Chief Technology Officer

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Lead the development and enhancement of technology, systems, and operational methods for a sustained annual operation exceeding $5B.

• Create software that securely transfers billions of dollars to millions of individuals living in poverty.

• Oversee engineering, data management, security, and enterprise technology initiatives.

• Establish the technology vision, technical strategy, target architecture, platform decisions, and plans for system retirement.

• Convert program and product strategies into a structured portfolio of technical investments in collaboration with executive, product, finance, risk, and data leaders.

• Manage six key workstreams: new cash delivery framework; stabilization and migration of legacy systems; donor-facing fundraising products; global emergency cash system; enterprise technology; internal tooling, platform, and cybersecurity.

• Attract exceptional engineering and technology talent.

• Design the technology organization encompassing engineering, product, data, security, infrastructure, and enterprise systems.

• Expand the engineering team from around 15 to approximately 30, establishing a management structure, accountability, decision rights, and career paths.

• Guide decisions concerning integrations, data management, security, reliability, and addressing technical debt.

• Ensure systems are equipped to handle increased transaction volumes, broader geographic reach, and organizational reliance on technology.

• Participate as a member of GiveDirectly’s executive team, report directly to the CEO, and collaborate with the VP of Product.

• Assist non-technical leaders in understanding technical constraints and associated costs.

• Build trust with country and functional leaders while clarifying priorities, ownership, and trade-offs.

• Travel to GiveDirectly’s operational countries approximately 4–6 times each year.

⛳️ Requirements

• Demonstrated success in identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining top-notch engineers and engineering leaders.

• Experience in establishing team processes that reliably deliver high-quality software at speed.

• Capability to assess major designs, rigorously evaluate architecture and build-vs-buy decisions, and recognize when a team is veering off course.

• Strong business acumen and decisiveness amidst ambiguity.

• Excellent cross-functional collaboration skills and a deep understanding of business trade-offs.

• Proven experience transitioning a team from AI experimentation to tangible, measurable applications.

• Ability to set the tools, culture, goals, and guidelines for an AI-first engineering environment.

• Capacity to embody, promote, and nurture the values of GiveDirectly.

• Experience in operationally intricate or regulated sectors is a plus, including fintech, payments, humanitarian response, or global development.

• Familiarity with financial controls, fraud risk, identity management, or sensitive recipient data is advantageous.

• Background in operating across multiple countries, especially in lower-income or infrastructure-challenged nations, is beneficial.

• Experience leading both modern product engineering and enterprise technology is preferred.

• Willingness to work hours that align with both US Eastern Time and East African Time.

• Approximately 4–6 work trips per year.

• Successful completion of safeguarding and pre-hire screening processes, including reference checks, criminal background checks, and sanctions evaluations.

🏝️ Benefits

• Bonus: $45,000-$112,000, contingent on organization-wide performance.

• Annual Benefits Stipend: around $21,000 for US-based employees; £2,760 in the UK; $8,453 in Kenya.

• Approximately 4–6 trips per year, including visits to GiveDirectly’s operational countries.

• Opportunities for professional growth and genuine professional development.

• Reasonable accommodations will be provided during the application, interview, and work processes.

• Referral bonus of $3,000 for a Senior Manager or above position, or $500 for a Manager role, payable if the referred candidate is hired.