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Gates Foundation

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Gates Foundation reviews

3.7

63% would recommend to a friend

(561 total reviews)
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Mark Suzman

81% approve of CEO

70% positive business outlook

Gates Foundation has an employee rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars, based on 561 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Gates Foundation employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Nonprofit & NGO industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

561 reviews
3.0
Dec 17, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

When you land on a good team with good people, you are surrounded with the smartest, brightest, funniest people. Benefits are out of this world.

Cons

From the perspective of someone on the lower end of the food chain, I am floored how bad the attitude towards admins and PCs are here. Many people in those positions have masters degrees and remarkable backgrounds in the biggest names in the world. And once you arrive at BMGF the attitude is shut up, print this, schedule that. I once pushed back, and was told point blank that 700 people applied for my job, so if I would like to be somewhere else that wouldn't be a problem for them. It always seems like the minute I decide I am done they send me to Africa, loop me in on a big project, or I meet someone amazing. Golden handcuffs, I swear. I wouldn't say that I regret my time here...but unless you want to be an admin for a while and settle in to the role, I would not advise someone taking a lower level job here in the hopes of an amazing opportunity, which is what I did.

4.0
Dec 2, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you like being around smart interesting people with amazing backgrounds and ambitions, BMGF is great. You learn a lot and if you have a great manager, can grow. Lots of resources for creativity.

Cons

Generally a stressful and competitive place. HR and management is poor-- not a lot of transparency, accountability and feedback loops, poor consistency and standards, lots of people without management experience doing management. Lots of smart people means lots of ego to deal with. The organization is constantly reorganizing and this is also stressful. Top and bottom heavy organization with little clear upward mobility within the organization.

4.0
Nov 2, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Mission; ability to have impact; ability to move ideas to action; smart and dedicated colleagues; high level of intellectual dialogue; thorough strategic thinking

Cons

Political and hierarchical culture; some unnecessary bureaucracy; internal promotion is rare and career development opportunities severely limited; lack of transparency in decision-making;

Viewing 514 - 516 of 561 Reviews

Glassdoor has 699 Gates Foundation reviews submitted anonymously by Gates Foundation employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Gates Foundation is right for you.