Associate Director - Operations
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.