Business Manager

Overview

This role serves as the primary liaison for the Principal across various concurrent projects and business activities. The Business Manager is responsible for tracking project progress, managing financials, supporting implementation, providing executive assistance, and facilitating reporting to ensure seamless project execution and strategic alignment.

Project Management

• Act as the main contact point for the Principal on multiple simultaneous projects and activities.
• Monitor milestones, deliverables, timelines, and dependencies, alerting the Principal of any risks or delays.
• Coordinate with project teams to align priorities and next steps.
• Maintain and update a centralized dashboard tracking all ongoing projects and their respective statuses.
• Ensure follow-through on action items from meetings and assign accountability accordingly.
• Support project scoping, resource planning, scheduling, and coordination of meetings.
• Identify dependencies between projects and escalate scheduling or resource conflicts.

Financial Administration

• Develop, review, and update project budgets collaboratively with the Principal and teams.
• Track expenditures versus budgets and report discrepancies.
• Review and vet payment requests and invoices for accuracy and authorisation before approval.
• Prepare periodic expenditure reports and financial summaries for oversight.
• Keep all financial documentation audit-ready, organised, and accessible.
• Work with finance and audit units to ensure timely payment processing and resolve queries.
• Assist in preparing financial projections and cost-benefit analyses for projects.
• Support effective coordination of all financial administrative tasks.

Project Implementation Support

• Provide operational assistance to project teams, removing bottlenecks and coordinating resources.
• Help draft implementation plans, work schedules, and task assignments.
• Monitor adherence to project plans and flag delays or resource shortages.
• Liaise with vendors and partners to ensure timely delivery of required goods and services.
• Verify that project deliverables meet agreed quality standards before approval.
• Facilitate onboarding of new team members or partners by ensuring access and documentation are complete.
• Conduct inspections and audits of projects, reporting findings to the Principal.

Executive Support and Relationship Management

• Manage the Principal’s calendar, prioritizing appointments, meetings, and engagements.
• Prepare briefing materials, talking points, and documentation ahead of meetings and events.
• Draft and manage correspondence on behalf of the Principal with internal and external stakeholders.
• Serve as a trusted liaison, representing the Principal professionally across all seniority levels.
• Coordinate travel arrangements including itineraries and accommodations.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding all business, financial, and personal matters.
• Foster strong collaborative relationships with partners, clients, and internal teams.
• Represent the Principal in meetings when delegated, ensuring accurate communication of outcomes.

Reporting

• Compile regular project status and business activity reports for the Principal.
• Prepare financial reports highlighting expenditures, risks, and recommendations.
• Draft summaries and presentations for internal and external audiences as needed.
• Combine updates from various teams into cohesive reports supporting decision-making.
• Maintain accurate documentation to facilitate audits and future reference.
• Track and report key performance indicators relevant to projects and business efforts.
• Ensure timely and accurate delivery of reports in proper formats.

Key Relationships

• Provide daily support to the Principal including scheduling and briefing.
• Coordinate with project leads and teams for status updates and issue resolution.
• Liaise with employees for operational follow-ups as directed by the Principal.
• Manage relationships with partners, clients, suppliers, and vendors.
• Collaborate with finance, accounts, and audit teams on budgeting and payments.

Qualifications and Experience

• Holder of at least a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Management, or related disciplines; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in business management, executive support, project coordination, or similar roles.
• Proven expertise in project management, budget creation, financial oversight, and expenditure tracking.
• Prior experience supporting senior executives or principals in dynamic environments is advantageous.

Core Competencies

• Project coordination skills allowing management of multiple projects with effective follow-up.
• Strong financial literacy for budgeting, tracking expenses, and producing reports.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills for professional correspondence and reporting.
• Interpersonal ability to engage confidently with all organizational levels.
• Effective organizational and time-management skills to handle high demands and calendar prioritization.
• High levels of discretion and judicious decision-making in handling confidential business and financial matters.
• Proactive problem-solving aptitude during project execution phases.
• Proficient with office software including MS Office or Google Workspace, and familiarity with budgeting and project tracking tools.

Personal Attributes

• Extremely organized, attentive to details, and dependable.
• Flexible and comfortable managing diverse and evolving responsibilities.
• Self-driven, able to work independently, and anticipatory of the Principal’s requirements.
• Willing and able to travel occasionally, sometimes on short notice for project needs.
• Commitment to confidentiality by sharing information strictly on a need-to-know basis or as directed.