Main Role Objective
The Operations Manager is a key supporting role for the CEO of the business with the main KPI of freeing up the CEO by devising and establishing a strong operational framework within which the business is run. This extends to putting in place and rolling out systems, processes and providing administrative and office support to the business. The Operations Manager must have exceptional attention to detail and possess exemplary organisational skills. They should be resourceful, have a can-do, creative approach to problem solving and be able to think critically, multi-task and project manage. They proactively suggest ways to streamline and improve systems and processes to achieve the business’s goals.
Logistics:
- Virtual Role (work from home) – must be within two hours of SAST (GMT+2)
- Able to travel to Germany HQ at least twice a year
- Full-time
- Initial 3-month contract with a view to extending to permanent role
- 40 hours per week
This Role Reports to:
- CEO
- Daily CEO catch-up (virtual), Teams, Email and WhatsApp comms
- Ad hoc meetings as required by the business
Remuneration:
- This is an intermediate to senior role and remuneration will be based on experience and skill.
Primary Responsibilities + Tasks
Business operating administration and freeing up the CEO
- Provide high-level support and roll out CEO vision in the company
- Actively look for opportunities and work on projects to streamline business workflows, systems and processes
- Prepare client contracts, manage expiry dates, rate negotiations and renewals with Account Directors and clients
- QC of company documentation, website and collateral
- Update ASANA and other project management tools as necessary
- Create and manage online filing structure and file supporting resources in a structured, logical manner
- Business Admin as required, incl:
- Compiling reports
- Onboarding new clients and team members
- Creating checklists and SOPs
Revenue & operating expenses management
- Manage time tracking system for team and freelancers and ensure all hours are accurate for billing and reporting purposes
- Coordinate freelance projects, resources and billing
- Check that clients are timeously billed in accordance with their contract and requirements by preparing invoicing schedule and instructions for bookkeeper each month
- Solve and answer queries from bookkeeper, team, freelancers and clients regarding any financial transactions
- Assist with managing business credit card transactions and operational purchases, employee expense claims, freelancer invoices & corporate accounts
HR & Team Culture management
- Communications and information distribution to team
- Manage planning, budget and rollout of events and team activities
- Onboarding and terminations
- Manage staff review process
- HR administration and employee files
- Recruitment support, when needed
- Compilation and maintenance of user guides, playbooks, employee handbooks and policy documentation
- Assist with staff access control to various systems
Manage of team availability calendar
Must-Have Experience With:
- Business Operations
- Office Management
- Developing SOPs and workflows
- Use of OneDrive, Sharepoint, Teams
- Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
- Strong written and verbal English and German communication
Ideally Has Experience With:
- Travel & Tourism sector knowledge a plus
- PR & Marketing agency experience a plus
- Organising the operations of a small business with multiple physical locations
- Remote work and teams
In A Nutshell, You Are:
This is a fast-paced, fast-changing environment which requires you to have an agile mindset, be flexible, resourceful and have an innovative, independent approach to problem solving. You are a Doer – someone who does not wait to be asked. Rather, you look for gaps and opportunities and seek to fill them efficiently and quickly. You are honest, respectful and lead with empathy in your communications. Your strategic and organisational skills are top-notch, you’re able to follow through without being followed up on and show creativity in the face of challenges.
- Highly organised
- Like to come up with innovative ideas to solve challenges
- Like a fast-paced, ever-changing environment
- Excellent written and verbal English & German skills
- Are a self-starter that likes to get stuck in without micro-management
- Work best in a rapidly changing environment
- Like starting and finishing things – getting stuff done
- Cleverly connects the dots to streamline work – systems minded
- A doer and fills time productively – not just ticking the box
- Do not require supervision
- Someone who can cut through lots of detail, harness what’s important and act swiftly
This Role is NOT For You If:
This role is not for you if you wait to be told what to do, are looking for a 9 to 5 job where you can check-out, outside of ‘normal’ working hours and want strong corporate structures and culture. If you need a great deal of guidance to get going and lots of support and encouragement, this is not the right role for you.
- Struggle with self-motivation
- Time management challenges
- Love set structure and hate change
- Work best in a corporate environment
- Have poor Internet and Phone access
- Panic or are overwhelmed easily
- Take things personally
- Are indecisive
- Need lots of emotional support and approval
- Require strong supervision and management
- Find it difficult to balance detail with big picture
How you will know if you are on track to achieving your KPIs
- The CEO feels they cannot run the business without you
- By the time anything gets to the CEO it is ready to send out to the team, clients or third parties
- You continuously assess business processes, make suggestions on how to work smarter and roll out procedures to business
- The team sees you as someone with incredible attention to detail, initiative and high organisational skills
- You are working in your identified zone of genius in your ‘green zone’ and using your work time productively
- Your systems are always kept up to date
- Operating costs are kept to a minimal and where expenditure is necessary the most cost-effective option is being chosen
- The team sees you as approachable and a team player
- Team feels that they are enabled to work more efficiently and increase productivity through procedures, systems & workflows put in place
- Team is able to access all relevant information and effectively collaborate to deliver on client deliverables
- Team feels the company culture is positive, they feel secure, valued, seen and heard
Reviews
- 3 Month Trial Review
- Weekly review in the first month, with monthly reviews thereafter to assess success in role and set-up areas of development in subsequent months.
- You will have to illustrate that you can be trusted to do the job adequately without needing to be followed up with.
- For your review, you will be asked to score yourself against your role profile and company values, which will be counter-scored by 2 staff members who work with you.
- 3 Month Trial Review
