Operations Manager at Xcene Research

Role Description

• Xcene is building an Africa-centered clinical research and innovation platform designed to deliver high-quality research execution while developing scalable infrastructure and partnerships across local and international institutions. We operate with a strong focus on measurable outcomes, operational rigor, and long-term growth.
• Xcene is seeking an Operations Assistant Manager to help drive execution across the organization. This role will support tracking KPIs and organizational goals, maintaining operating cadence, coordinating cross-functional initiatives, and ensuring leadership decisions translate into clear priorities and timely follow-through.
• The ideal candidate is highly organized, analytical, and comfortable working across teams. You are strong in communication, able to manage competing priorities, and experienced in creating structure, dashboards, and accountability systems that improve execution.
• You will be responsible for supporting management to deliver organizational targets through KPI tracking, goal management, and execution discipline ensuring priorities are clear, progress is visible, risks are escalated early, and teams stay aligned to outcomes.

KPI, OKR & organizational goal tracking

• Build and maintain KPI/OKR dashboards (weekly and monthly) across key functions.
• Track targets vs. actuals, identify variance drivers, and propose corrective actions with owners and timelines.
• Maintain a single source of truth for organizational priorities, milestones, and performance metrics.
• Prepare concise performance summaries for CEO and leadership meetings; highlight wins, risks, blockers, and decisions needed.

CEO office operating cadence & execution follow-through

• Run the CEO operating rhythm: meeting agendas, weekly priorities, monthly reviews, and quarterly planning preparation.
• Document action items, assign owners, track due dates, and follow up to closure; ensure decisions translate into execution.
• Create and maintain a cross-functional initiative tracker covering strategic projects and key deliverables.
• Escalate slippage and bottlenecks early with options, trade-offs, and recommended next steps.

Strategic initiatives & project coordination

• Support Management-led initiatives
• Coordinate project plans, workstreams, timelines, and stakeholder inputs; ensure deliverables are complete and on time.
• Develop simple project artifacts: briefs, timelines, RAID logs (risks/actions/issues/decisions), and stakeholder communication notes.
• Work with internal leads and external consultants to maintain momentum and clarity across complex initiatives.

Reporting, presentations & executive communications

• Draft executive-ready updates, one-pagers, and slide decks for leadership, partners, and internal alignment.
• Prepare meeting packs, executive summaries, and performance reports with clear narrative and data support.
• Support board/advisory preparation as needed: timelines, KPI snapshots, decisions required, and follow-up tracking.
• Maintain organized records of key decisions, policies, and leadership communications.

Data, systems & process improvement

• Improve reporting reliability by defining data inputs, owners, update cadence, and quality checks.
• Help implement lightweight systems for tracking (e.g., Smartsheet/Asana/Notion/Jira/Sheets) and standardize templates.
• Identify process gaps and recommend improvements to reduce delays, improve handoffs, and increase accountability.
• Support documentation control for operational SOPs and key internal processes as needed.

Administrative and coordination support

• Provide high-quality coordination support to the Management: scheduling, preparation for key meetings, and stakeholder coordination.
• Assist with travel planning and logistics when required; ensure agendas and materials are prepared in advance.
• Coordinate internal events/workshops for planning, quarterly reviews, and cross-functional alignment sessions.
• Act as a reliable point of contact for follow-ups and operational coordination across leadership and teams.

Highly desirable (preferred)

• Experience supporting a CEO/COO office or leading operational cadence in a fast-growing organization.
• Experience with OKR frameworks, KPI trees, and operating rhythms (weekly business reviews, monthly performance reviews).
• Familiarity with clinical research, healthcare operations, biotech, or regulated environments (GCP/GxP awareness is a plus).
• Proficiency with project management tools (Asana, Jira, Smartsheet, Notion, Monday.com, etc.).
• Experience building templates and systems that improve organizational execution and transparency.

Key competencies

• Execution mindset and accountability focus
• Strong analytical thinking and structured problem solving
• Attention to detail with ability to manage multiple priorities
• Clear written communication and concise executive reporting
• Cross-functional coordination and stakeholder influence
• High integrity, discretion, and professional maturity
• Continuous improvement mindset and comfort building structure in early-stage environments

Qualifications

To be successful in the role, you will have

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Public Health, Life Sciences, Engineering, or equivalent professional experience.
• 7+ years of experience in operations, strategy, project coordination, program management, consulting, or executive office support.
• Strong quantitative skills and comfort working with KPIs, dashboards, and performance reporting.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets and PowerPoint/Google Slides; able to create clear executive materials.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to synthesize complex information into clear actions.
• Strong organizational and stakeholder management skills; able to coordinate across senior leaders and teams.
• High discretion and professionalism; comfortable handling sensitive information and executive priorities.