Head of Business Operations

ABOUT SMARTLAB Smart. Lab is Smart Africa Group's innovation engine — an ecosystem built to grow Africa's innovation landscape by empowering learners, corporates, and startups to develop groundbreaking solutions that impact African communities. Smart. Lab operates across four core pillars: Learning, Talent Hire, Accelerator, and Events — connecting ambitious individuals and organisations to opportunities that move Africa forward.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Head of Business Operations is the operational backbone of Smart. Lab. This role is accountable for ensuring every programme, product, and service that Smart. Lab delivers is executed with precision, delivered on time, and consistently exceeds client and partner expectations. It requires a hands-on leader with deep technical and operational expertise in Smart.

Lab's service areas — someone who can manage complexity, build scalable systems, and drive the subsidiary's performance from the inside out. Beyond internal operations, the Head of Business Operations plays a critical role in forging the strategic partnerships that expand Smart. Lab's delivery capacity and commercial reach, while keeping a firm grip on cost efficiency and financial performance.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Operational Excellence

• Oversee all Smart. Lab operations to ensure productivity, efficiency, and high-quality delivery across all service lines.
• Apply technical knowledge of Smart. Lab's services to optimise execution, identify operational risks, and uphold service standards.
• Drive assignment turnaround at best-in-market speed while delivering up to 40% below prevailing market cost — without compromising quality or profitability.
• Continuously improve processes, technologies, and internal systems to maximise subsidiary performance.

1. Partnership Development & Management

• Forge strategic partnerships with organisations and individuals offering complementary services to strengthen Smart. Lab's delivery capacity.
• Evaluate partnership opportunities using technical and industry expertise; assess service compatibility and commercial fit before committing.
• Negotiate partnership agreements that expand client offerings and reinforce Smart. Lab's competitive position.

1. Quality & Client Service

• Ensure Smart. Lab consistently delivers the highest-quality work in the market, grounded in technical rigour and innovation.
• Lead quality assurance processes, resolve client delivery issues proactively, and maintain service integrity at all times.
• Benchmark Smart. Lab's technical and service standards against competitors to sustain a market-leading position.

1. Strategic & Financial Management

• Manage resources, budgets, and cost structures to deliver services within target cost-efficiency margins (up to 40% below market rates).
• Monitor Smart. Lab's financial health and provide the COO/CEO with timely, actionable operational and financial reports.
• Balance operational efficiency with profitability, ensuring technical excellence is never sacrificed for short-term cost savings.

1. Leadership & Team Development

• Lead Smart. Lab's operational teams with a focus on technical proficiency, accountability, and a culture of innovation.
• Mentor and upskill staff to ensure the team has the technical and operational capacity to execute at the highest level.
• Build and sustain a results-oriented culture that values collaboration, continuous improvement, and impact.

QUALIFICATIONS

& EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations, Marketing, IT, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of hands-on operational management experience within Smart. Lab's lines of service — innovation programmes, learning, talent, or accelerator operations.
• Proven technical expertise in the subsidiary's service areas, with a track record of guiding teams and resolving complex delivery challenges.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver projects with superior turnaround times and measurable cost optimisation.
• Experience building and managing strategic partnerships and cross-industry collaborations.
• Solid financial management and reporting capabilities. CORE COMPETENCIES
• Strong technical and operational leadership with a hands-on management style.
• Ability to balance technical precision, cost efficiency, and market-leading quality simultaneously.
• Excellent stakeholder and partnership management skills across diverse partner types.
• Analytical problem-solving with a drive to build better systems, not just fix problems.
• Financial and resource management acumen.
• Strong people leadership and a genuine commitment to team development.