Application Deadline: 21-04-2017
Description
About this Role: We are looking for an outstanding, proven leader to
run Silverleaf Academy’s global operations. A ‘best in class’ action
oriented senior leader, you will be excited by the potential of playing a
key role in growing Silverleaf Academy through our current early stages
into a scaled organisation with national reach. You will show
exceptional business acumen to ensure our sustainability, a strong
understanding of the Tanzanian regulatory ecosystem, and a proven
commitment to the investment in people that will drive organization
effectiveness. You will also bring an ability to design operating
systems that enable impact at scale whilst maintaining Silverleaf
Academy’s mission to provide affordable private schooling for lower
income Tanzanian families. The COO will report to Silverleaf Academy’s
Co-founder and CEO, Gordon Carver, enabling him to focus increasingly on
the organisation’s longer term strategy, external relationships and
fundraising, and on programme design iterations.
The COO’s responsibilities include:
1. Execute the medium and long term strategic plans as set by the CEO
2. Lead the business and operations components of strategic planning to
implement the opening of successive Silverleaf Academy schools and
ensure high quality, affordable education reaches lower income Tanzanian
families in each of the target expansion cities
3. Lead and line
manage the following functions: property acquisition and management;
government liaison, registration and licences to operate; hard and soft
facilities management; HR; IT
4. Act as the central, organization facing senior leader, managing a growing 20+ person team through 2/3 direct reports
5. Act as an externally facing senior leader, managing negotiations
with school landlords and government officials in order to ensure smooth
school registrations and ongoing operations
6. Design and implement
such systems and processes as are required to increase organizational
efficiency and to allow continued growth by combating the natural
increase in complexity that occurs as Silverleaf Academy grows
7.
Report to the CEO and Board of Directors on Silverleaf Academy’s
finances, operations, property pipeline investments, educational impact
and risk
8. Ensure risks are understood, tracked, managed and, where possible, reduced
9. Lead on cost-efficiency measures across all Central and school-level
activities to enable impact at scale whilst keeping resourcing as lean
as possible and ultimately keeping tuition fees as low as possible for
our parents
10. Lead decisions around the organisation’s budgets,
operations and staffing within the strategic approach and principles set
by the CEO
11. Oversee the Business Development team and Operations
Regional Managers to identify and qualify all new school properties and
track them through the property pipeline and investment sign-off
process
12. Work hand-in-hand with the Marketing team to ensure that
student enrolment and fee collection processes are maximised and all
schools are operating with full utilisation and in a financially
sustainable manner
13. Facilitate the CEO to motivate, inspire and listen to all Silverleaf Academy staff and partners
14. Work hand-in-hand with the Education Lead to ensure clear
collaboration across departments to optimise educational efficacy within
Silverleaf Academy’s schools at all times
15. Take on such tasks and projects as are required from time to time to promote the organisation’s Mission
The person:
• Above all, we are looking for a person with the potential, drive and
flexibility to work closely with the CEO as a partner that can lead the
organisation as it continues to grow from a successful start-up to a
world class social enterprise
• The experience to act with confidence and credibility to provide support and challenge within the leadership team
• A proven commitment to and experience in the recruitment and development of exceptional teams
• The business acumen to become Silverleaf Academy’s cost-efficiency champion
• Strong financial management experience to oversee the organisation’s
finance function, including overseeing audit and budget processes and
financial reporting
• The management and operations experience to
run a young but rapidly growing organisation (HR, Finance, internal
communications and ICT)
• The commitment to the organisation’s values and vision and resilience to manage challenges
• Excited at Silverleaf Academy’s potential to create impact at scale
but happy to balance a growth focus with a prudent approach to risk that
ensures the sustainability of our existing programmes
• A proven leader who can ‘do the right thing’ as well as ‘do things right’
• A proactive, energetic, hardworking individual able to work with stamina and pace
• An empowering manager with experience of achieving results with/through and not around other team members
• A highly networked leader, with good relationships with and strong understanding of Tanzanian Ministry of Education processes
• A leader comfortable with frequent travel between target cities and
school site visits and with the ‘get-up-and-go’ to troubleshoot
operational issues in person where needed
• A proven track record of contributing to business strategies and implementing change programmes at a senior level
• A results-focused implementer creative enough to develop new strategies to achieve the organisation’s long-term goals
Education and Experience
We will accept applications from any brilliant person with the
potential to deliver against the role profile. They are likely to be
University educated, with at least 8 or more years’ private sector
working experience. It is desirable for candidates to have previous
experience overseeing regional offices and taking start-up organisations
to scale.
Application Instructions
Online application, Click APPLY NOW option below.