Innovation Manager - South East Asia

Time Commitment: 10 days per month with potential to increase based on project scope
Contract type: We are able to offer this as a fixed-term contract from November 3, 2025 to March 31, 2026
Rate: $400 - $500 a day
Deadline to apply:  19 October, 2025
Start date: 3 November, 2025
Location: South East Asia (preferred location: Manila or Viet Nam)
Working hours: Flexible but with the ability to work with teams in multiple timezones in-person and online (Asia, UK, US)

The role

A sharp, practical innovation coach who’s excited about working with government units and innovators in the Philippines and Vietnam. You’ll be the hands-on support behind two of Brink’s major portfolios:

A UK-funded global education, technology and research programme: EdTech Hub’s goal is to empower people by giving them the evidence they need to make decisions about technology in education. Some of the challenges you will be tackling include:

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How can Lean Impact be used by government institutions in South East Asia to improve the implementation of their AI and EdTech policies and programmes in education?

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How can a hypothesis-driven approach using strategic foresight and experimentation help narrow the learning divide in the age of AI in the global South?

A UK-funded frontier technology programme:  Frontier Tech Hub (FT Hub) is a  global platform with over 10 years of experience supporting emerging tech innovation in developing markets through catalytic financing, agile coaching and design-thinking methodologies, business and impact modelling, and storytelling. FT Hub specialises in testing risky hypotheses, generating learning and supporting the development of ideas into business opportunities. Some of the challenges you will be tackling include:

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How can we transform climate adaptation from a perceived cost into an investment opportunity by piloting climate intelligence tech (early warning systems, predictive weather data) in Viet Nam and the Philippines?

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How might frontier technologies like robotics and AI tackle some of the biggest challenges in development globally?

You’ll support a mix of government, start-up and non-profit organisations to define and refine their innovations, test and validate them with users, and build their readiness to grow. You’ll know what it takes to go from early wins to sustainable scale – not just through pitch decks & presentations, but through deeply understanding what works and why.

When needed, you’ll act as a coach, unlocking progress and insights through deep listening and questions. At other times, you’ll be willing to dive in and work alongside teams, designing experiments, engaging key stakeholders and taking them along the journey (ranging from government partners to funders), and running events to build a connected ecosystem and showcase successes.

What we’re looking for in an ideal candidate

1. Entrepreneurialism on behalf of the team and the problem

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An understanding that innovation is about managing uncertainty and risk accountably and measurably. As such you are able to hold teams to account, while always being on their side.

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Able to act strategically, on behalf of teams, making connections and joining useful dots for them. You retain this strategic mindset even when faced with numerous and constantly shifting priorities.

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Know Lean Startup inside out and back again , you know how that it is both broad and thin and how to weave in human centred design, research and creativity to experimentation in a way that results in velocity (You also know the difference between speed and velocity. You are not a busy fool).

2. Communication and influence

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Natural facilitator, with the confidence to help teams tease apart their facts, opinions and guesses. Enjoys enabling innovation in others.

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An effective communicator, able to relay messages clearly and influence across different organisational and geographical contexts and virtually over audio and video.

3. Global outlook and experience

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Enjoys problem-solving with others in different contexts, from global governments to grassroots innovators in developing countries.

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Curious about the latest trends in technology and innovation, and how these may impact emerging markets.

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Culturally sensitive, able to understand and empathise with international contexts and explore how values and beliefs play a role in innovation.

4.  Interpersonal skills

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Growth mindset, keen and eager to experiment and learn, comfortable with not knowing all the answers yet and happy to let stuff go when it doesn’t quite hit the mark

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Is ‘interoperable’, i.e. can quickly establish rapport with all kinds of people

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Enjoys ‘making others shine', Brink is a low-ego zone that thrives on making our colleagues, clients and collaborators shine

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Self-starter and proactive, who can 'get on with it', has a sense of agency and a point of view.

Additional qualities we would be excited to see

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Experience or networks in emerging tech and AI in South East Asian countries (ideally in any of these areas: climate and finance tech, coastal nature based enterprises in Viet Nam and the Philippines, or education tech & AI in South East Asia, particularly the Philippines). 

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Experience of working with governments in low and middle income countries, particularly in government as a scaling pathway for new ideas, or how to support governments to apply evidence in decision making.

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Experience of different approaches to designing funds, including an understanding of different financial instruments and grant structures. 

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Evidence of ‘thinking out loud’. This could be an active social media presence, a personal blog or newsletter, or presence at events and conferences. We are particularly excited to see someone with a desire to grow into a thought leader in the world of technology and AI for impact.

If you’re interested in joining us, please click on our ‘apply here’ button. This will take you to an online application form where we will ask you to upload your CV as well as a one page letter that includes:

If you’re interested in joining us, please click on our ‘apply here’ button. This will take you to an online application form where we will ask you to upload your CV as well as a one page letter that includes...

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Your story and why you believe this is the right role for you

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A case study or piece of work you’re proud of - include links out to websites, videos or other places where we can see your work. Ideally this work will be ‘live’ and out in the world

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A recommendation for a book, article, podcast or something else that’s shaped your thinking lately

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Confirmation of your location in South East Asia and right to work

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Your salary expectation or day rate

APPLY HERE

Join us in making dents in the world

Brink exists to make a real positive difference, at scale, on the big challenges that matter to the whole world: global education, health, climate change, digital transformation and Covid-19, to name a few. We’re privileged to work with innovators and motivated teams across some of the world’s leading governments, foundations and businesses and we’re proud to be a Certified B Corp. Our work is highly collaborative, fast-paced and global. And whilst it wins awards and is featured in the press, what really matters to us is getting to do the best work of our lives.

Follow us on LinkedIn to get the most up-to-date news about new roles and sign up to hear when we’re next hiring.

We work a little differently

We know that to make dents in the world, we need to keep our own house in tip-top shape too. That’s why we’re proud to be a remote-first, global organisation, with a team of 29 Brinksters from 11 nationalities currently living in 5 countries. Our ways of working won us a spot on Escape The City's top 100 workplaces to escape to in 2022 and in 2023! 🏖️

We’re proud of the things we’re able to offer

  • A remote and flexible set up with autonomy over your time, support to set up your workstation and a one off budget to treat yourself to some home office luxuries.
  • The opportunity to join our all expenses paid, in real life, bi-annual get togethers (we've spent time in Norfolk, Lincoln and London in the UK and Kigali in Rwanda!).
  • We care deeply about your wellbeing and vitality and offer a ‘take what you need’ annual leave policy, access to mental wellbeing platform Oliva, and 16 weeks’ gender neutral parental leave.
  • A dynamic learning environment which plays to your strengths whilst challenging you to stretch and experiment in a safe space. You’ll get a generous yearly learning allowance, access to a personal coach, a Kindle loaded with the company library, and guided time every month to learn.
  • Diversity and inclusion is in our DNA, from the make up of our team to the clients we work with - we have a global outlook and are globally distributed.
  • Exposure to some of the biggest challenges of our time and the opportunity to do career-defining work that creates meaningful impact.
Working at Brink has given me so many opportunities to stretch and grow as a practitioner. This is highly valued within Brink and we're given both a learning & development budget, as well as, opportunities to be challenged through our work every day.

Pritika's review from
Escape The City

Our values were created after hearing from each and every Brinkster at one of our retreats. We feel that they encompass how we approach every aspect of work at Brink. Here's what we value at Brink:

  • Courage
    • Openly shares their ideas and feedback without fear of judgement
    • Actively listens to others' perspectives and engages in discussion to find creative solutions
    • Builds trust through transparency, respect and willingness to address challenges or conflicts directly
  • Generosity
    • Offers to help, with wholehearted support to Brinksters and partners
    • Actively finds ways to make other shines, providing guidance, resources and encouragement
    • Steps up to share the load at crunch points to make sure Brinksters don't feel overwhelmed or unsupported
  • Curiosity
    • Has a thirst for knowledge and actively seeks learning opportunities to enhance their skills and expertise
    • Asks thoughtful questions, challenges assumptions, and explores new ideas to expand their understanding
    • Embraces feedback as a means for personal and professional growth, using it constructively to improve their work
  • Joy
    • Maintains a positive and lighthearted atmosphere, finding humour in the face of challenges
    • Celebrates all victories, big and small and is a boost to Brink's overall morale
    • Has grit and adaptability and maintains an orientation towards problem solving and finding a way through
  • Ubuntu
    • Actively listens to others, seeks to understand and empathise with other Brinksters and our partners' perspectives
    • Creates a safe space for vulnerability, depth and authenticity through trust and mutual respect
    • Makes sure everyone's voice is heard and valued, irrespective of background or identity

You’re a Brinkster if…

To help us on our mission we need a team made up of brilliant brains, from many backgrounds, viewpoints and passions.

You’re a Brinkster if you’re a low-ego, high-curiosity mind with a global outlook, and deep expertise in a technical area related to the role - from lean startup to service design to behavioural insights, we draw on many methods in our work and welcome practitioners from across them. There’s no one Brinkster in the team with the same background and experience - our team includes a former architect, pizza chef and nun (yes, really!). We truly value that diversity. Our work requires new thinking, the ability to challenge current ways of working and the drive to question how we can make things better.

We want to ensure that Brink is a diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation, and we celebrate differences across the team. We’re on a journey and learning how to do this best across Brink, but are set on building a culture where all Brinksters feel safe, supported, and able to bring their full selves to work. Regardless of your background, if you’re a hybrid thinker, and want to put your skills and experience to use making meaningful impact in the world, we’d love to hear from you.

Everyone at Brink is top-class at what they do, and a joy to work with. And the workplace nourishes and takes care of everyone as humans.

Asad's review from
Escape The City

We may not be a match if...

We know that our way of working may not be for everyone, and that’s okay. Our team works across 7 countries which means you may not see your team in-person for weeks (or even months) at a time. We do our best to create spaces for all our Brinksters to feel connected to one another but acknowledge that sometimes remote-first working just doesn’t work for people, and we want to be honest about that from the offset.

If you have any questions about careers at Brink, please contact us on careers@hellobrink.co.