Head of Development Vacancy – Bridge International Academies
Location: Nairobi
About Bridge International Academies
Bridge International Academies was conceived in 2007 out of the belief that giving every child access to a high quality education would have the greatest impact on reducing poverty worldwide.
With that guiding insight, Bridge International developed a strategy that would enable it to launch a large-scale network of high-quality, ultra low-cost, for-profit primary schools. Operating a network of schools supported by a strong central headquarters gives Bridge International the scale, experience, and capacity to invest in systems of management, support, training, and innovation that allows individual schools to dramatically increase their effectiveness.
Using this model, Bridge International is able to profitably deliver high-quality education for $4 per child per month. This ensures that its academies will continue to successfully serve its communities as long as parents value the educational service provided.
The first Bridge International Academy launched successfully in Kenya in 2009 and 60 academies will be operating in Kenya in January 2012. Through rapid and strategic expansion, Bridge International will provide a quality education to over a million students in the coming years.
About this position:
Job Purpose: Overall responsibility for Bridge International Academies Land Acquisition, Land Legal, Design and Construction programs and all facets of the development program and team.
Responsibilities (Functions and duties)
- Ensure the successful acquisition of land and the subsequent building of schools throughout the Bridge International system is at or above budgeted levels at all times and in compliance with all operating and financial standards and requirements.
- Direct and coordinate activities of the land search, negotiation and acquisition, legal vetting and contact finalization, design and construction teams.
- Manage staff, preparing work schedules and assigning specific duties. Determine staffing requirements, and interview, hire and train new employees, or oversee those personnel processes.
- Review financial statements and ensure the proper flow of funds throughout the land acquisition process.
- Manage productivity and activity reports, and other performance data to measure cost effectiveness and goal achievement and to determine areas needing cost reduction and programme improvement.
- Determine the priority for technology and process improvements, based on forecasts of customer demand.
- Establish and implement departmental policies, goals, objectives, and procedures, conferring with the relevant Heads of Departments as necessary
- Work with other Heads of Departments to ensure all timelines are met in relation to the construction of schools in various regions.
- Monitor the costs to ensure budgetary limits are maintained on all school construction projects.
- Oversee activities directly related to purchasing or leasing land and constructing schools or providing additional guidance as agreed from time to time.
- Keep abreast of the activities of land opportunities in the market and network extensively with the community leaders, land brokers and the government ministries.
- Manage the operational risk through the diligent application of internal controls and pro-active action to keep within agreed key performance indicators. Hold monthly reviews of activity and risk assessments with the teams in the department.
- Obtain strong contacts in the land, construction and brokerage community to be able to identify potential acquisitions and sites from a variety of sources (including both land deals as well as leaseholds at favourable prices).
- Liaise with the relevant government ministries and other players on land and construction, including heavy site construction processes and techniques, geotechnical engineering practices, land planning, civil engineering and architectural design processes, codes and regulations pertaining to land development and construction;
- Provide guidance to the teams on negotiation pertaining to land acquisition/leaseholds.
- Drive the forward planning of the engineering and design processes in all regions to ensure that we are delivering the best possible product within the financial model required within the Bridge financial model.
Experience: Minimum of twelve (12) years of experience in Construction, Land acquisition, or related experience including at least at least 5 years of experience in a senior management role for a large multinational organization.
Qualifications:
Academic: Bachelor of Science in Construction Management, Land Surveying or related field or a Business Management Degree. Masters Degree is an advantage
Professional:
Specialist knowledge required:
- Wide experience in land acquisition, construction and/or project development;
- knowledge of the local land market; local building codes and other government regulations;
- Ability to build and maintain relationships with local suppliers, architects and other trade professionals.;
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain new relationships with key leaders in community, commercial and/or industrial markets.
- Must possess excellent management and organizational skills,
- Ability to communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds
- Ability to communicate complex ideas concisely
- Exceptional negotiation skills
- Team oriented and hands on approach to land and construction aspects
- Solid attention to detail.
- Strategic thinking
- Planning and organizing skills
- Information gathering skills
- Analytical and interpretation skills
- Problem solving/decision making and judgement skills
- People management skills
- Ability to be adaptable and flexible
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Strong commitment to BIA’s mission.
Only short listed candidates will be contacted
