Operations Manager

ASIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LTD.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A philanthropic organization in Asia is seeking a Manager for its Shared Services Platform for Action. The successful candidate will oversee strategic operations, manage grant processes, and ensure efficient communication across teams and stakeholders. The ideal applicant has at least 6 years of experience in operations or project management, with a strong focus on relationship building and compliance. This role plays a vital part in enhancing social impact initiatives across the region.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of related work experience in operations, grant-management, or fund-management.
• Strong ability to manage multiple workstreams effectively.
• Fluency in English is required.

Responsibilities

• Support the strategic build-out and operationalisation of ACF’s SSPA.
• Coordinate HR operations for SSPA and hosted projects.
• Manage end-to-end grant management processes.

Skills

Operational and project management skills

Interpersonal skills for relationship management

Written and verbal communication in English

Job description

Overview

Asia Community Foundation (ACF) is the first Asia-wide platform for collaborative and strategic giving. ACF enables donors to pool resources, co-create solutions, and drive positive social and environmental impact across the region. Through donor-advised funds, impact funds, and bespoke giving vehicles, ACF helps philanthropists give with confidence, transparency, and impact.

ACF is developing a new regional offering that will make it easier for funders and nonprofits to work together, providing shared systems, hosting, and operational support so partners can focus on what really matters: driving impact across Asia.

About ACF’s Shared Services Platform for Asia

This is a new initiative by ACF, developed in partnership with anchor funders, to strengthen regional philanthropic infrastructure.

Operating under the tagline “Shared Philanthropy Infrastructure for Asia,” the SSPA is a new regional initiative designed to strengthen the ecosystem of social impact by providing high-quality shared services, operational infrastructure, and strategic support to mission-driven organisations and collaborative initiatives. By reducing administrative burdens and enabling partners to focus on their core purpose, the SSPA aims to accelerate collective action, deepen regional collaboration, and advance lasting social and environmental change.

ACF retains full fiduciary responsibility for SSPA, ensuring all activities meet the highest standards of governance, accountability, and trust. Pilot operations are targeted to begin in early 2026, following a co-design phase through 2025.

Role Overview

The Manager, SSPA will report directly to the Director, SSPA to support the strategic build-out and operationalisation of ACF’s new regional Shared Services Platform for Action (SSPA)—a cornerstone initiative designed to strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of partners driving social impact across the region. In this role, the Manager will play a pivotal role in the day-to-day management and implementation of the SSPA’s operational systems, and processes to enable smooth delivery of the platform.

Once the SSPA is launched, the Manager will lead ongoing grant-making, hosting and HR coordination activities, ensuring consistency of approach and compliance with internal processes. The Manager will also act as the key liaison for the SSPA’s grantees and hosted projects, interfacing with internal teams, external vendors, and funders as required.

This role is suited to a highly-motivated, operational professional who thrives in building systems and coordinating multiple workstreams.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategy and Build-Out

• Support translation of the co-created strategy into an actionable implementation plan managing day-to-day activities towards pilot launch milestones.
• Support the design and implementation of the SSPA, including service models, workflows, delivery frameworks, and templates to support scalable and efficient service delivery.
• Support the procurement and implementation of digital systems, tools, and platforms (e.g. Grant Management System) to ensure the proper integration into day-to-day processes.

2. Operations and Delivery

• Support onboarding and servicing of initial funders and hosted projects, ensuring a positive client experience.
• Manage the end-to-end grant management and hosted project processes, including contracting, due diligence, disbursement, compliance, and reporting ensuring timely submission.
• Maintain a GMS to monitor key dates, deliverables, and reporting requirements, ensuring alignment with approved objectives and budgets.
• Identify and propose enhancements to operational workflows, SOPs, policies and procedures for greater efficiency.

3. Financial Management, Documentation and Compliance

• Work with finance and legal teams to adhere to necessary organisational and legal requirements.
• Assistwith budget tracking, disbursement schedules, and financial reportingto ensure they align with the approved grant and hosted project budgets.
• Maintain accurate and organised records across grants and hosted projects, collating information to facilitate internal and external audits.

4. Stakeholder Coordination and Communication

• Support to coordinate anchor funders and other strategic partners supporting the SSPA, including the SSPA Working Group and future Advisory Council
• Support to prepare progress updates, materials and presentations for ACF’s Board and Sub-Committees.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for grant and hosted project-related inquiries from internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate and collaborate with internal teams and external vendors providing specialist support (e.g. legal, finance, HR, IT) to ensure communication and provision of support

5. People and HR Support

• Coordinate HR operations for SSPA and hosted projects, ensuring consistent application of ACF’s HR policies and practices.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and contracting processes for SSPA staff and hosted project teams.
• Maintain personnel records and track consultancy and staff contracts, ensuring compliance with local employment and data protection laws.
• Support staff engagement and capacity-building initiatives in collaboration with ACF’s HR and Operations teams.

Experience and Skills

• 6+ years of related work experience in operations, grant-management, fund-management, shared services, fiscal hosting, or related – ideally within philanthropy, nonprofit, or international development sectors.
• Strong operational and project management skills, with proven ability to manage multiple workstreams to translate systems into practice.
• Strong interpersonal skills for relationship management, and effective collaboration across teams, partners and vendors.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with fluency in English required.
• Regional or international experience in Asia strongly preferred.

Attributes

• Operational Excellence: Highly organised, dependable, and proactive in ensuring seamless execution.
• Solutions-Oriented: Able to troubleshoot, streamline, and improve systems and processes.
• Collaborative: Works effectively across teams, with funders and partners, and in cross-cultural contexts.
• Mission driven and values-led: Deeply committed to advancing social and environmental impact through collaborative and equitable approaches.

Interested candidates are invited to submit a cover letter along with their most recent curriculum vitae for consideration.