Program Manager, IWW

The context: 

Across the developing world, more children than ever are in school – but they are not learning. A recent study estimated that less than 1% of school children in Sub-Saharan Africa attend a school where the teaching meets basic standards of quality. At Rising Academies, we’re changing that, and we want your help. Our mission is to create the best schools and the most powerful teaching and learning tools for the people that need it most. We’re one of the fastest-growing quality-focused education companies in Africa, and a Certified B Corp®. 

About us and our work in Sierra Leone:

We own and operate our own great value private schools, partner with governments to improve the quality of public school systems, and use our content and technology to help other education providers. Founded in Sierra Leone in 2014, we provided emergency education to children kept out of school by the Ebola Epidemic before opening our first school in April 2015. Today, we serve more than 250,000 students across more than 900 schools in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana and now Rwanda.

In Sierra Leone, 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 third phase of a partnership in Freetown City schools, 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 has teamed up with Imagine Worldwide to test and scale tech-enabled learning in a range of school settings to support foundational learning. 

Through great curriculum, intensive teacher coaching and actionable data, we help teachers and school leaders bring quality to every classroom. And we get results: show Rising students make more than twice the progress of their peers in comparable schools.

About the role:

We are seeking a dynamic, proactive, and mission-driven Program Manager who will lead the implementation of a tablet-solution program for primary class students. You will be responsible for ensuring the continuous progress and the effective delivery of the program to the satisfaction of all stakeholders. We are looking for someone who is passionate about education and committed to making a positive impact in the lives of children in Sierra Leone.

The Program Manager, IWW will:

• Manage the implementation of the programme and be a primary point of contact with Imagine World Wide
• Manage the process of weekly monitoring & evaluation through field visits and surveys, collecting data for research & evaluation purposes
• Collaborate with international stakeholders and donors, timely report and exchange knowledge and lessons learned
• Liaise the work with school leaders, teachers, government stakeholders, including the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, the Teaching Service Commission, and Freetown City Council
• Lead on procurement of local items and infrastructure work
• Hire, train, and manage Regional and School Performance Managers
• Prepare quarterly and annual reports, prepare work plans and set priorities
• Ensure the project stays on budget, with clear records in place for costs associated with project implementation and partners and stakeholders are informed
• Organize and conduct teacher trainings, including trainings on Safeguarding, Growth Mindset, Giving/Receiving Feedback 
• Engage community members and national stakeholders to ensure the program's sustainability

Location and reporting:

This is a full-time position based in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The role will report directly to Rising’s Director of Programs. 

Application deadline: 

The target start-date for this role is Mid July, 2024. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Qualifications and Experience:

• 7+ years of program or partnership management experience.
• Strong experience managing projects and programs in the education sector.
• Strong experience in executing existing partnership programs.
• Experience working in the non-profit or social impact sectors is an added advantage.
• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree required for this role, however Master is a plus. 
• People with experience collaborating with C-Suite members and key external stakeholders are encouraged to apply.

About You:

• You can communicate with stakeholders in a multicultural environment, as well as clearly document high level strategy and reports for these audiences.
• You have excellent verbal and written communication skills, and interpersonal skills.
• You demonstrate people skills; must be able to collaborate effectively with diverse personalities and skill sets, and enjoy constructive conflict.
• You have a strong track record of professionalism, trustworthiness and working independently sometimes.
• You possess strong analytical and reasoning skills with ability to adapt to changes in a fast-paced agile environment.
• You are proactive, self-driven and can take initiative and problem-solve.
• You are comfortable working with senior leadership, reporting on data and outcomes.
• You are willing to take risks, fail, learn, give and receive feedback, and try new approaches.
• Basic familiarity with technology, including desktop computers, Microsoft and Google Suite.
• You are passionate about improving the quality of education across Africa.

Compensation and Benefits:

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package. We regularly benchmark our compensation against comparable businesses, social ventures and non-profits. 

Rising’s goal is to be transparent about salaries at all levels of the organisation and have a standard, global pay scale for all positions that is non-negotiable. 

The benefits we offer are built to have a strong added value on our staff’s well-being and we are excited to discuss this further with you in the process.

Rising is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to providing a work environment that is inclusive and free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, national origin, family or parental status, veteran or disability status.

Rising is committed to creating a culture within the organisation, and its schools, that recognises the importance of safeguarding children and prioritising their rights and needs. We strive to uphold international safeguarding standards, and keep the safety and well-being of our students at the heart of what we do. All Rising employees are expected to abide by the Child Protection Policy, and to have the same level of commitment to protect children from harm. Safeguarding questions are part of every interview process and all Rising employees undergo reference checks before joining the organisation.