Associate Program Operations

Acumen is seeking an Enablement Associate with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience to build and strengthen our regional Programs and internal operations. This role blends cross-regional and cross-functional project management with technical and operational skills to ensure we can run high-quality Programs on the ground. This role is ideally based in Bogotá, Colombia. We will consider strong candidates based in Colombia with some travel to our Bogotá Office. This role will work closely with colleagues across multiple time zones.

Puedes leer la descripción del cargo en español acá. Por favor envía tu hoja de vida en inglés.
Please send CVs in English as it is required for the role.

About Acumen

Acumen is a global force of entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, and social innovators working together to build a world based on dignity. We were founded by Jacqueline Novogratz on the radical idea that business, when cultivated with moral imagination, can break the cycle of poverty. We invest in transformational companies, build sustainable markets, and prepare leaders with the tools they need to create a more just and inclusive future. Since 2001, we have scaled companies and shaped markets in some of the hardest-to-reach communities on the planet, impacting over half a billion lives. Through our investment adviser Acumen Capital Partners, we are responsible for $166 million in assets under management via our returnable pooled investment funds, which have impacted 238 million lives and offset 48 million metric tons of CO2. To learn more, visit acumen.org.

About Acumen Academy
Acumen Academy supports a new generation of social innovators and leaders with the character and competence to solve problems of poverty and build a world based on dignity. With over 2000 Foundry members, 1.3M course sign-ups, and 71 million lives impacted, the Acumen Academy community represents a new generation of social innovators and leaders committed to solving problems of poverty. 

About the role
This is a critical role in ensuring our programs run smoothly, and our teams are equipped to achieve our strategic goals. This includes building and strengthening our Programs (i.e., Fellowship) across 8 regions.

The ideal candidate combines systems thinking, project management skills, hands-on execution, and is energized by using technology, including AI, to make a globally distributed team more effective.

This role reports to the Associate Director and works closely with regional and global teams to enable seamless program delivery.

What you'll do

Enable consistent, high-quality program delivery across regions

1. Oversee end-to-end regional program launches in close coordination with team members across 8 regions
2. Align with regional teams on program launch timelines and adherence to global guidelines and criteria
3. Maintain an accessible, usable calendar of regional schedules and activities that meets the needs of central and regional teams
4. Own and build program operational processes on our technical platforms (e.g., SurveyMonkey Apply, Form Assembly, SalesForce)
5. Onboard team members into program operational processes, ensuring they’re equipped and trained to own key steps and anticipate what comes next
6. Identify areas for system improvement across central program operations, and ensure resources are updated and accessible to regional teams without needing to ask
7. Provide regular updates on programs and facilitate knowledge sharing across various forums
8. Plan kick-offs and after-action reviews with teams, and document learnings and insights
9. Collaborate with the Data Systems Manager and the Impact team on Fellowship data and reporting
10. Implement changes to Fellowship selection and operational processes, including updating relevant documentation and communicating changes across all regions

Provide operational enablement support across the Academy

• Keep operational processes up to date, and provide support on internal operational requests
• Support the onboarding and offboarding of team members in coordination with Talent, the IT team and the regional teams
• Serve as the main point of contact for cross-team software tools across the Academy, including managing users, invoices, and renewals
• Maintain clear, up-to-date documentation of systems and workflows
• Use AI to improve existing processes and workflows

What we're looking for

Required Experience

• Minimum 5 years of relevant operations or project management experience.
• Proven experience managing relationships and running programs across diverse teams and functions
• Experience managing technical platforms and tools such as SurveyMonkey Apply, Form Assembly, Airtable, and Claude, with the curiosity and agility to learn new tools and pilot AI automations
• Permanent work authorization in Colombia.  

Skills and qualifications

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and communicative project manager, comfortable building structure from ambiguity
• Proactive self-starter who anticipates needs and takes action without being asked
• Collaborative team player who thrives in a globally distributed environment
• Critical, solutions-oriented thinker who adapts and collaborates thoughtfully in a fast-paced environment
• Curious about applying technology, including AI, in everyday operations
• Values-driven and aligned with Acumen's mission and principles
• Fluent in both English and Spanish
• Preferred: Experience in social impact, nonprofit, or remote environments is an advantage
• Preferred: Experience supporting multi-region or globally distributed teams across time zones
• Preferred: hands-on experience with Airtable, SurveyMonkey Apply, Salesforce, a plus
• Preferred: proven work experience supporting the operational aspect of running a leadership development program 

We strongly encourage women and candidates from underrepresented backgrounds to apply, even if you don't meet every qualification listed.

We are open to considering applicants with more relevant work experience for a Senior Associate role. 

Deadline

Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as applications will be reviewed and candidates interviewed on a rolling basis, and the role might be filled before the deadline.