
- Base Salary: $99,440
- Bonus at Target Performance: 10% (~$9,944, with potential for upside. For reference, with the organization’s current performance multiplier, this amount would be $11,634 in 2025)
- Estimated Total Compensation at Target: $109,384+
- Annual Benefits Stipend: $21,393
United Kingdom
- Base Salary: £66,150
- Bonus at Target Performance: 10% (~£6,615, with potential for upside. For reference, with the organization’s current performance multiplier, this amount would be £7,740 in 2025)
- Estimated Total Compensation at Target: £72,765+
- Annual Benefits Stipend: £2,760
Kenya
- Base Salary: $65,000
- Bonus at Target Performance: 10% (~$6,500, with potential for upside. For reference, with the organization’s current performance multiplier, this amount would be $7,605 in 2025)
- Estimated Total Compensation at Target: $71,500+
This role is fully remote, so if you are not based in the US, UK or Kenya, we will share an estimated salary benchmark for the country you are based in during the hiring process.
#LI-REMOTE
Working at GiveDirectly
GiveDirectly 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 “Know Your Rights” as an applicant.
Commitment to Safeguarding
As a global organization working with communities to eliminate extreme poverty, 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 abuse or misconduct related matters involving potential new hires. We may also employ other robust pre-hire screens, including in-depth reference checks, criminal background checks, and sanctions screens.
These efforts help us continue to build and maintain trust with the communities we work with, and prevent abuse to our recipients and staff.
**GD is committed to observing all local, national and international laws that protect people and basic human rights of all. GD is committed to a policy of “zero tolerance when it comes to preventing, reporting, or responding to any form of abuse or exploitation.” and expects anyone who works for GD to uphold the protection and safeguarding of our recipients as a priority.**
Reasonable Accommodations
We are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment. If you require any accommodations during the application or interview process, or to perform the essential functions of the role, please email us at careers@givedirectly.org with the email subject “Accommodation Needed”. We will work with you to ensure reasonable accommodations are made to support your needs.
Want to put your best foot forward on your GiveDirectly application? Take a look at our Candidate Application Prep Guide!
Referrals
Know the right person for this role? Please consider referring them. We offer a reward of $3,000 for a Senior Manager or above role, and $500 for a Manager role, paid if we end up hiring your referral. Thank you for sending great people our way!
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