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Gates Foundation

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Zero - Program Coordinator Gates Foundation Employee Review

1.0
Sep 13, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Endless resources Pay grade for Seattle is high (but low compared to other major cities)

Cons

Unbelievably cold culture mixed with arrogant white savior syndrome. The constipated Seattle vibe is fully showcased here. Zero joy, zero camaraderie, zero team spirit. It's nothing like any nonprofit I've ever worked for before or since. Everyone walks around insisting that all the good work they're doing is worth the overwhelming sense of despair they feel. All that "good work" is basically about giving for-profit corporations backdoor access to developing or underserved markets with zero civic oversight or transparency. There is zero career growth or training. I saw qualified internal employees who had been there for over 5 years in the same low level admin positions apply for positions and get turned down again and again. Every three months someone would quit. Positions would sit unfilled for 6 months or more. Just as soon as someone would be hired, two more people would quit. The average tenure of anyone there was 1-2 years. Can you imagine starting a job where most people were almost as new as you are?

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Gates Foundation Response
9y
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughtful feedback with us. The leadership is focusing on career growth and opportunities as part of the work around our culture. If you'd like to share more information with me directly, please don't hesitate to email me at pam.yanchik@gatesfoundation. org and we can set up a call.

Explore other reviews about Gates Foundation

5.0
Apr 24, 2026
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Pros

Everyone is aligned to the mission. Fantastic benefits.

Cons

These could be pros for some but travel and ambiguity are things to deal with

3.0
Jun 8, 2026
Recommend
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Pros

Mission-based work Diverse, passionate employee base Healthcare benefit Parental leave and support Unlimited PTO

Cons

Poor work-life balance Perfectionist culture Unreasonable expectations with working hours High levels of burnout Retaliation for setting boundaries with working hours Culture resistant to prioritization of work

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