Operations Manager

Operations & Administration Manager

Company: ReadFirst

Location: Pune, Maharashtra

Employment: Full-time | On-site

Experience: 3–6 Years

Compensation: ₹6–8 LPA

Reporting To: Founder/CEO

About ReadFirst

ReadFirst is building a research-driven learning ecosystem focused on transforming how students learn, teachers facilitate learning, and schools develop a culture of independent learning and research.

Our initiatives include teacher development programs, student learning interventions and The Learning Marathon (TLM)—a structured initiative designed to help schools build stronger learning habits, independent thinking and a research-oriented culture among students.

As ReadFirst enters its next stage of growth, we are building our core team in Pune.

We are looking for an Operations & Administration Manager who can help us build the systems, processes and operational discipline required to scale.

The Role

This is not a conventional administrative position.

As an early member of the ReadFirst team, you will work directly with the Founder and help build the organisation's operational backbone.

Your responsibility will be to convert ideas and plans into organised execution—creating systems, maintaining documentation, coordinating people and programs, and ensuring that commitments move from discussion to completion.

We are looking for someone who enjoys bringing structure to ambiguity.

Key Responsibilities

1. Build Operational Systems

• Develop SOPs, checklists and workflows for recurring activities.
• Establish systems for documentation, approvals and record-keeping.
• Create operational trackers and management dashboards.
• Identify gaps, delays and inefficiencies and develop solutions.
• Establish clear ownership and follow-up mechanisms.
• Ensure processes are implemented consistently across the organisation.

2. Program Operations

Coordinate the execution of ReadFirst programs, including teacher training and The Learning Marathon.

This will include:

• Program calendars and schedules
• Participant databases
• Training material and learning kit preparation
• Venue and logistics coordination
• Teacher and Program Coordinator communication
• Certificates and program documentation
• Feedback collection
• Program completion records
• Post-program follow-ups

The objective is to develop a repeatable operating system that allows ReadFirst programs to scale without compromising quality.

3. School Operations & Coordination

As ReadFirst expands its network of participating schools, you will help establish and manage the school operations system.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintaining the school onboarding pipeline.
• Coordinating meetings and follow-ups with schools.
• Maintaining MoUs, agreements and related documentation.
• Coordinating program schedules with schools.
• Tracking commitments, milestones and pending actions.
• Maintaining databases of schools, teachers, coordinators and participants.
• Ensuring smooth communication between schools and the ReadFirst team.

4. HR Administration & Team Onboarding

As the ReadFirst team grows, you will initially manage the administrative infrastructure supporting employees.

• Maintain employee documentation and records.
• Coordinate joining formalities.
• Develop and maintain onboarding checklists.
• Organise employee orientation schedules.
• Maintain attendance and leave records.
• Coordinate recruitment interviews and candidate communication.
• Maintain confidentiality of employee information.
• Help establish basic HR policies and processes.

5. Office Administration

Ensure smooth functioning of the ReadFirst Pune office.

This includes:

• Vendor management
• Procurement
• Office supplies
• Asset management
• Bills and documentation
• Travel arrangements
• Meeting coordination
• Training and event logistics

The goal is not simply to perform administrative tasks but to create systems that make routine administration increasingly efficient and predictable.

6. Financial Administration

Work with the Founder, accounts team and external professionals to maintain strong operational financial discipline.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintaining invoices and supporting documents
• Expense documentation
• Vendor records
• Reimbursement processing
• Purchase approvals and records
• Program-wise expense tracking
• Coordinating documentation required by accounts

This is not an accounting position, but strong financial documentation and process discipline are essential.

7. Founder & Management Support

A critical part of the role will be helping translate management decisions into execution.

• Maintain action trackers.
• Record and follow up on important decisions.
• Prepare Minutes of Meetings when required.
• Coordinate activities across different functions.
• Identify operational bottlenecks before they become problems.
• Follow up with internal and external stakeholders.
• Prepare concise weekly operational reports.

Over time, success in this position should lead to fewer routine operational matters requiring direct intervention by the Founder.

What Success Looks Like

Within the first 3–6 months, we expect the Operations & Administration Manager to have:

• Established an organised central documentation system.
• Created core operational SOPs and checklists.
• Built a structured employee onboarding process.
• Established school onboarding and program operations trackers.
• Created vendor, procurement and expense workflows.
• Introduced a reliable weekly operational reporting system.
• Established clear responsibility and follow-up mechanisms.
• Improved visibility of pending tasks and deadlines.
• Reduced operational dependency on the Founder.

Skills We Value

We are looking for someone with:

• Exceptional organisational ability
• Strong ownership and follow-through
• Excellent documentation skills
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Good working knowledge of Google Sheets/Excel
• Comfort with Google Workspace and productivity tools
• Ability to create SOPs, trackers and dashboards
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders
• Ability to prioritise competing responsibilities
• Comfort working in an evolving startup environment
• Professional discretion with confidential information

Preferred Background

• Graduate/Postgraduate in Management, Operations, Commerce, Engineering or a related discipline.
• MBA/PGDM is desirable but not mandatory.
• Approximately 3–6 years of relevant professional experience.
• Experience in startups, education, training, program management, operations or a Founder's Office environment would be valuable.

At ReadFirst, we value demonstrated capability, ownership and learning ability more than degrees or job titles.

Who Will Thrive in This Role

You may be a strong fit if your natural response to complexity is:

'There should be a system for this.'

You enjoy organising things.

You notice when something has been left incomplete.

You follow up without needing to be reminded repeatedly.

You document important information.

You can work with different kinds of people while maintaining professionalism.

And when a process does not exist, you don't simply complain about it—you help build one.

ReadFirst is at a stage where many systems are being created for the first time.

For the right person, this provides an unusual opportunity to build an organisation rather than simply occupy a position within one.

Compensation

₹6–8 LPA, depending on experience, capability and demonstrated fit.

Exceptional candidates capable of independently building and eventually leading operations may be considered beyond this range.

Career Growth

As ReadFirst expands across schools and cities, this role has the potential to grow into:

Operations & Administration Manager → Senior Operations Manager → Head of Operations

Growth will depend on the individual's ability to build scalable systems, develop teams and take progressively greater ownership of ReadFirst's operations.

Selection Process

Stage 1 — Application Screening

Please submit your CV along with a short response to the following:

'Describe one process or system you created or significantly improved in your previous organisation. What was the problem, what did you change, and what was the outcome'

We are interested in understanding how you think and what you have actually built, rather than receiving a generic application.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for the next stage.

Stage 2 — Founder Interaction

Shortlisted candidates will have a direct interaction with the Founder of ReadFirst.

The conversation will explore:

• Your previous experience
• How you approach operational problems
• Your ability to create systems and processes
• Ownership and decision-making
• How you deal with ambiguity
• Communication and coordination ability
• Alignment with ReadFirst's mission and working culture

You may also be given a real ReadFirst operating situation during the conversation and asked to explain how you would approach it.

ReadFirst

IGNITING IMAGINATION

Building Independent Learners. Building a Research-Driven Learning Culture.

Skills Required
Documentation, Dashboards, Excel, google sheets , Sops