🇸🇱 Job Vacancies @ Rising Academy – 4 Positions
School Performance Manager (SPM) and Regional Performance Manager (RPM)
About Rising Academy Network
We are a growing network of inspiring schools in Africa. Our mission is to create the best schools and the most powerful teaching and learning tools in the places that need it most. We pursue this mission through our own networks of private schools and through partnerships with government and other education providers. Through these channels we currently serve 250,000 students in more than 700 schools across Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, and Rwanda.
Our work in Sierra Leone:
Rising started in Sierra Leone in 2014 during the Ebola crisis, providing home-based learning to students kept out of school due to the epidemic. From there, we opened our very first school and have since grown from a network of private schools to include a dynamic portfolio of partnerships with a range of stakeholders. Following the 3-year Education Innovation Challenge (EIC), Rising was selected as one of five education providers for the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education’s (MBSSE) new three-year Education Outcomes Fund program, an innovative outcomes-funded program focused on improving foundational literacy and numeracy. In collaboration with EducAid, Rising is also entering the second phase of a partnership with Freetown City Council to support the Mayor’s #TransformFreetown initiative, supporting over 500 schools across Freetown. We have supported remote learning efforts during COVID with radio education and recently partnered with Youth Impact to deliver a maths-focused remote learning program. In addition, Rising is teaming up with Imagine Worldwide to test and scale tech-enabled learning in a range of school settings to support foundational learning.
About Imagine World Wide
Imagine Worldwide partners with organizations across the globe to provide child-directed, tech-enabled learning that is accessible, effective, and affordable. In Sierra Leone, together with Rising Academy Network, they provided tablet-based instruction to children in two government primary schools in grades 1-6 to test the fit of our software application in preparation for scale.
Building off the success of the pilot program, they are now designing a portfolio in Sierra Leone which will include partnerships with the Ministry of Education, Rising Academy Network, West Africa Blue, and the office of the Mayor of Freetown. Imagine World Wide and Rising Academy Network are targeting an initial 40 schools, and plan to expand to a portfolio of 200 schools serving approximately 50,000 students.
About the Role
We are seeking highly professional, motivated and organized education leaders for our School Performance Manager and Regional Performance Manager roles in Sierra Leone for the tablet program we deliver in partnership with Imagine World Wide and West Africa Blue. It is a program that will commence in this academic year and continue for a span of three years. As part of the program, Rising has been selected as one of the education solution providers to work with 15 schools across Moyamba and Bonthe. These roles are critical positions for Rising Academy Network – Sierra Leone. Details of the roles are given below.
School Performance Manager (SPM) X 3
Mission: Facilitate the effective implementation of the tablet program in assigned schools to generate lasting improvement
Key Outcomes
- Ensure effective program implementation through regular monitoring and evaluation
– Observe + record + evaluate important information and insights by visiting each assigned school at least once a week
– Tailor support to the schools using the recorded information as well as input from Project Manager/colleagues
– Effectively manage schools, including teachers and school leaders and track updates on weekly monitoring dashboard reports
– Share updates and communicate challenges with Regional Performance Manager and Rising Project Manager
– Assist Rising with baseline and endline assessments and other evaluation reports
– Collect progress reports every week and insert the data into digital monitoring data collection tools i.e Kobo
– Lead trainings and sensitization sessions for teachers, school leaders and relevant community stakeholders
– Support Data and Research team with monitoring and evaluation activities if needed
- Logistics
– Assist with school and tablet set-up, which includes the distribution of the tablets, metal cabinets and other procured equipment necessary for the implementation of the program
– Organise the logistics of trainings and community sensitization processes
- Multiply impact of the Rising system by winning support of key stakeholders – Invest stakeholders like parents and caregivers, community members and district education officials etc.
– Clearly and effectively communicate information about the project to schools leaders, teachers, and communities
– Collaborate successfully with school staff, colleagues and the broader organisation to support assigned schools
Competencies
– Rich experience of working in schools with different school stakeholders is required
– Strong classroom observation skills are required
– Strong interpersonal and communication skills are required
– Ability to use digital data collection tools is required
– Strong administrative skills are required
– The knowledge of local languages in Moyamba/Bonthe is preferred – Experience working with digital tablets is preferred
– Ability to positively influence a variety of stakeholders is preferred – Full-time, 40 hours per week, additional hours as required
Regional Performance Manager (RPM) X 1
Mission: Quality assure the support provided by RAN to project schools
Key Outcomes
- Drive improvement in student learning, teacher practice and school leadership in assigned schools
– Ensure effective program implementation through regular visits to assigned schools and tailored support
– Drive the professional development of Teachers and School Leaders through formal trainings and individual coaching
- Successfully manage a team of 3 School Performance Managers (SPMs) – Conduct at least one visit a week with each of the SPMs to observe, draw insights and, provide feedback for growth to the SPMs
– Review data and regularly track the progress of each school managed by SPMs and help SPMs set priorities and next steps for them
– Regularly communicate with each SPM to check-in, problem-solve and, provide continuous coaching and support to help them meet their weekly/monthly/termly goals
- Build and maintain fruitful relationships with key internal and external school stakeholders
– Keep Project Manager apprised of progress and challenges in schools as well as program updates on a weekly basis
– Build fruitful relationships with community stakeholders such as parent representatives, community chiefs and build their buy-in into our programs and interventions
- Liaise with Project Manager for a variety of important tasks
– Ensure important analyses and updates are communicated timely and accurately to SPMs
– Conduct key trainings for SPMs, teachers and school leaders
Competencies
– Rich experience of working in schools with different school stakeholders is required
– Strong classroom observation skills are required
– Ability to engage meaningfully with data is required
– Ability to use digital data collection tools is required
– Strong interpersonal and communication skills are required
– Ability to positively influence a variety of stakeholders is required – Experience of being a people manager is preferred
– Experience of having worked closely with government authorities is preferred – Experience of working as a School Performance Manager/ School coach at least for two years is preferred
– Experience working with digital tablets is preferred
– The knowledge of local languages in Moyamba/Bonthe is preferred – Ability to remotely manage a team as well as liaise remotely with HQ is preferred
– Full-time, 40 hours per week, additional hours as required
Fit
– Alignment with Rising’s Mission and goals
– Alignment with the Rising Principles
Application requirements
– Updated CV, Cover letter
The application deadline is 5pm Monday, January 30th 2023.
– Application can be sent to:
balnura.kuralova@risingacademies.com
and
jobs@risingacademics.com
– In your cover letter and subject line of your email, please indicate the role you are applying for. Please note “Application for the position of SPM” in the subject line if applying for the SPM role “Application for the position of RPM” for those applying for the Regional Performance Manager role. This is mandatory. We won’t process the application unless the role is clearly mentioned.
– Carefully review the application requirements for the role and make sure you are eligible before you apply
– Include all the information requested. Incomplete applications may be rejected.
– Applicants must be available to start in the position immediately and should be willing to relocate to Moyamba/Bonthe
– Shortlisted candidates may be invited to attend an in-person interview – Given the volume of applications we receive we may not be able to contact and give feedback to candidates who did not meet requirements
