The Operations Manager is responsible for establishing, leading, and growing a strategic business division specialising in premium Management Development Programmes (MDP), employed learnerships, and customised corporate learning solutions. The role provides strategic and operational leadership by driving business growth, academic excellence, innovation, and regulatory compliance while optimising the use of existing Signa Academy campuses, shared services, and regional resources. The incumbent leads the development, accreditation, implementation, and quality assurance of learning programmes, manages a multidisciplinary team and professional facilitators, and builds strong partnerships with corporate clients and internal stakeholders to deliver high-quality, market-responsive learning solutions that position the division as a leading provider of corporate education and leadership development. Maintains absolute regulatory compliance (SETA, QCTO, NQF) and positions the division as a leading strategic partner for corporate South Africa.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- A degree in Business, Finance, Operations Management, Training & Development, or an equivalent qualification (NQF Level 9 qualification is preferred, or the candidate must show clear evidence of nearing the completion of NQF Level 9 studies).
- A formal Certificate in Project Management is highly advantageous.
- Excellent written and verbal English communication proficiency is a mandatory requirement.
- Minimum 5 years of experience in high-level academic, corporate L&D, or operations management, with a solid track record of starting up or building new divisions, schools, or premium educational product lines.
- Proven experience managing high-performance teams.
- Demonstrated track record in negotiating and managing complex SLAs, internal shared services relationships, and cross-functional collaborations.
COMPETENCIES & SKILLS
- Advanced strategic planning, business modeling, and executive leadership capabilities.
- Deep, practical understanding of the South African Higher Education and private college regulatory frameworks (including SETA, QCTO, ETQA, and NQF compliance systems).
- Strong financial and commercial acumen, with a proven ability to manage operational budgets, model product profitability, and drive ROI.
- Highly analytical mindset, with the ability to interpret commercial, operational, and academic data to steer divisional strategy.
- High ethical standards, transparency, and a strong sense of integrity.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Divisional Setup & Strategic Business Formulation
- Establish the new Management Development Division from a structural, strategic, and commercial perspective, translating executive vision into scalable business models.
- Formulate and continuously develop the division’s long-term business strategy, positioning, and growth plans in direct alignment with the General Manager and executive committees.
- Design and execute the divisional operational layout, ensuring that all elements are structured to run lean, agile, and in compliance with the group's overarching business strategy.
- Translate long-term divisional objectives into clear, measurable, and highly strategic annual operational roadmaps and academic frameworks.
- Lead the division’s executive reporting cadence, supplying the General Manager and executive structures with strategic performance insights, growth opportunities, and critical risk analyses.
Shared Infrastructure Leverage & SLA Management
- Optimize organizational resources and eliminate administrative duplication by designing and managing collaborative frameworks that leverage existing assets.
- Negotiate, establish, and continuously monitor internal SLAs with Campus Managers and regional operations structures to utilize existing campus facilities for MDP and learnership delivery.
- Collaborate extensively with central support departments (HR, IT, Finance, Marketing) to ensure the new division receives seamless back-office support and operational enablement.
- Serve as the primary strategic escalation’s liaison between the division, central support functions, and campus management structures.
Portfolio Innovation & Academic Product Strategy
- Lead the division's product strategy and curriculum differentiation to capture and sustain high-value corporate market share.
- Collaborate with the General Manager and the Specialist Product Developer in researching, conceptualizing, and creating premium, cutting-edge, and highly competitive learning solutions.
- Establish rigorous academic quality standards and product specifications to ensure customized learning solutions align directly with corporate client needs.
- Govern the product lifecycle of all MDP and learnership offerings, ensuring continuous enhancement, modernization, and alignment with emerging corporate leadership trends.
- Approve new curriculum designs, learning architectures, and strategic submissions for academic accreditation before they are submitted to regulatory bodies.
Direct Leadership of Specialized Talent & Academic Delivery
- Directly manage and build the capability of the division's core specialized team to drive execution excellence and maintain premium standards.
- Directly lead, coach, and evaluate the performance of direct reports.
- Build, manage, and continuously develop an elite pool of Professional High-Level Facilitators capable of delivering executive-grade, impactful management training to corporate clients.
- Formulate and drive recruitment, induction, and talent development plans to build a premium internal academic faculty, reducing reliance on low-impact external contractors.
- Establish and govern key performance indicators (KPIs) and continuous coaching frameworks for all direct subordinates to foster a high-performance, strategic culture.
Governance, Compliance & Accreditation Strategy
- Direct the regulatory compliance and accreditation functions to position governance as a key market differentiator.
- Formulate a proactive accreditation roadmap to secure timely approvals for new learning products and specialized corporate learnerships.
- Build and monitor a regulatory compliance alert framework and risk mitigation system to ensure the division remains fully compliant, audit-ready, and strategically aligned with all national legislative changes.
Digital Transformation, LIS Adoption & Analytics
- Lead technological integration to enable data-driven decision-making and support rapid scale.
- Drive the strategic adoption of Learner Information Systems (LIS) and Learning Management Systems (LMS) across all delivery sites and leveraged structures.
- Lead change management and digital transformation interventions, ensuring academic, administrative, and external corporate users actively adopt and maximize technology platforms.
- Utilize advanced digital tools and educational analytics to monitor program outcomes, analyze delivery performance, and drive strategic interventions.
Corporate Client Alliances & Commercial Stewardship
- Participate in the formulation of the division's commercial models, pricing strategies, and operational budgets to ensure long-term business sustainability.
- Partner closely with the marketing and business development teams, providing expert academic positioning, program strategy, and presentation support during high-value corporate pitches and client consulting.
- Manage expenditures in strict compliance with the delegation of authority and monitor the commercial viability and ROI of all launched programs.
For more information please contact:
Vutomi Mukhari
