Strategy & Operational Excellence Manager – West & Central Africa
Full TimeJob Overview
Allied Talent Partners (ATP), a Three Cairns Group initiative, is a mission-driven, not-for-profit talent marketplace focused on solving the human capital bottlenecks slowing down sustainable development efforts in emerging economies, with an initial focus on Africa. ATP connects vetted, experienced, context-relevant professionals to high-impact opportunities in energy access and sustainable development – strengthening local capacity and fuelling economic vitality. We specialize in fixed-term, deliverable-driven engagements – from interim leadership and generalist projects to niche technical expertise – handling project scoping, talent vetting and matching, contracting, payroll, and compliance so that our clients can focus on impact.
High-Level Overview
Client is a global leader in decentralized renewable energy, operating hybrid solar mini-grids across Asia and Africa. In Nigeria, the business has scaled rapidly from under 100 employees in 2023 to nearly 400 today. Nigeria is now the anchor market for expansion across West & Central Africa, with ambitions to raise $500M+ in growth capital.
To support this growth trajectory, Client seeks a Strategy & Operational Excellence Manager to act as an internal performance consultant – ensuring the business is “fundraising-ready” and aligned with international investor standards. This role bridges strategy and operations, focusing on process improvements, cost efficiency, governance, and cross-functional alignment, with a clear mandate to strengthen the client’s positioning as the benchmark for global investors.
The ideal candidate will be a senior manager professional with 10+ years of experience in energy, infrastructure, or consulting, and proven expertise in operational excellence and organizational transformation. They will bring exposure to Nigerian or West African markets, combined with the ability to engage directly with investors and boards. A hands-on change leader, the candidate will thrive in complex, entrepreneurial environments and have a track record of embedding scalable systems and governance practices in fast-growing organizations.
Role and Responsibilities
Role: Strategy & Operational Excellence Manager (West & Central Africa)
Direct Report: Country Director & VP, Business Development (West & Central Africa)
Candidates Required: 1
Key Deliverables:
Direct Report: Country Director & VP, Business Development (West & Central Africa)
Candidates Required: 1
Key Deliverables:
- Business diagnostic & investor readiness roadmap: Conduct a rapid assessment of Nigeria’s operations, governance, and processes; identify critical gaps against investor expectations and design a phased roadmap (short-, medium-, and long-term) to achieve fundraising readiness.
- Execution & operational excellence: Lead cross-functional implementation of process improvements that drive efficiency, cost savings, stronger controls, and sustainable operational discipline.
- Performance & compliance: Establish KPIs and dashboards to track operational and financial health; strengthen governance, policies, and compliance mechanisms to align with institutional investor standards.
- Cross-functional collaboration & capability building: Partner with finance, engineering, and business development teams to align priorities; coach leaders and embed practices that build lasting organizational capacity.
- Fundraising support: Provide structured input into the equity story and investor-facing materials, ensuring Nigeria’s operations are positioned as a benchmark for the company’s next growth phase and upcoming fundraising round.
Requirements
Experience Required:
- 10+ years in energy, infrastructure, consulting, or related sectors.
- Proven experience in renewable energy, utilities, or mini-grids strongly preferred.
- Track record in operational improvement, investor readiness, or corporate transformation.
- Exposure to Nigerian or West African markets strongly preferred; international experience in emerging markets desirable
Technical Requirements:
- Techno-commercial profile: combination of operational/technical background and financial expertise.
- Strong grasp of investor due diligence expectations (commercial, financial, operational, and governance), with direct experience engaging with investors, boards, and fundraising processes.
- Familiarity with both operational and financial performance management.
- Ability to design, assess, and implement scalable systems
Other Skills:
- Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management.
- Analytical problem-solver with ability to synthesize insights into clear action plans.
- Self-starter who thrives in fast-growing, complex environments.
- Skilled at aligning teams and driving process efficiency leading to measurable cost savings
Working Arrangement
Location: Based in Abuja (full-time office-based, 5 days/week).
Language: English
Travel: Flexibility for intermittent travel across current operations
Terms of agreement:
Start Date: Immediately
Contracting Period: 12 months (with potential for extension or transition to permanent)
Location: Based in Abuja (full-time office-based, 5 days/week).
Language: English
Travel: Flexibility for intermittent travel across current operations
Terms of agreement:
Start Date: Immediately
Contracting Period: 12 months (with potential for extension or transition to permanent)