The Global Development Incubator (GDI) builds startups and partnerships to address some of the world’s toughest global development challenges. We play a mix of the strategist and implementer role to spin out new initiatives over 24–36 months. Throughout each stage of our process, we bring together the right partners across sectors—including corporations, nonprofits, governments, and foundations—to help game-changing ideas scale their impact and prepare them for long-term success. GDI currently retains a mostly remote workforce with major clusters of staff in New York, Washington, DC, and Massachusetts. We also have offices in Hong Kong and Nairobi, and anticipate establishing an office in India in 2022.

If you enjoy the innovation and flexibility of startups and want to work on problems of great societal significance, then come join our team. We have a pipeline of opportunities to change the world, and we have the resources to get them going, but we need you: an entrepreneur who wants to tackle tough social issues.

The Senior Associate role is a unique opportunity to be on the founding team of startups and partnerships focused on social impact. You will work closely with social leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs who are addressing some of the world’s biggest problems. The Senior Associate will play a critical role in the development of new initiatives with the greatest potential to address persistent global challenges. Reporting to the Managing Director, the Senior Associate will work across the Strategy & Build team to help design, build, and launch GDI’s initiatives to set them up for long-term success. The Senior Associate role combines both strategy and implementation. As the engine of GDI’s initiatives across focus areas, you will conduct extensive research and analysis to support strategy development; participate in senior-level meetings with experts and partners; manage workplans, workflows, and budgets; and make sure all efforts are implemented for results. Although you will work closely with Strategy & Build Directors as supervisors, the Senior Associate is expected to exercise a high degree of autonomy and initiative and take on significant responsibility.

Note: this role will involve significant external consultations with global stakeholders and will require a work schedule that can periodically accommodate calls slightly earlier or later than usual work hours, despite their time zone.

Responsibilities

Strategy Development

• Support Strategy & Build Directors and our partners to develop strategies for systems-change.
• Develop materials that convey the strategy to align stakeholders and mobilize resources for implementation.

Project Management + Implementation

• Support the translation of strategy blueprint into actionable plans, for example by developing, managing, and directly contributing to work plans and budget management.
• Support founding teams to deliver key components of “Design” and “Build” plans, ranging from early program design and piloting to developing organizational infrastructure.
• Coordinate consultants and/or service providers, including assisting supervisors in preparation, processing, and administration of consultant and technical services contracts/agreements.
• Track risks, issues, stakeholders, and potential funders.
• Coordinate support from other GDI teams.
• Travel as needed to support implementation, including internationally.

Communication

• Support the development and delivery of structured communications, especially reports and presentations.

Donor Engagement

• Support the development of concept notes and other fundraising materials.
• Review and analyze financial expenditure reports against budgets and donor agreements.
• Collect, organize, and prepare program and financial information for donor progress and internal grant management reports, as well as routine queries.

Support to GDI

• Brief leadership on a weekly basis as to progress, risks, and issues.
• Participate in bi-weekly and quarterly reviews with the GDI leadership team, initiative management team, and advisors.
• Contribute to the refinement of incubation methodologies based on your hands-on experiences.
• Support broader knowledge management and dissemination.

• Undergraduate college degree with 2–5 years of related professional work experience (especially strategy consulting and/or human-centered design).
• Demonstrated ability to break down large, complex problems into smaller pieces, develop hypotheses, structure analyses to test these hypotheses, and generate clear insights and actionable recommendations.
• Outstanding analytical skills with a demonstrated ability to synthesize quantitative and qualitative data and surface clear, actionable insights for leadership.
• Collaborative team contributor; excellent listening skills; effective influencer; strong interpersonal skills.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills; good attention to detail.
• Ability to self-manage work streams and tasks; self-directed and resourceful with high standards for quality output.
• A curious and creative intellect and a style that includes flexibility, levelness, and a sense of humor and humility.

Compensation and Benefits
The salary range for this position is $70,000–$100,000. GDI offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes employer contributions to health, dental, and vision insurance plans for employees and dependents and 401(k) matching contributions.

How to Apply
To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter.

Qualities of GDI Employees

• A relentless drive to get things done.
• Curious and entrepreneurial mindset.
• Passion for driving social impact and tackling the world’s biggest challenges in new ways.

Global Development Incubator is an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace.