Manager, Portfolio Operations and Planning

About Us

Fika exists to innovate cost-effective rural infrastructural solutions through advocacy, evidence and technical assistance to promote safe access for geographically isolated communities through partnership with governments and donors.

We provide flexible work arrangements, comprehensive mental and physical wellness support, and annual salary reviews aligned with our compensation policy. Additionally, we offer opportunities for professional growth, allowing individuals to shape their own career paths through targeted development programs.

Job Purpose

The Manager, Portfolio Operations & Planning owns portfolio management for Fika's Global Adoption & Influence function. The role converts strategy into an integrated delivery plan with clear milestones, decision rights, resourcing, risks, and accountability across global policy, country adoption, Safe Access, development finance, and strategic partnerships.

This is a programme and portfolio-management role, not an executive-assistance or general administration position. The Manager provides the operating discipline and decision support that allow senior leaders and cross-functional teams to focus on outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities 

Portfolio planning and performance

• Own and maintain one integrated portfolio plan aligned with Fika's strategy and Global Adoption & Influence OKRs.
• Translate priorities into workstreams, milestones, owners, decision points, resourcing assumptions, and measurable outcomes.
• Lead monthly portfolio reviews and quarterly planning, with clear action and decision follow-through.
• Develop concise dashboards and executive reporting on progress, capacity, trade-offs, and delivery confidence.
• Support prioritisation when new opportunities or resource constraints affect the agreed portfolio.

Cross-functional delivery and decision support

• Coordinate delivery across Digital, Research and Data, Programs, Marketing, Development, and country teams.
• Establish and maintain clear decision rights, including RAPID frameworks where useful.
• Manage dependencies, hand-offs, decision logs, and escalation points across teams.
• Provide programme-management leadership for flagship cross-functional priorities, including the Safe Access Scorecard.
• Ensure decisions are translated into accountable actions and closed-loop follow-through.

Risk, resourcing, and financial management

• Maintain portfolio-level risks, assumptions, issues, dependencies, and mitigation actions.
• Track budgets, forecasts, and expenditure across relevant workstreams in coordination with Finance.
• Manage the operational aspects of consultants, contracts, and external delivery partners.
• Identify capacity and resourcing gaps early and develop practical options for addressing them.
• Ensure required records and processes align with Fika's financial, contracting, and operational policies.

Operating systems and continuous improvement

• Design and run a light, effective meeting and review rhythm for the portfolio.
• Maintain key decisions, actions, workstream documentation, and version control.
• Develop practical templates, standard operating procedures, and tools that make cross-functional delivery easier.
• Maintain a simple intake and assessment process for events, partnerships, and emerging opportunities.
• Review and improve operating processes based on delivery experience, performance data, and team feedback.

Key Outcomes in the first 12 months

• One integrated portfolio plan is used to manage priorities, resources, and delivery confidence.
• Major workstreams have clear ownership, decision rights, and escalation paths.
• Leadership has earlier visibility of delivery risks, capacity constraints, and required decisions.
• Safe Access and other cross-functional priorities have reliable delivery structures.
• Senior leaders spend materially less time on routine coordination and follow-up.

Qualifications

Required qualifications

• At least 6 years of progressive experience in programme or portfolio management, strategy and operations, consulting, or international development.
• A bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of relevant education and professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-workstream initiatives across functions, geographies, or institutions.
• Strong capability in work planning, OKRs, risk management, budgeting, resource planning, and executive-level reporting.
• Excellent facilitation, judgement, problem-solving, and written communication.
• Ability to create useful structure, surface trade-offs, and drive accountability without adding unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Demonstrated ability to influence across a matrix and build trust with senior leaders and delivery teams.
• Strong proficiency with digital project-management, collaboration, dashboard, and workflow tools.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience working in Africa and/or global development.
• Exposure to government, MDBs, bilateral institutions, or complex institutional partnerships.
• Experience supporting evidence, digital-product, or policy-to-implementation portfolios.
• Familiarity with Salesforce, data dashboards, automation, or AI-enabled workflows.
• Professional fluency in French, Spanish or Swahili.

Working Conditions

This is a remote position within a globally distributed team. Some early-morning or evening meetings may be required for cross-time-zone coordination. International travel may be required based on strategic priorities.

Physical Requirement

This role primarily involves computer-based work, written communication, and participation in virtual and in-person meetings. Travel may involve extended periods in transit. The essential functions may be performed with or without reasonable accommodation.

Direct Reports

None at appointment. The role may manage consultants or temporary support and will coordinate matrixed contributors across Fika.

Application Guidelines

Fika is committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and strive to provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities during the application and employment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in our hiring process or to perform the essential functions of your job, please include this information in your application and we will work with you to ensure your needs are met.

• To apply we require 
• A max one-page motivation letter 
• A CV following these guidelines:
  • Length: Maximum 2 pages.
  • Education: Highlight relevant diplomas, degrees and recognized certifications 
  • Exclude: personal information (photos, gender, religion, marital status, number of dependents), non-certified training.