General Manager - AI Data Operations - BPO

Company Profile:

Awign is a work-as-a-service platform that empowers enterprises to execute diverse work requirements through a network of 1.5 million gig workers. We cater to a wide range of enterprise needs, including promoter deployment, retail/SOP audits, merchant and seller onboarding, telecalling services, EdTech solutions, content moderation, catalog operations, loyalty-and-rewards, omni-staffing and expert staffing.

Our Retail & Staffing BU specialises in providing tailored solutions for retail operations and staffing needs, ensuring clients benefit from an agile and scalable workforce to meet their business objectives. From front-line retail support to high-skill talent for niche roles, this business unit offers end-to-end services for seamless work execution.

Additionally, through our vertical Awign Expert, we assist IT companies with short-term talent requirements for specialized projects via our gig staffing model.

Founded in 2016 by three IIT graduates, Awign has secured over $40 million in funding and was recently acquired by Mynavi Corporation, a major Japanese firm. With this strong foundation, we are now scaling our operations to deliver greater value to our clients.

Job Overview:

We are looking for a strategic and execution-focused General Manager to lead and scale large AI data annotation and data operations programs.

This is a senior leadership role responsible for P&L ownership, multi-client delivery, operational excellence, workforce scale (300 - 1000+), quality governance, and global stakeholder management (primarily US clients).

The ideal candidate combines operational depth with strategic thinking, can build scalable systems from scratch, and drive predictable, high-quality delivery in fast-growing AI environments.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Business & P&L Ownership:

- Own end-to-end business operations including revenue, cost management, margins, and delivery excellence.

- Drive scalability of AI data annotation programs across multiple languages and domains.

- Build long-term account growth strategies and identify upsell/cross-sell opportunities.

- Manage forecasting, budgeting, and capacity planning.

- Ensure SLA adherence with strong financial discipline.

2. Strategic Operations Leadership:

- Lead multiple large-scale annotation and data ops programs simultaneously.

- Design scalable delivery models from pilot to full-scale production.

- Build robust governance frameworks across delivery, quality, productivity, and risk management.

- Establish structured MIS, dashboards, and performance reporting systems.

- Collaborate closely with Product, Tech, and Automation teams to improve tooling and workflows.

3. Quality, Compliance & Process Excellence:

- Define enterprise-grade QA frameworks and calibration mechanisms.

- Drive continuous improvement in quality, turnaround time, and cost efficiency.

- Implement strong SOPs, audit controls, and compliance standards.

- Leverage automation, scripting, and analytics to optimize performance.

4. People Leadership & Org Building:

- Lead and scale operations teams (300 - 1000+ workforce including managers and leads).

- Hire, mentor, and develop mid-level and senior operations leaders.

- Drive a strong performance culture with clear KPIs/KRAs.

- Build succession planning and leadership bench strength.

- Ensure high engagement and retention in high-volume environments.

5. Client & Stakeholder Management:

- Serve as executive SPOC for US/International clients.

- Manage QBRs, escalations, renewals, and strategic planning discussions.

- Build long-term trusted partnerships with enterprise clients.

- Manage vendor partnerships for language and specialized annotation support.

6. Technical & Analytical Skills:

- Advanced expertise in Excel / Google Sheets (dashboards, forecasting models, financial tracking).

- Strong comfort with analytics-driven decision making.

- Exposure to automation tools (Google Scripts, VBA, Python preferred).

- Familiarity with AI/ML data workflows, annotation platforms, QC systems, workforce management tools.

- Strong understanding of productivity metrics, cost-per-task models, and SLA frameworks.

Eligibility & Preferred Background:

- 7 - 15 years of experience in Operations / Data Ops / BPO / Managed Services.

- 4+ years in senior leadership role managing large teams (150+ scale).

- Proven track record of scaling delivery operations.

- Strong exposure to US/foreign clients.

- Excellent executive communication skills.

- Bachelor's degree required; MBA preferred.