2024 Facilities and Property Officer

Nova Pioneer is looking for a rockstar Facilities and Property Officer willing and ready to start in January 2024 at our Eldoret High school campuses.  

This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of an innovative network of schools that is developing generations of innovators and leaders who will shape the African Century.

Disclaimer: Nova Pioneer does not charge any fee to process your application.

ABOUT NOVA PIONEER

Imagine a world in which every young person across Africa attends a school that truly sets them up for success in the 21st century. A school that cares about individual students and allows them to explore the world around them. A school that focuses more on developing skills than on memorizing content. At Nova Pioneer, we have done more than just imagine this future, we are bringing it to life. Nova Pioneer is a pan-African, independent network of schools offering high quality, accessible education from pre-primary through secondary school. Nova Pioneer uses a unique, enquiry-based learning approach that encourages students to ask “why” instead of telling them the “what”. It allows them to form their own thinking through exploration, investigation and collaboration. Nova Pioneer currently has 16 schools in South Africa and Kenya with a vision to launch 100 schools and reach tens of thousands of students across the African continent in the next decade. To learn more visit

ABOUT THE ROLE

The role will be based in Eldoret and the job holder will report to the Managing Director (MD) , Property (PropCo)

Under the overall guidance of the MD Prop Co, the job holder  shall ensure  the provision of effective and efficient facilities management, health & safety and administrative services to Nova Pioneer Eldoret campuses. The job holder will promote a client-focused, quality and results-oriented approach in the support offered by this serviceline .

This role involves close collaboration with both school-based and non-academic teams.

Key responsibilities for the role include: 

Facilities Management

1. Being the go-to-person on the team when it comes to efficient and effective campus maintenance and repairs. Source for suitable and quality contractors who can provide parts and services at a reasonable negotiated cost
3. Proactively and routinely inspect buildings and other support infrastructure to keep them optimally functional and detect, track and diagnose malfunctions in need of repair.
4. Prepare a schedule for maintenance (cost, timelines and manage bid management) matters and communicate this with all key stakeholders.
5. Minimise maintenance disruptions to the running of the school and where necessary ensure timely communication of the disruption while ensuring back-up systems bridge the gap adequately.
6. Respond to maintenance requests in a timely response, provide weekly updates of the status of jobs reported to the affected teammates and closeout reported repairs within the most effective turnaround time, to the highest quality and within the most effective cost.
7. Focus on using the best business practice to improve efficiency, by reducing operating costs while maximising the experience of all stakeholders who are using the Nova PIoneer campuses.
8. Work in partnership with the respective Deans of Students and Residential life at each campus to identify the relevant maintenance and repair items for execution. 
9. Budgeting - Be proactive in obtaining suitable cost estimates for all large facilities works and projects  to be carried out on the campuses. This includes obtaining relevant approvals and loading all relevant invoices onto Netsuite.
10. Water filtration/borehole systems maintenance and management.
11. Develop and maintain value-adding stakeholder relationships within networks that are useful in allowing the serviceline to be up to date, agile and swift in delivering high-quality results.

Security

1. Assist School Leaders, respective Deans of Students and Residential life in identifying the location of the first fix points for an integrated security installation.
2. Play an active role in the problem solving and in the after-action review task-force  In the event of major security incidents 

General Administrative Functions

1. Ensure that all Municipal  issues or any other operational licences or permits are obtained and are kept up to date. This includes but is not limited to:
   1. Assisting the Operations Associate Manager with any relevant county registration with the Ministry
   2. Fire Clearance Certificates
   3. Occupational Certificates
   4. Effluent Discharge Licences
   5. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA Licence or certification where applicable)
   6. Rates Clearance Certificate
2. In liaison with the school-based Operations Associate Manager, manage the landscaping vendor and swimming pool maintenance vendor  by ensuring the following:
   1. All indoor and outdoor spaces or facilities are correctly used to serve the intended purpose
   2. All indoor and outdoor spaces are maintained at a high level or degree of cleanliness and order.
3. Signage - ensure all safety, directional or informational signage is clear and well maintained
4. Budgets - develop and closely manage the budgets relating to landscaping and pool maintenance
5. Project Manage the launch aspects for growth and new schools with respect to the following
   1. Liaise with Procurement in the identification of the school facilities and property needs for the subsequent year or for new schools where applicable
   2. Management of deliveries and storage of property & facilities related items
   3. In partnership with Operations Associates - set up of schools at the beginning of every year

Small projects and expansion fitouts projects

Project manage and supervise any small works projects on the campuses including but not limited to the following responsibilities:

1. Prepare the programme and budget for presentation and approval
2. Prepare documentation and award contracts for small works
3. Report regularly on project status 
4. Provide functional guidance on maintenance and facilities
5. Be the main point of contact for anything related to property channelled through Operations.

ABOUT YOU

• You have  a Diploma or Degree  in Facilities Management, Project management, Construction or Property  Management
• You have at least 2-4 years spent in a supervisory role demonstrating progressive responsibility and can demonstrate the following skillset:

1. Leadership Skills: You have kept teammates that you worked with or managed motivated, resolved conflicts and made hard decisions for your teammates.
2. Time Management : You have worked with teammates, customers and leadership often spinning multiple plates at once. 
3. Math and Budgeting: You have kept and maintained a budget in almost every field. You will need to be confident in using math skills to make sure you know where your serviceline’s resources are being utilised.
4. Analytical Skills: You have a strong command of analytical skills and have been able to solve problems that came up during a typical work day. You have been analyzing data and made decisions that affect your role on a regular basis.
5. Communication Skills : You are a great communicator. You are able to provide concise and effective written and verbal communication to both the leadership team and teams or stakeholders you have worked with

• You have an exceptional ability to think strategically and yet you sweat the small stuff—people see you as unusually detail-oriented and conscientious, build systems and work-flow processes that allow teammates to accomplish tasks easily, efficiently and effectively.
• You have the ability to exercise discretion in handling sensitive matters.
• You have a flexible and adaptable approach to work.
• You are proactive and have an enthusiastic approach to work.
• You are excited about our organizational culture and in particular, you are fired up to challenge yourself by embracing mutual vulnerability and a firehose of feedback.
• You have the ability to exercise discretion in handling sensitive matters.
• You have a flexible and adaptable approach to work.
• You are proactive and have an enthusiastic approach to work.
• You are excited about our organizational culture—and in particular, you are fired up to challenge yourself by embracing mutual vulnerability and a firehose of feedback.

Please note: You are encouraged to attach your resume in PDF format to protect formatting.

There are a series of stages in the Nova Pioneer interview process and candidates will be moved forward in the process depending on their success in the previous stage. The process is as follows:

• Phone interview: a short conversation to understand your skills and experience a little better.
• Practical demonstration of what you can do:
• Final interview: you’ll have a final conversation with the hiring manager before decisions are made.

WORKING AT NOVA PIONEER

Nova Pioneer is a place where our people experience tremendous growth, fast! We invest heavily in the growth of our people because it leads to greater mastery in both us and our students. “Novaneers” work harder and work longer hours than at most schools but as a result, the growth they experience is extraordinary. We offer consistent and ongoing professional development and provide clear career pathways that ensure that our people are always achieving their personal and professional best. Nova Pioneer has a highly energetic, entrepreneurial environment where our people get to bring their creative and innovative ideas to life. We look for people who are flexible and who are able to adapt and respond quickly to adversity with a positive, can-do attitude (there are no problems, only solutions!). We welcome challenges and roll with the punches because it makes us, and our students, better. There is no problem too big for us! We work hard but we also have a lot of fun together. We bring infectious energy and enthusiasm to everything we do because joy fuels the hardest work and learning. Read more about our culture principles here.

Nova Pioneer will never request an application fee from candidates. If you are contacted with a request to pay a fee from someone claiming to be a Nova Pioneer Talent or Recruitment representative, please do not pay them and report it to us immediately on or .