Operations Manager (Rwanda)

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Building Tomorrow, an international nonprofit organization, working to provide literacy and numeracy for all children, is seeking an Operations Manager to help launch Building Tomorrow’s programming including our signature Roots to Rise, Building Tomorrow Fellows and Community Education Volunteer programs in a new country of operations, Rwanda.

THE ORGANIZATION

Started in 2006, Building Tomorrow supports community-powered learning in rural areas. Through over 500 Building Tomorrow Fellows and over 14,000 Community Education Volunteers, Building Tomorrow has enrolled over 140,000 out-of-school children and reached over 500,000 learners with our signature Roots to Rise (R2R) literacy and numeracy camps. We are excited to reach five million learners by 2033.

Between offices in the USA and Uganda, Building Tomorrow has a full-time staff of over 240, just eight of whom work outside Uganda. Building Tomorrow has received funding and recognition for its innovative work from The Mastercard Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative, Echoing Green, Big Bang Philanthropy, Forbes Magazine, and the Library of Congress Literacy Awards, and the Klaus J. Jacobs Awards. More information can be found online at: www.buildingtomorrow.org.

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

The Operations Manager will be one of two initial hires made to launch Building Tomorrow’s Rwanda Country Office in Q1 2025. The Operations Manager will assume responsibility for the start of three core programs all working in concert with one another, establishing a new country office, planning and supporting logistics coordination, overseeing an in-country budget, ensuring compliance with all local rules and regulations, and other tasks furthering the launch of Building Tomorrow’s activities in Rwanda.

This position is a full-time role and based in Kigali, Rwanda with an initial three-month training and onboarding in and around Kampala, Uganda. The Operations Manager reports to the Chief of Staff.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational Planning & Infrastructure Setup

• Office Establishment: Setup and manage Building Tomorrow’s office in Kigali, including locating a suitable office space, managing lease agreements, and any matters involving official registration/incorporation of the organization.
• Procurement & Inventory Management: Develop and maintain systems for procuring, storing, and managing supplies, equipment, and materials necessary for program activities and office operations.
• Technology & Systems: Implement and maintain appropriate software, databases, and communication tools to support operational efficiency and data security.

Program Logistics & Support

• Program Logistics Coordination: Oversee logistics for all program-related activities, including transportation, site visits, and accommodation arrangements for staff and Fellows traveling to rural communities.
• Resource Allocation: Work closely with the Program Manager to ensure the timely and efficient allocation of resources, including educational materials, supplies, and financial disbursements, to program sites.
• Event Coordination: Support the planning and execution of program events, trainings, and community meetings, ensuring all necessary arrangements, such as venues, catering, transportation, and equipment, are in place.
  
  

Financial & Administrative Management

• Financial Reporting: Lead and oversee the financial management of the Rwanda Office, ensuring all financial obligations are met and timely and accurate financial forecasts, pipelines, and expenditure reports are submitted to Building Tomorrow leadership.
• Budget Oversight: Oversee the budget management and financial planning, ensuring effective cost control and adherence to the approved budget for operational expenses.
• Financial Recordkeeping: Maintain accurate financial records, process payments, track expenses, and conduct regular reconciliations in compliance with Building Tomorrow’s financial policies ensuring that systems are cost-effective, transparent, and comply with Building Tomorrow policies
• Vendor Management: Establish and maintain relationships with local vendors and service providers to secure competitive pricing and high-quality services for program and office needs.
  
  

Compliance & Risk Management

• Policy Compliance: Lead the development and implementation of compliance policies and processes across all program areas, ensuring alignment with local law and smooth integration with Building Tomorrow’s internal policies and procedures.
• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate potential risks to operations, including safety, financial, and legal risks. Develop contingency plans to address potential operational challenges.
• Documentation & Reporting: Prepare regular operational reports for Building Tomorrow leadership, documenting key activities, budget status, and any operational challenges or improvements.
• Audit: Conduct regular internal audits and compliance checks to ensure adherence to financial, procurement, and HR policies and procedures, and when necessary, be the organization's point of contact for external country audits.

Human Resources & Team Support

• Staff Onboarding & Support: Manage administrative aspects of staff onboarding, including coordinating orientation sessions, handling employment paperwork, and ensuring staff access to necessary resources.
• Organizational Recruitment: Oversee the recruitment, onboarding, and professional development of staff, ensuring that Building Tomorrow Uganda attracts and retains top talent
• Team Coordination: Facilitate effective communication across team members and support cross-functional collaboration, ensuring that all staff have the resources needed to perform their roles.
• Workplace Culture: Support the creation of a positive and inclusive work environment, promoting team well-being, and maintaining a high level of team morale and productivity.
• Supervision and Leadership: Supervise, mentor and train relevant staff ensuring team members have the appropriate skill levels for their positions and are developing to their full capacity.

MUST HAVES

• Ability to link your experience and skills directly with the Building Tomorrow behaviors (listed below) and skills Building Tomorrow is seeking in the ideal candidate.
• A flexible, enterprising mindset that thrives in a start-up environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an uncompromising attention to detail
• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Experience and proficiency using Microsoft and Google workplace products.
• Fluency in Kinyarwanda and English; French preferrable.

WE WANT YOU TO APPLY IF…

• You have an unshakeable passion for education equality, believing access to an inclusive, quality education is a basic human right.
• You possess creative ingenuity, being progressive in your thinking and approaching challenges old and new. You are intrapreneurial and unafraid to pilot new ideas.
• You are relentlessly determined, refusing to accept the status quo, persistently striving to create new opportunities to reach more children, allowing them to reach their maximum potential.
• You believe in collaborative engagement. You believe more can be achieved together than alone, believe in the power of cultivating relationships, and see everyone as an equal partner.

WHAT WE OFFER

Compensation will be commensurate with experience. Benefits package includes health insurance, contributions to an independent staff savings scheme, paid personal leave, and sick days.

TO APPLY

Visit www.buildingtomorrow.org/careers to apply.

If someone referred you to apply for this position, please provide his or her name in your cover letter. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Building Tomorrow maintains a dedication to promoting gender equity, diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion, and recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of protected characteristics. Building Tomorrow will not tolerate illegal discrimination or harassment under an applicable law in any jurisdiction where it operates. Building Tomorrow will not tolerate illegal discrimination or harassment under an applicable law in any jurisdiction where it operates.