Operations Manager, Youth Program

QuestAlliance; Karnataka; Hybrid; INR 1,016,000 - 1,216,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal accident insurance

Mediclaim insurance

RFS allowance

Internet allowance

Childcare support

Menstrual leave

Group counselling sessions

1:1 counselling

Job summary

Quest Alliance seeks an Operations Manager to align program operations with finance, technology, and data to enable scalable impact. You will partner with program leads, finance, and partners to optimize resources, strengthen compliance, and provide actionable insights that improve performance and donor reporting.

You will also support donor relations, grant reporting, and operational planning, traveling nationwide as required to deliver outcomes and equity in education for youth.

Qualifications

• Min 5+ years of experience in program operations, consulting, project management, or grants management.
• Experience with budgets, grants, and compliance, including CSR laws and regulatory frameworks.
• Data-driven decision making with analytics to improve budgeting and execution.
• Experience with digital project management tools and new tech adoption.
• Engagement with donors, partners, and diverse stakeholders professionally.
• Financial intelligence: analyze numbers and translate into insights.
• Systems thinking: set up and ensure tech-enabled processes.
• Project management excellence: organize and prioritize work.
• Stakeholder communication: articulate complex ideas clearly.
• Collaboration & leadership support across teams.

Responsibilities

• Work with diverse teams to manage financial resource allocation within compliance.
• Conduct financial analysis to identify deviations and optimization opportunities.
• Design budgets, track utilization, and ensure donor-aligned reports.
• Strengthen and monitor project management and grant systems.
• Review contracts and MoUs for compliance and efficiency.
• Support project leads in managing resources, timelines, and risks.
• Consolidate program progress and financial reports for leadership and donors.
• Bridge to donors and key stakeholders with professional engagement.
• Contribute to new project proposals with financial inputs.

Skills

Financial analysis

Budget management

Data analytics

Stakeholder communication

MS Office

Collaboration

Adaptability

Inclusion awareness

Travel willingness

Systems thinking

Tools

Digital PM tools

Job description

This is a strategic role at the intersection of program operations, financial management, project management, data analytics, systems strengthening, and donor reporting to enable high-quality, scalable program delivery. Working closely with program leads, finance, technology, and external partners, the Operations Manager will build efficient systems, optimize resource allocation, strengthen compliance, and generate actionable insights that improve performance and impact. The role also supports donor relationship management, grant reporting, stakeholder communication, and operational planning, ensuring transparency, accountability, and timely execution.

This is an ideal opportunity for Non-profit Program Managers who excels at connecting finance, people, processes, technology, and data to deliver measurable social impact. This is a front row seat to witness and improve upon how Quest Alliance enables millions of young people from vulnerable communities to thrive in their careers and lives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Work closely with diverse teams like - project leads, finance, regional program teams, fundraising team, and thematic teams to manage financial resource allocation within compliance frameworks.
• Conduct financial analysis to identify deviations, patterns, and opportunities for optimization, translating numbers into insights that drive better decisions.
• Partner with finance and fundraising teams to design budgets, track utilization, and ensure reports are accurate, timely, and aligned with donor expectations.
• Strengthen and monitor project management & grant management systems, ensuring teams use them consistently for planning, tracking, and reporting.
• Review contracts, MoUs, consultancy agreements, and other engagements to ensure compliance and operational efficiency.
• Support project leads in managing resources, timelines, and risks, ensuring projects run smoothly and deliverables are achieved.
• Help consolidate program progress and financial reports for leadership , business development, and donors, ensuring clarity and accuracy, offering insights and analysis
• Serve as a bridge to donors and other key stakeholders , ensuring strong communication, professional engagement, and trust-based relationships.
• Contribute to new project proposals and expansion opportunities through financial and operational inputs.

Required Experiences & Skills:

• Min 5+ years of experience in program operations, consulting, project management, or grants management.
• Proven ability to manage budgets, grants, and compliance, with knowledge of CSR laws and regulatory frameworks.
• Strong track record of using data and analysis to drive decisions on budgeting, resource allocation, and operational improvements.
• Experience with digital project management tools and comfort with adopting and institutionalizing new technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to engage with donors, partners, and diverse stakeholders with professionalism and clarity.
• Financial intelligence : Ability to analyze numbers, spot trends, and translate them into actionable insights.
• Systems thinking: Skilled at setting up and ensuring adherence to tech-enabled systems and processes.
• Project management excellence: Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Stakeholder Communication & Relationship Management : Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to distill complexity into clarity.
• Collaboration & leadership support: Ability to work across teams, supporting project leads and enabling them to succeed.
• Adaptability & problem-solving: Comfort with ambiguity and a proactive approach to finding solutions.
• Commitment to equity & inclusion: Awareness of gender and social inclusion in education, skills, and the workplace.
• Proficiency in MS Office suite and familiarity with digital collaboration platforms.
• Strong personal alignment with the values of Quest Alliance: being compassionate, living with courage, collaboration and continuous learning.
• Willingness to travel across the country as required.

The pay band for the position starts at Rs. 1,00,000 /- per month (cost to company) ( The salary offered will be commensurate with the experience and expertise of the candidate)

In addition to your compensation, you are also eligible for a suite of benefits designed to support your well-being and growth:

• - Comprehensive Personal Accident Insurance covering up to ₹10,00,000 annually
• - Mediclaim Insurance covering up to ₹3,00,000 annually, supported through our insurance partner, who also offer additional wellness benefits
• - Reach for the Stars (RFS) amount of up to ₹5,000 to support your self-learning and knowledge-building efforts
• - Internet allowance of up to ₹750/month, reimbursable based on actual usage to support flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• - For employees with children under the age of 6 years, Quest offers childcare or day care fee support through a monthly matching contribution of up to ₹3,000, helping you create a supportive work-life balance
• - Offering Menstrual Leave, 1 day per month across the country

Access to emotional health and wellbeing programs such as:

• * Group sessions worth ₹8,000 per session fully covered by the organisation
• * 1:1 counselling sessions (worth ₹2,000 per session), fully covered by the organisation

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.