Chief Executive Officer Job in an Educational Organisation


KPMG - Our client is a privately owned educational facility offering Nursery, Primary and Secondary educational services to its students. Its mission is “to provide world class education to children” with the aim of providing the students with a sound and solid education while at the same time developing the total child. It has nine locations in Lagos; with the objective of becoming one of the top 3 educational institutions of its kind while also expanding to other viable locations.

In line with this growth agenda as well as its desire to ensure critical roles are filled by best in class talent with the requisite experience and desired attributes, our Client seeks to recruit an experienced and motivated individual to fill the role of Chief Executive Officer.


Job Title:  Chief Executive Officer
Job Objectives

  • To provide strategic business direction towards growth & profitability meeting both long and short term goals
  • To pioneer, drive and build a Trust Council legacy that yields unprecedented results and impact
  • To ensure adherence to the school’s mission statement, maximizing and sustaining value for all stakeholders
  • Liaise with the Board to set the strategy for the Trust Council
  • Provide management oversight to drive the School towards profitable and sustainable growth
  • Implement the School’s business strategies and growth plans - translation of high level corporate strategies into business and operational initiatives
  • Create an enabling environment that will empower Management and staff to commit to achieving set goals and objectives and proactively respond to opportunities and challenges in the business environment
  • Work with the Trust Council team to design multi-year programmatic, strategic, and financial plans and, subsequently, implement them
  • Monitor the effective implementation of Board decisions and management of the company budget and statutory / Management information reports and accounts
  • Liaise with the relevant industry, government and/or regulatory bodies, ensuring that the School’s interests are presented and protected and statutory returns are made as appropriate
  • Review and develop new sustainability and social responsibility initiatives that meet the current industry and business demands
  • Manage the School’s corporate image in a way that sustains and/or enhances the Company’s reputation and brand
  • Support the development of strategic partnerships to aid in the attainment of the Trust Council vision
  • Manage the School’s risk profile in line with the extent and categories of risks identified as acceptable by the Board
  • Facilitate communication and coordinate engagement efforts between various stakeholder groups e.g. schools, parents, teachers, regulatory bodies, media, etc.

Skills & Competency Requirement

  • Excellent qualitative and quantitative analytical skills;
  • Outstanding communication skills, both verbal and written;
  • Strong financial analysis skills and facility with financial statements;
  • A proven ability to attract, recruit, retain, and develop excellent staff;
  • A good understanding of Corporate Governance;
  • Up-to-date Industry Knowledge on the Education sector – locally and globally;
  • Track record of business, financial and organization performance;
  • Productive relationships – team, partners and stakeholders;
  • Resilient – calm in the face of conflict, criticism and crises;
  • High energy, passion and integrity;
  • Ability to identify new sources of funding from foundations, corporations, investors, and/or individual donors, and the skills required to secure these resources through relationship-building

Personal Attributes & Characteristics

  • A level of integrity and energy compelling enough to bring divergent groups together in a collaborative manner and inspire them to act
  • The executive presence to inspire confidence and passion and the persistence and zeal to lead a mission driven organization toward realizing ambitious goals;
  • The gravitas and sophistication required to be the public face of the Trust Council and the eloquence and persuasiveness required to serve as a spokesperson for the organization to a wide variety of audiences
  • The maturity and experience required to optimize Board members and other stakeholder expectations

Key Performance Indicators

  • Efficiency of the Executive Office service
  • Effective delegation of responsibility
  • Problem areas identified and issues effectively resolved
  • Cost management
  • Internal and external stakeholder satisfaction
  • Standard and compliance of submitted business reports for tax and other statutory purposes
  • Financial performance & Budget adherence

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s Degree
  • Post Graduate study/degree in Financial/Business Management or Administration is desirable
  • Relevant professional qualification seen as an added advantage
  • 15 - 20 years’ experience with at least 10 years of proven executive–level management, team-building, and operational experience;
  • Tested strategic planning and tactical execution experience that includes growing a unit or division, assessing its progress systemically, determining ROI, and making resource allocation decisions on the basis of outcomes as compared to desired results
  • An understanding of issues and challenges facing education reform in Nigeria;
  • Extensive knowledge of thought leaders and key influencers in education circles (and beyond) in Nigeria;
  • A professional background comprised of credentials and experiences that qualifies him/her to make distinctions between good schools and great