Associate Director – Operations

Description

Reports to: Co-CEO
Salary Range: INR 25L to 35L
Time Commitment: Full-time, with occasional evening meetings with our US colleagues is required throughout the year
Location: Bangalore, India
Expected Start Date: June 2025

Summary:

Upaya is experiencing rapid growth and is scaling its impact investments significantly. With a goal of reaching 500,000 jobs by 2030 through investments in 100+ companies, Upaya is building on its current success of supporting 44,000 jobs through 42 investments. To support this ambitious scale, we are recruiting an Associate Director – Operations to strengthen our operational foundation and drive efficiency across global functions.

The Associate Director – Operations will play a crucial leadership role in ensuring Upaya’s strategic & operational excellence, scalability, and compliance across its global operations. This position will focus on building scalable systems, streamlining processes, overseeing compliance & risks, managing knowledge, HR and IT systems, and supporting governance functions.

This role is ideal for someone with 10+ years of experience managing multi-funder operations (institutional donors, UHNI/family foundations) across geographies, particularly in the US, Europe, and India. A strong understanding of grant management, including working with institutional funders, DFIs, and global donors, is essential. A master’s degree is preferred.

Responsibilities:

Operational Management & Scalability

  • Oversee day-to-day operations across Upaya’s India and US entities, ensuring efficient and effective workflows.

  • Develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) to optimize productivity and maintain quality standards.

  • Work closely with the leadership team to modularize Upaya’s processes, making them more repeatable and scalable to support organizational growth.

  • Drive operational improvements and implement project management tools to track and enhance efficiency.

  • End-to-end delivery of the selections cycle.

  • Coordinate with internal team and applicants as required.

Compliance & Risk Management

  • Maintain a compliance checklist to ensure Upaya adheres to regulatory and donor/funder requirements.

  • Act as a central point of coordination for compliance-related queries from donors and funders, ensuring that all required documentation is available and accessible to relevant team members.

  • Oversee grant management processes, including tracking funder requirements, ensuring timely reporting, and liaising with institutional funders and DFIs.

  • Collaborate with legal and finance teams to identify and mitigate risks proactively, ensuring adherence to best practices.

Knowledge Management & IT Systems

  • Build and oversee knowledge management by ensuring all organizational processes, reports, and insights are well-documented and easily accessible.

  • Lead IT systems management, ensuring Upaya’s digital tools, databases, and platforms are structured for efficiency and growth.

  • Identify key IT and data management needs for the organization, work with internal teams and vendors to implement scalable solutions.

  • Ensure cybersecurity, data protection and IT governance best practices are followed.

Human Resources & Team Culture

  • Work with teams to ensure a positive and effective work environment aligned with Upaya’s mission and values.

  • Support senior leadership in talent strategy, performance management, and team development initiatives.

  • Inform and work collaboratively with the senior leadership team to execute employee engagement programs and annual performance reviews.

  • Facilitate team meetings and retreats.

Board Management & Governance

  • Ensure timely and effective communication with Upaya’s board members.

  • Collaborate closely with the Co-CEOs to manage keyboard processes, uphold best practices in board operations, and lead the preparation of high-impact board materials and reports

  • Maintain governance best practices, ensuring board records and key decisions are well-documented.

Experience, Qualifications & Skills:

Experience: 10-12 years in operational leadership roles within organizations managing diverse funding sources (institutional, UHNI, family foundations) across geographies (India, US, Europe).

Qualifications: Master’s degree preferred.

Skills:

  • Strong process improvement and project management skills.

  • Experience overseeing compliance and risk management frameworks.

  • Understanding of IT systems and digital tools to enhance organizational efficiency.

  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage donors, board members, and cross-functional teams.

  • Experience in building scalable operational systems within a growing organization.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should send their resume along with a cover letter outlining their interest in this role and why they are a suitable candidate. The cover letter should not exceed two pages (approximately 800-1000 words).

Please send your application to careers@upayasv.org, with the subject line: “Application for Associate Director – Operations.”

About Upaya Social Ventures:

Upaya Social Ventures is building a dignified economy by providing investment and support to early-stage businesses creating sustainable livelihoods for people living in the most extreme poverty.

Upaya’s award-winning impact-first model seeks out and supports oft-overlooked companies creating work that is safe, stable, inclusive, and rewarding — generating a transformative impact on families, communities, and economies.

Since its founding in 2011, Upaya’s portfolio companies have created over 44,000 dignified jobs across India.

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