60 Decibels is a tech-powered impact measurement company that makes it easy to listen to the people who matter most. We've been in business as an independent entity since early 2019, when we spun out of the global Impact Investor Acumen.

We believe that the best way to understand social impact is by talking to the people experiencing that impact. It sounds obvious when you say it, but that is not the typical practice for many impact investors, corporations and foundations working to create social change.

We collect social impact data directly from beneficiaries (customers / employees / suppliers) using our network of 1000+ trained research assistants in 75+ countries. We do it quickly and without the fuss typically associated with measuring social impact. Our research assistants speak directly to customers to understand their lived experience; and our team turns all this data into benchmarked social performance reports, with accompanying insights, to help our clients demonstrate and improve social performance.

By making impact measurement simple, scalable, and comparable, we not only enable organizations to improve their products and services; we also help transform what it means to credibly measure impact, ensuring that the voices of those who matter most are always part of the story.

About the Role

We are looking for a Manager to join our growing Research Operations team, to lead a People Operations sub-team that supports our network of 1,100+ part-time enumerators, or Research Assistants (RA). This is a dynamic role for someone who can apply People Operations expertise in a highly dynamic environment, as our network of Research Assistants is continuously evolving based on project demand around the world.

The Field Operations Manager will be responsible for the entire employee life cycle of our Research Assistant network: sourcing, recruitment, training, performance management and compensation, to ensure that we are able to recruit and retain high performing Research Assistants in the dozens of countries where we execute projects.

S/he will review existing processes and systems related to the Research Assistant employee life cycle, and conduct a data-driven diagnostic to determine areas of highest impact for revisions to current processes. S/he will supervise a team of 2-3 individuals who support different aspects of the RA life cycle.

More specifically, the Field Operations Manager will:

Manage Research Assistant network for high performance and operational excellence, based on established KPIs that reflect Researcher performance, efficiency and prudent financial management of the function
Evaluate the Research Assistant ‘journey’ and identify areas for improvement to drive highest impact for the business
Oversee sourcing and recruitment of Research Assistants, to ensure highest probability of identifying highly qualified candidates likely to retain
Design and implement an improved Research Assistant compensation structure to account for highly variable projects, market-competitive pay rates, and incentives aligned to desired outcomes of quality and timeliness
Maintain up-to-date benchmarks for Research Assistant pay rates
Design and implement learning and development path for Research Assistants, to enhance onboarding, remedial training programs, and additional training for more sophisticated projects or growth paths for Research Assistants
Review Performance Management protocols and identify opportunities to strengthen visibility into differentiated performance and resultant actions
Lead review and revision of existing Research Assistant policy and procedure documents, to ensure consistency and accuracy with current operating models
Identify ways to improve Research Assistant retention, especially of high performing RAs
Support experiments with new staffing models, such as full-time remote, call centers, in-person and others as needed; this includes customized recruitment, onboarding, contracts, training, compensation structures, performance incentives and affiliated workflows.
Liaise with partners in Research Operations to understand key pain points related to Research Assistant network, identify patterns and propose solutions
Draft internal communications (PPT) for RO team meetings, Services meetings, and other presentations as needed to share updates from Research Assistant People Ops team
Supervise a Research Assistant People Ops team of 2-3 individuals

Qualifications

8+ years’ experience in people operations or field team management, ideally in a start-up or fast-paced, global team
Proven success managing high performing teams and coaching
Technical depth in at least one people operations vertical, such as recruitment and onboarding, learning and development, compensation and total rewards, and performance management.
Demonstrated analytical proficiency; proven success conceptualizing, measuring and taking action derived from operational data to make business-driven decisions
Excellent PowerPoint and Excel skills. High levels of comfort with new technology and software (e.g. we use AirTable and Qualtrics extensively and are often testing new platforms).
Superb communication skills, both verbal and written.
Great core skills of problem solving, teamwork, and project management. And great soft skills, plus the understanding that they’re not really “soft” at all
Knowledge and passion about supporting business to tackle global challenges.
Comfort in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment; awesome ability to prioritize and manage multiple workstreams; general interest in and orientation to technology

Location: Nairobi or Bengaluru;

About our team and our culture: we are a fun and hardworking global team that is full of smart, mission-driven folks who combine an entrepreneurial spirit with a commitment to make a positive change in the world.

We consistently hear from our clients that the best thing about 60 Decibels is the people. To get a feel for our slightly nerdy, not-take-ourselves-too-seriously vibe, check out our monthly newsletter, The Volume.

Extra Perks: Please note these benefits are only offered to full time employees. We have an unlimited leave policy and a monthly recharge day, on the first Friday of each month. We are a globally distributed team and you’ll get the chance to work with colleagues from around the world.

Want to get to know us a little better?

> Sign up to receive The Volume, our monthly collection of things worth reading.

> Visit our website at 60decibels.com.

> Read about our team values here.

Please note that your responses to the questionnaire really helps us get to know you more and we prioritize candidates that complete the application questionnaire.

Apply for this Job

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(File types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf)

Please describe a People Operations workflow or process you have had to design and implement. What problem were you trying to solve, what actions did you take, and how did you measure success? (MAX: 300 words.)

Human resources and people operations are a function represented across many industries and types of organizations. Why are you interested in doing this work at 60 Decibels? (MAX: 200 words.) *

Demonstrating strong analytical skills is essential for this role, as running an efficient People Operations function requires the ability to make data-driven decisions. Please provide an Excel file that showcases your ability to analyze and interpret data, ideally used internally to inform a business decision. This could be a project you've worked on in the past or a sample analysis created specifically for this application. The file should highlight your skills in using Excel for tasks such as data cleaning, manipulation, visualization, or statistical analysis. A brief description of the data, context of the analysis, methods used, and any insights or conclusions would be highly valuable. Due to platform limitations, you will not be able to attach an Excel file here, so we ask that you please submit your file via a file sharing tool (e.g. Google Drive, Dropbox, Box). Please ensure that the sharing settings allow us to access the file. Include the link to the file in your response. *

What is your expected gross annual salary? Please provide in local currency. *

Please note that your answer to this question will not disqualify you from the process.

In which of the following countries are you authorized to work on a permanent basis? *

  India
  Kenya
  Nigeria
  United Kingdom
  United States
  Other - Latin America
  Other - not Latin America

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