Our Global Aid Policy program is hiring a Program Associate at an unusually important moment for the field. There are more promising opportunities than we currently have the bandwidth to pursue, and this role will help us move faster while also shaping where we focus next.
The Program Associate will work closely with me and other program staff to identify and assess grant opportunities. This will include speaking with leaders in the field to surface promising grantees, analyzing whether a grant will cost-effectively advance our program’s priorities, and writing up clear reasoning to support funding decisions. The role will also involve monitoring grantee progress and managing day-to-day program operations. Over time, the Program Associate will take on greater responsibility, including recommending and overseeing their own grant portfolio.
If the description above sounds like you, here are five reasons this role could be especially high-impact.
1. It’s an unusually important time to expand our capacity in aid policy.
We need to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of what we’re already doing, and there are new ideas we’d like to explore but haven’t had the bandwidth for. Limited capacity also means we sometimes take longer than we’d like to respond to partners, which directly affects their work. As a Program Associate, you would help us move faster and do more.
2. You'd have the opportunity to shape our approach.
Beyond execution, you’d also influence our strategy. We’re flexible in deciding which countries to focus on, which tactics to pursue, and which policy goals to prioritize. We’re eager to explore new, high-impact ideas, but limited bandwidth has held us back. While some elements of our strategy are set, we remain open to anything that meets Open Phil’s high bar for impact.
3. You’d have significant opportunities for growth and mentorship.
I’d like this person to grow into being an extension of me and eventually take meetings on my behalf, draft internal and external documents, and serve as a close thought partner. I would aim to teach you everything I know, both because I enjoy mentorship and because it will directly benefit the work.
4. You’d learn about how to impact global aid policy across a wide range of approaches and contexts.
Our grantees range from think tanks to youth and religious advocacy organizations to lobbyists. Through this work, you’d have the chance to form your own views on which tactics and organizations are most effective and where you’d add the most value.
5. You’d be exposed to, and build relationships with, a wide range of people inside and outside Open Phil.
You’d work with leaders in the field across the kinds of organizations described above, as well as with colleagues on many of our operational, research, and Global Health and Wellbeing grantmaking teams.
What this might look like in practice:
The person who previously held this role helped us substantially increase our grantmaking output and take on countries and policy priorities that we wouldn’t have been able to cover as a small team. For example, they:
We’re looking for someone who is:
The ideal candidate for this role will have many of the skills and experiences described above, but there’s no such thing as a “perfect” candidate. If you’re unsure whether you’re qualified, I still encourage you to apply!
I’m not able to accommodate individual intro calls or special requests, but our recruiting team reviews every application carefully. Our hiring process is designed to be structured and consistent, which means prior conversations or connections don’t play much of a role in our decisions compared to some other organizations.
You can find more details in the job description and our FAQs. Feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions.