My Unexpected Career Path to Senior Leadership

Jake never imagined his consulting career would pave the way for a leadership role in People work. Now serving as our Global People Lead, Jake and his teams strive to foster a positive workplace culture while effectively supporting our mission. Read about Jake’s career journey, why he finds purpose in his role, the head-and-heart balance his role requires, and why he believes People work can be an excellent launch pad into executive C-suite leadership.

So, let’s rewind the tape a bit. Can you share your career journey leading up to your current role? 

I have been with One Acre Fund for a long time. Initially, I focused on finance and systems before pursuing a graduate degree in economics in the U.S. Upon returning, I worked closely with then-CEO Andrew Youn and in the internal consulting team, which marked the beginning of my transition to People work.

I managed a variety of projects as part of One Acre Fund’s Internal Consulting team. I observed that in nearly every project we undertook, challenges that initially appeared to be about  "strategy" or "process", were, upon closer examination, about “people”. Excellent teams produce excellent results, solve their challenges, and grow. After having this realization, I gradually became more interested and involved in our People operations, first taking on mentorship for our Recruitment team and gradually moving into the leadership of the People Division.

Are there any transferable skills you found helpful as you acclimatized to People work?

As mentioned earlier, I started my career in finance, data, and consulting projects, where I developed data analysis and problem-solving skills. Consulting, in particular, taught me to break down complex issues and use data effectively. At One Acre Fund, prioritizing data and evidence in decision-making is crucial. These skills are invaluable across various roles, including People work, where a data-driven approach is not always emphasized. My background equips me to bring this analytical perspective to People operations, ensuring we make evidence-based, impactful decisions that support our teams and mission.

What advice would you give to a senior-level professional looking to get into People work?

Find ways to get involved in People work, because it will eventually find you. Most organizations provide opportunities to start experimenting with People-related work, even while you're in your current day-to-day role. For example, if you're the head of product or business development, I’m sure your company would appreciate your input on the work culture. 

Remember that People work can be an excellent launch pad into executive C-suite leadership. The head of People is among the top leaders in most companies. If you are wondering how to make the next upward step in your career, People work is a great way to do that because many organizations desperately need great People leaders. 

Impact is broad; how do you define it in your role at One Acre Fund?

I am motivated by our mission to make smallholder farmers more prosperous. My role focuses more on optimizing our operations than on direct farmer interactions. I strive to foster an environment where each staff member can be effective, i.e. where they understand what they need to do to be successful, receive support, and are compensated fairly. The foundation of simply being a smoothly run, predictable workplace often goes unnoticed but is pivotal in our overall effectiveness. I take immense pride in ensuring that our people systems operate seamlessly, contributing to a workplace where everyone can thrive.

If you were given a one-minute ad slot during the Super Bowl that you couldn’t sell, what would you fill it with?

In an ad, I'd say: if you're seeking a career where you can apply diverse skills and see immediate results, a People career—especially at a well-functioning organization like One Acre Fund—is a fantastic choice!

It's satisfying to see the impact of your efforts in any job. It's rewarding to wake up, take action, and know your work has a direct, real-world effect on someone. Many careers offer this, but People work is one of the best ways to find it. You interact with staff daily, recruit new candidates to One Acre Fund, ensure someone receives their benefits, or implement performance management initiatives that allow staff to put out their best work. Regardless, the immediate impact of your actions is undeniable. This sense of seeing tangible results is one of the best parts of People work. It’s also challenging, as the stakes can feel high, but you never question the purpose of your work.

One of the most fascinating aspects of People work is the constant balance between 'head and heart.'

You have to be analytical and willing to make tough decisions. At the same time, we are dealing with human beings. Connecting with people on a human level – listening to them, inspiring and motivating them is crucial. 

What does a typical day look like for you?

My day is split between meetings and personal work. At the start of each day, I prioritize achieving personal milestones and diving deep into areas that I am uniquely good at, rather than solely attending meetings. I firmly believe that effective leadership demands a roll-up-your-sleeves approach.

For meetings, I participate in leadership strategy sessions, project calls, and regular update calls with my five direct reports. On the personal work front, I often serve as the final reviewer for projects, ensuring that materials meet One Acre Fund's standards. I dedicate considerable time to directly creating and refining materials, upholding excellence within our Global People Division.

Can you describe a project or initiative you've implemented at One Acre Fund that you feel particularly proud of? What was the impact on the team?

Over the last few years, we have invested heavily in ensuring that our people data is accurate and accessible for use and analysis across the organization. We have developed a lot of backend infrastructure so that the right people—such as country HR leads, myself, or anyone on my team—have immediate access to the necessary people-related data. This could be in the form of dashboards that show demographic breakdowns of staff or retention trends in their country. It could also be the ability to automatically pull a staff list for specific purposes directly into a Google Sheet.

This ongoing project has been exciting to work on because we see gradual progress every month. While it's not yet 100% complete, this investment has made our work much more efficient, as data requests that used to take days to fulfill are now available automatically.