Associate Manager, People & Operations (South Region)

Quest Alliance; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 670,000 - 803,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal accident insurance

Mediclaim insurance

Internet reimbursement

Childcare support

Wellbeing programs

Gratuity allowance

Job summary

Quest Alliance seeks an Associate Manager, People & Operations for the South Region to steward people practices, culture, and employee experience in the region. The role focuses on engagement, hiring support, policy adherence, and strengthening people systems.

Key responsibilities include leading engagement activities, onboarding and induction processes, regional workforce planning, HRMS stewardship, and governance. Collaboration with campuses and NGOs for talent pipelines is essential.

Qualifications

• Experience in management of people and operations in development sector.

Responsibilities

• Lead regional employee engagement and workplace experience initiatives.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, induction, and policy adherence for the region.
• Maintain HRMS data accuracy and generate regional people metrics.
• Provide guidance on policies and processes; support risk, compliance, and governance at regional level.
• Manage employee relations and grievances; escalate as needed.

Skills

People management

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Job description

Associate Manager, People & Operations (South Region)

The Associate Manager, People & Operations will serve as the regional custodian of Quest’s people practices, culture, and employee experience. The role is responsible for driving people engagement, supporting hiring and workforce planning, ensuring policy and process adherence, strengthening people systems, and acting as the voice of the South region in shaping organizational people strategies.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Employee Engagement & Workplace Experience

Lead engagement activities across assigned regions.

Drive initiatives to understand employee experiences and recommend improvements related to engagement, learning, grievances, policies, and people processes.

Support the Workplace Experience team in creating an inclusive, safe, and engaging office environment aligned with team expectations.

Foster a strong sense of belonging by engaging employees throughout their lifecycle—from onboarding to exit.

Help regional teams experience and internalize the organizational WIBE (Way of Impact, Belonging, and Engagement).

Act as the regional champion for people engagement on Zoho and other internal platforms.

2 . Talent Acquisition & Onboarding

Support the recruitment process for the region and other roles as and when required.

Supporting with induction and review and exit by working closely with focal point, People lead, L&D Manager and People Manager

Orientation or first point of contact for guidance or support for policies/ HRMS and Ensure organization policies and procedure are followed by the team

Campus visit and relationship with institutes.

Establish and maintain relationships with recruiters, campuses, NGOs, and other talent partners relevant to the region.

Identify regional learning needs and support in L&D initiatives aligned with organizational priorities.

Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of the induction and onboarding framework.

Build awareness and capability around internal processes, systems, and ways of working.

4. Risk, Compliance & Governance

Conduct regional risk assessments and develop appropriate risk response and mitigation strategies.

Ensure strict compliance with Quest’s recruitment policies, people policies, and procedures.

Ensure all employees are informed and trained on RFS processes and systems.

Act as the first point of contact for guidance on policies, HRMS usage, and procedural adherence.

5. Employee Relations & Grievance Management

Identify, address, and manage grievances related to people processes at the regional level.

Escalate complex or sensitive cases to the People Lead in a timely and structured manner.

Maintain trust-based, professional relationships with employees, managers, and regional leadership.

6. People Operations, Data & Systems

Maintain accurate employee records and update people metrics for the region.

Support the upkeep and effective usage of the HRMS platform, ensuring data accuracy and integrity.

Provide structured feedback on dashboards, people processes, and policies, highlighting gaps and regional requirements.

Ensure timely submission of timesheets and other mandated reports.

Required Experiences & Skills:

8-10+ years of progressive experience in the development sector preferably in Southern states.

Demonstrated experience in people management, team leadership, mentorship, and cross-functional collaboration.

Ability to hold space for difficult conversations and enable growth.

Demonstrates high levels of process ownership and system compliance.

Preference for candidates fluent in any one or multiple languages: Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, & Malayalam.

The pay band for the position starts at Rs. 66,000/- per month (cost to company) ( The salary offered will be commensurate with the experience and expertise of the candidate)

At Quest Alliance, we believe that our investment in people extends well beyond compensation. Alongside your salary, the organisation continues to invest in your wellbeing, learning, and long‑term growth through a range of benefits, including :

Comprehensive Personal Accident Insurance covering up to ₹10,00,000 annually.

Mediclaim Insurance covers up to ₹3,00,000 annually through our insurance partner, Anand Rathi, together with additional wellness benefits.

Reach for the Stars (RFS) support of up to ₹5,000 each year to encourage your self‑learning and professional development.

Internet reimbursement of up to ₹750 per month, based on actual usage, to support our flexible and hybrid ways of working.

Childcare support of up to ₹3,000 per month for employees with children below six years of age, through a matching contribution towards childcare or daycare expenses.

Access to Quest Alliance's emotional health and wellbeing programmes, including:

Group sessions valued at approximately ₹8,000 per session, fully sponsored by the organisation.

One‑to‑one counselling sessions, valued at approximately ₹2,000 per session, fully sponsored by the organisation.

Gratuity Allowance, reflecting Quest Alliance's long‑term commitment to your financial security and social security. This amount is specifically earmarked by the organisation and becomes payable upon retirement or separation in accordance with applicable laws.

About Quest Alliance:

Quest Alliance prepares young learners in India with the skills, mindsets, and support systems they need to thrive in life, learning, and work.

A social impact organization with close to two decades of experience, Quest Alliance works at the intersection of technology and future skills to make learning more equitable and relevant, especially for socially and economically vulnerable learners.

The organization influences systems to empower young learners in government high schools and trade and vocational institutes to holistically navigate their education to career transitions.

Quest Alliance works across 12 Indian states and is partnered with nine state governments, over 80 CSOs, national ministries, and funders. It has impacted 1.8 million young lives to date.

At Quest Alliance, we pride ourselves on being an Equal Opportunities employer, embracing applications from all segments of the community. We are committed to ensuring that every applicant and employee is treated with fairness and respect, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, marital status, social status, caste, religious belief, age, or any other factor that is irrelevant to performance. Your individuality is valued and respected within our organization.