JOB DESCRIPTION
Title: Operations Manager, Nigeria
Reports to: Operations Director
Employment Type: Full-time
About Impact Water
Want to help make safe drinking water a reality for every student, everywhere?
Impact Water is a nonprofit that provides point-of-use water treatment systems and safe water education to public schools in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda. Today, we support more than 24 million students in over 60,000 schools.
Our model is simple and practical. We install point-of-use water treatment systems in schools, keep them resupplied, and maintain them so they keep working year after year. Our field teams visit schools regularly to train teachers on safe water practices, check that water is actually being treated, and teach students why they should only drink treated water.
We work closely with national and subnational governments, and over the next five years we are supporting them to take greater ownership of safe water in their schools, from budgeting and procurement to delivery and monitoring. Our goal is for every public school in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda to have safe drinking water by 2030, provided as a routine government service.
Position Overview
We are seeking an Operations Manager to coordinate field implementation, support Field Coordinators and ensure effective, consistent delivery across our school programme in Nigeria. Impact Water has been implementing programmes in Nigeria since 2017, delivering inline chlorination systems and chlorine tablets with high-quality water tanks, supported by field visits, monitoring and behaviour change communication. Impact Water serves over 40,000 schools in Nigeria, across 22 states.
The ideal candidate has experience coordinating field operations or programmes within a social enterprise, NGO or development organisation. They are comfortable supporting geographically dispersed teams, monitoring performance, solving operational problems and ensuring plans translate into effective field delivery.
The successful candidate will have strong planning, coordination, communication and data management skills, and be willing to travel frequently to supervise Field Coordinators across Nigeria.
Above all, we are looking for a leader who takes ownership of results and goes the extra mile to make sure the right thing gets done in schools. They are self-driven, open to feedback and committed to learning, and they connect with Field Coordinators with humility, kindness and curiosity.
Key Responsibilities
Lead People
Field Coordinator leadership: Recruit, onboard and supervise state-based Field Coordinators across assigned states. Set clear expectations and agree monthly workplans. Review performance against visit quality, system functioning and usage, give regular feedback, and support each FC's development
Field supervision: Travel frequently to field locations to observe school visits alongside FCs, verify service quality and follow up on implementation challenges in person
FA coaching through FCs: Ensure FCs coach and supervise Field Agents during school visits, including how they communicate safe drinking water practices to staff and students. Make sure school staff understand their role in maintaining systems and usage
Field team coordination: Keep regular contact with FCs and help them plan FA visits, workloads and field activities across their states and LGAs. Flag early when workload, travel or security conditions put delivery at risk
Performance and capacity building: Review team performance data and field reports, identify capability gaps, and put coaching or retraining plans in place. Escalate persistent issues to the Operations Director
Cross-functional collaboration: Work with People Operations to keep FA staffing at the right level in each state
Lead Impact
Field Agent training: Lead FA trainings for your states using standardised materials, moving toward regional trainings. Run initial and refresher trainings on visit procedures, system use, behaviour change communication, data collection and field standards
Training that changes behaviour: Work with the Operations leadership team to improve FA training, with a strong focus on behaviour change and facilitation. Build it on the barriers to usage in schools
Readiness and follow-up: Test FA knowledge before school visits start. Observe FAs in the field, identify gaps, adjust materials or delivery, arrange retraining and confirm the improvement
School outcomes: Make sure every school receives its required visits, supplies and behaviour change communication, and systems are functioning and used consistently
Field monitoring and quality assurance: Review FC plans and reports. Run spot checks and random verification calls with the call centre. Hold FCs to the highest standards of integrity and performance
Government and stakeholder coordination: Keep regular contact with LGA and state education officials and other stakeholders. Support state engagement toward government co-financing
Distribution support: Work with the Logistics team so FAs and FCs are ready for LGA distribution. Make sure field teams record deliveries and return unused materials
Systems, Data & Finances
Data quality and reporting: Review visit, training, distribution and team data for completeness, accuracy and trends. Report against plans accurately and on time
Risk and corrective action: Identify operational risks and performance gaps, coordinate corrective action and escalate significant issues to the Operations Director
Operational systems and continuous improvement: Develop, document and improve field procedures and best practices across assigned states
Budgeting and cost control: Approve FC requisitions within delegated authority and maintain controls against overspending, loss and fraud
Strategy and planning: Set team objectives for each programme window, track progress and adjust plans
Required Qualifications
Experience & Track Record
5 years of relevant experience in programme coordination, field operations or managing geographically dispersed teams
5 years of experience supervising teams, monitoring performance and following through on agreed actions
Experience in field monitoring, data collection, data review and operational reporting
Skills & Competencies
Leadership: sets the example for the team, takes responsibility for its results and earns the trust of Field Coordinators
Ownership: takes a personal interest in achieving goals, connects with the purpose of our programme, and sees to it that the right thing is done
Self-driven and goes the extra mile to make sure things are accomplished, without waiting to be told
Open to feedback: seeks it out, engages with it constructively and is committed to learning and growing
Strong human relationships: connects with Field Coordinators and communicates clearly, with humility, kindness and curiosity
Strong planning, coordination, organisational and problem-solving skills
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, high level of comfort with field data monitoring and analysis
Ability to coach Field Coordinators and work collaboratively across teams
Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and maintain attention to detail
Willingness and ability to travel frequently across states and LGAs in Nigeria
Knowledge & Network
A bachelor's degree in Business, Project Management or a related field
Knowledge of local languages and Nigerian field operating contexts
Preferred Qualifications
Experience working with schools, education programmes, public health, safe water or WASH programmes
Experience with Salesforce, SurveyCTO, TaroWorks or similar data systems
Compensation & Benefits
Competitive salary, commensurate with experience
Health insurance
21 days of paid time off (PTO)
Career growth and professional development opportunities
Regular performance feedback and learning opportunities
The opportunity to contribute to improving access to safe drinking water for schoolchildren
Location & Travel
This position will be based in Lagos, Nigeria. The role requires frequent travel across Nigeria to supervise Field Coordinators and monitor programme delivery. Target start date: as soon as possible.
Reporting Structure
This position reports to the Operations Director and works closely with the Logistics team. The Operations Manager supervises Field Coordinators across assigned states and, through them, the Field Agents.
Application Process
To apply, please submit an application here. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Impact Water is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, particularly those with lived experience in our countries of operation.
