General Manager

Job Description

Job Title: General Manager

Location: Dikan Center

About Dikan Center:
Welcome to the Dikan Center, a visionary non-profit institution dedicated to shaping the next generation of Africa’s creative leaders. At Dikan, we believe in the power of visual education to ignite transformation across the African continent. Through our dynamic education programs, vibrant community-building initiatives, captivating exhibitions, innovative lab, and engaging public programs, we create a nurturing space for the art of storytelling.

Position Overview:

Dikan Center is seeking a dynamic and visionary General Manager to lead our organization’s operations and contribute to our mission of transforming Africa through visual education. The General Manager will play a pivotal role in overseeing the day-to-day functioning of the center, managing staff, and ensuring that Dikan Center remains at the forefront of innovation in visual education. We welcome top performers that will bring new ideas, diverse perspectives, and provide you the opportunities and freedom to grow and make a real impact on millions of lives… all while having fun!

Responsibilities:
-Leadership and Strategy: Develop and implement strategies to advance Dikan Center’s mission, vision, and goals. Provide visionary leadership to the team and cultivate a culture of innovation and excellence. Supports strategy development through proposal design, work plans and road maps to track projects and initiatives.
Performs annual business planning, business case development, and go-to-market strategies to support strategic planning efforts.
Supports and facilitates strategic conversations, planning efforts and group decision-making processes through critical thinking, teamwork, collaborative problem-solving, and inclusion.
Through careful analysis of Key Performance indicators, (KPIs) including historical data, trends, and other key metrics, will act as a strategist in interpreting data, support in developing correction action plans, and aide in maximizing performance.
Serve as the lead for developing and tracking strategic key performance indicators and in general serving as the project management liaison for the Strategy & Impact department. Identify and execute ad-hoc analyses based on feedback from Executive review of KPIs /QPR.
Provides strategic and tactical leadership to coordinate and/or support department events, meetings, special events, public speaking, visibility opportunities, etc. Identifies conferences, webinars and committees that serve as opportunities for Center to participate in or present their work, as appropriate, participate in developing and providing content support for these opportunities.
Serves as professional representative of the Strategy & Impact department and support organizational initiatives, goals, and priorities.

– Operations Management: Oversee the day-to-day operations of the center, including budgeting, financial management, resource allocation, and facility management. You will step in to lead, or help lead, major projects with unclear owners and/or significant cross-functional dependencies. Coordination and development of agendas for meetings and create presentations for key internal and external meetings (e.g., board meetings, team strategy sessions, pitch decks, etc.)

– Team Management: Lead, motivate, and mentor a diverse team of educators, artists, and administrative staff. Foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment. Hire top talent, help them perform, grow and develop as professionals. Actively collaborate with your colleagues and learn from each other in a supportive environment that allows you to grow, develop and make a difference

– Program Development: Work closely with the Education Director, Library, archives, gallery, research and other key stakeholders to develop and refine Dikan Center’s multidisciplinary curriculum, community, and educational programs.

– Community Engagement: Build and nurture relationships with the local and international community, including artists, educators, students, donors and patrons. Enhance the center’s visibility and impact through partnerships and collaborations.

– Financial Stewardship: Manage the center’s budget, financial planning, and fundraising efforts to ensure long-term sustainability and growth. Facility and Resource Management: Oversee the maintenance and improvement of Dikan Center’s facilities, labs, studios, and library resources. Quality Assurance: Ensure the highest standards of education and visitor experience are maintained across all center offerings, including exhibitions, workshops, and public programs.

Qualifications:

– Bachelor’s degree in business administration, economics, or arts or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
– Proven leadership experience in a nonprofit, educational, or cultural institution.
– Strong understanding of education and a passion for its transformative potential in Africa.
– Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders.
– Financial acumen and experience managing budgets and fundraising efforts.
– Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a team, fostering a collaborative and innovative work culture. Highly organized. Strong work ethic. Good interpersonal skills. Meticulous attention to detail. Computer literate. Proactive nature. Self-Starter.

– Visionary thinking and the ability to develop and execute strategic plans.
– Commitment to Dikan Center’s mission and values.