People Operations Lead, AI Access Initiative

Evidence Action

10h•$110,000 - $155,000•Remote

About The Position

The AI Access Initiative, incubated at Evidence Action, is launching as a new organization focused on scaling AI-enabled 'big bets' to benefit people in poverty in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The organization aims to create 'public good' resources like open-sourced playbooks and toolkits to guide the design and launch of impactful AI-enabled programs. Initially, the initiative will focus on AI in Agriculture and AI in Health, with plans to expand its portfolio. The initiative is led by experienced individuals in AI and global development and builds on Evidence Action's track record of reaching millions with evidence-based programs. The approach involves scaling AI interventions, partnering with governments to drive policy and investment, and rigorously vetting opportunities. The organization is AI-native and focused on delivering both near-term impact and building capacity in LMICs.

Requirements

5+ years in HR, people operations, or talent roles, with experience building functions rather than inheriting them.
Demonstrated experience in full-cycle recruiting, including sourcing and closing senior hires in competitive or thin-talent markets.
Strong analytical instincts; ability to build tools and analyze data independently.
Experience working in or across low- and middle-income country contexts, understanding distributed workforce dynamics, labor law variability, compensation equity, and cultural nuances.
A track record of credibility with senior leaders, having been consulted early and trusted with sensitive situations.
Comfort with ambiguity and fast iteration; ability to adapt quickly, take initiative, and maintain focus on impact.
Curiosity and creativity with AI tools, including a testing mindset and eagerness to experiment with emerging technologies.
Balances high EQ, rigor, and strong throughput with levity and humility.
Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. for roles based in the U.S.

Nice To Haves

Experience with coding or data analysis tools is a plus.

Responsibilities

Own high-quality recruiting end-to-end, including sourcing, pipeline development, structured assessment design, offer construction, and closing.
Build talent pipelines proactively, especially for senior and specialist roles, by developing sourcing strategies, maintaining networks, and creating visibility in talent-scarce markets.
Design structured hiring processes with rigorous assessments to ensure consistent evaluation of key criteria and cultural fit.
Design creative processes to assess AI engagement and fluency in candidates.
Build hiring capacity within the organization by coaching hiring managers to be exceptional interviewers and decision-makers.
Help create a culture where excellence is recognized and areas of growth are rapidly addressed, identifying high performers, those developing, and those at risk.
Train managers to conduct effective feedback conversations that are specific, timely, and useful.
Coach leaders to navigate underperformance thoughtfully and decisively, balancing accountability with care for the individual.
Connect talent insights to organizational planning, informing headcount, L&D investment, and role structuring.
Own the cultural formation arc, from recruitment to onboarding to reinforcing values throughout an employee's tenure.
Source and manage a PEO or EOR for employment contracts, salary administration, and benefits across multiple jurisdictions.
Design a performance system that drives growth and accountability, providing a tool for honest conversations, development, and clear expectations.
Design a structured onboarding experience to orient new hires to the mission, role, values, team, and performance expectations.
Build compensation frameworks that are equitable and defensible across geographies, grounded in data.
Build and maintain tools and dashboards for tracking headcount, attrition, hiring velocity, compensation equity, and team health.
Ensure compliance across operating jurisdictions by understanding labor laws or identifying expert input.
Champion the strategic use of data, technology, and AI to strengthen people processes and outcomes.
Build credibility with leaders to be consulted early on people decisions, such as hires, team structures, or personnel situations.
Push back on decisions that do not align with structured processes or raise concerns about promotions or team restructures.
Handle sensitive employee situations with discretion and judgment, knowing when to escalate, resolve directly, or seek external expertise.
Manage day-to-day people operations tasks, such as creating hiring processes, presenting salary analyses, coaching candidates, addressing onboarding gaps, and assisting with employee questions.