General Manager: Special Development Projects (Secondment) at ADvTECH

Overall Purpose of the Job:

 The role has two areas of focus and responsibility: 

• Identifies expansion opportunities in East Africa for the ADvTECH Group in collaboration with the Regional MD, and drives the subsequent building and establishing of new schools for the Makini and Crawford International Schools (CIS) brands, and
• Establishment of schools for the Makini brand as they are opened (2023 – Ridgeways) as the de facto Executive Head, ensuring the quality of built infrastructure and once opened, providing leadership to the academic and non-academic staff and the implementation of policies, procedures and systems aligned to the ADvTECH Group

 Responsibilities:

Output 1 - Special Projects:

• Investigates market opportunities for the establishment of new schools in East Africa
• Drives expansion projects for Makini and CIS brands in line with the Region’s strategic objectives
• Ensures each project is aligned to the development plan and is managed accordingly with targets being achieved in terms of buildings, staff, enrolment etc.
• Maintains a close relationship with Property Division as the person on the ground, to ensure effective delivery of building projects for CIS and Makini (Statehouse & Ridgeways in 2023
• Develops policies, procedures and systems to be implemented across schools to ensure standardisation and consistent best practice

 Output 2 – School Management: 

• As programme manager manages and oversees the built infrastructure/renovations to existing buildings to ensure delivery in terms of deadlines, quality and budget
• Establishes the day to day running of each new school opened as Executive Head/Principal
• Ensures successor is identified and mentored once new operations are stablised for each school opened
• Develops and implements procedures and systems ensuring standardisation and consistency across schools
• Ensures the implementation and subsequent maintenance of Mikini Schools ’academic standards, ethos, values and culture in each school opened
• Liaises with the Central Academic Team to keep abreast of future-focused educational trends and ensures the curriculum is implemented in such a way as to inspire and engage the Learner
• Ensures that academic standards are set and measured and any corrective action taken where required
• Leads the timetabling process to ensure each school is right-sized and at optimal productivity 

 Output 3 - Human Capital Management:

• Leads, motivates and manages Academic and non-Academic staff in the achievement of set school objectives and targets by ensuring that the school has a high-performance culture
• Ensure a clear sense of purpose and shared culture across the brand where employees are valued, empowered, respected and take accountability for their school
• Manages and conducts performance reviews in accordance with policies and procedures and takes corrective action where necessary
• Ensures that a management succession plan is implemented
• Takes guidance from the HR on serious IR matters
• Mentors successor to ensure continuity
• Ensures identification of critical skills essential for sustainability of service delivery and the development of succession plans 
• Recruitment of staff together with HR
• Maintain continuous lines of communication, keeping the Regional MD informed of all critical issues

Output 4 - Finance Management: 

• Sets and manages the consolidated operational budget and drives cost containment in key areas
• Ensures the effective management of debt collection and processes for suspension of students where accounts are in arrears. Monitors the age analysis
• Signs off all quotes, CAPEX requisitions, and fee credits within budget and/or limits of authority
• Ensures accurate reporting, including ongoing financial analysis and risk assessment through the finance department
• Taking guidance from the Finance Manager, employs sound financial practices to enhance the profitability and growth of the school in a responsible manner

 Output 5 - Facilities Management: 

• Acts as the ultimate accountable person for the identification and mitigation of key risks and hazards, and for the physical safety of everyone on the campus – students, staff and visitors
• Ensures that the brand is compliant with local Safety, Occupational Health and Environmental legislation and lead change where required
• Ensures the management of common facilities service providers are regularly reviewed, and contribute to the vendor selection process by offering key operational insights from the school operations

Education

Minimum:

• Post Graduate Degree in Education / Business Management

Ideal:

• Post Graduate qualification combining Education and Business Management and/or Project Management

Experience in: 

• As programme manager, manages projects in the education/service industry including related cost and time deliverables and external stakeholder relationships
• leading and building teams in start-up enterprises/functions within the corporate and/or education context
• the implementation of policies, systems and processes, developing standards to ensure a consistent approach across the brand
• delivering operationally and financially outcomes aligned to strategic imperatives