How you'll help us achieve it

Wave is now the largest financial institution in Senegal, with over 7 million users. And, we’re still in the early days of our product roadmap and potential impact on people’s everyday lives.

You will be the go-to person in keeping our Lilongwe and upcountry offices humming - managing people operations, events, administration and everything in between. We are looking for someone who is fast paced, data driven, energized by building systems and making things happen. 

In this role, you'll;

People Operations

• Implement and maintain HR policies, procedures, and administrative systems across Wave Malawi.
• Onboard new staff and integrate them into Wave's culture.
• Manage employee records including compensation, benefits, insurance, promotions, transfers, performance reviews, and terminations.
• Process work permits for employees as needed.
• Serve as the primary contact and Business Partner for all people-related matters.

Office Management  &  Administration 

• Oversee day-to-day office operations, ensuring quality working conditions and health and safety compliance.
• Create trackers and operational-level reports on a monthly basis.
• Manage the office front desk, utilities, security, supplies, equipment, and inventory levels
• Maintain a clean, tidy and well-organized work environment and manage cleaners
• Manage our security staff.
• Follow up on bill payment for  facility utilities, including but not limited to office (electricity, water, canteen).
• Support in various tasks to ameliorate the working environment of Wave

Logistics

• Arrange domestic and international travel (visas, flights, hotels, car rentals).
• Fleet,  fuel and driver  management.
• Manage office budgets and procurements.
• Monitor and manage the canteen and other vendors.
• Plan corporate events including happy hours, retreats, and conferences.

Key Details

• Location: You'll work from our office in Lilongwe, Malawi and travel to upcountry field locations from time to time.
• Work authorization in Malawi is required.
• This is a permanent position.
• Our salaries are competitive and calculated using a transparent formula. 
• We offer generous health insurance for yourself and your dependents.
• We support working parents - we offer 26 weeks of  parental leave for mothers and 4 weeks for fathers, in addition to subsidized child care when they return to work.
• Airtime reimbursement.
• Free food and a beautiful office space.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or professional training in business administration, HR, or any other related field. 
• At least 4 years experience in a similar role, ideally at a fast paced international company.
• Experience using Google Suite (Doc, Sheets) or Microsoft Office.
• Strong organizational and prioritisation skills. 

You might be a good fit if you

• Demonstrate tenacity and a willingness to go the distance to get things done.
• Have great crisis and stress management skills. 
• Are thoughtful about how physical spaces and environments support team culture.
• Can function autonomously with minimal guidance.
• Possess strong collaboration, communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Display strong work ethics and respect internal policies.
• Are comfortable defaulting to over-communication and overreaching when it comes to coordination.
• Adjust quickly to changing priorities and conditions and cope effectively with complexity and change.
• Are analytical in your approach to problems.
• Have developed processes with minimal guidance and have implemented them.
• Are solution-driven and detail-oriented with strong task follow-through.
• Can understand and follow established priorities.
• Are flexible to work irregular hours.

About Imagine Worldwide

All children have immense potential, but hundreds of millions don’t have access to the learning they need. Imagine Worldwide believes that every child should be empowered with the basic right to literacy and numeracy. We provide an innovative education technology solution and implementation model to the global literacy/numeracy learning crisis using the onebillion application and various toolkits and systems to support implementation. Our model is massively scalable, evidence-based, and can deliver foundational learning to millions of the most marginalized children.

Imagine Worldwide partners with governments, organizations, and communities to provide child-directed, tablet-based learning that is accessible, effective, and affordable. We are incorporated in California (United States) as a nonprofit organization, but operate in Sub-Saharan Africa through locally-registered entities in Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania. Learn more on our website.

About the Role

The Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring the smooth, efficient, and compliant functioning of Imagine Worldwide’s Malawi office. The primary purpose of this role is to provide strong operational leadership and oversight that enables program delivery at scale. Working closely with Finance, Programs, and Technical Services, the role ensures that systems, processes, and support services are well-coordinated, responsive, and aligned with organizational standards. The role will report to the Director of Finance and Administration and will oversee other Administration and Operations Officers 

This position is accountable for delivering high-quality administrative and operational services that support staff, management, and partners. Key outcomes include effective office and facilities management, streamlined operational processes, strong vendor and asset management, and full compliance with organizational policies and procedures. 

By strengthening the operational backbone of the Malawi office, this role directly contributes to Imagine Worldwide’s strategy of testing and scaling tablet-based learning solutions. Efficient and reliable operations enable program teams to focus on delivering impact—helping children become literate and numerate—while ensuring the organization can expand sustainably and responsibly.

Key Responsibilities

Cross-Team Coordination & Operational Support

• Provide day-to-day operational support to program, finance, and technical teams to enable timely and effective delivery of activities. 

• Coordinate logistics for internal events, donor engagements, stakeholder visits, and special projects, while ensuring international staff administrative needs (e.g., visas, work and residence permits) are efficiently managed.

Office, Facilities & Administrative Management

• Oversee the smooth running of office and warehouse facilities, ensuring they are safe, functional, and compliant with workplace standards. 

• Manage leases, utilities, and service contracts (including internet, security, and cleaning), ensuring high-quality vendor performance. 

• Deliver responsive administrative services that support staff productivity and maintain a professional working environment.

Procurement, Vendor, Asset & Fleet Management

• Lead and manage procurement processes in line with organizational policies, ensuring transparency, value for money, and timely delivery. 

• Oversee vendor selection, contracting, and performance management. 

• Maintain accurate asset registers and ensure proper safeguarding of organizational resources.

• Manage fleet operations, including vehicle registration, licensing, insurance, maintenance, and supervision of drivers.

Compliance, Governance & Systems Management

• Maintain all corporate records, licenses, and statutory filings, ensuring timely renewals and full compliance with local regulations and organizational standards. 

• Work closely with the Director of Finance & Administration and global teams to uphold governance requirements and strengthen internal systems.

Risk Management & Security Oversight

• Support the identification, assessment, and monitoring of operational risks, maintaining the risk register and tracking mitigation actions across teams. 

• Facilitate regular risk reviews in alignment with Imagine’s global risk framework. 

• Serve as the country office focal point for security, ensuring staff and visitors receive appropriate briefings and that relevant information is shared with leadership.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations, or a related field.
• Minimum of 6 years’ experience managing office, compliance, or operations functions — ideally with an NGO or international organization.
• Proven experience dealing with government agencies, corporate registration, and statutory compliance in Malawi (or similar contexts).
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with experience in vendor and contract management.
• Strong problem-solving ability and high attention to detail.
• Proficiency with MS Office tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); familiarity with cloud-based document systems is a plus.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Strong ability to plan, coordinate, and oversee day-to-day operations.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and coordinate complex logistics in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to effectively engage with internal teams, global colleagues, partners, vendors, and government stakeholders.
• Sound knowledge of procurement processes, contract management, and supplier performance monitoring, with a focus on transparency and value for money.
• Basic financial management skills, including budgeting support, cost tracking, and understanding of administrative systems and controls.
• Familiarity with HR processes such as recruitment coordination, onboarding, staff welfare, and maintaining a positive workplace environment.
• Ability to identify operational challenges, assess risks, and implement practical, timely solutions with sound judgment.

Qualities

•  Passion for Imagine’s mission and vision 
•  Demonstrated commitment to equity in educational access and outcomes
• Passion for project management
• Demonstrated ability to think independently and solve problems
• Collaborative team player; clear and proactive communicator
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to work in a fast-paced, changing environment

Compensation & Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Location

The Operations Manager must be based in Lilongwe, Malawi.

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Imagine Worldwide is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.