Operations Specialist (Philippines)

Operations Specialist

Locations: Manila, Philippines

Please note that India is not included in the Southeast Asia office hiring process.

About IDinsight

We amplify social impact by partnering with leaders to develop tailored solutions. Our mission is to improve lives with data and evidence. We transform how the world fights poverty.

IDinsight is a global nonprofit that equips leaders with the data, evidence and technology to improve lives at scale. We partner with governments, NGOs, multilaterals, and funders to support decisions at every stage of their impact journey – from bold pilots to nationwide scale-ups. Our teams bring rigorous evidence and practical insights so leaders can make informed decisions that truly change lives. With our partners, we are pioneering the next frontier of social impact, where data and technology accelerate progress for millions. We help leaders overcome the three main barriers to impact:

• Figuring out what works
• Learning and improving
• Reaching and operating at scale

We work in multiple countries across Asia and Africa. Our work spans a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, education, health, governance, sanitation, financial inclusion, and other areas.

We have expertise in a variety of rigorous approaches and methodologies, which we tailor to each client depending on their needs and constraints. To achieve a positive social impact we:

• Support our partners with the full ‘data and evidence’ value chain – from primary data collection to data systems, monitoring evaluation and learning tools, and data science
• Inform funding decisions – toward high-impact initiatives and away from less effective programs or approaches
• Create cutting-edge AI-for-good products that make the delivery of social interventions and learning tools more cost-effective and scalable

Our diverse, growing team of roughly 250 outstanding colleagues operate in nearly two dozen countries around the world. Learn more about our mission, values, and principles at www.IDinsight.org.

About the Operations Specialist role

The Operations Specialist is an early- to mid-level role responsible for owning and improving the systems that keep IDinsight's SEA office running effectively. This is a role for someone who takes full ownership of their work, communicates proactively without being prompted, and is energized by projects that require structured thinking and creative problem-solving. You will work across people operations, compliance, and organizational effectiveness, independently leading process improvement projects while staying deeply connected to the day-to-day needs of the office and the people in it.

• Own and continuously improve core operations processes. You will take end-to-end ownership of assigned operational systems ensuring they run reliably and improving them proactively. This includes maintaining clear SOPs and process guides that make the team more resilient and reduce single points of failure. You will also identify and implement opportunities to use AI tools to streamline and optimize these processes over time.
• Drive recruitment and talent pipeline efforts. You will manage end-to-end hiring logistics for active roles: posting openings, reviewing applications, scheduling and coordinating assessments and interviews, maintaining recruitment trackers, requesting references, and raising offer requests. You will ensure a smooth, professional candidate experience at every stage, and help identify opportunities to strengthen IDinsight's employer presence and outreach.
• Manage onboarding, offboarding, and immigration logistics. You will coordinate all stages of the employee lifecycle, from onboarding and probation check-ins to contract renewals, transfers, promotions, and separations. This includes maintaining accurate personnel records, developing and conducting onboarding sessions, and facilitating exit interviews. You will handle these responsibilities with the contextual sensitivity and discretion they require, and escalate issues that need senior attention promptly and clearly. You will also serve as the primary point of contact for immigration-related processes, coordinating with external immigration firms and employees to manage work passes, annual reporting requirements, and emigration clearance.
• Lead employee experience, policies, and benefits. You will manage day-to-day people operations touchpoints, including advisor assignments, leave administration, and benefits support (health insurance, retirement contributions). You will assist with employee handbook updates and help ensure policies are current, accessible, and well-communicated.
• Support legal, compliance, and safety efforts. You will support the maintenance of the SEA compliance calendar, tracking regulatory obligations and ensuring deadlines are met. You will also help develop safety and security protocols, with particular attention to the needs of field operations.

Qualifications

Education and experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations, Public Policy, or a related field
• 3–5 years of experience in operations, people operations, HR, or a related function, ideally in a professional services, development sector, or fast-paced organizational context

Technical skills

• Strong command of Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Calendar, Drive), Microsoft Office Suite,. Familiarity with HR Systems (BambooHR, Lattice, etc) is an advantage
• Familiarity with Philippine labor law, compliance requirements, and statutory processes is an advantage

Project management

• Demonstrated track record of owning projects end-to-end with minimal supervision
• Highly organized, attentive to deadlines, and able to manage a high volume of work with efficiency

Behavioral competencies

• High degree of initiative and professional maturity; you notice what needs to be done and act on it
• Strong analytical and structured thinking skills; comfortable synthesizing ambiguous information into clear recommendations; eager to learn and develop new skills
• Solutions-oriented; demonstrated ability to be a self-starter and fast learner; resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges
• Intellectually curious and a willingness to share your opinions with the team, question the status quo, and encourage others to expand their perspectives

Communication

• Excellent written and verbal communication, with a bias toward proactive updates and stakeholder transparency

Nuts & bolts

Location

This role will be based in IDinsight’s office in Makati City, with possible significant regional travel depending on project needs and organizational expansion. This role will primarily be in-person due to the nature of its responsibilities. Hybrid work arrangements will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Work authorization

Candidates must already be authorized to work in the Philippines. IDinsight cannot sponsor work authorization for this role.

Start dates

Start dates will be mutually agreed upon. This recruitment round is part of IDinsight’s efforts to build a pipeline of strong candidates, in anticipation of upcoming hiring needs. While we do not have fixed start dates at this time, we expect opportunities to arise throughout the year.

Contract term

Candidates hired through this process will initially be offered a 6-month contract. There is potential for extension or conversion to a permanent, full-time role, depending on performance and the availability of suitable project opportunities. We aim to retain high-performing team members where possible and encourage candidates open to both short-term and longer-term opportunities.

Compensation & benefits

Compensation and benefits are commensurate with the qualifications and experiences IDinsight is hiring for and are competitive within the global development sector. We are especially proud of the people-focused benefits we offer including comprehensive international health insurance, including mental health coverage; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; relocation benefits; a travel stipend; technology and work-from-home stipends; a professional development budget; and more.

IDinsight’s commitment to reducing power asymmetries

IDinsight is committed to reducing power asymmetries in the social sector. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion reflects our understanding of the need for the sector to abandon unhealthy practices of the past. We wish to be part of a new generation of international NGOs who are honest about this history and transparent about our role in the present. Our commitment is also aligned with the impact of our work.

We seek a workforce that is inclusive of a variety of perspectives that will help us refine and improve our methods and relationships, and strengthen the services we provide our clients and their communities or constituencies. The following commitments represent our vision for the IDinsight team:

1. IDinsight will have greater representation from the populations with whom we work and clients we serve.
2. IDinsight will have greater representation from the countries in which we work.
3. Across all countries in which we recruit, we will seek greater representation from historically excluded communities.
4. IDinsight will foster an inclusive work culture that empowers a diverse team to do their best work.

IDinsight is committed to non-discrimination in our recruitment, employment practices, and organizational culture, regardless of people’s age, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable law.