General Manager/COO, Ghana

Posted: 20 December 2018

Position or Job Title: School General Manager

Grade: Senior Management Position

Responsible to: The Managing Director.

Responsible for: All non-teaching and support Staff

Overview:

The School General Manager is an operational and strategic leader responsible for maintaining operational excellence and fiscal prudence, across the current four campuses of the School in both Accra and Kumasi. The actions of the School General Manager must always be aligned with our mission, vision, and core values.

The General Manager must at all times carry out his/her duties and responsibilities within the spirit of ICS School Policies and within the framework of all relevant current regulations with particular regard to all Board of Directors governance and strategy framework. He/She must be an embodiment of the school values and ethos at all times.

General Management

• Develop and implement school-wide non-instructional systems and procedures that ensure operational excellence within the school. Systems include but are not limited to:
• Ensure that administrative, premises, personnel, financial and IT services and systems within the school meet international standards and CIS expectations, and follow policies set up by Board of Directors and Senior Management of the school.
• Play a key part in the collating, analyzing and presenting of information to ICS Board of Directors.
• Be accountable for all Support Services.
• Be a member of the Core Management and play a significant role in formulating, implementing and reviewing school policy and practice.
• Ensure non-teaching staff duties are organized and carried out efficiently in liaison with the Administrative Manager.
• Ensure that agreed policies are being implemented, regularly reviewed and updated.
• Support and guide members of staff, promoting and uniting staff, working for the good of the school.
• Reviewing and following closely the positioning of the School, work on branding & marketing in accordance with the recommendations of the Board of Directors
• Suggest, put in place and follow up initiatives to optimize the School’s revenues and control costs. Increasing visibility of the Sport Complex in Kumasi Campus and optimize profitability (such organizing summer camps, organizing tournaments…)
• Ensure good staff communication at all levels.
• Maintenance: oversee the general maintenance of the school. In particular:
• Ensure that all areas of the school are well maintained in liaison with the maintenance supervisor.
• Negotiate with contracted cleaning services so as to maintain an efficient and cost effective service.
• Regularly assess the overall effectiveness of contracted firms.
• Security: oversee the security systems for the school in liaison with the security supervisor. In particular:
• Negotiate with contracted security firms so as to provide cost effective services.
• Carry out spot checks to ensure security efficiency of high standard.

Business

• Support the development, management, and maintenance of the procurement lifecycle, including but not limited to: vendor selection, account creation, purchase order management, materials requisitioning and receiving, inventory management, and invoice reconciliation and payment.
• Support the MD and the Business Manager in the development and management of the annual budget to ensure that school meets its financial goals.

Strategic direction

• Provide leadership and direction on strategic projects, partnerships and developments including, assisting the MD in these areas:
• Strategic Risk Management
• Fiscal Discipline
• Provide organizational and complex advisory support to the Senior Leadership Team.

Organization

• Take a lead role in collaboration with the Internal Audit function in planning, development, design, organization and monitoring of support systems/procedures/policies (school operational manual and processes).
• Liaise between managers/teaching staff and support staff.
• Hold regular team meetings with management staff and Administrative Manager, ensuring smooth processes in all administrative functions on all ICS campuses.
• Ensure that local and national laws are observed in all areas of school life.

Finance

• Undertake regular financial monitoring across all budget areas.
• Work with the business manager to develop and compile budget reports so that the MD, Deputy MD, Principal, Board of Directors and Senior Management team leadership are given timely and accurate information on all financial and business matters.
• He/She will be responsible for developing the financial and budgetary statements, monitor its implementation and ensure strict adherence to budget and fiscal discipline.
• Supervise the maintenance of financial records of all staff as appropriate.

Core Competencies:

• Mission focused
• Trustworthy
• Driven towards excellence
• Influential
• Relationship builder
• Talent manager
• Organized and a good planner
• Creative
• Constant Learner
• Good listener

Knowledge & Skills:

• High tolerance for ambiguity, changing work priorities and deadlines, and a willingness to take on responsibilities and to prioritize work on multiple projects;
• Highly detail-focused and results-oriented;
• Ability to communicate and interact effectively with multiple constituencies including parents, staff and students;
• Team-player attitude and strong customer-service orientation;
• Excellent organizational, planning, and implementation skills;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word;
• Demonstrated initiative, leadership, and tenacity; and Passion for ICS Mission.