Business Operations Associate

Manifest

7d•$80,000 - $110,000•Remote

About The Position

Manifest is seeking a resourceful, highly organized Business Operations Associate to turn ideas into action and own projects across people operations, recruiting, vendors, systems, finance operations, and company operations. The role partners across the organization to drive high-impact initiatives and keep the business moving forward. It offers broad cross-functional exposure at a startup, with work spanning People and Finance, go-to-market, product, company planning, and leadership decisions. As the company grows and the associate builds context and trust, the role will expand to include larger initiatives and broader business and finance operations. The associate reports to the Head of Operations, who sets goals and desired outcomes. The associate translates those goals into plans, coordinates stakeholders, follows projects through, flags issues early, and brings forward well-supported recommendations. Over time, the role is expected to become a go-to resource on how the company runs and to build relationships across teams.

Requirements

At least 4 years of experience in a complex, fast-moving environment with little day-to-day direction; relevant backgrounds may include operations, implementation, chief of staff, consulting, or corporate roles.
Strong execution skills, including organization, dependability, attention to detail, and the ability to plan and complete work without step-by-step management.
A proactive approach and initiative in identifying what needs to happen.
Sound judgment about priorities, tradeoffs, when to ask for help, and handling confidential employee and company information.
Ability to produce high-quality deliverables and communicate clearly in writing and verbally with leaders, vendors, and candidates.
Proven experience using AI and automation to build dashboards, consolidate tools, and design systems that improve company operations; must critically evaluate AI output and independently support recommendations.
Comfort with systems and data, and curiosity to learn new tools and unfamiliar topics quickly.
Comfort working through ambiguity and shifting priorities.
Collaborative, low-ego attitude and willingness to do hands-on work.

Nice To Haves

Hands-on experience with tools such as Rippling, QuickBooks, HubSpot, and AI platforms such as Claude.
Exposure to accounts payable and receivable or other finance operations.
Experience with offsite or event planning.
A project management or process improvement certification, such as PMP or Lean Six Sigma.

Responsibilities

Gather and analyze operational data to surface insights supporting leadership decisions.
Drive special projects, managing timelines, stakeholders, and deliverables across Finance, Legal, IT, and other partners.
Own employee onboarding and offboarding and serve as the first point of contact for questions about benefits, policies, and tools.
Run compliance processes, including employee data collection, required training, insurance, and audit documentation; track recurring deadlines such as state filings and renewals.
Manage vendors and tools, including partner accountability, invoices, renewals, contracts, and integrations that replace manual work.
Lead offsites and event coordination end to end and handle logistics such as shipping equipment, swag, and gifts.
Maintain clear, current, and scalable documentation, trackers, and checklists.
Provide executive support to the leadership team, including scheduling, travel, and meeting logistics.
Support the company’s operating rhythm, including planning cycles, budget tracking, headcount, reporting, and preparation of materials for leadership reviews, board meetings, and fundraising.
Build internal processes where none exist and automate them using AI and appropriate tools.
Build dashboards and integrate and consolidate tools to create clean, connected sources of truth.
Build alignment across teams, turn decisions into working processes, and ensure the team follows them.
Bring clear, well-supported recommendations to leadership and present them persuasively.
Identify growing pains early and address them proactively.
Take ownership of new priorities and close business gaps as they emerge.
Own accounts payable, accounts receivable, and reconciliations to keep the books accurate and timely.
Maintain trusted sources of truth for operational and financial data.