Lao People's Democratic Republic (the): Operations Manager

Franks Family Foundation - New Generation Schools Laos (NGSL) Pilot

Operations Manager

New Generation Schools (NGS) is an innovative public-philanthropic partnership, supporting public schools to deliver high-quality education across the country. Established in 2011, the NGS Cambodia (NGSC) initiative has achieved immediate success and been placed at the forefront of the Cambodian government’s recent educational reforms. With thousands of kids already involved, NGSC is set to expand to 50 schools with two in every province.

As a core partner in NGSC, the Franks Family Foundation (FFF) is now establishing a pilot programme in Laos in agreement with the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES). The FFF is a UK-based foundation working to make the world more educated, health and meritocratic, and has years of experience delivering successful education and health projects across South East Asia. You can find more information here – www.thefff.org

The NGS Laos (NGSL) pilot aims to achieve the same high standards of excellent teaching, facilities and governance so that Lao students can access the education they need to thrive in the modern economy. The NGS charter school model will work in existing public schools and expand on the national curriculum to also teach key skills in ICT, English language and STEM subjects. Through optimizing the allocation of existing resources and topping up modest philanthropic funds, and actively engaging with local communities and government, NGSL will turn public schools into true centers of excellence.

To achieve this, the FFF will need an exceptional NGSL team who can develop the programme through its initiation, planning and implementation. This will require building the organization, as well as assessing schools, developing technical proposals, curriculums and cultivating key relationships with the Lao government and stakeholders around the world.

We are looking for talented, passionate individuals who are natural problem solvers, who believe in the values and model of NGS, and who committed to achieving the highest standards of education in Laos.

Vision: Through NGSL, Lao youth will have the education and skills to compete in ASEAN's 21st-century economy in line with the achievement of SDG4, reducing poverty and vulnerability to poverty around the country.

Mission: To achieve our vision, NGSL pilot will aim to achieve the following:

1. Access: NGSL schools are equitably accessible for students, particularly disadvantaged students including girls, the disabled and those both in poverty and vulnerable to poverty.

2. Quality: NGSL schools provide a genuinely high quality education that both enhances the national curriculum with extra hours and resources for STEM subjects and English language.

3. Sustainability: NGSL schools achieve exceptional value for money, and can phase out donor support to sustain themselves through local government and community engagement.

4. Scale: The success of the NGS pilot can drive expansion around the country, and tens of thousands of young people access the high-quality education they deserve.

1.1 Operations Manager

The role of the Operations Manager is to support the Program Manager to bring the NGS model into the Lao education system. This individual will provide the day-to-day leadership that is needed to build the NGS Laos team and to plan and implement an exceptional pilot that will demonstrate the potential of NGS across the country.

If you are an innovative entrepreneurial leader, committed to delivering the highest standards of access, quality and engagement in education, we would love to hear from you. Post open to Lao nationals only.

Responsibilities

• Leadership: Provide operational leadership and high quality management of the programme including field operations, administration, logistics and procurement. Accountable to the Program Manager.
• Programme Management: Support the PM in proposal development, programme planning and budgeting. Contribute to technical research and school needs assessments, supplier negotiations as well as programme implementation and M&E.
• Communications: Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with MoES, MoFA, MoF, as well as schools, other NGOS and companies.
• Finance: Day-to-day financial and administrative management of NGSL. Conduct rigorous accounting, budgeting and bookkeeping, manage payroll, expenses, and petty cash. Ensure compliance with INGO regulations and maintaining a state of audit readiness.
• Administration: Responsible for processing official documentation for the programme (registrations, permits, etc) as well as for staff and consultants (contracts, visas, permits, leave records, etc). Manage office inventory and supplies. Responsible for recording, filing and storage of financial and administrative records.

Required Education, Skills & Experience:

• Relevant degree in business administration, development, finance or related field. A postgraduate qualification will be an advantage.
• Minimum 5 years’ managing operations-related aspects of NGO projects or programmes in Lao education, supporting resource management, administration, and/or accounting.
• Extensive experience in preparing proposals and budgets, programme planning as well as experience in procurement and supplier negotiations.
• Experience in networking and building strong relationships with Lao government officials as well as other INGOS.
• Strong financial skills and experience in managing programme and organizational budgets, as well as administration. Knowledge and experience of nonprofit financial and administrative regulations in Laos.
• Excellent writing and analytical skills, including high level proficiency in using Microsoft Office and accounting software.
• Proven experience hiring, training, and supervising staff.
• Native or fluent in Lao language (written and verbal). Fluent in English (written and verbal).
• Entrepreneurial leader, who is committed to the values and mission of the FFF as well as the NGS model.
• Demonstrated knowledge about education and development in Laos.
• Energetic, innovative and excited by a challenging role.
• Excellent interpersonal, motivational and management skills.

Please send a short CV as well as a cover letter outlining your experience and motivation for the role as well as your salary expectations and current notice period to andrew@thefff.org. The deadline is 1000am Laos time (UTC+7) on Friday 18^th May.