Manager City Operations

Company Description

The Akanksha Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing high-quality education to children from low-income communities to help them realize their potential and transform their lives. Operating in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur, Akanksha runs 26 schools serving over 13,000 children. With over 30 years of experience, the foundation empowers children with a strong educational foundation, core values, and skills to help improve their standard of living. Akanksha is deeply committed to ensuring long-term positive impact by supporting the holistic development of every student.

Position Summary:

At Akanksha, we believe that instructional staff at our schools should be free to focus on providing our

students with a high quality of education. The Manager School Operations supports schools by

maintaining efficient systems and removing obstacles, helping schools to build strong cultures that

reflect the mission and values that they believe in. The incumbent will work closely with the School

Leaders, HR and Finance to provide solutions to school issues, cultivate relationships with school staff

and ensure seamless logistics for all events and activities. This person will ensure that all schools are

aligned with and integrated into all aspects of Akanksha. The incumbent works collaboratively with the

COO, Director of Schools - Nagpur as well as Senior Manager Operations

What your role will entail:

School Culture:

? Optimize the scheduling of class time and available facilities for maximum learning time

? Each year, prepare schools for start-up/ new school year and ensure all elements are set up for

the new academic year

? Works with the School Leaders to develop and implement long range plans for school

improvement from an operational/culture perspective, along with the school coach

? Keeps informed of current and educational thoughts, trends, and practices, as well as proposed

legislation impacting the schools; informing School Leaders of significant development in these

areas

School Operations:

? The incumbent works closely with the members of HR and finance department to develop

guiding principles around key decisions related to HR, finance, and other key areas of the

organization aligning on how decisions are made and helping to implement them across

schools and modify/adapt as required

? Manage relationships with key vendors and ensure effective systems for purchasing and

maintaining supplies and materials

? Oversee the maintenance and upkeep of the building and provide on-ground support when

needed, recognizing infrastructure as an integral part of an effective learning environment

? Ensure the timely implementation of all items on Akankshas school calendar

? Ensure that the schools are adhering to all government compliance and reporting requirements

? Ensure that student records are properly maintained and updated at the school

? Ensure that the MIS is properly used and maintained in each school

Government Relations:

? To build a working relationship with the government wherein Akanksha and the government

authorities can work together to improve the standard of public schools

? To support and supervise the Government Liaison Associate in maintaining relationships with the

Government and to help resolve any issues between the Government authorities and Akanksha

schools

? Plan and support regular interface with senior government officials for COO and Director of

School, Pune.

? To periodically set up reviews with respective authorities to showcase the work that Akanksha

does and to bring up any school specific challenges

? Keeping the schools and Akanksha informed of any amendments in the government policies and

procedures

Impact:

? Feed learnings from the impact department into the schools, working collaboratively with the

education and school teams

? Participate in school reviews as required

? Use other data- parent engagement, teacher parameters- to discuss school needs and action

steps

Development and Donor Relations:

? Liaise between the communications, development and donor relation team to communicate and

meet school-specific needs

? To conduct school site visits with visitors as needed

reporting as per agreed deadlines

Procurement and office space management

? To lead the procurement (purchasing all goods and services at Akanksha schools and offices) for

all the locations.

? To take care of office space management for all locations.

School Expansion:

? Identify with the government liaison associate, potential new sites for school expansion

? Conduct due diligence on site selection to ensure it meets required criteria

? Assist in all aspects of school set up as required across functions (funding, HR, operations, etc)

What do you need for this position:

? Bachelors degree required, major in operations, management, finance, business studies,

preferred Advanced degree preferred

? Excellent English verbal and written communication skills.

? At least 5 years of experience in a managerial role preferably in overseeing a large team

? 3-4 years experience in operations management preferred

? Experience in the education/social sector preferred

? Excellent influencing and relationship building skills. demonstrated success in building strong

and sustainable relationships

? Excellent project management skills with proven experience of and ability to plan effectively at

the organizational level

? Experience of developing and implementation of strategic plans

? Experience of budgeting and managing resources.

? Demonstrated creativity and problem-solving skills in tacking organizational problems

? An understanding of the specific and unique characteristics of working in a public private

partnership model

? Deep commitment to improving the lives of kids from low-income communities

? Flexible and able to multi-task; can work within an ambitious, fast-moving environment, while

also driving towards clarity and solutions