Operations Specialist Job at YLabs
JOB ALERT
ORGANIZATION: YLabs
JOB TITLE: Operations Specialist
DEPARTMENT: Operations & Finance
EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Full-Time
LOCATION: Anywhere in Africa, Remote
EXPERIENCE LEVEL: Mid-Level
START DATE: October 2026
SALARY: USD 17,000 – USD 26,000 per year
ABOUT YLABS
YLabs is a global design and research organisation focused on designing technologies that amplify youth power, agency and opportunity.
Founded in 2014 at the Harvard Innovation Lab, YLabs partners with young people to co-create inclusive digital products and services. Its multidisciplinary team works across youth-driven design, adolescent health, climate, livelihoods, digital product design, behavioural science and epidemiology.
YLabs has worked across 18 countries, with a focus on health and wellness, economic opportunity and climate resilience.
ABOUT THE ROLE
YLabs is seeking an independent and people-centred Operations Specialist to support the organisation’s People Operations function.
The successful candidate will manage day-to-day people operations, recruitment, onboarding and offboarding, HRIS administration, systems access, vendors, equipment and employee experience.
The role is particularly suited to an Operations Specialist, Senior Operations Associate or People Operations professional looking to take the next step in their career.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- PEOPLE OPERATIONS
Manage onboarding and offboarding processes, employee requests, benefits administration, personnel records and other people operations activities.
Identify opportunities to make employee processes simpler, faster and more responsive.
- RECRUITMENT
Manage recruitment execution for individual contributor and coordinator-level positions.
Support sourcing, screening, interview coordination, candidate communication and offer processes.
Ensure candidates have a positive and professional recruitment experience.
- SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT
Identify operational gaps and develop practical solutions.
Improve onboarding processes, equipment management, staff request workflows and HRIS practices.
Create systems, processes and tools that improve consistency and efficiency.
- OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
Take ownership of operational problems and initiatives from start to completion.
Make decisions within assigned responsibilities and escalate issues when necessary.
- EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE
Build relationships across YLabs’ distributed team.
Support staff wellness, team connection and employee engagement.
Organise team events and the annual retreat.
Use feedback and pulse survey data to identify opportunities for improvement.
- OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS
Manage Google Workspace and other software access.
Oversee equipment and supplies, vendor relationships, contracts, documentation and compliance records.
Continuously improve operational systems to make them more reliable and user-friendly.
- TEAM COLLABORATION
Work closely with the Deputy Director, People Operations to translate priorities into practical execution.
Identify issues and opportunities and contribute to the continued development of the People Operations function.
QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
3–6 years of experience in operations, people operations, HR, administration or a related field.
Experience in an NGO, research institute, social impact organisation or distributed/multi-country organisation is an advantage.
Strong organisational and execution skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and consistently complete tasks.
Strong problem-solving and systems-building mindset.
Ability to identify gaps and improve existing processes.
Strong interpersonal skills and people-centred judgment.
Ability to handle sensitive situations with discretion and empathy.
Experience supporting or managing recruitment processes, including sourcing, screening, interviews, candidate communication and offer logistics.
Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Curiosity, initiative and willingness to challenge ineffective processes.
DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE
Experience supporting distributed, multi-country teams.
Experience managing vendors or contract relationships.
Experience using HRIS platforms such as BambooHR.
Experience working in a growing organisation where systems and processes are still being developed.
WHAT YLABS IS LOOKING FOR
Someone who can manage multiple priorities while maintaining strong execution.
Someone who genuinely cares about improving people’s working experience.
Someone who enjoys building systems and fixing processes when they do not work.
Someone who sees operations as a way of creating the conditions for people and organisations to perform at their best.
Someone who takes ownership, closes loops and delivers results.
EMPLOYMENT DETAILS
The position is full-time and based anywhere in Africa.
The anticipated start date is October 2026.
Occasional travel may be required for in-person meetings or off-sites, with travel fully reimbursed by YLabs.
COMPENSATION
USD 17,000 – USD 26,000 per year, depending on experience.
YLabs pays full-time staff in the local currency of their permanent work location.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online through the official YLabs careers portal.
All employment offers are subject to satisfactory background checks and criminal record clearances.
YLabs is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from people from diverse backgrounds and abilities.
