We regularly publish resources to help you navigate the world of high-impact operations. And for more frequent ops tips, check out our LinkedIn page.
We've worked at high-impact nonprofits
And we want to use what we’ve learned to help other high-impact projects scale. We do this by solving critical operational bottlenecks, like finance, hiring, and infrastructure.
About us
We know our operations
We’ve managed operations in-house for a number of nonprofits, and we’ve learned a few things along the way. We’ve got qualifications in accountancy, project management, data protection, and more, and we’re a registered Accounting Service Provider (ASP).
We’re guided by our values
We’re an independent and EA-aligned team focused on delivering ops services where they’re needed most. Our work is guided by our core values: excellence, focus, ambition, and transparency.
We’re committed
We’ve taken the Founders Pledge and have committed to donating 50% of our proceeds to effective charities. We’re particularly excited about improving global health & development, reducing animal suffering, and safeguarding the long-term future.
Excellence
- We dive deep into a project’s mission and strategy to understand how best to support it.
- We aim to optimize systems and eliminate bottlenecks before they cause headaches.
- We proactively seek and take action on feedback to deliver excellent customer service.
Focus
- We design systems to prevent recurring problems and to protect our attention and capacity.
- We prioritize ruthlessly, focusing on the highest expected value.
- We take on new projects deliberately, and we’re comfortable saying no.
Ambition
- We aim to support projects that use evidence and reason to change the world.
- We consider tradeoffs such as opportunity costs, benefits, and risks.
- We adapt our systems when the expected value is high.
Transparency
- We act with integrity and communicate directly.
- We’re honest about our areas of expertise and capacity.
- We look to save time and money across each project.
Meet our team
Joshua Axford
Co-Founder & CEO
joshua@impact-ops.org
joshua@impact-ops.org
Joshua leads our entity setup service. He previously directed operations teams at both the Centre for Effective Altruism and Effective Ventures, and served as CEO for the Marine Megafauna Foundation. He’s also served as an Alpine Mountain Leader and deputy commander for a Light Infantry company in the British Army. Joshua received a BSc in Physics from Durham University.
Sara Recktenwald
Co-Founder
sara@impact-ops.org
sara@impact-ops.org
Sara leads our hiring service. She previously served as Head of People Ops for the operations team at Effective Ventures, and Executive Assistant at the Centre for Effective Altruism. She developed her operations experience in a sustainable forestry NGO, and now sits on the board for Effective Altruism Germany. Sara received a BSc in Environmental Science from the University of Freiburg.
Andrew Leeke
Co-Founder
andrew@impact-ops.org
andrew@impact-ops.org
Andrew leads our audit and system implementation services. He previously served as Head of Staff Support for the operations team at Effective Ventures, and Operations Specialist at the Centre for Effective Altruism. He’s also worked as an operations manager for a digital marketing agency. Andrew received a First-Class Joint Honours degree in Psychology & Philosophy from the University of Oxford.
Eric Byram
Finance Specialist
eric@impact-ops.org
eric@impact-ops.org
Eric leads our finance service. He qualified as a Chartered Professional Accountant in British Columbia, Canada, and served as a senior audit analyst for a leading accounting firm in London. Eric received a Bachelor of Management degree with honours from the University of British Columbia before completing his Master’s of Science in Applied Business Analytics from Boston University.
Alex Watsham
Associate
alex@impact-ops.org
alex@impact-ops.org
Alex leads our due diligence service. She previously conducted due diligence for corporate clients in Russia and the former Soviet Union, and advised the boards of listed companies on executive remuneration. Alex received a Starred Double First-Class degree in Russian and Ukrainian from the University of Cambridge.
Patrick Allen
Finance Associate
patrick@impact-ops.org
patrick@impact-ops.org
Patrick oversees payments and bookkeeping for us and our clients. He previously worked as a financial analyst for the University of Buckingham and served on the committee for Effective Altruism Oxford. Patrick received a First Class Honours degree in Philosophy from Durham University.
Meet our advisors
Tesse Akpeki
Tesse is a leading UK advisor on corporate governance. She was formerly head of governance and trustee services at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and has worked extensively with third sector organizations nationally and internationally. Tesse has been invited to address Downing Street, the All Parliamentary Group, and remains a special advisor to the Bishop of London.
Cate Hall
Cate founded Alvea, which set the record for the fastest start-up to take a new drug into phase 1 clinical trials. She is also a founder of Juniper Ventures, a biosecurity and pandemic preparedness incubator. Previously, Cate was the #1 female poker player in the world and, before that, a full-time lawyer with a degree from Yale Law School.
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