Position: Head of Development
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.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.
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.
Role Reports: As
requested by the Chief Operating Officer
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:
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:
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.
Behavioural competencies
- 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.
In order to be considered for this position all candidates must
register and upload their CV’s on our website at www.bridgeinternationalacademies.com
Only short listed candidates will be contacted
Only short listed candidates will be contacted