Business Operations Manager

Business Operations Manager

easyHATCH

We are the leading poultry producer in Rwanda. We supply Day Old Chicks both broilers and layers. We also provide veterinary services and products and animal feeds. For the consumers we have chicken meat and eggs at discounted rates.

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https://www.easyhatch.rw

1. Position Overview and Purpose

The Business Operations Manager is responsible for the overall operational health, efficiency, and coordination of the Company as a business enterprise — distinct from the technical production management responsibilities of the farm managers, who focuses on the farm, hatchery, etc. Where the farm managers ensure that birds, eggs, and chicks are produced correctly, the Business Operations Manager ensures that the business systems, processes, information flows, governance routines, and cross-functional coordination that hold the Company together are functioning efficiently, consistently, and in support of the CEO’s strategic priorities.

This is a generalist, integrative, and enabling role. The Business Operations Manager does not own a single function but operates across all of them: connecting strategy to execution, identifying and removing operational bottlenecks, ensuring that management information reaches decision-makers in a timely and accurate form, driving process improvement across departments, and acting as the CEO’s trusted operational partner in the day-to-day running of the business. The role requires intellectual agility, strong commercial and financial literacy, a systems mindset, and the interpersonal credibility to work effectively with peers at the department head level.

The Business Operations Manager is a member of the Senior Management Team and contributes the operational perspective to all SMT decisions: is the business running as efficiently as it should? Are the right processes and controls in place? Is management information reliable? Are cross-functional coordination problems being resolved at the right level? Where the answer to any of these questions is no, the Business Operations Manager is expected to diagnose the root cause and lead the solution.

★ Role DistinctionThis role sits alongside — not above — the Farm Manager, Commercial Director, CFO, and HRM. It does not have line management authority over other department heads. Its authority is influence-based, process-based, and CEO-delegated. It is most effective when it is seen by peers as a genuine service: helping the whole machine run better, not adding a layer of bureaucracy between functional managers and the CEO.

2. Key Relationships

Stakeholder Nature of Relationship CEO Primary reporting line. The Business Operations Manager is the CEO’s operational partner — executing the CEO’s priorities, reducing the CEO’s administrative and coordination burden, and ensuring the business runs smoothly in the gaps between other functional responsibilities. Provides the CEO with a consolidated view of business performance and operational risks. Farm/Hatchery Manager Peer relationship. Coordinates on production-to-business interfaces: production planning data for financial reporting; capital maintenance scheduling; workforce planning for the operations function; and cross-functional project management where production intersects with commercial or administrative functions. Commercial Director / Sales Manager Coordinates on commercial reporting, CRM and pipeline data quality, sales performance analysis, commercial process improvement, and any cross-functional initiative that involves both commercial and operational or administrative teams. Chief Financial Officer Partners on management reporting design and data integrity; the annual budget process coordination; financial control environment; and the operational dimensions of audit and compliance. Human Resources Manager Coordinates on workforce planning data, HR process improvement, HRIS data integrity, and the operational dimensions of onboarding, policy rollout, and compliance tracking. IT / Systems Owns the Company’s business systems and technology roadmap. Works with the IT function or external IT providers to ensure business systems (ERP, CRM, HRIS, financial systems) are fit for purpose, properly maintained, and used consistently across the organisation. All Department Heads Acts as a cross-functional integrator. Facilitates SMT meeting preparation and follow-through. Identifies and helps resolve inter-departmental coordination issues. Leads cross-functional projects where no single department head owns the whole scope. External Service Providers Manages relationships with key business service providers: suppliers, IT support, office infrastructure, business insurance, professional services firms engaged on non-transactional work, and any other service provider that supports the business’s operational infrastructure.

3. Key Responsibilities and Duties

3.1 CEO Support and Strategic Execution

1. Act as the CEO’s operational partner: translate the CEO’s strategic priorities into structured execution plans with owners, milestones, and accountability mechanisms. Track progress against the strategic plan and escalate delays or blockers to the CEO with a recommended course of action.
2. Prepare, coordinate, and distribute the agenda and supporting materials for the weekly or fortnightly Senior Management Team (SMT) meeting. Take accurate minutes, distribute them within three (3) working days, and track all action items to completion. Report on overdue actions at the next meeting.
3. Identify matters that are consuming the CEO’s time but could be resolved, delegated, or managed at a lower level, and propose how to do so. One of the Business Operations Manager’s most valuable contributions is reducing the CEO’s operational load without reducing quality or control.

3.2 Business Performance Reporting and Management Information

1. Design and maintain the Company’s integrated management reporting framework: a set of reports that gives the CEO and SMT a clear, accurate, and timely view of performance across all functions — commercial, production, financial, HR, and operational risk.
2. Produce the monthly Business Performance Report for the CEO and SMT: a consolidated view of the Company’s key metrics, drawn from inputs provided by each department head, presented in a consistent format with trend analysis, variance commentary, and forward-looking risk flags.
3. Own the Company’s Key Performance Indicator (KPI) framework: define the KPIs, ensure they are tracked correctly, verify the underlying data for accuracy, and present the KPI dashboard to the CEO monthly. Challenge any KPI that is being gamed, misrepresented, or that has become disconnected from the business outcome it is supposed to measure.
4. Coordinate the annual budgeting process: issue the budget timetable to all departments, provide templates and assumptions, chase submissions, consolidate the departmental inputs into the company-wide budget, and support the CFO in presenting the budget to the CEO and Board for approval.
5. Ensure that management reporting is used for decision-making, not merely for record-keeping. If a report is produced but no one acts on it, investigate whether the report is still fit for purpose or should be redesigned.
6. Conduct ad hoc analysis and investigation at the CEO’s request: financial modelling for investment decisions, operational root-cause analysis for recurring problems, benchmarking of the Company’s performance against industry standards, or scenario analysis for strategic options.

3.3 Business Process Improvement and Operational Efficiency

1. Map, assess, and continuously improve the Company’s key business processes across all functions. Identify inefficiencies, duplications, bottlenecks, and gaps in process design that are costing the Company time, money, or quality.
2. Lead process improvement projects from diagnosis through to implementation and post-implementation review. Use structured improvement methodologies (process mapping, root-cause analysis, PDCA cycles) and ensure that improvements are documented as updated SOPs, policy amendments, or system changes, not just verbal agreements that revert within weeks.
3. Maintain a central process improvement register: a log of all improvement initiatives in progress, their status, the estimated value of the improvement, and the accountable owner. Present updates to the CEO and SMT quarterly.
4. Ensure that the Company’s Standard Operating Procedures are current, consistently applied, and fit for purpose across all functions. Work with department heads to identify outdated or missing SOPs and coordinate their update or creation.
5. Identify and eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy — approval layers, reporting requirements, form submissions, and administrative processes that consume employee time without adding proportionate value. The Company’s processes should be as simple as is consistent with adequate control.
6. Drive a culture of continuous improvement across the SMT and the broader management team: share learnings from improvement projects; celebrate practical problem-solving; and build the capacity of line managers to identify and implement improvements without always needing to escalate.

3.4 Cross-Functional Project Management

1. Lead or coordinate cross-functional projects that do not fall cleanly within a single department’s scope: new facility commissioning; new product or market launch; business system implementation; restructuring or expansion projects; regulatory compliance programmes; and any other initiative that requires sustained coordination across two or more departments.
2. Apply structured project management disciplines to every significant cross-functional initiative: a defined scope and objective; a project plan with milestones and dependencies; identified risks and mitigation measures; a communication plan; a named project sponsor (usually the CEO); and a regular status update to the SMT.
3. Resolve cross-functional coordination failures promptly: where two departments are blocked because neither owns the decision, the Business Operations Manager is expected to identify the path forward, facilitate the decision, and ensure it is implemented. If the issue genuinely requires CEO resolution, escalate it with a clear options paper, not just a problem statement.
4. Maintain a project register: a live list of all active cross-functional projects, their status, key milestones, and RAG (Red/Amber/Green) status. Present the register to the CEO monthly and to the SMT quarterly.

3.5 Risk Management and Business Continuity

1. Own the Company’s operational risk register: maintain an up-to-date log of all material business risks (excluding production biosecurity, which is owned by the Veterinarian), including financial risks, regulatory risks, IT risks, supply chain risks, and reputational risks. Rate each risk by likelihood and impact, and track the status of mitigation measures.
2. Present the operational risk register to the CEO monthly. Ensure that significant new risks are escalated to the CEO immediately rather than waiting for the next scheduled review.
3. Manage the Company’s business insurance portfolio in coordination with the CFO: ensure that all material assets, liabilities, and business risks are adequately insured; review the portfolio annually; and manage the claims process for any non-production insurance claim.
4. Ensure the Company’s contracts register is maintained: a complete, searchable log of all significant contracts entered into by the Company — supply agreements, customer contracts, service contracts, lease agreements, financing agreements — with key terms, renewal dates, and alert flags for upcoming expirations or break clauses.

3.6 Governance, Compliance, and Administrative Operations

1. Coordinate with the Company Secretary on all corporate governance matters that require operational input: Board paper compilation, shareholder meeting logistics, and the operational implementation of Board resolutions.
2. Manage the Company’s administrative infrastructure: office management, procurement of supplies and services, management of the Company’s physical filing and document management systems, and the administrative support function.
3. Manage procurement: engage the market competitively for all significant purchases and service contracts; ensure the Supplier and Procurement Policy is applied; and maintain relationships with key administrative service providers (legal, insurance, IT, facilities).

3.7 Strategic Planning Support

1. Lead the annual strategic planning process: design and facilitate the strategic planning offsite or workshop; compile pre-work materials including market analysis, financial performance review, and competitive intelligence; capture the outputs in a structured strategic plan with priorities, initiatives, and resource implications; and coordinate with the CFO on the translation of strategic priorities into the annual budget.
2. Maintain the Company’s strategic plan as a live document: track progress against strategic initiatives quarterly, flag delays and emerging obstacles to the CEO, and facilitate mid-year strategy reviews where required.
3. Conduct research and analysis to support strategic decisions: market sizing, competitor analysis, regulatory landscape assessment, financial modelling for new ventures, and any other analytical work the CEO requires to make an informed strategic choice.
4. Ensure that the Company’s strategy is effectively communicated to the SMT and through the SMT to the broader organisation: facilitate strategy cascade sessions, prepare internal communication materials, and confirm that every department head’s annual objectives are explicitly linked to one or more strategic priorities.

4. Minimum Qualifications and Experience

Requirement Specification Academic Qualification A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or an equivalent analytical discipline. An MBA or Master’s degree in Business, Operations Management, or Strategy is strongly preferred. Minimum Experience Not less than seven (7) years of progressive experience in business operations, management consulting, strategy, or a senior generalist management role, of which at least three (3) years must have been in a role with cross-functional responsibility and demonstrated impact on business efficiency and performance. Sector Experience Experience in agri-business, food production, manufacturing, or a comparably complex operational environment is preferred. Candidates with strong generalist management experience from adjacent sectors who can demonstrate rapid context-learning will be considered. Financial Literacy Demonstrable ability to read, interpret, and work with management accounts, budgets, variance analyses, and financial models. Able to build a basic business case or financial model without CFO assistance, and to challenge financial data constructively. Process and Systems Experience Demonstrated experience mapping and improving business processes, implementing or managing business systems (ERP, CRM, or equivalent), and managing data quality in a multi-system environment. Project Management Demonstrated experience managing complex, cross-functional projects from initiation to completion. Familiarity with structured project management methodologies (PMI, PRINCE2, Agile, or equivalent) is an advantage. PMP or equivalent certification is an advantage. Strategic Planning Experience supporting or leading a strategic planning process, including facilitating management workshops, structuring strategic analysis, and translating strategy into operational plans. Communication and Writing Exceptional written communication skills: ability to produce clear, structured, and persuasive Board papers, briefing notes, management reports, and analytical summaries. The Business Operations Manager writes documents that the CEO and Board can rely on. Language Proficiency Full professional proficiency in English (written and spoken). Kinyarwanda proficiency is an advantage for broader employee engagement. IT Proficiency Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (particularly Excel and PowerPoint) and Google Workspace. Experience with business intelligence tools, dashboard software, ERP or CRM systems. Comfortable learning new software platforms quickly.

5. Core Competencies and Personal Attributes

Competency Behavioural Indicators Systems and Integrative Thinking Sees the Company as a system of interdependent parts, not a collection of independent functions. Quickly identifies how a change in one area will affect others. Diagnoses root causes rather than treating symptoms. Does not solve a problem by creating a bigger one in the next department. Intellectual Rigour and Analytical Acuity Thinks carefully and critically. Does not accept numbers at face value — investigates anomalies, tests assumptions, and identifies the difference between correlation and causation. Produces analysis that is accurate, structured, and actionable. Comfortable with ambiguity and with saying “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” Execution and Follow-Through Translates decisions into action reliably. Tracks what was decided and ensures it happens. Does not accept the gap between the decision in the meeting room and the outcome in the field as inevitable. When things fall behind, diagnoses why and fixes it rather than reporting the delay. Influence Without Authority Achieves results through peers, not through hierarchy. Builds credibility with department heads by being genuinely helpful, analytically rigorous, and discreet. Does not position itself as a ‘super-manager’ or use its access to the CEO as a source of power. People engage with this role because it makes their work better. Communication Excellence Writes with exceptional clarity, precision, and economy. Presents complex information simply without sacrificing accuracy. Knows when a one-page summary is more effective than a thirty-page report. Adapts communication to the audience — Board member, department head, or field supervisor. Proactive Problem Identification Identifies problems before they are escalated. Reads the organisation’s signals — missed milestones, budget variances, inter-departmental friction, customer complaints — as early indicators of systemic issues and acts before they become crises. Discretion and Trustworthiness Has access to sensitive commercial, financial, HR, and governance information across the whole organisation. Handles all of it with complete discretion. Does not share information outside its legitimate use. People in this role see everything; only integrity prevents that from being a problem. Structured and Calm Under Pressure Maintains quality and composure during multiple simultaneous demands. When the CEO has three urgent priorities at once, this role finds a way to serve all three without dropping quality on any. Prioritises clearly and communicates priorities to stakeholders. Commercial and Financial Literacy Understands the financial drivers of the business well enough to identify when a process failure is costing money, when a management information gap is creating a commercial risk, and when an operational investment is or is not financially justified. Continuous Improvement Mindset Instinctively looks for a better way. Never satisfied with ‘this is how we’ve always done it’ as a justification. Balances the pursuit of improvement with the recognition that change has a cost and must deliver a proportionate benefit. Apply

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