Legal Counsel, Emergency Cash & U.S. Programs

About the role

GiveDirectly is seeking a Counsel to build and lead the legal model for its Emergency Cash and U.S. programs. This role involves designing legal frameworks for rapid humanitarian response and providing legal partnership for U.S.-based cash delivery initiatives. The position requires a practical lawyer capable of exercising clear judgment under pressure to help ambitious programs move from idea to implementation.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary legal partner to Emergency Cash across program strategy, design, launch, and delivery.
• Build a repeatable legal model for emergency responses, including approaches to country entry, regulatory review, and contracting.
• Lead the legal work needed to launch and operate on emergency timelines during active responses.
• Draft and negotiate partnership, technology, vendor, and data-sharing agreements.
• Serve as legal partner to U.S. programs across design, implementation, and ongoing operations.
• Advise on legal design for U.S. cash programs, including interactions with public benefits, tax treatment, and privacy requirements.

Required skills

• Commercial contracting
• Data privacy law
• Regulatory compliance
• Project management

Nice to have

• Emergency response
• Humanitarian operations
• U.S. public benefits law
• Family law
• International development

Qualifications

• Qualification as an attorney in at least one jurisdiction

Benefits

• Health benefits plan
• Flexible paid time off
• Desk set-up allowance
• Learning and development allowance
• Annual benefits stipend

About the Company

GiveDirectly has delivered more than $1B in cash directly to 2+ million people living in poverty across 15 countries since 2011. The organization is recognized as one of Time100’s Most Influential Companies of 2026 and maintains a candid, analytical, and non-hierarchical culture.