Principal Product Manager

About us:

Kiva (kiva.org) is an international nonprofit with a mission to expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive. We run a global marketplace platform to crowdfund microloans for financially excluded entrepreneurs, farmers and students around the world. Through Kiva Capital, we serve as a bridge between large scale impact first investors and underserved populations. 

Our organization combines the culture and technological passion of an internet start-up with the compassion and empathy of a non-profit to create impact and opportunity at global scale. Since 2005, we have raised more than $1.66 billion in loan capital for 4.1 million borrowers in 77 countries. Our lenders fund over $10 million in loans every month. With offices in San Francisco, Portland, New York, Nairobi, and Bangkok, Kiva's team includes 100+ employees and 400+ volunteers worldwide. Our team is growing as we pursue exciting new opportunities to create a financially inclusive world.

Kiva's values:

Impact first - This is why we exist. This is the drumbeat we march to. Every day.

Extreme ownership - Own it; you, your relationships, your impact. Insist that others support you and hold you accountable.

Be curious and bold - Never stop learning. Question assumptions. Take Risks and dream big.

Inclusion. Equity. Diversity. - Without reservation and without caveat. In our hiring, in our workplace and in our impact in the world.

Honor and integrity - Do the most right thing in the most right way. Cherish diversity and respect each other.

Love and kindness always - Say what you mean. Mean what you say. And don't say it mean. Clarity. Courage. Kindness.

Role overview:

Join a team of product managers, designers, and technologists who are on a mission to expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive. Building on the success of our crowdlending product, we envision a future in which people come together to invest in others who are improving their communities around the world: women, refugees, small-holder farmers, climate-impacted people, and underserved communities in the US. 

We are looking for a Principal Product Manager who is great at understanding user problems, roadmapping and product execution at scale, and has a passion for building new ways to mobilize citizen lenders to expand financial access.

At this time, we can only consider applicants with authorization to work in the United States on a permanent, full-time basis; unfortunately we cannot provide visa sponsorship.

Key responsibilities include: 

• Devise a preliminary working strategy, informed by market, customer, and business understanding to drive an exponential increase in the number of lenders active on Kiva.
• Manage your backlog and help your team to deliver measurable impact within your first three months.
• Build trust up, down, and across to accelerate your success.
• Socialize your strategy and value delivered with key stakeholders.

Core competencies:

• Delivers results. The ability to make correct product decisions, even in the presence of major ambiguity. Decisions need to be macro-level (will this product work?) and micro-level (what is the right label for this button?). Clearly responsible and accountable for your product’s success.
• Analytic sense: Ability to frame the right questions, evaluate multiple facets of a problem, and simulate possible outcomes. Being good with data is not the only driver for being sound from an analytics perspective – you have to think critically beyond the numbers.
• Execution: Ability to align people toward a particular objective and orchestrate complex projects. Exercise creativity, empathy, and persuasiveness – in addition to having superb organization abilities. Regularly ships improvements that move your product toward its vision.
• Leadership: Ability to inspire and motivate the people around you to deliver positive impacts to the company’s mission and the work environment. Leaders emphasize authenticity, cooperation, and open communication. 
• Experience: 7 to 9 years as a product manager 
• Specialized knowledge: Retention & engagement methodologies, user experience, new product development.

What we offer:

• An opportunity to improve real lives, solve hard problems, and change the world
• Friendly, supportive, and adventurous environment with a team of engaged colleagues
• A comprehensive, industry-leading benefits package including health, dental and vision insurance, parental leave, professional development, 401k matching, generous PTO, and more.
• Opportunities to connect with and learn from colleagues and partners around the world
• Salary range: $168K - $192K; a final offer will be dependent upon a candidate’s location, skills and experience. 

A diverse and inclusive workplace where we learn from each other is an integral part of Kiva's culture. We actively welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. We are an equal opportunity employer and a great place to work. Join us and help us achieve our mission!

We will only accept applications directly from candidates. Kiva will not be responsible for any recruiting agency fees, absent a formal agreement.