About 1001fontaines

1001fontaines is a French non-profit association, whose goal is to ensure everyone can drink safe water and enjoy improved health. Its mission is to design and deploy at scale sustainable safe drinking water solutions for vulnerable communities. This is made possible through the provision of high-quality bottled water services up to the point of use, the capacity-building of local organizations to ensure the continuity of these services, and the mobilization of the communities and local ecosystems to raise awareness about the importance of safe water for health and development.

Learn more at www.1001fontaines.com

Context

Since 2024, 1001fontaines has been supporting Uttaran Paani, a social enterprise initiative led by Uttaran, a prominent grassroots NGO in Bangladesh. Operating in the water-scarce and salinity-affected region of Southwest Bangladesh, Uttaran Paani manages three Reverse Osmosis (RO) water purification plants that deliver safe, affordable drinking water to underserved communities. The enterprise integrates business efficiency with social impact to ensure long-term sustainability and scalability.

Position Overview

The Operations Manager will be responsible for optimizing the entire value chain of Uttaran Paani’s water production and distribution system. This includes plant operations, logistics, sales strategy, technical maintenance, data-driven decision-making, and financial performance. The role demands both strategic acumen and strong execution capabilities, ensuring efficient delivery of safe water while maintaining the enterprise’s financial health and social mission.

Key Responsibilities

1. Plant Operations Management

● Oversee day-to-day operations of three RO plants to ensure compliance with production KPIs, quality assurance standards, and safety protocols.

● Optimize input-output ratios (water recovery rate, energy efficiency, consumable usage).

● Implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for plant performance and staff productivity.

2. Sales Strategy & Channel Development

● Develop and execute B2C and B2B sales strategies aligned with monthly revenue targets.

● Expand distribution channels via data-driven territory management and market segmentation.

● Establish sales performance dashboards and CRM protocols to track customer conversion and retention metrics.

3. Logistics & Supply Chain Optimization

● Design efficient distribution models for timely water delivery from plants to customers and retail outlets.

● Leverage route optimization tools and GPS tracking for fleet management.

● Establish KPIs for last-mile delivery, including fulfillment rate, delivery time, and vehicle utilization.

4. Technical & Quality Control Oversight

● Supervise preventive and corrective maintenance schedules for RO systems, pumps, storage units, and electrical infrastructure.

● Ensure compliance with WHO and national water quality standards through regular lab testing and field sampling.

● Introduce remote monitoring tools integration for technical oversight.

5. Data Analytics & Performance Reporting

● Develop and maintain operational dashboards for tracking production, distribution, sales, and cost-efficiency metrics.

● Generate periodic performance reports for internal stakeholders and partners, including variance analysis and process improvements.

● Implement ERP or MIS tools to centralize data collection and workflow tracking.

6. Financial Planning & Cost Management

● Manage operational budgeting, cost controls, procurement compliance, and vendor performance.

● Identify cost-reduction opportunities across OPEX and CAPEX without compromising service quality.

● Align financial planning with business growth and sustainability objectives.

7. Social Impact Integration

● Embed social impact metrics into operational KPIs (e.g., cost per liter delivered, number of households served, affordability index).

● Engage local stakeholders and integrate feedback mechanisms to improve service relevance and user satisfaction.

● Support monitoring teams in the evaluation of health, economic, and gender-related outcomes of water access.

Recruitment process

Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV and a cover letter outlining their motivation and relevant experience, along with their expected salary.