Operations Manager

MANAGEMENT

Line-manages Senior Operations Officer, IT Officer, Administrative Officer,  Administrative Assistant and the fleet team. 

Works closely with finance, procurement, HR, MERL, programme teams,  district teams, implementing partners and Alliance for Transforming  African Education (ATAE) support functions to ensure efficient, safe,  compliant and inclusive operations across Lɛ Wi Lan (LWL) and the  Leaders in Teaching (LiT) Sierra programme.

LWL is a Sierra Leonean-led organisation committed to advancing  education transformation nationally through technical assistance in close  partnership with government. 

The Operations Manager is responsible for the effective implementation  of LWL’s operations, administration, procurement, logistics, travel, fleet,  facilities, asset management, ICT support, office management, health,  safety and security systems. The post-holder ensures that day-to-day  operational systems run smoothly, compliantly and efficiently in support  of programme delivery. 

The role supports delivery across the LEAD, TRAIN, RECRUIT and  MOTIVATE pillars by ensuring that national, district, school and Teacher  Training Institution activities are properly planned, resourced, procured,  coordinated and delivered safely. The Operations Manager will provide  practical operational support for workshops, field visits, school support  activities, technical working groups, partner activities, programme  governance meetings and district-level implementation. 

The role is deliberately focused on operations rather than HR leadership.  Although the Operations Manager supervises the HR Manager as part of  the operations team structure, HR technical leadership remains with the  HR function. The Operations Manager’s role is to ensure that HR-related  operational processes are coordinated effectively with procurement, 

The Operations Manager will also mainstream safeguarding, gender  equality, disability inclusion and school safety into operational systems.  This includes ensuring accessible venues, safe travel, inclusive participant  support, reasonable accommodation, safeguarding-sensitive logistics, safe  procurement and operational arrangements that enable the participation  of girls, children with disabilities, women, persons with disabilities and  other marginalised groups.

RESPONSIBILITIES (Will  include but not limited  to-)

• Lead the day-to-day implementation of LWL’s operations and  administration functions, ensuring that office systems, facilities,  supplies, equipment, utilities, service contracts and administrative  routines operate efficiently and compliantly. 

• Coordinate operational support for programme delivery across  national, district, school and Teacher Training Institution levels,  including workshops, meetings, field visits, school support  activities, partner activities and technical working groups. 

• Maintain clear operational calendars, administrative trackers,  movement plans, service schedules, venue plans, supplier  records, asset logs and office-management files. 

• Support the Finance and Operations Director to implement and  continuously improve the Operations Manual, procurement  procedures, administrative systems, approval workflows, filing  routines and internal-control checklists. 

PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT 

• Manage the organisation’s procurement function in line with  approved procurement policy, donor requirements, value-for money principles, ethical standards and transparent documentation requirements.  

• Prepare and manage procurement plans, purchase requisitions,  tender documents, evaluation records, purchase orders, delivery  notes, contracts and procurement files, ensuring a complete audit  trail for every procurement process. 

• Ensure procurement is fair, transparent, competitive, well  documented and free from conflicts of interest, favouritism,  fraud, unauthorised commitments or weak documentation. 

• Manage supplier relationships from an operational perspective,  monitor delivery against agreed terms, escalate supplier  

performance issues and ensure goods and services are received,  verified and recorded before payment is processed. 

LOGISTICS, TRAVEL, FLEET AND FIELD OPERATIONS 

• Plan and coordinate logistics, staff travel, vehicle hire, fleet use,  driver management, fuel, maintenance, accommodation, per 

• Ensure field movements are planned safely and efficiently, taking  account of district access, road conditions, school calendars,  government schedules, participant needs, safeguarding requirements and security considerations. 

• Maintain accurate travel schedules, vehicle records, fuel logs,  movement plans, maintenance records and incident reports. • Ensure logistics arrangements support timely delivery of district  and school-level activities, including school leadership, teacher  education, teacher recruitment and motivation interventions,  safeguarding and inclusion activities. 

FACILITIES, ASSETS, INVENTORY AND ICT SUPPORT 

• Oversee office facilities, stores, equipment, furniture, utilities,  lease arrangements, maintenance, cleaning, office supplies and  practical workplace services. 

• Maintain accurate asset registers, inventory records, equipment  allocation logs, stores records, insurance records and disposal  documentation. 

• Coordinate practical ICT and digital-equipment support, including  equipment allocation, connectivity arrangements, meeting  technology, workshop equipment and escalation of technical  issues to appropriate service providers. 

• Ensure organisational assets and equipment are safeguarded,  used responsibly, tracked accurately and available for programme  delivery when required. 

HEALTH, SAFETY, SECURITY AND DUTY OF CARE 

• Oversee health, safety and security systems for staff, consultants,  partners, assets, offices, workshops, travel and field operations. • Support risk assessments, journey management, emergency  contacts, incident reporting, office safety checks, fire safety, first aid arrangements, security briefings and duty-of-care systems. • Ensure all events, workshops and field visits are planned with safe  venues, safe transport, accessibility considerations, safeguarding sensitive participant management and clear escalation procedures.  

• Work with programme, finance and safeguarding colleagues to  ensure operational decisions reduce risk and support safe  participation by staff, partners, learners, teachers, school leaders  and community stakeholders. 

COMPLIANCE, VALUE FOR MONEY AND POLICY IMPLEMENTATION • Apply and help maintain operations, administration, procurement, logistics, asset management, ICT, travel, health,  safety and security policies in line with LWL procedures, Government of Sierra Leone requirements and donor regulations.

• Maintain complete, accurate and auditable records for  procurement, assets, contracts, travel, facilities, suppliers,  workshop logistics, health and safety, and operational approvals. 

• Identify operational compliance risks, procurement weaknesses,  documentation gaps, accessibility barriers and internal-control  issues, and escalate them to the Finance and Operations Director  with practical recommendations. 

SAFEGUARDING, GENDER EQUALITY, DISABILITY INCLUSION AND  SCHOOL SAFETY 

• Ensure operations systems actively support LWL’s safeguarding  commitments, survivor-centred approach, mandatory code of  conduct, vetting procedures, safe travel, confidentiality and  incident-reporting processes. 

• Mainstream gender equality and disability inclusion into  procurement, logistics, travel planning, venue selection, participant support, supplier management, operational risk  assessments and event management.  

• Ensure operational arrangements support school safety and  inclusive delivery, including accessible venues, reasonable  accommodation, safe reporting arrangements, inclusive transport  and safeguarding-sensitive logistics for girls, children with  disabilities, women and persons with disabilities. 

• Work with programme teams and partners to ensure activity  logistics reflect the Radical Inclusion Policy and support equitable  participation at school, district and national levels. 

TEAM MANAGEMENT AND HR INTERFACE 

• Provide day-to-day operational management, coaching and  quality assurance for the Senior Operations Officer, Administrative Officer, Administrative Assistant and fleet team ensuring clear priorities, timely delivery and professional communication and proactive problem-solving.   

• Coordinate with the Human Resources Manager on operational  interfaces only, including onboarding logistics, staff travel, duty of-care arrangements, office-based HR administration support,  safe recruitment logistics and maintenance of operational records  required for compliance. 

• Ensure the operations team provides responsive support to  finance, HR, procurement, technical teams, MERL, district teams  and implementing partners while maintaining compliance and  strong operational controls. 

• Promote a professional operations culture based on integrity,  inclusion, accountability, confidentiality, respectful communication and proactive problem-solving. 

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• Prepare concise operations updates, procurement trackers, asset  reports, travel plans, logistics reports, risk updates and action  trackers for the Finance and Operations Director and senior  management. 

• Coordinate closely with finance, HR, procurement, MERL,  programme teams, district teams and implementing partners to  ensure operations support is aligned with delivery timelines and  compliance requirements. 

• Proactively identify operational bottlenecks, supplier delays,  security concerns, access issues, accessibility barriers and capacity  gaps, and propose practical solutions. 

• Undertake any other operations, administration, procurement,  logistics, compliance or organisational duties that may reasonably  be required by the Finance and Operations Director or senior  management.

SPECIFICATION 

• At least 10 years’ progressively senior experience in operations,  administration, procurement, logistics and office management for  organisations managing large-scale grants or contracts. 

• Strong experience managing procurement processes, supplier  contracts, purchase orders, asset registers, inventory, facilities,  fleet, travel, workshop logistics and field operations. 

• Good understanding of donor-funded programme operations,  value for money, procurement integrity, audit trails, documentation requirements and compliance with organisational  policies. 

• Experience supporting operations across national, district, school  or community levels, including field movement planning, workshop delivery and stakeholder-facing events.   

• Practical understanding of health, safety, security, duty of care,  incident reporting and operational risk management for staff,  consultants, partners and programme participants. 

• Experience line-managing operations, administration, IT and fleet staff and coordinating effectively with HR, finance, and programme teams. 

• Strong knowledge and proficiency in Microsoft Office, including  Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and confidence using SharePoint,  digital collaboration tools, procurement trackers, asset trackers  and management information systems. 

• Excellent organisational, planning, problem-solving, stakeholder  management and communication skills, including clear written  and oral English.

• Excellent attention to detail; reliable, proactive, discreet and able  to complete complex tasks with minimal supervision and to  agreed deadlines. 

• Ability to work calmly under pressure, manage competing  priorities and maintain strong service standards while enforcing  compliance requirements. 

• Commitment to Lɛ Wi Lan’s safeguarding of children and  vulnerable adults, including its mandatory code of conduct,  vetting and background checks, survivor-centred response  approach, and values of gender equity, disability inclusion,  integrity and accountability. 

• Willingness to be based in Freetown and to undertake regular  travel to districts, schools, partner offices and government  institutions as required by the role. 

• Any other duties that may be required from time to time.