[Hiring] Senior Manager Operations and Allocations @SNV

Role Description

SNV is building a commercial markets accelerator, built to close the gap between capital and impact where both are urgently needed. This is a lean unit with a single P&L, a break-even mandate, and a team that spans two revenue streams, multiple geographies, and a mix of hires and consultants. The Senior Manager for Operations and Allocations is the engine room. This person owns the financial backbone of the Accelerator, keeps a constant eye on profitability and spend, manages how team members and partners are allocated across assignments, and ensures the internal systems and processes work well enough to create commercial speed rather than administrative drag.

The right profile is someone with the financial rigour of a management accountant, the operational instincts of a COO, and the interpersonal skills to manage resource conversations in a small, fast-moving team where everyone has competing priorities. This is not a support function. It is a strategic role that directly determines whether the Accelerator reaches break-even.

Key Responsibilities

• Financial management
  • Own the Accelerator's P&L — monthly tracking of revenue, costs, and contribution margin by stream and by engagement.
  • Maintain actuals vs forecast on a rolling basis. Flag variances to the Director within the week they emerge.
  • Manage invoicing: raise invoices on time, track payments, chase overdue receivables.
  • Negotiate and manage consultant and sub-contractor contracts — day rates, scope, payment milestones.
  • Prepare the quarterly financial report for the steering committee.
  • Own the budget reallocation process — track what has been spent, what remains, and flag when lines are at risk of overrun before they overrun.
  • Support the Director on financial inputs to stage gate dossiers.
• Resource allocation
  • Maintain a live allocation view: who is on what engagement, at what percentage, and through to when.
  • Identify capacity constraints before they become delivery problems — flag to the Director when team members are overcommitted.
  • Manage the transition of team members between engagements.
  • Coordinate with the Director and stream leads on consultant sourcing.
  • Track billable time across the team — ensuring the right proportion of staff time is recoverable against client engagements.
• Partner and sub-contractor network
  • Own the onboarding process for consultants and sub-contractors.
  • Maintain a curated roster of preferred partners by specialism and geography.
  • Own the internal sub-contracting mechanism with other SNV teams.
  • Manage ongoing partner relationships.
  • Build new partner relationships proactively.
• Internal systems and operations
  • Own the CRM — ensure it is live, accurate, and used.
  • Maintain operating systems: project management tools, document management, reporting templates.
  • Own the data governance framework.
  • Run the monthly internal review.
  • Manage ongoing compliance requirements.
  • Identify and flag any internal process that is creating drag on the team's commercial activity.

Qualifications

• At least 8 years in operations, finance, or management roles — with direct experience managing a P&L or project budget in a commercial or consulting context.
• Experience in resource allocation or capacity planning in a professional services or consulting environment.
• Track record of managing consultant or sub-contractor networks.
• Experience working in or with development organisations, international NGOs, or similar.
• Experience building and running internal operating systems from scratch.
• Experience establishing or managing framework agreements with external suppliers or delivery partners.

Requirements

• Strong financial management skills — comfortable with P&L tracking, margin analysis, and budget forecasting.
• Proficiency with CRM tools, project management software, and financial tracking systems.
• Exceptional organisational skills.
• Good negotiator — with consultants, with suppliers, and internally.
• Comfortable evaluating and selecting operational tools.
• English required. French or Portuguese an advantage.

Benefits

• We offer a competitive salary and benefits package.
• Compensation is determined based on relevant experience, skills, and internal equity.