Chief Operating Officer

Every year, millions die from preventable diseases because vital services do not reach them. A root cause is broken data: missing or unreliable IDs, fragmented records, and inflated reporting. Without accurate data on who receives services, governments and NGOs cannot deliver care effectively, track impact, or target life-saving resources.

Simprints is a nonprofit tech company that partners with ministries and funders to verify identities, digitise workflows, and enable evidence-based decisions so the right services reach the right people at the right time. We co-design end-to-end digital solutions with the people who use them, from the frontlines to national dashboards. Our biometric products integrate with health records to drive accuracy, accountability, and insights.

Studies have shown that Simprints increases impact through real-time, precision data, for example, increasing maternal health visits by 38% in Bangladesh or accurate HIV tracing by 62% in Malawi. To date, we’ve worked in over 18 countries, helping deliver health, aid, and finance to over 4 million people.

Our mission is simple: make sure every vaccine, every dollar, and every public good reaches the people who need them most.

Simprints is entering a new phase of organisational scale and operational complexity. We are looking for an operational and detail-oriented Chief Operating Officer to help strengthen cross-functional execution, governance, and AI integration across the company.

This is not a traditional “head of operations” role that directly manages operational departments. Instead, this role is focused on improving how the organisation operates between functions: driving accountability, improving decision-making clarity, integrating AI into our operations, and helping the leadership team execute more effectively.

You will work closely with the CEO and Management Team as an embedded executive operator, helping connect strategy to execution while improving organisational maturity without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy.

Job Title: Chief Operating Officer

Reporting To: Chief Executive Officer

Grade: M9 (Executive)

Location: Remote (GMT ±3 hours). Candidates must have substantial overlap with UK working hours and be available for regular leadership meetings between 10:00–16:00 UK time

Time Commitment: Full-time

Compensation: £100,000–£120,000

Contract Structure: Permanent/Long-term

First 30 Days

Build strong working relationships and operational credibility across the Management Team

Develop clear understanding of current organisational structure, operational pain points, governance gaps, and cross-functional friction points

Identify highest-priority operational clarity and governance issues requiring immediate intervention

Assess current AI adoption and operational workflow opportunities across teams

First 90 Days

Take over chairing of Management Team meetings

Establish clearer delegated authority and escalation pathways for recurring operational decisions

Launch operational governance and compliance remediation initiatives

Improve alignment and visibility across departmental goals and operational priorities

Launch practical AI-enabled operational improvement pilots across selected teams

Reduce CEO involvement in routine cross-functional operational coordination

First 180 Days

Significantly improve cross-functional execution clarity, accountability, and operational coordination across the organisation

Establish lightweight but scalable operational systems that improve execution without adding bureaucracy

Improve organisational maturity across governance, operational risk, and compliance coordination

Embed AI-enabled workflows meaningfully into day-to-day operational practices across multiple functions

Enable the CEO to focus more consistently on partnerships, fundraising, and external growth

Significant operational leadership experience within scaling startups, nonprofits, or technology companies working specifically in global health or international development

Experience operating as a COO, Chief of Staff, VP Operations, or equivalent senior operational leadership role

Strong track record of driving cross-functional organisational execution and operational clarity with multi-national team

Comfort chairing executive meetings and holding senior leaders accountable

Experience operationalising AI tools and workflows within organisations

Familiarity with international compliance, entity setup, and operational governance in LMIC contexts

We confront the grey. We practise transparency and radical candour, listen deeply, share information openly, and speak up when our ethical compass is challenged, so that psychological safety is real and everyone can do their best work.

We leave our egos at the door. We bring curiosity, kindness, and a positive attitude, seek first to understand, and remember to laugh together. We stay humble about our small part in big global problems, and we remain bold about our ambition to drive change.

We find a way. We plan with clear strategies, deliverables, deadlines, and metrics, step out of our comfort zones, and make it happen. When a plan is not working, we learn from the data, adapt quickly, and keep moving in service of the mission.

We remember why we are here. Impact for people comes first. We act like owners, hold ourselves to high standards, and work across teams to close data gaps and increase coverage, so the right services reach the right people at the right time.

We celebrate the differences. We treat every person with compassion, empathy, and respect, build inclusive spaces where diverse perspectives are welcomed, involve people in important decisions, and share credit generously, because our best ideas can come from anywhere.

Life is short. We believe work should be inspirational, meaningful and fun. At Simprints, we’re taking on global development’s biggest challenges, powered by an amazing culture and incredible people. Work with us, and you will grow faster, learn more, and take on great responsibilities with the potential to make lasting change.

Genuine Impact. Work directly with our partners and users to deliver technology that has the potential to impact millions of lives across the globe. At Simprints, you’ll be part of a team that is passionate about driving real change.

An incredible, diverse team. Our work is at the intersection of technology and global development, and we’ve managed to build an amazing team drawn from all over the world. But don’t take our word for it—we’re an externally recognised as a Great Place to Work, and a 2025 Best Workplace for Women amonst many other accolades.

Mutual Flex. We champion a work culture where autonomy and trust are paramount, steering clear of mere face-time metrics. Whether it's managing life's essentials like healthcare appointments or adapting work hours to match your peak productivity times, we've got you covered. In return, we count on your reciprocal flexibility when mission-critical moments arise, like stepping up for a crucial client discussion on a Friday or tackling unexpected technical glitches beyond regular hours.

Ultimate work-life balance. As long as you're driving results and fostering teamwork, we encourage you to strike that perfect balance between your professional and personal life. Our commitment to this model's success is solidified through semi-annual productivity assessments with our board, ensuring that our high standards of performance are consistently met.

Professional development. We promote continual learning and put our money where our mouth is with development plans and access to global experts through the GLG network. We also have a generous professional development budget for each colleague – “Eduprints”. Is there some training you’d like, or maybe you could benefit from professional coaching? Simply provide a business case that shares your aspirations and the resources you need, and we'll do our best to support you. We care about both your development in Simprints and your holistic long-term career goals. Simprints Alumni have gone on to work for Google, World Bank, Gavi, Save the Children, and other top players.