About the Role

We are seeking a talented, motivated and adaptable individual to support the Managing Director and the senior leadership team as Project Director. The ideal candidate is a multifaceted individual who will work closely with the Managing Director in a job shadow capacity to gain knowledge on how to run a business. As a co-strategist, implementer, and trusted advisor, the successful candidate will lead execution of strategic initiatives for the Managing Director and leadership team and will also ensure streamlined activities within the organization to improve the daily management of the company based on the priorities of the Managing Director. This is a highly hands-on and analytical role, involving intense program management and broad technical knowledge covering financial management, supply chain and school operations management. The Project Director should have a proven track record of exceptional performance driving strategic initiatives and projects to completion.

What You Will Do

• Manage & update the programme operational calendar.
• Assist the Managing Director in facilitating effective decision-making.
• Coordinate the execution of strategic initiatives.
• Prepare periodic business performance and market analysis, business trends and providing insight with a view to increase operational efficiency.
• Monitor and review departmental spending vs. budget to ensure optimal spending and ensure funds are directed towards projects that generate highest return on investment (ROI).
• Assess inquiries directed to the Managing Director, determine the proper course of action and delegate to the appropriate individual to manage.
• Ensure appropriate follow through on actions, decisions, and commitments made by the Managing Director by working with the parties responsible for implementation.
• Deliver business planning processes (forecasts, budgets, long range plans) including analysis of variances with relevant commentary to support management decision making.
• Attend functional team meetings to keep a pulse on the business and help connect dots with others across the company.
• Create organizational dashboards and reports to support effective decision making and cross company communications of business performance status.
• Translate business requirements to technical requirements. This includes using powerful analysis and modelling tools to match strategic business objectives with practical technical solutions.
• Oversee the activities of the School Inspection team which is in charge of auditing of our school operations (facilities, materials & supplies, personnel and processes) against our set of standards and policies to ensure all schools maintain an environment where teaching and learning thrive.
• Other responsibilities as determined by the Managing Director.

What You Should Have

• 5+ years’ executive level experience – including team management, operations, strategy, and leading strategic & operational initiatives. At least one work experience that required highly independent work in an exceedingly challenging environment/
• Impeccable managerial and interpersonal skills.
• Proven track record of effectively interacting with senior management.
• Ability to work strategically and collaboratively across departments.
• Effective, versatile and action-oriented.
• Excellent communication skills (writing and speaking) and the ability to multitask.
• Strong logical structuring and analytical skills, be able to see patterns, be a fast thinker and a good decision maker.
• Excellent organizational skills, with keen attention to detail and ability to follow up systematically on a broad set of initiatives and decisions.
• Strong willed, a fast learner and able to effect changes fast. Ability to flourish in dynamic, ambiguous environments, to produce high quality work with very short deadlines, effectively prioritize work among multiple competing demands, and adapt to unexpected work demands.
• Excellent presentation creation skills using slide decks, spreadsheets and written reports.
• High integrity with zero tolerance for any unethical business practices.

You’re also

• 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. You have an existing network 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 often fragile, sometimes volatile low-resource communities and with complex government systems. You need to be flexible and ready to get everything done effectively, quickly, and affordably with the materials at hand.
• A relentless advocate – The children we serve and teachers we empower 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 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.
• A data-driven decision-maker – When making decisions, you don’t rely on your intuition alone. You collect data, you 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.