Latest Vacancies at Bridge International Academies, November 2018

Bridge International Academies is the world’s largest and fastest-growing chain of primary and pre-primary schools with more than 400 academies and 120,000 pupils in Kenya and Uganda. We democratize the right to succeed by giving families living in poverty access to the high-quality education that will allow their children to live a very different life. We are recruiting to fill the position below:     Job Title: Operations Programme Manager Location: Nationwide Job Description

• The Operations Team designs, implements, and manages academy-level operations and support. We are the nerve centre of the company.

• Certain aspects of what we do originate in other departments or teams - from Development, Marketing, Recruitment and Training, Finance or Human Resources - but end with Operations. No matter how well other departments may complete their individual functions, it is up to Ops to be the interface that brings all academy-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 needed for these programmes to execute successfully.

• Teacher Staffing- Bridge promises to have a teacher in class every day of the academic year. To meet this promise to our parents, the Programme Manager must work closely with our Recruiting and Training and People Operations Departments to make sure we find effective ways of filling local vacancies and with our Customer Care Department to devise ways to manage our nationwide team of substitute teachers so that can immediately provide cover for any class missing a teacher due to sickness or other. The challenge is to efficiently and effectively provide coverage for over 4,500 classrooms across Kenya and Uganda.
• Academy Repairs - with over 400 academies, we need to continually ensure 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. This programme must work closely with our Construction Department and with regional managers to ensure quality repairs are carried out.
• Lesson Delivery - Bridge’s teachers use teacher computer tablets to deliver our Kenyan- and Ugandan-curriculum focused lessons every day. To make sure everything is working properly, the Programme Manager must analyse vast amounts of data to pinpoint any challenges in this process. This includes working closely with the Software Team to limit the number of technological issues that come up and to immediately solve those that do arise and coordinating with our Academic Team to devise strategies and processes to drive improvements in lesson deliveries.

• Ideal candidates should have experience managing projects, identifying business challenges through data and observation, creating solutions for these issues, and overseeing an operational programme.
• They should be proficient analysing and managing large amounts of data and comfortable working closely with different departments and teams.
• Experience bringing ideas and programmes to scale, working at similar ambitious start-up companies, or building and managing teams across countries is an added plus.
• Bachelor's Degree required
• Masters preferred
• Minimum 5 years work experience required.

• A detailed doer - You have a track record of getting things done. 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 multi-task dozens of such projects at once and never lose sight of the details. Likely, you have some experience in a startup or social enterprise.
• A creative problem-solver - Growing any enterprise from scratch comes with massive and constant challenges. On top of that, Bridge works in often challenging, 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). 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.

• As our Procurement Officer, you are an important member of the team that sources and obtains strong pricing across the various areas that we need items for - chiefly our academies, as well as for HQ functions. You uphold the highest standard of conduct.
• This is a key position within the company’s Supply Chain team with important linkages to many other department.

• Develop and implement policies, procedures, tools and guidelines to ensure effective and efficient procurement processes in the company and to assure seamless procurement services
• Seek, evaluate and recommend reliable vendors or suppliers to provide quality goods or services at reasonable prices
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with suppliers, contractors and other partners within the procurement services chain to create partnerships that add value
• Negotiate prices, lead times and other contractual terms with suppliers in Nigeria and other parts of the world as may be required
• Review and embed with user departments the technical specifications for all materials required for school operations, equipment or construction requirements
• Closely oversee the acquisition of materials needed for production of learning and training requirements, general supplies for offices and facilities, equipment, and construction contracts while ensuring visibility of the process at each stage.
• Work with department managers and other staff to forecast demand of procurement services and to ascertain that goods are received as ordered and payments processed only for certified confirmations of deliveries or service.
• Budget, report and analyse procurement costs to ensure high visibility and control of procurement related expenses.

• Degree/professional qualifications in purchasing and supplies management
• Expert level of knowledge in procurement including, but not limited to sourcing, pricing, contracts, relationship management and due diligence on suppliers and contractors
• Ability to quickly learn and improve systems; technical competence in MS Office
• Experience working with an ERP (Experience working with Dynamics NAV will be an added advantage)

• Proactive - You don’t always need supervision and you are a self-starter. Your personal drive to succeed and deliver keeps you working when you may not have a supervisor with you.
• A detailed doer - You have a track record of getting things done. 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 multi-task 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.
• 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 around $7 a month per pupil. You need to be flexible and ready to get everything done effectively, quickly, and affordably with the materials at hand.
• 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 malleable 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.

• Bridge International Academies is looking for a Logistics Officer who will be responsible for providing efficient and cost effective Logistics and Supply Chain support services to support the business.
• The holder of this position will deliver high quality professional logistics and administration services and lead the development and implementation of tools, processes, policies and practices covering all aspects of Logistics and Supply Chain.
• Ability to deal with hands on issues , create effective liaison with heads of department and other key staff and management of various aspects of the logistics chain as well as participating in strategic thinking will be key to success in this position.

• Under the guidance of the Logistics Manager, Introduce a formalized and highly organized approach in the region to guide all distribution activities between headquarters and schools in given region.
• Compilation of delivery schedules, route mappings, delivery tracking and reporting systems to ensure on time and complete deliveries
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with procurement, operations, construction, training, finance, research, administration and HR departments, taxi operators, motorcycle service providers and other partners within the Logistics services chain to create a partnership that adds value to Bridge International Academies
• Negotiation of prices, lead times and other contractual terms with distribution and transport contractors in the areas the region assigned.
• Reviewing and embedding with user departments the specifications for various logistics services required for school operations and other departments
• Creating and fostering relationships with diverse logistics and supply chain professional associations to ensure gainful experience and knowledge sharing
• Seek, evaluate and recommend reliable vendors or suppliers to provide quality logistics services at reasonable prices in the region.
• Determining distribution schedules and timing of deliveries to and from schools and keeping track of delivery times throughout the delivery process
• Working with department managers and other staff to forecast demand for logistics services and to ascertain that deliveries are dispatched recorded and signed for by recipients.
• Provide oversight over the material handling staff assigned to the region.
• Deal with and resolve any logistical challenges including failure by internal and external stakeholders to meet expected performance benchmarks
• Budgeting, reporting and analysis of Logistics costs to ensure high visibility and control of related expenses and proper allocation to user departments
• Periodic reporting of Logistics activities and projects in assigned region
• Working internally and with external legal support to ensure suitable agreements that would ensure appropriate terms of engagement with suppliers of high transport and delivery services
• Support School Operations, Technology, Training and Construction departments and other functions in legal and contractual processes for Logistics needs.
• Act as the Deputy Logistics Manager when called upon.
• Advise management on required areas of improvement to enhance Logistics processes.

• Minimum of 4 to 6 years' experience in management of Logistics and or Supply Chain services preferably for a large fast growing service or trading organization with multiple locations and diverse requirements
• Experience with Logistics management of construction materials in a large scale environment where both formal and informal vendors operate will be a definite advantage.
• Professional qualifications in Logistics/Supply Chain will be a key requirement
• Bachelors Degree in Business, Economics or other Social Science or related discipline or the equivalent
• Ability to present Logistics services feedback, policies and procedures to senior managers.
• Demonstrated ability to organize large volumes of Logistics requirements for a broad range of office and operational needs. Must have the ability to quickly learn and improve systems
• Good hands on knowledge of Microsoft Office suite applications

• Proactive - You don’t always need supervision and you are a self-starter. Your personal drive to succeed and deliver keeps you working when you may not have a supervisor with you.
• A detailed doer - You have a track record of getting things done. 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 multi-task 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.
• 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 around $7 a month per pupil. You need to be flexible and ready to get everything done effectively, quickly, and affordably with the materials at hand.
• 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 malleable 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.