Business Manager

Email Job

Job Detail

  • Job ID 1017154
  • Experience  5 Years
  • Qualifications  Degree Bachelor

Job Description

About Sankoré

Sankoré is building a new model of international education, one grounded in excellence, rooted in context, and designed to develop the next generation of African leaders.

We are a startup institution preparing to welcome our first class of students in September. Our ambition is to build not just a strong school, but a high-functioning institution from day one where systems, culture, and operations match the quality of teaching and learning.

Key Responsibilities

  1. Financial Leadership

2. Operations & School Infrastructure

3. Procurement & Vendor Management

4. Human Resources (Non-Academic)

5. Compliance, Risk & Governance

6. Systems Building & Institutional Development

7. Team Leadership

Candidate Profile

Required Experience

  • 5–10+ years in operations, finance, or general management roles
  • Prior experience in a top private or international school in Kenya is required
  • Prior experience in launching a new school is strongly preferred
  • Demonstrated experience building systems, processes, and teams—not just managing them
  • Experience operating in complex, multi-function environments (finance, HR, operations, procurement)
  • Strong familiarity with Kenyan regulatory, vendor, and operational contexts

Core Capabilities

  • Strong financial management and analytical capability (non-negotiable)
  • Ability to build systems from the ground up and make them work in practice
  • Decisive operator who can prioritize and execute in a fast-moving environment
  • Strong procurement and commercial judgment
  • Ability to manage people and hold teams accountable
  • High attention to detail without losing sight of the bigger picture

Profile We Are Targeting

  • We are looking for someone who:
  • Has operated at a senior level within a high-performing school in Kenya
  • Has been involved in the launching of / early stages of a new school in Kenya
  • Is comfortable owning outcomes end-to-end, not just coordinating tasks
  • Can make decisions quickly and confidently with incomplete information
  • Thrives in a startup environment where structure is being built, not inherited
  • Brings both financial discipline and operational rigor

What Will Not Succeed in this Role

  • Candidates whose experience is primarily administrative or coordination-focused
  • Individuals who rely on established systems but have not built them
  • Individuals who have not navigated government registration processes
  • Those who require highly structured environments to operate effectively
  • Slow or overly cautious decision-makers

Personal Attributes

  • High ownership and accountability
  • Exceptionally organized and structured in thinking
  • Calm, decisive, and solutions-oriented under pressure
  • High integrity and professionalism
  • Resourceful, pragmatic, and results-driven

What Success Looks Like

  • The school opens and operates smoothly from day one
  • Financial systems are robust, transparent, and forward-looking
  • Operational issues are anticipated and resolved quickly
  • Staff are well-managed and accountable
  • Systems are in place to support growth without constant reinvention

Related Jobs