Manager, Global Procurement Phones

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.

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

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
• Comfort coordinating across multiple African countries, time zones, and stakeholder groups (Programs, Finance, country OPMs)