Growth Operations Manager (New Products)

First Circle is an SME-focused, credit-centric, and multi-product NeoBank in SE Asia which is fast-growing (>100%), profitable, and internationalising soon. We started life as an SME lender in the Philippines in 2016 to solve the SME credit gap by using technology to systemise underwriting, deliver exceptional UX, and automate away delivery costs. We’ve delivered our clients the fastest, cheapest, most flexible credit line available to businesses anywhere in Southeast Asia. We’ve been rewarded with both fast growth and exceptional unit economics, a rare combination in our space.

Over the past two years we’ve expanded our product range to include business bank accounts & payments, e-Invoices, corporate credit cards, rooftop solar, and most recently deposits catalysed by securing a full bank charter in the Philippines. In 2027, we’ll expand our geographical coverage to include at least two new markets in APAC.

Our excellent track record results from our people & culture. We combine high standards & intensity with a collegiate environment. Our barometers of success are the rate of personal growth of our people, how long high performers choose to stay, and ensuring we we raise the bar with every hire.

We’re looking for a hands-on Growth Operations Manager to join our Operations team, focusing specifically on the operations for our New Product launches. Operations is the team at First Circle that keeps the business running. We are launching new products and growing existing products, including corporate credit cards, invoice financing, and payments accounts and payroll. To launch and grow these products we need operators who keep a finger on the pulse of everything that is happening. You understand what customers want and need, you know our processes, and you execute with a high degree of precision and excellence. You will report to our Head of New Product Operations in this role.

The ideal candidate has strong problem solving and analytical skills , and is also able to work with other people to make things happen in reality . You don’t stop at finding a neat solution to a problem. You also want to implement change and to see the results of your work. You are comfortable working with data, have some familiarity with how sales teams work, and are able to partner with other people.

First Circle is changing small business banking in the Philippines. The sky is the limit for someone who wants to get stuck in and make a difference.

An example “day in the life” of this role

You are generating a report on daily payments. You see that there is a mismatch in the volume of transactions according to our internal systems vs the report from our payments processor. You write a query to dive deeper into the data, and you notice that there is a mistake in our third party report from our payments processor because they have double counted certain transactions. You discover that they have double counted all the transactions relating to one specific sub-set of customers. You reach out to our payments processor to inform them of this issue, and get them to update their reports. You also ensure that they identify the root cause behind their problem and update their process so it doesn’t occur again.

Responsibilities

• Reporting on product performance (new customers, usage, growth, retention)
• Conducting ad hoc analysis and investigations to identify opportunities for improvement
• Designing new solutions to problems that we haven’t solved
• Refining existing processes to make them run smoother or faster
• Executing (and ideally automating) recurring processes

Requirements

• [non-negotiable] Strong SQL skills and knowledge with proven impactful commercial projects.
• Educational Background: Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Management, STEM or similar field
• Professional Experience: 4+ years of work experience in an operations or an analytics role (ideally in a finance, fintech, or tech environment and/or in a sales operations team)

• Strong Analytical & Technical Skills: Proven problem-solving ability with experience in data analysis and tools.
• Execution-Oriented Mindset: Practical and solutions-driven, with the ability to take initiatives from problem identification through implementation. Highly practical. Can take a problem, find a solution, and then make things happen

Benefits

• Hybrid work set-up: 2-3 days per week in our BGC office; remote the rest of the time.
• Additional perks & benefits: HMO coverage from week one, free catered lunches, monthly fitness allowance, transportation & accommodation allowance, and more.
• Join a team with a deeply collaborative culture! Learn more here: