Operations Manager

Lead Research for Action (LeRA) is hiring its first operations-focused staff member to multiply our impact and build systems for scale. You will be the third or fourth member of a growing team at an impact-driven, highly collaborative, early-stage nonprofit. We are looking for a high-agency generalist who is motivated by cost-effective impact, has strong judgment, works with intensity and attention to detail, and is excited to design processes that allow a small team to do outsized work. Click here to apply.

Application deadline: 30 March 2026.

Start date: As soon as possible. Offer expected to be made by early May.

Location: Remote. Must have at least 4 hours of daily overlap with UK working hours. London-based hires would have the option to work in person with the cofounders. Must have the legal right to work in your country of residence.

Hours: Full-time.

Travel: You may be expected to travel up to two weeks per year for in-person team events, with the potential for further travel to LeRA’s countries of operation if there is interest.

Compensation: Commensurate with experience, location, and scope. Currently structured as an independent contractor position through our fiscal sponsor. 

We are most interested in talent rather than specific credentials or years of experience — if in doubt, we encourage you to apply. As this is a foundational hire, we are open to adjusting title and scope for candidates with exceptional experience.

About LeRA

LeRA is a high-impact nonprofit working to identify and eliminate major sources of childhood lead exposure in low- and middle-income countries.

Lead poisoning affects one in three children globally. Yet in most countries, the primary sources of exposure remain unknown. LeRA generates decision-relevant evidence to enable elimination of the most important, tractable sources.

We were incubated by Ambitious Impact’s Charity Entrepreneurship program in 2024 and received the largest seed grant in the program’s history.

Our values include:

• Impact: Our guiding mission is to improve people’s lives by reducing the harm caused by lead exposure.
• Transparency: We openly share our methods and findings to maximize the usefulness of our work. We emphasize honesty in all communications.
• Cooperation: We partner with others in pursuit of shared goals, and cultivate a culture that is collaborative and low-ego.
• Cost-effectiveness: We prioritize strategies that maximize impact while using resources efficiently.

Our preliminary internal cost-effectiveness analysis suggests our work may be able to avert one DALY-equivalent for under $20 over five years; this estimate is prospective and uncertain, but captures the motivation for our work.

We are now entering our next stage of growth. Strong operations will be critical to scaling our impact.

About The Role

Operations roles are multipliers. They increase the productivity and impact of the organisation as a whole.

As LeRA’s first dedicated operations hire, you will build and own the systems that allow us to scale. You will work closely with the two cofounders as a thought partner.

This is a foundational role with significant responsibility. The scope is intentionally broad and can evolve based on your strengths and LeRA’s needs. We expect this role to grow as LeRA grows.

Core Responsibilities

The core mandate of this role is to build organisational infrastructure, setting LeRA up for success as we scale. We expect you will build robust but lightweight systems across the following key workstreams. New priorities will emerge over time and the depth of responsibility in each area may be tailored to your strengths.

1. Financial management

• Provide clear financial visibility to inform overall decision-making.
• Own budgeting, cash flow tracking, forecasting, and reporting across grants and projects.
• Strengthen LeRA’s financial systems and internal controls.

2. Governance, legal, and compliance

• Lead U.K. charity registration process and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Draft and oversee contracts with partners, consultants, vendors, and U.S. fiscal sponsor.
• Develop and maintain right-sized organisational policies as needed (e.g., data security, safeguarding, anti-bribery).

3. Program operations and risk management

• Oversee operational logistics, including procuring supplies, moving materials between countries, and other complexities.
• Identify and mitigate operational, financial, and reputational risks.

4. Internal systems and technology

• Develop internal documentation and knowledge management systems for scale.
• Manage and improve goal-setting and tracking systems (e.g., OKRs).
• Oversee and optimize use of core operational infrastructure, including website, CRM, and task management systems.
• Identify and implement best uses of artificial intelligence, recognizing that the right use of AI could dramatically increase our efficiency and impact.

5. People operations

• Lead recruitment, attracting and hiring top-performing candidates.
• Develop onboarding and performance management systems.
• Contribute to maintaining and shaping LeRA’s culture as we grow.

6. Special projects

The core mandate for this role is building operational systems to enhance LeRA’s efficiency and organisational strength, as above. Depending on your strengths and interests, you may also take on workstreams like:

• Supporting or leading fundraising efforts.
• Creating external communications.
• Contributing to programmatic work, such as scoping new geographies for scale up via desk research and in-person visits.
• Interfacing directly with key stakeholders in government, industry, or civil society.

Who You Are

You are:

• Deeply motivated by global health impact.
• Excited to operate in a flexible, fast-moving environment.
• Comfortable taking on a wide variety of tasks.
• High-agency and proactive.
• Collaborative, clear, and honest in your communications.
• Strong in critical thinking and problem solving.

You have:

• At least three years of relevant work experience, and possibly many more.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Experience and enthusiasm for building systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.

You take ownership of problems, look for creative solutions that maximize LeRA’s overall impact, and communicate clearly and proactively with your colleagues.

Experience with UK charity compliance and/or international charitable operations is a plus but not required.

Why Join Us

In this role, you will have the opportunity to shape an early-stage organisation working in the highly impactful field of lead exposure research. You will work directly with LeRA’s cofounders and may play a significant role in building the team as LeRA grows. The systems you build will be key determinants of LeRA’s growth and long-term impact. You will gain rapid hands-on experience across a variety of domains.

We value work-life balance and are proponents of flexible work. Work schedules can be adjusted according to personal need.

Application Process

The rough application process will be as follows, though the details may change. We currently expect to make an offer by early May.

1. Submit the application form here.
2. Complete a short screening assessment.
3. Participate in a first-round interview with one of LeRA’s cofounders.
4. Complete a sample work test to gauge fit and interest for the role.
5. Participate in a final round interview and provide references.

If you have questions, please email [email removed - click apply for more details].

LeRA is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage women, people of colour, and people based in low- and middle-income countries to apply. All candidates are evaluated based on merit.