Programme Manager, Operations at Bridge International Academies

About the Role

• The Operations Team designs implements and manages school-level operations and support, operating as the nerve center of the company. Certain aspects of what we do originate in other departments or teams – from Academics, Schools, Leadership & Development, Finance or People – but end with Operations. No matter how well other departments may complete their individual functions, it is up to Operations to be the interface that brings all school-level support functions together. 
• The role of Programme Managers is a microcosm of the overarching goal of the entire Operations Team, broken down by specific functional components. Each Programme Manager has a unique sphere that s/he is responsible for owning. Within that realm of responsibility, Programme Managers identify and analyse operational needs, design strategies and processes to address these challenges and supervise the necessary training, monitoring, and constant adjustments to execute these programs successfully. 

What You Will Do

• The Programme Manager, Operations works closely with other departments to design and run specific programmes such as but not limited to: 
• Data Collection, Processing, Analysis & Reporting for the Operations Department in addition to other departments. Data pieces include but are not limited to the following: 
• Quantity requirements broken down by academy, and by grade based on pupil count actuals and projections available on the report server and inventory confirmed at the warehouse and academies
• School Facility Health Metrics such as facility observations
• Customer Relationship Management (Mantis) data including outstanding issues (tickets) aging and turnaround time 
• Inventory balances combining quantities at academies and warehouses, and post-movements and purchases 
• Operational Costs by type, by academy relative to budget
• Project Management to ensure learner materials (including textbooks, homework books and notebooks, academy supplies (viz. teacher and school leader furniture, cleaning supplies, writing materials like markers and refill inks) etc. are available / delivered on time, in the right quantities and condition. 
• Drive academy-level projects including but not limited to repair and maintenance works on academy infrastructure
• Inventory management - monitor inventory levels at academies and at the warehouse towards projecting quantities to be purchased or produced, or sent to academies, in relation to actual or projected pupil counts 
• Vendor management- Interface with potential and existing service providers and vendors for academy-level repair and other works towards ensuring optimized costs and quality delivery
• Stakeholder Management - engage academy stakeholders and external vendors to ensure programs/tasks are carried out in line with expected requirements. The Programme Manager must liaise with stakeholders to ensure adequate responses to inquiries and service issues are resolved.
• Systems/Processes analysis, design, and development: Ensuring that all systems and processes are continuously reviewed, that data from each system or process is used to see patterns, and identify scope for improvement, ensuring that the insights gained are then used to work with the  Director, Operations to make improvements.
• Compliance monitoring  - Ensuring full compliance to all existing systems and processes across the work of the Operations team including those performed by Schools staff such as inventory taking/verification.
• Facility Management: ensuring our academies are in good condition and account for both minor and major repairs. The Programme Manager must identify common challenges and problems and provide efficient and cost-effective solutions.
• Other duties that may be assigned from time to time

What You Should Have

• Bachelor’s degree in business or other related field with top academic marks; MBA/grad degree a plus.
• Minimum of 5 years experience in Operations: managing projects, identifying business challenges through data and observation, creating solutions for these issues, and overseeing the implementation of solutions
• Enthusiasm and proficiency at gathering and analyzing large data sets to provide information for operational decisions
• Strong analytical thinker, ideally with previous experience in broad financial and operational areas
• A keen eye for detail and a desire to see things done excellently
• Curious mind and willingness to learn new things and ways of working 
• Self-drive -  must be a highly driven individual that will take ownership from the get-go and proactively look for improvement

You’re also 

• A detailed doer – You have a track record of getting things done, with at least 5 years of post-graduate school experience.  You’re organized and responsive.  You take ownership of every idea you touch and execute it to a fine level of detail, setting targets, engaging others, and doing whatever it takes to get the job done.  You can multitask dozens of such projects at once and never lose sight of the details.  Likely, you have some experience in a start-up or other rapid-growth company. 
• A networking mastermind – You excel at meeting new people and turning them into advocates.  You communicate in a clear, conscientious, and effective way in both written and oral speech.  You can influence strangers in the course of a single conversation.  Allies and colleagues will go to bat for your ideas.  You have an existing network in Nigeria from prior experience in the country, preferably in the regulatory, education, or business sectors.
• A creative problem-solver – Growing any business from scratch comes with massive and constant challenges.  On top of that, Bridge works in volatile, low-resource communities and runs on fees averaging just $6 a month per pupil.  You need to be flexible and ready to get everything done effectively, quickly, and affordably with the materials at hand.  Every dollar you spend is a dollar our customers, who live on less than $2 a day, will have to pay for. 
• A customer advocate – Our customers – these families living on less than $2 a day per person – never leave your mind.  You know them, get them, have shared a meal with them (or would be happy to in the future).  You would never shrink back from shaking a parent’s hand or picking up a crying child, no matter what the person was wearing or looked like.  Every decision you make considers their customer benefit, experience, and value.
• A life-long learner – You believe you can always do better.  You welcome constructive criticism and provide it freely to others.  You know you only get better tomorrow when others point out where you’ve missed things or failed today.
• A data-driven decision-maker – When making decisions, you don’t rely on your intuition alone. You collect data, analyze it and make decisions with clear justifications.
• A curious investigator – You ask why a lot. You don’t just take what you see and accept it. You wonder why it is that way, and are aware that the world we see is created by human choices and actions – and it could be different. You wonder, and see the world as wonderful even when you want to change a part of it that is unjust.