Program Associate Jobs in Ohio

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!

Location: Cleveland, Ohio; For this role, we are looking for candidates based in Cleveland or the greater Cleveland area.

About this role

The U.S. Program Associate will support implementation for large-scale cash initiatives in the U.S. As a critical member of GiveDirectly's U.S. programs team, you will support operations, internal coordination, and team processes. You will often be the project point person for community engagement and customer service. You will be expected to support Managers and Senior Managers across multiple projects, and as a result, you must be excited to work in a fast-paced environment and be comfortable managing multiple workstreams at one time. Through this, you will have the opportunity to learn and develop new skills on a fast-growing team. Associates should be able to:

• Support multiple projects and workstreams simultaneously (multi-task), especially by driving process (e.g. metric tracking, survey design)
• Over time, own whole components of projects, including but not limited to customer service and/or delivering payments
• Proactively identify areas for efficiency in projects and team management (e.g. streamlining customer service management)
• Support community engagement and coordination, including acting as a liaison for partner organizations and community members as appropriate

Reports to: US Program Manager

Level: Associate

Travel Requirement: This role will require commuting within a candidate's base location 2-4 days per month in order to support in-person activities related to community outreach and program launch, with the potential for other travel within Ohio. This travel would require a car, driver's license, and insurance. In addition, there will be travel to New York or elsewhere in the US for team events 2-3 times per year. Costs incurred for work-related travel outside of Cleveland will be reimbursed.

What you'll do:

This position will primarily support Rx Kids, a universal, unconditional cash allowance program targeted at expectant parents and infants. The program is running in over 40 communities in Michigan and is now expanding to the State of Ohio. This role is expected to work closely with our program partners, including Michigan State University, First Year Cleveland, and local community partners. The program will launch in Cleveland, but as it expands, you may be expected to support additional Rx Kids communities. Key responsibilities are described below (please note that percentage breakdowns are approximate and may vary):

Recipient Experience & Customer Service (40%)

• Lead customer service, including directly supporting recipients via an email-based help desk and through phone support, with the potential to oversee additional customer service staff or contractors as the program scales
• Coach applicants through the intake process with a focus on applicants who are experiencing significant barriers
• Case manage applicant/recipient concerns, adhering to GiveDirectly's safeguarding and protection policies
• Meet periodically with recipients in person to build trust and to identify problems or areas for program or process improvements
• Serve as a trusted resource for recipients, responding to their communications in a timely and professional manner
• Respond to and resolve one-off recipient issues through communication, data entry, and/or escalation of more serious matters to the appropriate individuals

Direct Program Support (40%)

• Support a range of operational and project management duties to ensure GiveDirectly's U.S. projects are executed with excellence and in line with our values, particularly "recipients first"
• Lead select operational processes, including conducting verification of applications directly and overseeing other verification staff as the program scales
• Support other field ops processes, including payments and follow-up surveys, and execution across various program stages
• Support whole-team knowledge management and process documentation, refreshing protocol and process docs regularly
• Work closely with other members of the U.S. team to identify process challenges and propose solutions (e.g. increasing operational efficiency, improving recipient experience)
• Become an expert in the various tech systems used to support project execution and excellence
• Track and report operational and efficiency metrics
• May be responsible for managing other individuals, such as verification support staff
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders, including with tech partners, research partners, and customer service teams

Community Engagement (20%)

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with implementing partners, key community members, and local service organizations
• Serve as the local program representative and community liaison for Rx Kids, supporting local partners and educating community members of program policies
• Build knowledge of the community we are working in, and support with identifying existing local resources or services relevant for recipients
• Organize and attend events, conferences, and similar programs to sensitize communities on program benefits and requirements
• Collaborate with communication team members to develop and execute on storytelling plans
• Participate in program evaluation and scoping strategies to improve program operations and enhance recipient satisfaction

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.
• Fluency in English is required, proficiency in Spanish, Arabic, or Chinese is a plus
• 2+ years of work or volunteer experience in a role that required project management and people management/coordination
• Exceptional communication, organizational, and time-management skills
• Strong customer service instincts, including skilled problem solving, patience, and high emotional intelligence
• Ability to manage day-to-day operations and propose & implement process improvements
• Ability to quickly learn and become proficient in new technological platforms
• Demonstrated ability to work in a highly independent and self-directed manner, while effectively communicating upwardly about gaps and risks
• Enthusiasm for fast-paced environments, which may lack a pre-defined playbook for success and involve significant "learning by doing"
• 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.

Compensation

At GiveDirectly, we strive to pay our employees generously and equitably. We use an accredited third party salary aggregator to ensure that staff's total compensation package (base compensation + bonus) falls within the 75th percentile of similar roles, at similar organizations. We also have a no negotiation policy to ensure we are paying staff equitably across roles.

The base salary for this role is $77,147 USD / annually.

Why work at GiveDirectly?

At GiveDirectly, we work to ensure that you have everything you need to excel in your role and on your team, including:

• A positive and supportive team with opportunities for advancement
• A demonstrated commitment to helping all staff develop and grow
• A competitive salary, including bonus
• A robust health benefits plan (exact details will vary by country)
• Unlimited PTO (that we encourage staff to take!)
• Desk allowance and flexible work location

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

Accessibility: 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.

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!