(Senior) Program Operations Manager (m/f/d)

Do you love it when complex processes ultimately work smoothly? Do you manage to keep an overview even with many parallel topics, bring different stakeholders together, and ensure that open points turn into reliable solutions? At the same time, do you want to not only execute operational processes but also help shape them and continuously improve them? Then this role might be exactly your thing.

You will take on a central role in the operational heart of our further education programs. You will ensure that our courses and locations run reliably from an organizational perspective, coordinate internal teams and external partners, and resolve challenging operational issues from planning to implementation. You will be close to the day-to-day business, make independent decisions, and at the same time develop structures and processes that make our operations more efficient and scalable.

Who We Are
Der Zukunftsmotor is an innovative further education institute focused on future skills for professions with a high shortage of skilled workers. We are a young team of 40 with the common goal of giving people a second chance at education.

• End-To-End Responsibility Course Operations: You are end-to-end responsible for the smooth running of courses from the first to the last day and for ensuring operational deadlines across all stakeholder groups. In doing so, you also act as a translator between the different departments and participants, and effectively find quick solutions to short-term challenges.
• Location Support: You are centrally responsible for our locations in Berlin, Hamburg, Bielefeld, and Munich, ensuring smooth operations in exchange with local contact persons, as well as the strategic development & scaling of the locations.
• Continuous Process Optimization: You regularly analyze existing processes in the organization, identify potential for optimization, automation, or streamlining of processes. You always ensure that current processes are documented in a user-oriented manner. 
• Multi-Stakeholder Projects: Based on the identified optimizations, you will implement projects with internal and external stakeholders and manage them until the final goal is achieved.
• Management of External Stakeholders: You manage our external stakeholders (e.g., co-working spaces, educational publishers, our external certification body), negotiate contracts, and ensure that their work contributes to the successful course progression.

• Experience:
  • You have successfully completed a degree or vocational training in economics, social sciences, or natural sciences.
  • You have several years of practical experience in dynamic start-up or scale-up environments, ideally with multi-stakeholder projects and in operations.
• Competencies:
  • Problem-Solving Skills: You can quickly empathize with the perspective of others and proactively find independent solutions. You find it easy to translate problem orientation into solution orientation and to see opportunities where others see limitations.
  • Hands-On Doer: As a small team, spontaneous & new tasks arise regularly and are distributed within the team. You enjoy getting involved operationally, taking on responsibility for new tasks at short notice, and working in a varied role.
  • Stakeholder & Project Management: You are able to structure complex projects and ensure that defined deadlines are met in close coordination with the respective stakeholders. You can prioritize independently, juggle many balls at once, and always maintain an overview.
  • Strong Communication Skills: As a central point of contact for operational course flow within our team, you are adept at understanding problems and enabling users to find solutions in simple terms, ensuring that stakeholders always feel well-supported.
  • Agile Working: You can adapt quickly to new circumstances and feel comfortable in environments where work is done flexibly and you operate at different levels. 
  • AI and Tech Affinity: You find it easy to quickly familiarize yourself with and master new tools. At the same time, you enjoy continuously developing your skills in AI and identifying ways to simplify your work.
  • Language: You are fluent in written and spoken German (minimum C1 level).

• You are in the Driver's Seat: You will receive full professional responsibility for the Course Operations area.
• Education as a Key: We live and breathe the topic of education holistically. You can expect regular feedback on personal development as well as regular professional exchange within the team on operations topics.
• Purpose: Through your work, you make a sustainable societal contribution and work in a value-driven company that pursues the vision of strengthening democracy in Germany through education.
• Shaping Opportunities: We believe in the best idea, regardless of who comes up with it. So look forward to having a lot of freedom to implement your personal ideas with us.

• Type of Position: Full-time, permanent position, unlimited contract
• Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 40 hours
• Flexible & Hybrid Working: 3 days a week in our modern office at Alexanderplatz (2 fixed team days + 1 flexible day). 
• Other Benefits: 30 days of vacation, workation options, annual offsites, team events, and an ergonomic workplace with fruit and drinks.
• Salary: €52,000 - €57,000 gross per year (depending on qualifications & experience).
• Sound exciting? Then apply with your CV.

• What is your favorite tool for personal organization & productivity enhancement and why?
• What is a quality of yours that is not directly visible on your CV?
  
  

• Your Profile: Your application is received, we review your CV and respond within 4-5 business days.
• Getting to Know Each Other: You will receive an invitation for an introductory meeting with our Recruiting Manager Chris Heisch (video call, 30 minutes).
• Technical Interview: In a conversation with our founder Franziska, you will go deeper into your practical experience and knowledge in operations (video call, 60 minutes).
• Case Study: In a concrete case study with a current challenge at Zukunftsmotor, you will demonstrate your professional expertise in front of our founder and another stakeholder from the organization (on-site).
• We will get back to you with our decision within one week at the latest.

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