Program management · Partnerships · Community impact

Hannah Palmateer

I help organizations build partnerships that last and programs that make a real difference in people's lives.

For eight years I've worked where big goals meet real-world logistics, across nonprofits, government, and the UN. Today I work side by side with nine local and international partners across Africa and Asia, and translate what's happening in the field for our executive team and corporate funders. I'm a social worker by training, which shapes how I do all of it.

What I'm looking for

I'm looking for my next remote role in program management, partnerships, or community impact, at a mission-driven organization where I can keep growing.

Watch my short intro Resume (PDF) LinkedIn

Greenville, SC · Remote English and French Master of Social Work

Need partnerships that last?

grants managed across 16+ partners, including BRAC, CRS, and World Vision, many renewed year after year

Need big budgets in steady hands?

$86M+

in grant funding I've led or supported since 2021, including $56.8M as lead

Need programs that reach people?

2.2M+

people reached by programs in my portfolio

Need someone at home across cultures?

countries across Africa and Asia, working in English and French

01 Introduction

A few minutes, in my own words

02 How I work

What working with me gets you

Less time lost, fewer repeat mistakes, and partners and teammates who keep getting better.

Hard conversations go faster

I get to know partners as people, not just grantees. We catch up on family and weekends before the agenda, and that trust makes the tough conversations shorter and more honest.

Mistakes get fixed once

I actually enjoy finding the mistake in row 412. Then I want to know why it keeps happening. When partners kept tripping over a reporting template, I walked them through it and explained why it mattered. The errors almost entirely stopped.

People keep getting better

I write in plain, clear English so partners working in their second or third language can act the first time. A favorite moment: reading a report from a long-time partner and having no comments at all.

The messy stuff gets handled

My team hands me the hard ones: brand-new partners, high-risk areas, difficult conversations, and integrity cases. I take them on with calm, patience, and a clear plan.

“You bring a calm, grounded, and level-headed presence to the team that is steady no matter what the challenge.”

From my colleagues, on a plaque that sits on my desk

03 What I love

What I love, and where I do my best work

What I love

Watching a partner get stronger over years, not months.
Monthly calls with every partner. That's about 100 a year, and I still look forward to them.
Answering the one question that unblocks someone's best work.
A team where everyone is invested, everyone's great at what they do, and we trust each other.

Where I do my best work

On a team with high standards and a lot of heart, where we hold each other to a high bar and are kind about it.
With a manager who trusts me to run with things and is there when I need a second opinion.
Remotely, at an organization that takes well-being and balance seriously.
Somewhere I can grow, especially as a storyteller and a leader, and eventually lead a bigger team.

04 Experience

Where I've done the work

Full resume (PDF)

2021 to present

charity: water

Water Programs Senior Manager · Remote

Promoted twice: Senior Associate (2021), Manager (2023), Senior Manager (2026)

Manage nine local and international partners in five countries, from first proposal to final report and renewal.
Led 46 grants worth $56.8M and supported 11 more worth $30M.
Wrote the Partner Vetting Policy now used to screen every new partner.
Take on the hardest partner situations, including integrity investigations, with firmness and respect.
Manage and coach associates, and lead onboarding for new team members.

2020 to 2021

IMPACT Initiatives

Senior Assessment Officer (promoted twice) · Maiduguri, Nigeria

Led monitoring for a £400M UK government program in northeast Nigeria, living and working in a conflict-affected area.
Ran research projects from first question to final report, including a COVID-19 study across 3 states with 1,698 household surveys, 71 interviews, and 24 focus groups.
Trained 12+ field officers and kept data collection on track through insecurity, cancelled flights, and COVID-19.

2019

USAID Office of Transition Initiatives

Knowledge Management Assistant · Washington, DC

Planned and facilitated 4 multi-day start-up conferences that took new country teams, including Colombia, Armenia, and Ethiopia, from a blank page to a working plan.
Ran lessons-learned reviews for closing programs in Chad and Nicaragua so the next teams didn't have to start from scratch.

2017

UN OCHA

Humanitarian Affairs Intern · Geneva, Switzerland

Pulled together updates from the field for senior meetings and briefings, and supported coordination across aid organizations.

Education

Master of Social Work, University at Albany
BA, International Affairs, Skidmore College

Certifications

Facilitation Training, Training and Resources Group
Human Services Management, Network for Social Work Management
Nonprofit Management and Leadership, University at Albany

05 Outside work

What I do outside work says a lot about how I work

Planning, connecting with people, and making something from scratch. It turns out I like doing all three in my free time too.

Since 2016

Yoga instructor and retreat lead

I teach classes a few times a week and plan and lead an international retreat every year, from logistics and programming to making sure every participant feels looked after. Lately I'm also in a love-hate relationship with Pilates.

Founder, 2026

Hannah's Homemade

I started a small-batch cookie business this year and sell at local farmers markets. It's been a crash course in product, pricing, and talking with customers face to face.

My newest obsession

Sewing (and now knitting)

So far: a baby romper and pants, dog pajamas and a bandana, tank tops, pants, and men's button-downs. There's a sweater on my knitting needles right now.

Let's talk.

If you're hiring for programs, partnerships, or community impact, I'd love to hear from you.

hpalma10@gmail.com LinkedIn