Operations Manager at Educate

Overview

Who We Are!

🌍 Africa has the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population. By 2035, the continent is poised to contribute more young people to the global workforce each year than the rest of the world combined.

At Educate! we’re obsessed with impact. We leverage iterative learning to build highly scalable youth employment solutions aimed at unlocking the potential of the world’s youngest continent.

Educate! prepares youth in Africa to learn, earn and thrive in today’s economy by:

• Introducing an employment-focused school subject into secondary and
• Delivering livelihood boot camps for out-of-school youth, with a focus on marginalized rural girls and young women.

To date, more than 500,000 youth have been meaningfully impacted across Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania, and along the way, Educate! has become the largest youth employment and skills provider in East Africa.

Educate! is a team of over 300 largely African staff and 300 volunteer youth mentors. We prioritize building an engaging, fulfilling and growth oriented work environment. 50% of our top 30 leaders have been with us for over 5 years, 10+ alumni have started their own organizations, and 6 current or former team members were Acumen Fund East Africa fellows.

We have been backed by top foundations such as Imaginable Futures, Livelihood Impact Fund, Jack Dorsey’s #startsmall, CIFF and Echidna Giving. Educate! won a 2018 Klaus J. Jacobs Prize and a 2015 WISE Award, and has been highlighted by the World Bank’s S4YE’s Impact Portfolio, an Al Jazeera documentary, BBC, The Brookings Institution as one of 14 case studies on scaling education, and the Gates Foundation as a Goalkeepers Accelerator. In 2022, we received a catalytic investment from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott to scale our systems change work.

Educate!’s long-term vision is to design solutions that measurably impact millions of youth across Africa each year.

Good to note: To Our Awesome Applicants! 🚀💫

We know that incredible candidates sometimes hesitate to apply if they don’t meet every requirement. If this role excites you, we encourage you to apply!

We’re looking for passionate individuals who believe in our mission and can bring unique perspectives to our team—not just those who check every box. We value diversity and strongly encourage women and individuals from all backgrounds to apply.

Position Overview

Educate!, a fast-growing and award-winning social enterprise, is seeking the Operations Manager to drive our operations work in Tanzania as we work towards our organizational vision of measurably impacting millions of students across Africa each year. In this role, you’ll report to the Managing Director and be responsible for building and overseeing the systems that enable our operations to run efficiently and effectively. This includes setting up and running operations that support our In-School Programs, as well as entire country operations. You will ensure we are building and experimenting with diverse systems to optimize our operations processes and maximize efficiency and effectiveness. In addition, you will lead, coach, inspire, and build a passionate and results-oriented team that will drive the realization of our ambition over the next years.

The right person for this role is someone who thrives in a high-growth environment and is able to build stable and scalable systems and continuously improve them. Able to oversee a team and see through to results while also managing, guiding, coaching, and supporting them. Should be comfortable using data to improve operations. You should be open to learning from other industries, adopting new ways of working, and changing processes based on feedback. A driven, creative systems builder & problem-solver who is motivated by removing obstacles to help operations teams design and scale high-impact operations systems.

What You Will Do:

Country Operations oversight and Systems Design – 30%

• Design and Manage Field Logistics Systems: Develop and implement end-to-end workflows and order fulfillment systems to ensure timely, efficient distribution of all program materials and support cost-effective field operations.
• Strengthen Operational Strategy and Problem-Solving: Collaborate with the Managing Director, Program Managers, and Finance to identify operational gaps, analyze challenges using research and peer benchmarks, and implement strategic, cost-efficient solutions.
• Oversee Operational Tools and Systems Implementation: Lead the development, rollout, and continuous improvement of field operations workflows and tools, ensuring teams are trained, supported, and tracked for adoption and effectiveness.
• Lead Operational Budgeting and Financial Compliance: Coordinate the creation and management of budgets for field operations, lead monthly and quarterly Budget vs. Actual (BvA) reviews, and ensure full compliance with finance procedures, including payments, mobile money, requisitions, and accountabilities.
• Standardize and Enforce Operations Systems Across Teams: Drive the standardization of operational systems, policies, and procedures across all regions, maintaining up-to-date and accurate tools like the Common Cost Sheet to support consistent decision-making.
• Coordinate Field Logistics for Training and Travel: Oversee logistics for training location scouting and staff, teacher, and stakeholder travel, ensuring cost-efficiency and smooth coordination in collaboration with program teams.
• Set and Track Field Operations Goals: Contribute to the development and achievement of quarterly field operations goals aligned with program priorities, ensuring operational readiness and performance.

Team leadership, Culture & Performance Management – 20%

• Lead and Develop a High-Performing Operations Team: Oversee work allocation, performance management, and coaching to ensure the team meets objectives, while conducting annual reviews and ongoing feedback to support growth.
• Drive Capacity Building and Continuous Learning: Design and implement initiatives that build team skills, institutional knowledge, and promote a culture of continuous learning and professional development.
• Foster a Strong, Engaged, and Values-Driven Team Culture: Promote Educate!’s cultural tenets, strengthen team engagement, and build an inclusive and motivated work environment.
• Support Talent Management and Recruitment: Partner with HR to pipeline, recruit, and onboard new team members, ensuring a strong fit and readiness for operational roles.
• Ensure Operational Alignment Through Collaboration and Communication: Develop and maintain field operations manuals and SOPs, represent the team in strategic and interdepartmental meetings, and ensure operations priorities align with evolving program needs.

Procurement Management – 30%

• Develop and Execute Strategic Procurement Plans: Lead the creation and execution of monthly, quarterly, and annual procurement plans in collaboration with user departments to ensure the timely and effective delivery of program needs.
• Ensure Compliance and Excellence in Procurement Processes: Oversee procurement activities to ensure they are accurate, well-documented, and fully compliant with Educate! policies, relevant laws, and best practices.
• Promote Cost-Effective and Ethical Purchasing Practices: Implement procurement policies and drive a culture of prudent resource use by promoting strategic sourcing, cost-efficiency, and ethical procurement standards.
• Build Strong Vendor Management Systems: Anticipate procurement needs by prequalifying vendors, maintaining competitive supplier relationships, and creating systems that minimize common procurement risks.
• Monitor Quality and Drive Continuous Improvement: Gather and act on feedback from end users to ensure high-quality service delivery, product satisfaction, and continuous improvement in procurement performance.

Operations Budget Management – 20%

• Lead Operations Budget Planning and Management: Drive annual and quarterly budgeting processes and contribute to the development of operations goals and work plans aligned with financial priorities.
• Oversee Budget Monitoring and BvA Reviews: Lead monthly and quarterly Budget vs. Actual (BvA) reviews, ensuring timely corrective actions are taken where needed to stay on track.
• Ensure Budget Compliance and Spending Discipline: Monitor budget consumption closely to maintain 100% fidelity to approved budgets and flag any potential overspending early.
• Facilitate Budget Adjustments and Approvals: Initiate and manage the budget memo process when additional funds are needed, ensuring alignment with organizational protocols.
• Ensure Adherence to Budget Management Policies: Promote full understanding and consistent application of the Budget Manager’s Guide across all operations teams and activities.

Who You Are:

This is an exceptional opportunity for an operations leader to make a real impact within a fast-growing, high-performance environment. You’ve led teams through change, implemented new systems during periods of rapid growth, and know how to bring order and efficiency to evolving structures. With experience managing medium to large operational teams, you’re confident balancing multiple priorities while maintaining strong performance and team engagement. You have a solid foundation in procurement and logistics, along with the ability to interpret data, manage budgets, and make informed, strategic decisions. Collaboration comes naturally to you, and you’re committed to building a strong team culture and working effectively across departments. With a Bachelor’s degree and at least 3 years in an operations leadership role, you’re ready to step into a role where your experience will drive real progress from day one.

Terms

This position will be based in Dar Es Salaam with at least 50% periodic field travels.

What We Offer 💼

• A vibrant, mission-driven environment with a supportive and fun team.
• Flexibility— Hybrid work environment to empower you in your mode of work.
• Competitive salary based on experience.
• Healthcare coverage for you and your dependents, work laptop, Internet & call stipend
• Learning & growth opportunities

PLEASE NOTE THE ABOVE BENEFITS DO NOT APPLY TO TEMPORARY, CONTRACT OR INDEPENDENT CONSULTANTS.

Application Process: Rolling basis, interviews happening soon!

Our Culture & Tenets(Values) 🌱

We’re ambitious. Are you? Educate! is growing fast, so new opportunities are opening up and expanding all the time. We’re inspired by people with drive, and we love to help them reach their full potential. We expect everyone at Educate! to contribute above and beyond their job description, grow their skills, and advance their careers, and we are committed to supporting our staff members on that journey of their careers, and we are committed to supporting our staff members on that journey.

• We put Youth First, Impact-Obsessed – We are purpose-driven, focused on impact, and prioritize what truly matters. We listen to youth, design our efforts around their needs, and ensure every dollar creates transformative experiences they value.
• We Exceed Expectations – We take pride in going above and beyond to achieve the best results—proactively identifying problems and seeking solutions without waiting or stopping at what’s requested.
• We Are Always Learning – We are committed to seeking and applying new knowledge and ideas. We stay open-minded and continuously try new things, experiment, grow, and improve. We invest in learning for ourselves and our teams.
• We are One Team, Many Views – We value all individuals, believe diverse ideas and open dialogue drive excellence, foster a supportive and respectful environment where everyone can freely express themselves. We work as one team and prioritize the organization’s mission over personal or team interests.
• We have the Startup Mindset – We innovate relentlessly to grow our impact, we never think “we have arrived” or “we’re done.”We constantly challenge the status quo, embrace change, and move quickly toward our vision. Unafraid of failure, we question anything that hinders progress.

Every person at Educate! — from interns to the executive director — is evaluated by how they live up to these five cultural tenets. They are at the core of how we achieve our mission and why we work as well as we do. Educate is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all who interact in our community. In creating this environment, we encourage people from a variety of cultures, backgrounds and life experiences to join our diverse team.

We’re committed to ensuring all candidates are screened for child and youth safety. As part of the process, you’ll need to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct. Educate! reserves the right to withdraw employment offers if any risks to youth are identified.